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Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Magickal Reviews: Living Earth Devotional by Clea Danaan

Title: Living Earth Devotional
Author: Clea Danaan
Publication Date: September 8th, 2013
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Genre: Spirituality
Pages: 444
ISBN: 0738736589
Source: From Publisher
Rating:

Synopsis (from Publisher): Tune in to nature, care for the sacred earth, and grow spiritually with 365 eco-friendly activities for deepening your connection with nature.

Living Earth Devotional offers practical, soul-centered tasks, including meditations, craft projects, gardening and outdoor activities, journaling prompts, and more. Following the Wheel of the Year, this day-by-day guide will help you tune in to the energies of the changing seasons and build a greater appreciation for the earth’s beauty, power, and wisdom. Reduce your carbon footprint, recharge your creativity and intuition, and cultivate a connection with the world that inspires spiritual growth and personal transformation.

Living Earth Devotional is filled with daily practices to become more connected with the Earth. I have been going through this book every morning during time at my altar, and I love the simplicity of each page. Even if I feel I am in a hurry, I’m still able to make time to read that day’s devotional.
 Unlike other dailies I’ve read, I feel this particular compilation has been very well thought out and put together. There have been some where it seems the author rushed to fill in places that seem less important than, say, the Sabbats. Half expecting this, I was pleasantly surprised to find this wasn’t the case.
The book follows the Wheel of the Year, with meditations, crafts, journal prompts, gardening activities, and more to aid you in connecting with the earth and its energies. Each of the devotional are simple and easy, and require little to no preparation for those on the go or with limited resources.
This is one of the better books I have found to use during daily meditations.


Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Magickal Reviews: The Illustrated Herbiary by Maia Toll

Title: Illustrated Herbiary
Author: Maia Toll
Publication Date: August 7th, 2018
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Genre: Spirituality
Pages: 176
ISBN: 1612129684
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 

Synopsis (from Publisher): Rosemary is for remembrance; sage is for wisdom. The symbolism of plants — whether in the ancient Greek doctrine of signatures or the Victorian secret language of flowers — has fascinated us for centuries. Contemporary herbalist Maia Toll adds her distinctive spin to this tradition with profiles of the mysterious personalities of 36 herbs, fruits, and flowers. Combining a passion for plants with imagery reminiscent of tarot, enticing text offers reflections and rituals to tap into each plant’s power for healing, self-reflection, and everyday guidance. Smaller versions of the illustrations are featured on 36 cards to help guide your thoughts and meditations.
I have Celiac Disease. When I was attending the PLA (Public Library Association) Conference in Philly back in March, I got sick off of cross contaminated food. For the first two days I was there I was miserable with a migraine, sleeplessness, stomach problems, inflamed lymph nodes, and fatigue. One day, when I was meeting up with some conference friends at Reading Market for lunch, I stumbled upon the Herbiary.
I’m generally drawn to any place that looks like it was plucked fresh from a wildwood, so I went to see what I may find. I told the girls at the counter I was needing something for lymphatic health, and they lead me to a burdock and red root compound. I also decided to purchase some Moon Drops to help me sleep, and off I went.
Within 10 hours of taking the compound I finally felt better and slept through the entire night. I was able to enjoy the rest of the conference without issue! I decided to look this “Herbiary” up and was ecstatic to find this book was releasing...but not until August!
Back up a little. Herbalism is something I’ve taken an interest in over the last year or so. My family doctor is a Naturopathic Doctor, and I’ve always favored natural pathways to health. I knew how to use plants once they got to me, but cultivating the plants themselves is something I’ve never done before. So, I moved into a house and started a garden and learned to wildcraft. Because of this, Maia Toll’s approach to building a relationship with the plants came through to me in a language I wanted to understand better. That’s why I preordered the book back in April and anxiously awaited its launch (and attended the online watch party!).
The Illustrated Herbiary is one of the most gorgeous books I have ever owned. Kate O’Hara’s artwork is lavish and inspiring. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it online, but when I had it in my hands the metallics brought it all to life.
Each section has a beautifully illustrated interpretation of a plant, followed by Maia Toll’s commentary on the importance of that plant. After we are introduced, Toll provides a ritual and reflection to know our plant better. A ritual may be a meditation or a recipe, and the reflection will give us a focus.
In the back cover of the book, all those illustrations are provided as oracle cards for easier meditation. I love this aspect of the book. In the last several pages, you will find images or them laid out, and advice on how to use them.


