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Spirit Weaver, by Seren Bertrand

Spirit Weaver: Wisdom Teachings from the Feminine Path of Magic, by Seren Bertrand
Bear & Company, 1591434351, 256 pages, May 2022

Spirit Weaver: Wisdom Teachings from the Feminine Path of Magic by Seren Bertrand was balm for my aching soul. Recently, I have been rather withdrawn, tending to my inner world over making strides towards accomplishments in the external world. I’ve been quite content exploring and feeling into the changes taking place within myself as I enter a new phase of my life

But amid the soul-shifting happening, I was being quite hard on myself, lamenting about “not being productive” and chastising my need to remain in my domestic sphere, which has felt quite like my safe haven or nest during this time. It wasn’t until I spent two days in bed, switching off between deep-diving into the wisdom of this book, journaling, and napping, that I felt a very rooted, authentic connection to my own feminine magic was restored.

“We have to nest. Not to always be somewhere else.

Wild creatures know how to nest. They know how to leave–and how to return.

There is great spiritual power in pottering–in the garden, in the kitchen, just being around the house, the home. Tending the herbs in the garden, making a fresh-brewed tea, the sensual art of cooking. Or entering the prayer chamber of the sofa, lounging with God, in intimate conversations and occasional snoring.

Nowhere to go, nothing to do. No grand theories to unite. Just to relax and be.

Home brings us back down to Earth. It makes us real. It grants us “enrealment.”

It is imbued with Womb magic; the power of Earth, of life, of love, of the real.”1

Bertrand is a skilled spirit weaver and visionary creatrix, who has done so much research on the lost global feminine wisdom traditions. She has also co-authored Womb Awakenings and Magdalene Mysteries with her husband Azra. Both of these books were life-changing for me, and I highly recommend them as well for anyone interested in feminine magic.

What sets Spirit Weaver apart from these other two books though is that this one feels more personal and the wisdom shared can be easily incorporated into one’s life. Whereas Womb Awakening and Magdalene Mysteries are both 560 pages of historical, anthropological, and spiritual revelation, Spirit Weaver is about half the length and is based on Bertrand’s personal insight and heartfelt experience of living the path of feminine magic.

Her first-hand perspective really hit home for me, as it felt like an invitation to walk alongside her as she shares what she’s learned throughout her journey, much like listening to a friend. Her soothing way with words was a more creative approach to sharing the mysteries of this path, intuitively opening new chambers within my own psyche and soul to explore. And it’s definitely worth noting though she explores feminine magic worldwide, Bertrand’s personal narrative of her ancestry to her homeland of England is a prominent theme.

“Sitting at the heart of these essays I share with you is the story of my personal ancestral lineage at Mam Tor (Mother Mountain), in the Peak District of the Old North of England, once the grail lands of Maid Marian and Robin Hood and the ancient tribe of the Brigantes–who worshiped the goddess Brigantia, the ancien mother of the old north–who were once led by powerful queens. These lands are an ancestral soulmate within me, the earth placenta of my childhood.”2

The book is composed of 50 essays divided into five sections: “Spinning Our Web”, “Growing Our Roots”, “Weaving Our Healing”, “Dreaming Our Magic”, and “Enchanting Our World”. While the sections have essays relevant to the overall theme, each one stands alone as a unique, insightful reflective piece of writing. I choose to make my way through chronologically, but one could absolutely pick and choose the essays or sections that feel relevant to them in each moment.

One thing I loved about this book was the brilliant paintings throughout the book that was rich with symbolism, featuring images of women, animals, spirals, and more. It felt as though each picture was perfectly placed, inspiring revelation as I turned the page after reading a specific essay to see a creative expression of the essence, energy, and themes Bertrand is describing. Sometimes, I would end up staring at the imagery for a good five to ten minutes, sometimes contemplating its message and other times just admiring the beauty. Plus, there is variation in font color too, which adds to the beauty of the book; it’s not just black and white, but alive with color for visual appeal.

In addition to paintings, there’s also some photographs included too, such as wells, festivals, and even an ancestral photograph of Bertrand’s family. These pictures definitely made Bertrand’s writing more realistic because I could see exactly what she was describing, even if I haven’t visited these places myself or experienced the culture of the lands she describes, especially her homelands of northern England. Now I just want to go take a pilgrimage!

Another thing I really enjoyed about Spirit Weaver is how Bertrand offers ideas for self-reflection or advice about how to integrate what she’s just written about in her essay. For instance, following the essay “Feminine Archetypes: The Witch and the Priestess”, Bertrand invites the reader to reflect on which one is more resonant to them right now. Following another essay, “Rooted Power: Feminine Spiritual Path”, Bertrand shares a way to find the balance between one’s rooted power (embodiment check-ins) and their infinite love (affirmation). While not every essay has something like this at the end, these prompts definitely helped to integrate Bertrand’s writing.

Overall though, I think my absolute favorite thing about the book was the content. Bertrand delves into many aspects of the feminine with such insight. As someone who also walks the path of feminine spirituality, it felt like a homecoming to read Bertrand’s thoughts and reflections. I’m constantly vacillating between whether to call my path one of witchcraft or priestesshood, while also contemplating how to embody this practice in my daily life. Mary Magdalene and the Christ path has always had a special place in my heart, which is definitely not discussed much in witchcraft, so I loved soaking up Bertrand’s wisdom about that.

But the topics covered a wide range of feminine spirituality, such as Moon magic, Celtic traditions, Dankini magic, working with the shadow, romantic love as a spiritual pathway, the wisdom of Grandmothers, mermaids, and so much more. This might sound like a smorgasbord, but it wasn’t at all like that; it’s a rich tapestry of all aspects of the feminine skillfully woven together.

What I was most surprised at was her essay called “Lady Saturn: Lineage of the Cosmic Witch”. I recently did a whole astrology presentation about the feminine aspect of Saturn as Crone, and I was thrilled to read another’s perspective about the VERY overlooked female attributes of Saturn. Bertrand writes, “Lady Saturn is the darkness of wisdom, of Sophia. She is the grand cosmic witch.”3 This just set my passion ablaze and spurred me on in my own research!

I was also just overcome by what I read in the section “Epiphany: Three Wise Witchy Midwives” where Bertrand discusses the Christmas Witch La Befana. As an Italian-American, the past three yuletide seasons, I’ve been deepening my relationship with la Strega Noel, and Bertrand provided more information in this section than I had been able to find thus far. I loved learning about how “The sacred Christmastime of Epiphany was once the heartland of the feminine mysteries, celebrated by many feminine folk traditions.”4 Suddenly, it made a lot more sense why this has become such a special time of the year for me, as I walk this path.

All in all, Spirit Weaver is a treasure trove of wisdom about the magic of the feminine mysteries. I highly recommend this book to all who feel called to walk the path of the feminine spirituality, in whatever form this looks like for them. Bertrand covers such a wide-range of topics that each reader is sure to take away something meaningful for their own personal journey. Bertrand truly continues to do such a service to the feminine spiritual pathway, educating readers with her research and courageously sharing her own experience to illuminate the way for others. This is a book that I know I will be returning to time and time again, as I continue to weave my own way immersed within the all-encompassing divinity of the feminine.

Brigid’s Light, edited by Cairelle Crow and Laura Louella

Brigid’s Light: Tending the Ancestral Flame of the Beloved Celtic Goddess, edited by Cairelle Crow and Laura Louella
Weiser Books, 1578637694, 256 pages, March 2022

Ancient Pagan goddess or Catholic saint? Brigid brings her power and wisdom in many guises for the benefit of all. In her guise as the Goddess of the Flame, her head surrounded in a halo of fire, “she stands with us at the in-between parts of our lives, calling us to her so we can learn how to face the moment.”1  As the Lady of the Well, Brigid is also very much associated with the waters, often known for bringing inspiration and creating a flow of ideas. Brigid is most associated with Ireland where one finds the earliest documentations of her. Her wells in Kildare (one known to the public and one a bit more hidden and off the tourist path) are visited by those seeking aid. The Saint Brigid’s monastery is also in Kildare, not too far from Dublin. 

Brigid’s Light: Tending the Ancestral Flame of the Beloved Celtic Goddess, edited by Cairelle Crow and Laura Louella, is an anthology with writings from a diverse pool of authors, each opening up to their encounters with Brigid, whether through prose, poetry, art, and even recipes. In their selection of contributors, Crow and Louella sought to “reflect Brigid’s diversity in a wide variety of experiences of her power, a number of unique portrayals of her divinity, and even in different writing styles and spellings of her name.”2 Because Brigid’s influence is far-reaching, many of the contributors come from places other than Ireland.

The authors provide insight into the various ways that Brigid is celebrated and called on for assistance and sustenance, both physical and non-physical. Each writer encourages the reader to allow the “light of her flame always to guide you to your highest purpose.”3 There is a short bio of each of the contributors at the end of the book that allows the reader to further connect with those whose writings resonated with them.  

The book is divided into six parts, each dealing with a specific theme: “The Many Faces of Brigid”, “Goddess in Nature”, “Rituals Practices and Prayers”, “Goddess of Hearth and Home”, “Mothers and Daughters”, and “Circle of Life and Death”. 

The poetry found in each section was inspiring and melodious, each an offering to Brigid. The words flowed like the water surrounding her. They write of “finding” Brigid whether she met them in Canada or on a shoreline at sunrise. One poem leaves offerings to Brigid in the form of tears. A couple poems speak to Brigid the shapeshifter – as Maiden, Mother, and Crone. One connects with her as a midwife. 

The works resonated with me on so many levels, in their diversity, some personal and some more “educational,” but through all of the words and images, one cannot deny the honor and love dedicated to Brigid. 

In the “Goddess in Nature” section, I especially liked the piece on Brighid as Water Goddess (spellings of her name vary), detailing the Irish folk practices dedicated to her at the site of sacred springs and wells that continue to this day. Clooties, or strips of fabric are dipped in these waters and hung nearby in a tree with the belief that through the process of magical healing the illness would transfer from the person to the cloth which would eventually disintegrate. The author, Annwyn Avalon also writes on how one can create their own sacred well to place on an altar to Brigid. 

In the section “Rituals Practices and Prayers”, I was drawn to the “Honey and Beeswax Healing Spell” by Cairelle Crow. I look forward to doing the spell for myself and also for a few loved ones, with their consent, of course. “The Bed Blessing Before Sleep” by H. Byron Ballard (adapted from Carmichael) is a beautiful and soothing blessing that I have begun saying at bedtime. 

I loved “Cooking for Brigid” by Dawn Autora Hunt, which is in the “Goddess of Hearth and Home” section. I related to her telling of first encountering Brigid as a saint, growing up in and Italian Catholic family. As Dawn found a “pagan path” she writes of her honoring Brigid at Imbolc, lighting candles and cooking hearty foods. I will try her accompanying recipe of Shepherd’s Pie when the Wheel turns to Imbolc in February. 

In the “Mothers and Daughters” section, I particularly loved the story of the “Granddaughter of the Well” by Yeshe Matthews which recounted her serendipitous trip to Ireland when she was in graduate school. Her “knowingness” of how to arrive at places that she had never before visited brought her to Kildare, to Brigid’s well and the monastery. 

The book concludes with a prayer “written over shared cups of tea and tales of ancestors, and is infused with our deep love of the goddess.”4 The editors, Cairelle Crow and Laura Louella, leave the reader with the hope that the concluding prayer and the words within the book, “bring you bright blessings.”5

I highly recommend Brigid’s Light, both as a way to get to know the multi-faceted Brigid and also for the many ways that you can invite her to walk life’s path with you. Blessed Be.

The Empires of Atlantis, by Marco M. Vigato

The Empires of Atlantis: The Origins of Ancient Civilizations and Mystery Traditions Throughout the Ages, by Marco M. Vigato
Bear & Company, 1591434335, 416 pages, January 2022

The Empires of Atlantis: The Origins of Ancient Civilizations and Mystery Traditions Throughout the Ages by Marco M. Vigato is not an ordinary book about an extraordinary subject. And, it is most definitely not the usual fairy tale of mythology surrounding Atlantis and its fall.