If you are looking for a textbook on herbs, this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a practice to connect more with your herbs, then I highly recommend it.


Thursday, September 7, 2017

Finding Magick in the Mundane

It’s easy to fall into the trap of testing our “beliefs”. This holds true for people of all walks of life, but can be especially seductive for us witches, who often feel we should be able to make miracles. It’s true that as extensions of the Universe, we can harness its power, but we often forget that the Universe doesn’t work for us. It works with us. So making demands and harboring ultimatums (“if magick is real, prove it to me now”) often ends in disappointment and frustration with our practice. But if we’re willing to still our minds and pay attention, Magick grants signs of its presence in our lives. We just need to be open to receiving them.
Magick is everywhere. It’s in finding a feather on the ground when you’re having a hard day. It’s in a storm clearing just before nightfall so we have a view of the full moon. It’s in the inexplicable synchronicity of events in our lives, and in the shifts in our perception(s) as the wheel of the year turns.

I was lucky yesterday to have experienced several such signs, and would love to share them with you.

1. The Eagle.

It’s not unusual for me to see birds of pray on my commute home from the office. I live in west Michigan which, despite the tireless spread of industrialized civilization, has managed to remain quite wild. The highways are largely lined with forests that serve as home to hawks, falcons and kestrels. Hawks have a tendency to find me anyway. I’ve long considered the Red Tailed Hawk to be my spirit animal, and regard its frequent presence in my life as a sign that I’m on the right path. However, despite the frequency of these sightings, there are some feathered messengers that I do not often see, like the Bald Eagle. But that’s what I saw on my way home yesterday!

He was perched on a high, bare branch, and was so large I saw him from quite a ways off. At first I assumed him to be vulture, as those are also common during the summer months. But as I approached him, I noticed the crown of white feathers. This sighting alone was exciting enough for me - I’m a nerd who has considered taking up falconry more than once in my life, so I’ve got a soft spot for raptors - but that wasn’t the Eagle’s only appearance yesterday.

Last night while conducting my full moon ritual, I pulled a card from my oracle deck (the Druid Animal Oracle, for anyone wondering), and pulled, you guessed it, the Eagle.

Now, my ancestral guide is Native American (Wampanoag, specifically), so I often look to applicable symbolism. I know that in his culture, both the golden and bald eagles were considered sacred, as they are the highest flying birds, and therefore thought to be closer to the creator. But I have yet to see the true weight of this messenger in my life, and am excited to see how this all unfolds.

2. The Sustained Flame.

It’s part of my monthly full moon ritual to write a list of things to release, read them aloud, then burn it in my cauldron. I use the same notepad every month, and am familiar with how this paper “behaves” when burned. It ignites, stays lit for approximately ten seconds, extinguishes, smolders for about fifteen seconds, then turns to ash. There is nothing in my cauldron besides the ashes of bay leaves and other similar lists. And yet last night, those lifeless ashes sustained a single flame for over a half an hour. There was nothing in the cauldron that could serve as fuel for this fire, and still it burned until the very end of my ritual.

3. The Morning Rainbow.

I went to sleep after my ritual feeling amazing. I felt empowered, content, relaxed, and soon fell into a deep sleep. That alone is unusual, as I’ve struggled with intense insomnia since I was a small child.

I slept through the night, then woke feeling just as great as I had the night before. I dressed in the half light, burned some sage at my altar, then made my way to the bathroom and discovered something unexpected. A full rainbow had appeared outside my bathroom window. At this point it was approximately 7:15am. The sun hadn’t yet fully risen. You can see how strange the light was in the pictures I took. It seemed as though that rainbow shouldn’t be there. How could the sunlight that early in the morning shine bright enough to create a prismatic effect of such intensity? Yet there it was.