Vigato dedicated the past fifteen years to documenting the evidence of ancient civilizations and their origins. This is most evident in the containers of the book and the detail in which the author goes towards supporting the theories around what he has uncovered, Where many other books focus on either the mythology and esoteric implications of ancient civilizations, in particular Atlantis and others seek only the archeological evidence, Vigato draws from a balance of esoteric philosophies and scientific and archeological evidence that offers a tried and tested timeline of historical events.  Vigato provides the reader with thirty-two pages of a Bibliography that is comprehensive and diverse in resources used to compile this treasure of a book.

The book is separated into six parts that set the reader on a journey beginning with our “Esoteric History:Part l”, “The First Time: Part ll” (including “The Mysterious Origins of Man”), “Twilight of the Gods: Part lll”, “Atlantis Rises Again: Part lV” (offering a look at “The Neo-Atlantean Empires”), “The Megalithic Odyssey: Part V”, and concluding with a discussion of “The Legacy: Part Vl” left from the Ancient civilizations, their cultures, and wisdom that has been lost on modern civilizations.

“The Epilogue: The Cycle Continues” provides a reminder that as a civilization we, as members of humanity, are part of a larger cyclical process that has defined and shaped our history and will most definitely weigh into our future. Dissolution of one cycle is a necessary prerequisite to the birthing and growth of another phase of existence. Despite the fatalistic sound of this concept, it is indeed one steeped in scientific evidence about the nature of evolution.

My recommendation to offset this reaction of “doom and gloom” would be that if the reader takes the time to “wade through” The Empires of Atlantis and give deep thought to the ample charts, timelines, graphics and more contained throughout, acknowledgement that cycles are organically part of the function of the cosmos become the reality of our existence.

Overall, The Empires of Atlantis is not an easy read, but well worth the effort for those who are fascinated by the spiritual underpinnings of humanity and the cosmology of the world. Ironically, this is one of the shortest reviews I have written for a book. This is not because it is lacking in content; in fact, it is entirely the opposite.

The skill with which Vigato has woven together cycles of humanity, evolutionary cycles of civilizations and the esoteric underpinnings that flow through all of it, is not easily reduced to simple quotes from a book and commentary on what information is being provided. This title is definitely worth exploring for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of our place as part of humanity and civilization’s natural evolution, regardless of your belief in the existence of Atlantis.

The Healing Power of the Sun, by Richard Hobday

The Healing Power of the Sun: A Comprehensive Guide to Sunlight as Medicine, by Richard Hobday
Findhorn Press, 164411402X, 224 pages, December 2021

Who doesn’t love the feeling of warm sunshine shining down on them? I know I certainly do! Whether it’s during a warm summer afternoon or a chilly winter’s day as I quickly make my way indoors, the sun never fails to bring a moment of happiness to my day. But until I read The Healing Power of the Sun: A Comprehensive Guide to Sunlight as Medicine by Richard Hobday, I had no idea the extent to which the sun affects our health and well-being. This illuminating book gave me a whole new perspective on sunlight and the many benefits spending time in its rays can have on my daily life.

In the introduction, Hobday immediately addressed the hyper-focus on the sun’s negative effect on the body: skin cancer. He notes that modern medicine is obsessed with the damage sunlight can have on skin, while neglecting the many other ailments that sunlight prevents, including “breast cancer; colon cancer; prostate cancer; ovarian cancer; heart disease; multiple sclerosis; and osteoporosis.”1 Instantly, I was intrigued by these bold claims–can sunlight really prevent these diseases? Luckily, Hobday provides ample scientific evidence to support his position.

There are a myriad of topics covered throughout the book, but all bolster the main thesis that sunlight is a natural form of medicine. Topics in the first chapter, “Your Body and Mind in the Sun” include the importance of vitamin D and how it can reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, melanin and different skin types, how sunlight can impact blood and promote growth. Hobday also talks about the psychological importance of the sun, such as regulation of hormonal and biochemical processes, as well as seasonal affective disorder.

With the foundation for the benefits of sunlight laid out clearly, Hobday then explores the how humanity has greatly decreased the amount of time spent in sunlight:

“We can now work, rest, play, shop and travel in an artificial environment, and have very little direct contact with the outside world. One consequence of all this is that, for many of us, sunlight plays only a small part in our daily lives. It can be quite instructive to sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and work out just how much time you spend indoors each week. Some estimates put the average figure at about 90 percent…”2

Personally, I despise sitting in doors all day and intentionally try to spend as much time outside as possible, but if I’m being honest, most friends and family don’t spend nearly as much time outdoors as I do. I clearly see what Hobday was pointing out about our world dominated by artificial light that is drastically different from earlier time periods in civilization where “sun-gods and goddesses were often worshiped as deities of medicine.”3

And it’s for this reason that I appreciated Hobday’s chapter “How to Sunbathe Safely”. One thing he mentions is how the use of sunscreen actually makes people more prone to sunbathing at inappropriate times. By following the provided advice, I feel like I am now able to maximize my sunbathing without being over-reliant on sunscreen, allowing for more direct contact with the sunlight. I’ve been intentionally going outside for early-morning sunshine, which is one recommendation of Hobday, as well as doing short trips outside to enjoy the sun to avoid prolonged exposure. These methods have been great for developing a tan while avoiding sunburn, and it’s been fantastic starting my morning connecting with the sun.

Admittedly, as an astrologer, I’ve always been focused on my spiritual connection to the sun, but after reading about the different methods of using sunlight as a form of medicine throughout time, I became convinced using sunlight should be more integrated in treatment. For instance, Hobday talks about Dr. Bodington’s pioneer open-air treatment for tuberculosis, Dr. Finsen’s sunlight treatment for smallpox and lupus vulgaris, and Dr. Bernhard’s heliotherapy for war wounds. He also mentions Florence Nightingale promoting sunlight for healing too, along with other examples of doctors who have sunlight as a part of treatment.

What I found most interesting was how drug-resistant infections are becoming a severe problem for hospitals. Sunlight remedies, including things such as incorporating sunlight in treatment and even simply having well-lit rooms, can help to combat the increasing spread of infection. Hobday shares many experiments showing that sunlight and natural light reduce infection levels, promoting the idea that our indoor environments should try to recreate outdoor conditions, rather than appeal to the desire for comfort, luxury, or utility. The section on this topic really made me question how buildings, especially hospitals are designed, and even how my own home could be modified to let more sunlight in during the day.

All in all, The Healing Power of the Sun was a very interesting and eye-opening read. It inspired me to spend more time outdoors and explore how I can improve my health by spending time in sunlight. From opening my mind to what medicine can look like (and how it can be so simple and natural) to learning more about the best ways to sunbathe, this book covers a wide-range of information any reader would benefit from learning. My greatest takeaway is that there’s no need to fear the sun; the medicinal properties greatly outweigh the potential harm. Plus, when you choose to safely spend time in sunlight, along with being mindful of what you’re eating and your daily exercise routines, it’s safe, even necessary for one’s well-being, to bask in the golden rays. 

The Twilight of Pluto, by John Michael Greer

The Twilight of Pluto: Astrology and the Rise and Fall of Planetary Influences, by John Michael Greer
Inner Traditions, 1644113112, 176 pages, April 2022

There’s no doubt Pluto has a stronghold within astrology, especially Evolutionary Astrology, where Pluto is considered the “starting” point for understanding the entire natal chart. Maybe you’ve heard recently about the Pluto return of the United States and what it may mean for the fate of the nation, or perhaps you’ve learned about the destructive, yet purifying nature of Pluto within your own chart.

But why is it that many astrologers overlook that Pluto is no longer technically considered a planet? And what might this mean for the planetary influence Pluto has moving forward? These are the questions John Michael Greer explores in The Twilight of Pluto: Astrology and the Rise and Fall of Planetary Influences – a must read for anyone with an interest in astrology.

I’ll confess, I was firmly in the astrologer camp that believed this “small” astronomical change of categorization had no impact on the influence of Pluto. I’ve enjoyed working with Pluto in my natal chart over the years– the way Pluto squares my North and South node, the significance of Pluto in my 4th house, the transit of Pluto through my Capricorn stellium the past decade, most notably conjunct Saturn and Venus in recent years.

Pluto has felt very significant to my astrological understanding of myself, but not once did I question what the change of Pluto from planet to dwarf planet by astronomers in 2006 might mean for the astrological fate of Pluto moving forward. With this book, Greer has completely shifted my point of view about the influence of Pluto, not only providing insight into what I went through on a personal level but also reshaping the way I perceive the influence of Pluto as an astrologer.

“It’s an irony of no small proportion that the downgrading of Pluto took most astrologers completely by surprise. While astronomers discussed the dwindling estimates of Pluto’s mass and laid the foundation for the decision in 2006, and (as we’ll see) many of the distinctive phenomena of the Plutonian era declined at roughly the same pace, astrologers by and large went blithely on their way treating Pluto as a planet, making predictions that assumed it would continue to retain its planetary status forever.”1

Greer’s main thesis in The Twilight of Pluto is that Pluto’s influence is waning now that it has been reclassified as a dwarf planet. To back this claim, Greer shows how the rise and fall of other celestial bodies, both those proven to exist, as well as bodies that were only hypothesized to exist, such as Ceres, Lilith, Vulcan influenced the world during their prominence in astronomy, but faded away once they were either reclassified or determined to not exist. He also discusses the impact of discovering new planets, such as Uranus and Neptune, and the impact of these planetary energies on culture.

The key domains that Greer examines to document the rise and fall of Pluto’s planetary status are nuclear fusion, space travel, communism, psychoanalysis, and modern art. Pluto brought out a focus on despair, apathy, divergence, separation, a lack of symmetry, and breaking things down to the smallest parts in order to make sense of the whole.  And everything Greer points out about the emergence and decline of these characteristics in these main domains was utterly fascinating.

“These examples from the past offer important guidance for the future. As we will see, the core nature of Pluto can be summed up straightforwardly as opposition to cosmos. The ancient Greek concept of cosmos–literally “that which is beautifully ordered”–lies at the heart not only of astrology but of most of the world’s traditions of spiritual philosophy and practice. . . During the Plutonian era, that vision was in eclipse.”2

However, luckily, it seems the doom and gloom of the Plutonian era is fading, as a return to unity in the cosmos happens once again as Pluto’s influence continues to wane. Greer dedicates an entire chapter, “After Pluto”, to his thoughts about how astrology will continue to evolve, as well as the changes he foresees happening in the Plutonian domains examined. There’s plenty of thought-provoking material to reflect on, especially for practicing astrologers. Greer asserts the potential implications of Pluto’s classification as a dwarf planet leads to the need for future investigation about the planetary influence not only of Pluto, but the dwarf planets too: Ceres, Eris, Makemake,and Haumea.

The final chapter, “The Cosmos Reborn”, highlights how despite believing modernity, often characterized as a abandonment of the cosmos, including all of magic, spirits, and inherent symmetry within the cosmos, will continue on this way, there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary. Greer explores how Pluto’s planetary declassification actually aligns the ten planets with the Tree of Life, and explores the placement of each planet within the Tree of Life. This was fascinating to read about.

Overall, I really enjoy how The Twilight of Pluto blends history, astronomy, and astrology. Too often, I feel astrology is divorced from the scientific study of space. This book is helpful in getting astrologers to break out of habits, such as the focus on Pluto in the chart, and reconnect with the present moment. I think my favorite take-away of the entire book was the reminder that both astronomy and astrology are constantly evolving as new information comes to light. I enjoyed Greer’s thoughts about the future of astrology, as well as areas in the field where he believes there’s room for more exploration.

This is by far the most influential astrology book I’ve read this year, and Greer has done a great service to the astrological community for sharing his careful study and observations. I highly recommend this book to every single practicing astrologer, as well as those interested in history and the potential for the future in general. If you’re interested in learning more, one of my favorite astrologers, Aeolian Heart, interviewed Greer about the book, which can be listened to here.

The Art of Breathing, by Danny Penman

The Art of Breathing: How to Become at Peace with Yourself and the World, by Danny Penman
Hampton Roads Publishing, 1642970425, 128 pages, May 2022

Breathing may just seem like the simplest thing in the world – something that doesn’t even cross our minds on a daily basis, it just happens to us. Naturally, The Art of Breathing: How to Become at Peace with Yourself and the World by Danny Penman PhD has much more to say on the subject. If breathing is really an art, it must be an ability which we can develop and deepen to reach a far greater depth than the usual automatic bodily process we’re so familiar with. Penman’s depth of experience and expertise as a meditation teacher and award-winning author certainly delivers on that promise. 

Going hand-in-hand with developing breathwork is the practice of mindfulness, which has become such a prevalent subject in recent times. As these topics have gradually diffused into western culture, and as more and more books, courses, and retreats emerge every year, how does an individual book stand out amid the crowd? Penman’s answer is to match the form to the content, which is certainly the most striking aspect of this little book.

The Art of Breathing doesn’t seek to simply impart information and techniques, like so many other books on these subjects do. Instead, the design of the books is a delightful journey through visual space as well as the realm of ideas. You almost can’t find a page without some sort of illustration, alternative layout, or background image that draws in your senses and evokes the presence of the natural world while you learn how to harness the power of your breath.

Some texts on meditation and mindfulness can be a little dry, like an instruction manual that has great results promised at the end, but Penman’s book takes an entirely different approach. As the title suggests, mindfulness practices are not meant to be solely therapeutic but also aesthetic. The quality of your experience is at least as important as the less-stressed, calm, and present state of mind you wish to gain. The immersion in imagery, which often involves plants, animals, and other scenes from Nature, helps to ground the reader in the world rather than removing awareness to the abstract mental realm.

As many practitioners of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, etc. would tell you, deliberately striving to achieve a specific result is more likely to be a hindrance than a help.

“The aim of mindfulness is not to intentionally clear the mind of thoughts. It is to understand how the mind works. To see how it unwittingly ties itself into knots to create anxiety, stress, unhappiness, and exhaustion.”1

Instead, Penman writes that mindfulness provides you with a place where one’s thoughts and emotions may be observed like the rise and fall of the waves, and in those spaces between lies a realm of expanding insight.

One of the specific features of this book that stands out is the design of the meditations and other exercises presented throughout the chapters. You might be familiar with meditations in other books that are paragraphs of text instructing you what to do. But if you aren’t a long-practicing meditator, those kinds of instructions can be difficult to hold in mind – especially while you’re supposed to be paying less attention to what the mind is saying. Not an ideal method for this sort of practice, unless you happen to have a picture-perfect memory. This is another place where Penman’s dedication to an aesthetic quality of presentation manages to shine forth.

In addition to offering audio versions of the meditation exercises on his website, Penman solves the problem of “too much text” by using flow charts set against the background of a great tree, full of tangled branches. It’s so easy to imagine a nest of birds hiding just out of sight while your eyes move over these pages, reinforcing the strong connection with the natural world that the author is encouraging us to remember. While engaging in these practices, it is a simple matter to glance at the next bubble in the flowchart to see the next step of the exercise. I found this incredibly helpful at keeping my attention focused on the exercise, moving from one step to the next without having to search for the place I’d left off.

The artistic style and layout isn’t the only aesthetic feature of this book either. Mindfulness practices can sometimes get stuck in the meditation-phase, where it seems like the only way that this quality of experience develops is by just focusing on the breath. But there’s so much more than breathing in Penman’s work.

For instance, you’ll find a Fruit Meditation, which takes mindfulness out of the breathwork realm for a moment and into the full range of the senses. Through deliberate exploration of a piece of fruit in all its sensory aspects, the exercise heightens your attention to all the little details packed into the simple activity of eating. Experiencing the manifold presence of a piece of fruit is an awakening to the quality of our sensations that our usual habits and attitudes might be ignoring.

This emphasis helps us move beyond the mindfulness found in meditation exercises and brings it out into the everyday world – a bridge that many books find difficult to cross. Penman is also unafraid to challenge common practices and conceptions about mindfulness and meditation. He argues, for example, that many people – especially beginners – would find cross-legged, lotus position meditation difficult and distracting.

Instead of trying to force yourself to sit in the “proper” position, where the discomfort of the body may hinder your ability to relax into a mindful state, Penman suggests that all you need is a Chair, a Body, some Air, your Mind, and that’s it! Although developing different positions and postures may be great in the long-run, your practice shouldn’t be held back on that account.

Overall, The Art of Breathing receives a big, two-thumbs-up recommendation. Although much of the content about breathwork, mindfulness, and meditation can be obtained from many other sources, Penman’s book stands out in its artistic presentation. This gives the work a sense of wholeness and integrity, which helps immerse the reader more deeply and immediately in the quality of awareness that is the subject of the book. And while it’s a short book – you can easily read the whole thing in an hour – its wisdom and exercises are so easy to return to that you’ll want to find it a prominent space on your shelf.

Medium Mentor, by MaryAnn DiMarco

Medium Mentor: 10 Powerful Techniques to Awaken Divine Guidance for Yourself and Others, by MaryAnn DiMarco
New World Library, 1608687635, 224 pages, April 2022

Anyone else ever feel like they’re immensely intuitive, or maybe even a natural psychic, but have no idea how to cultivate this skill set? If so, Medium Mentor: 10 Powerful Techniques to Awaken Divine Guidance for Yourself and Others by MaryAnn DiMarco is a must, must, must (did I say must enough yet?) read! As someone who has considered themselves somewhat psychic since childhood, but has continually tried to ignore or repress my inner knowing, this information in this book finally gave me the empowerment to start taking this gift more seriously.

MaryAnn DiMarco is an internationally recognized psychic-medium, author, and healer. Teaching comes naturally to her, as she’s mentored spiritual influencers such as Gabby Bernstein, Jordan Younger, and thousands of students worldwide. Her workshops and classes focus on how to cultivate one’s intuitive gifts and be of service to others. This is her second book, following Believe, Ask, Act: Divine Steps to Raise Your Intuition, Create Change, and Discover Happiness published in 2016.

I felt a connection to DiMarco right away when I started reading Medium Mentor. I liked her style; there’s a sincerity within her writing. I could tell she wasn’t someone to sugarcoat things or beat around the bush.  You can tell that DiMarco genuinely wants to serve others and teach them to the best of her abilities. And I think it’s her personality, which comes through in her writing, that makes me trust her as a teacher.

Plus, the guidance in this book is unique. I’ve read a bunch of books over the years about developing one’s psychic gifts, but DiMarco touched on things others neglect, such as the need to take this work seriously and how to practically go forward and serve others with one’s psychic abilities. Best of all, DiMarco emphasizes that there’s no prescriptive one-size fits method of psychic development, and she continually prompts the readers to experiment and do what’s best for them.

“When we are able to sustain a connection with spirit and keep our lives in balance, our intuitive abilities gain the fertile ground they need to truly flourish. Getting balanced includes setting boundaries and reassessing priorities. It is intuitive and dynamic, and it’s absolutely key to our ability to move through the physical world while honoring the psychic world, too.”1

DiMarco covers topics that can be useful for a personal psychic practice, such as managing your ego, overcoming fear, setting strong boundaries, trusting one’s imagination, and use of different tools to enhance your readings. But she also covers extensively reading for other people by delving into topics like mastering how you convey the information (as well as learning to discern if information should even be shared), developing a sustainable spiritual practice and not just dabbling, integrating psychic abilities and daily life, using one’s psychics abilities to serve others, and feeling worthy in one’s path as a lightworker.

As a tarot reader who temporarily “retired” as I prefer to phrase it for previous clients or the recommendations they often send me, I realized that following DiMarco’s insights might actually help me create the appropriate structure to sustain doing readings once again. I often noted I would have “spiritual hangovers”, as DiMarco refers to them, when I didn’t have clear boundaries with my clients or was trying to do many readings at once. Her advice on managing these practical aspects of being a divine channel, based on both her own experience and that of her students, made me see that I could try this again but with more commitment this time.

So many psychic books make it seem like anyone can cultivate these abilities, and while DiMarco affirms this, she also acknowledges the challenges that come from integrating them with your daily life, from having to develop confidence in one’s chosen career, which is bound to get some odd looks occasionally, to fully committing to follow the guidance of spirit in order to release the ego and serve from a place of openness and love. I really appreciated that DiMarco highlights that when you delve into this kind of work, you will ultimately get to a point where you’re not just playing around anymore and you truly need to commit to take it to the next level.

“There comes a time in every psychic’s life when things get serious. Don’t get me wrong – it can still be fun. In fact, a light-hearted attitude is required. Humor, joy, and laughter are always welcome. Yet at a certain point, that spontaneous, joyful experience needs strong grounding for us to really flourish. The spiritual steps we take become dependent on our ability to take our role seriously.”2

And I think this book is perfect for people who are in this position of being called to develop their psychic abilities through a combination of trust, laughter, and hard work. It’s not to say a beginner wouldn’t benefit from this book; certainly anyone with an interest in cultivating their psychic abilities would gain immense knowledge from reading this book. But I feel like it’s a truly perfect fit for those who have some experience, perhaps using divination tools (crystals, oracle cards, tarot cards) or in mediumship or past-life regression, that are looking to take their practice to the next level.

The expertise of DiMarco’s teaching shines through in the book through the different techniques at the end of each chapter. As she describes in the introduction, she is focusing on the “DIY aspect of psychic development.”3 And as someone who learns by doing, this was incredibly helpful for me. I took the time to do every single one as I made my way through this book, and by the end, I had reestablished a connection with psychic self and spirit team, learned so much about fears holding me back, and felt much more empowered in my identity as a spiritual practitioner.

I’m still benefiting from what I uncovered from taking the time to connect with myself and move through each technique. They were so fun and insightful to do because it was a hands-on way to integrate DiMarco’s lessons. For instance, one technique helped me to get really clear about what my fears were, which surprisingly were not what I thought they were. Another one helped me to check in on the health of my chakras and feel into what each one needed. I learned my sacral chakra needed lemons, prompting me to make lemonade and buy a lemon essential oil, while my heart chakra needed flowers, so I’ve been getting fresh flowers for my house weekly and taking a walk each day to smell all the flowers in bloom. I also used one of the techniques to establish a spiritual schedule for myself, making me more likely to meditate and cleansing my space on certain days because I am developing a routine.

My favorite one of all was creating a spiritual mission statement because it gave me the confidence to shine my light and acknowledge the gifts I have to share with others. The way DiMarco guides readers to discover their mission statement was actually through acknowledging the way they judge others. She moves us through the process of taking negative emotions and turning them into a purpose that can move us forward on our path. I am definitely giving a summary, and it’s 100% worth reading the book to do this yourself, but I just loved DiMarco’s creative approach.

All in all, I can’t recommend Medium Mentor highly enough. Medium Mentor is filled with the guidance my spirit needed to take my psychic abilities to the next level. DiMarco has reflected on her insight as a medium to craft a how-to guide for readers that is the perfect mixture of left and right brain thinking, combining intuitive creativity with practical application. The techniques are bound to yield meaningful insights, and by the end of the book, you’ll most certainly feel more connected to spirit team offering divine guidance than when you started reading.

Your Magickal Year, by Melinda Lee Holm

Your Magickal Year: Transform your life through the seasons of the zodiac, by Melinda Lee Holm
CICO Books, 1800650957, 160 pages, April 2022

What does it mean to live magically? If you’re on a journey to discover this for yourself, Your Magickal Year: Transform your life through the seasons of the zodiac by Melinda Lee Holm is the perfect book to use as guidance when cultivating a magical lifestyle. This book guides you through the year, tapping into the new and full moon through all the zodiac signs to facilitate personal growth and understanding through the transformation that comes from attuning to the lunar cycle.

“To follow a magickal year is to make a full lap of the stars, touching on each full and new moon, every solstice and equinox, to honor its influence and open yourself to receive it.”1

Holm is a tarot priestess, entrepreneur, and creative writer. She owns her own beauty line that creates all sorts of goodies, such as fragrance oils, natural deodorant, detoxifying cleansing masks, face oil, and more. She published her own Elemental Power Tarot deck and is also co-author of Divine Your Dinner: A cookbook for using tarot as your guide to magickal meals, which made me hungry just hearing the name and curious enough to order it.. review most likely coming soon. 🙂

But let’s focus on Your Magickal Year for right now! First of all, it’s absolutely stunning to look through with gorgeous, hand-drawn images by artist Rohan Daniel Eason filling each page. The beautiful blue hardcover makes it perfect to  keep on one’s coffee table for decoration and necessity, as you’ll need it every two weeks if you’re following the lunar cycle.

As for the interior, there’s the perfect amount of negative space in the content of the book to really allow one’s eyes to focus on the information and pictures to indulge in the joy of fantastic aesthetics. The visual appeal and organization is what makes this book perfect to work with because one can open to a page and fully immerse themselves without having to flip back and forth. Rather than be overwhelming, there’s an invitation to dive in that comes when flipping through the pages. What’s also really unique is how Holm’s Elemental Power Tarot cards are featured as sample readings and as depictions of the tarot cards to use in the rituals. If you love her deck, you’d really enjoy seeing all the artwork in this book.

Holm starts off by providing the reader with a 101 lesson on astronomy, astrology, and magick. From there, the essential tools of the book are covered: tarot cards, a journal, energy clearing tools, candles, crystals, and other supplies that might be needed, including herbs and oils for dressing candles or making offerings. Holm provides plenty of advice about these tools and how to use them, so even someone new to magical workings would feel comfortable getting started. There’s even a very helpful crystal guide of the energy each crystal is best for cultivating.

From here, Holm introduces the reader to four principles that will guide their work, as well as the four elements. She provides a brief overview on timing and preparation for working with the book and then offers answers to some FAQs about the book. The whole introduction is short and sweet, but definitely a solid foundation to begin with.

Now here’s the good part. For each astrological season, Holm writes about the zodiac sign’s symbolism, the magical energy of the season, tarot cards representing the sign, seasonal activities for this time of year, journaling for that season with prompt or suggestion about what to focus on, and a tarot spread for the season. She definitely provides a multi-layered approach to connecting with each season from both an intuitive and astrological perspective. Then there is a section on each zodiac sign’s new moon and full moon, with a little description about the significance of the time and how to connect with the lunar energy, and a ritual.

Since we are approaching a full moon, where the Sun in Taurus will be opposite the Moon in Scorpio, I’ll share the example of what Holm has to say about this time:

“The Taurus/Scorpio axis reveals areas of tension between stability and transformation. It invites conflict between our need to ground and our need to reinvent, what sustains life and what beckons the release of death. Whatever area of life you are ready to  bravely see, accept, and seriously overhaul is lit up by this moon.”2

The ritual provided is “designed to help you focus your energy on what you value most, releasing emotional attachment to things, tasks, situations, or relationships that are no longer important to you or relevant to your personal development.”3page 53[/efn_] The ritual involves use of a cleansing tool, the two tarot cards associated with Taurus (Hierophant) and Scorpio (Death), candles, oil, something symbolic of what you want to release, and purpose, white, and black crystals.

What I like about each ritual is they are fairly simple to do, but the combination of candles, tarot cards, and crystals makes them very potent. Admittedly, some people might not have all the materials readily on hand, so I suggest looking over the ritual about a week before to make sure you’re prepared. I also think this helps you to start connecting with the ritual and setting your own intention.

So far, I’ve worked with the Aries season of the book and the Taurus new moon. As an astrologer, I can vouch for Holm’s interpretation of each zodiac sign. She is definitely skilled in her craft and does an amazing job of translating the energy of the seasons into insightful, transformative practices that are fun to incorporate into one’s daily life. The journal prompts are helpful for focusing my awareness on the energy of the season, allowing me to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves. And the rituals make me feel like I am grounding the energy and honoring the lunar cycles through my intentional alignment.

For easy access to the timing of the  lunar cycle, there is a “Key Dates” section at the end of the book with the date and time of all the new and full moons from 2022 to 2030. Plus, there’s a very helpful index for reference. For instance, if you’re reading with book with a background in tarot, you can quickly look up in the index a tarot card of interest and find the page it’s discussed on.

All in all, Your Magickal Year is an absolutely stellar book. It’s gorgeous, accessible, and most of all, extraordinarily mystical. I think it’s the perfect book for beginning a practice of connecting with the lunar year or deepening the practice you already have. As someone who’s actively worked with the lunar cycles for over a decade now, Holm’s rituals, journal prompts, and tarot spreads provided new inspiration and brought a breath of fresh air to my practice. We all deserve a magical life, and this book for sure will be of use when creating one.

A Spellbook for the Seasons, by Tudorbeth

A Spellbook for the Seasons: Welcome Natural Change with Magical Blessings, by Tudorbeth
Red Wheel Weiser, 9781590035375, 224 pages, March 2022

It’s always wonderful to step into a new season. How inspiring to embrace the changes in the natural world – differences in the light, the weather, the plants, the holidays. A Spellbook for the Seasons: Welcome Natural Change with Magical Blessing by Tudrobeth is a companion to the seasons that will greatly enhance your experiences and show you in so many ways how we are connected to the natural world.

Tudorbeth invites the reader to embrace the seasons and to “investigate these festivals (that are celebrated), the practical magic that flows through our seasons, and the gods that rule over the different times of the year.”1 I particularly liked that the book opens with two blessings: one for sisters and brothers around the world and one for the seasons and the turning of the wheel of the year.

The book is divided into the four seasons, with focus on each season’s garden, crystals, goddesses and gods, and spells, blessings and rituals. As I read the book in the spring, I focused most of my attention on that season. The spring months are associated with the Celtic deities such as Ostara, Belenus (Beltaine), and Brigid. The spring’s spells, blessings, and rituals include those for encouraging flowering in the garden, a daisy love ritual, and Ostara fresh air spell.

I performed the Ostara ritual on Ostara Eve, as the ritual is meant to embody hope, and then I made Ostara magic salt on the night of the full moon in March. When sprinkled around the home or office, it ensures bright ideas and business success. I now have my jar of pink salt sitting in a glass jar, ready for use! I enjoyed following Tudorbeth’s guidance and felt these small magical acts really attuned me to the energies of the season of spring.

For spring cleaning, there’s a small section on decluttering. I loved the Charm of Manannan. As Tudorbeth explains, the Celtic god, Manannan is a “foster father to the many children he takes under his care, and as a protector god he cares deeply for his children.”2 The Charm of Manannan is meant to bring about a loving and caring family home environment.

Additionally, there are rain blessings and rain energy spells that are meant to be done in a spring rainfall. The section on Beltane traditions provided an overview of Beltane, a cleansing detox ritual, and a spring sage clearing ritual. The Charm of Belenus is meant to be done toward the end of spring. The Charm is meant to invoke a happy, fun, and prosperous environment.

My recommendation for using this book to full advantage is to read the section on the upcoming season prior to the season’s arrival so that you have time to gather the items needed for the spells. While some might need to be collected at the last minute, such as flower-specific items, you can be prepared with other items such as salts, colored candles, essential oils, and shells. And then take your time in the season, experimenting with what you’re drawn to.

The sections on the season-specific garden offered suggestions on bringing wonder and magic into your outdoor space and inviting in the fairies. For spring, they include bluebells, hyacinth, and lily of the valley. As spring is associated with rain and showers, Tudorbeth focused on the power of the rainbow, and the suggested crystals include the colors of spring that form a pentagram of rainbows. The five spring crystals are rainbow opal, rainbow moonstone, rainbow obsidian, rainbow pyrite, and rainbow quartz.

The one downside for me was that some of the items were not readily available where I live such as periwinkle flowers or hawthorn twigs but again, with advance notice (e.g. reading the season in advance) I probably could have searched them out.

The other seasons are also given justice. Summer focuses on love, featuring Aphrodite and Apollo, a spell to welcome nymphs into the garden, Midsummer salt, a Lammas gratitude ritual, and a ritual for Midsummer enchantment. For Autumn, among other things, there is a clarity spell, an equinox healing ritual, a Mabon success spell, a Charm of Minerva (one of the three Roman deities who rule over the Autumn months), and a Samhain remembrance potion. Winter offers a first snow spell, an ice wand consecration ritual (if you are able to get an icicle), a Charm of Odin, midwinter tea, and an Imbolc ritual.

The most amazing part of A Spellbook for the Seasons is all the colorful, informative pictures. This is a gorgeous book to have on a table in your home because of the aesthetics that make it soothing to read through. The beauty of this book naturally entices one to want to perform with all the potent magic within. I really enjoyed the many hand-drawn illustrations, along with how the text on each page was simple and elegant. There is no clutter in the book, making it easy to focus on the spellwork or ritual you’re performing.

Tudorbeth is a hereditary practitioner of the Craft. The rules and gifts of herb lore, scrying, healing, tasseomancy, numerology, and candle magic have been passed down to her through several generations. I especially loved her reminder that we are meant to “use the gift that nature brings with these spells, but in return give something back … We are all connected to one another and everything around us. We are nature.”3 I highly recommend A Spellbook for the Seasons with encouragement to plan ahead to be able to use the knowledge imparted within its pages to full advantage.

The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova, by Ruth Hogan

The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova: A Novel, by Ruth Hogan
William Morrow Paperbacks, 0063075431, 304 pages, September 2021

Sometimes I dream about having the life of a boardwalk fortune teller. What could be better than being near the ocean with the continuous swirl of entertainment and merriment as visitors enjoy their vacations. But as a professional tarot reader, I know there’s a deeper, more hidden side to the profession. And this mixture of the enjoyments and secrecy is what Ruth Hogan has captured perfectly in The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova: A Novel.

This heartwarming tale centers upon Madame Imelda Burova, beloved tarot reader, palmist, and clairvoyant1, and a young woman named Billie who just lost both her parents, her job, and marriage. Madame Burova shares a trust and photograph given to her from Billie’s birth mother, then the mystery compels Billie to find out the truth of her origins.

Grappling with the news, Billie forges a relationship with Madame Burova, who happily brings her into the fold of the eccentric community of the boardwalk.Though, the memories of the past do drum up old hurts for Madame Burova. Though recently retired, she’s feeling a bit lost without her fortune-telling, which remained her core identity.

Madame Burova must confront her own past and the truths that Billie uncovers to resolve matters of the heart that have weighed heavy on her for decades. Flashbacks between past and present weave an intriguing story of romance and deception, as the readers try to piece together who Bilie’s birth mother and father truly are.

What’s so neat about the story is how it depicts Madame Burova’s beachside fortune-telling lifestyle. Hogan does a wonderful job of portraying the emotional intricacies of being a tarot reader. From the secrets people confess to the intuitive knowledge that one knows but can’t be spoken, the full experience of having the gift is revealed. Anyone who does tarot reading themselves or understands the fine line clairvoyants walk between the seen and unseen world would really resonate with her character.

Then in contrast, Billie is just the average woman doing her best to come to terms with this new insight. I enjoyed her as a character because she wasn’t mopey or self-pitying. She had much self-awareness and wholeheartedly chose to embrace the cards that the Universe dealt her to remake her life. She is considerate towards others and willing to open up and cultivate the relationships with the new people in her life. Her story was one of hope, optimism, and friendships cherished and made.

Plus, how the two stories interweave is just brilliant! Hogan really did a great job of keeping the reader guessing who the mother and father might be. I had quite a few different suspicions throughout reading the book, but the end was even better than imagined! All the pieces are there, right under the readers’ nose the whole time, but the way it all comes together is very well done. It felt good to read a mystery that for once wasn’t about a murder! And I just loved the fortune-telling aspect woven in too.

This isn’t a magical, enchanted story. Rather, it reads as though it could be real life. It portrays Madame Burova family, job, and relationships realistically, and they are all quite endearing. There was plenty of backstory about Madame Burova too. Hogan did a wonderful job of highlighting Madame Burova’s roots with her Romani gypsy mother with a vardo in the back coupled with her Russian father that loved to cook. When she does find true love, it’s very funny to see how her parents encourage it. And for those who love dogs, it’s worth mentioning that Madame Burova has two constant companions through the years, Dasha and Mabel, whose antics always bring a levity to the situations in the book.

All in all, The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova was a 10/10 read for me. It’s so rare to read fiction that depicts the normal life of a tarot reader, rather than having it be all about magic or sorcery. This was plain and simple a lifelike story that takes the reader on a journey of the full range of human emotions and comes together for the most perfect ending. Sometimes it seems the past and present intersect at exactly the right time to open the door for a fresh start, both individually and as a community.