Is there a scientific explanation for this unlikely rainbow? Of course! Does that make it any less magickal? Absolutely not.

This is the essence of what I mean by finding Magick in the mundane. Magick and logic do not have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, it’s by recognizing the link between the two that we invite more Magick into our lives.

Thanks for reading, Kin. Until next time, love and light.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Magickal Reviews: The Magic of Trees by Tess Whitehurst

Title: The Magic of Trees
Author: Tess Whitehurst
Publication Date: January 8th, 2017
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Genre: Spirituality
Pages: 384
ISBN: 073874803X
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 

Synopsis (from Publisher): Connect with the deep wisdom and power of trees in order to create positive change in your body, mind, and spirit. Featuring detailed descriptions of the magical and energetic properties of more than one hundred trees, The Magic of Trees shows you how to work with them―physically and spiritually―through rituals, spells, and much more. Trees are symbols of the interconnectedness of life and represent the interwoven web of everything on which magic draws power. This comprehensive guide helps you tap into that web and enrich your life in the spiritual energy it provides.
First, I would just like to comment on what a lovely person Tess Whitehurst is. I had the pleasure of joining her New Moon Ritual on her Facebook page for this November new moon, and she just glows with light, joy, and love. I am honored to have the opportunity to be introduced to her work, and as this is my first (or really second) impression of her, I feel like I've been kissed with magic.

I've always found trees to be magical and necessary elements to life. If you saw my apartment, one of the first things you may notice is how much of it is embellished with different forms of the Tree of Life, or the World Tree. They are older than man, and are, in many ways, the essence of what set us apart from the other known planets. As a lover of nature and science enthusiast, there isn't a day that passes where I am not fascinated or curious about the brilliance of the raw world that surrounds us. There is an entire universe they dwell in beyond the state in which we interact with them from day to day through furniture, paper, medicines, and salads.

Whitehurst goes through a myriad of trees and describes each one from various perspectives of faith, culture, agriculture, medicine, and magical correspondence. The detail is very impressive, and Whitehurst clearly did her research. I love all the different aspects she pulls from to enrich every single one so carefully and delicately. In the back, you will find a useful Appendix that lists each tree that fits under different uses and intentions. Then you have each tree that fits beneath a particular element and planetary correspondences.

This is not a scientific encounter with the plants that give us breath, it delves into the spirituality and cultural uses that connect us with them. If you're looking for a comprehensive overview of different tree species, this is definitely not for you. As one who believes that "anything is possible unless proven impossible," I was able to read this book with an open mind. From an outsider, this might look like the Hippie's Bible, but there is a lot that can be learned from such a deep and intimate study. There are paths and cultures that have a reason for finding a connection with nature important, and that does not necessarily mean they are wrong simply because one may not understand. I, however, find my grounding in nature, as it is the one thing that stays consistent as the sun and moon.

I read a digital version of this book which, although wasn't the final draft, was a bit difficult to go through. It's possible that if there is a future ebook available, it will be more user friendly than my version. However, as this is more of a resource that can be used for reference, having a physical copy would likely suit best. I would prefer it!

Whitehurst's love and soul poured out in this book is beautiful and enlightening. For my own application, there was a lot I was able to take from it. It is very well organized and filled with endless amounts of information. If you study the metaphysical at all, this is a wonderful addition to your collection.

Magickal Reviews: Llewellyn's Complete Book of Tarot by Anthony Louis


Title: Llewellyn's Complete Book of Tarot
Author: Anthony Louis
Date: August 8th, 2016
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Genre: Spirituality
Pages: 336
ISBN: 0738749087
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 
Synopsis (from Publisher):
Comprehensive and easy to use, Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Tarot contains everything you ever wanted to know about tarot. Join Anthony Louis as he explores tarot history, shares card meanings and spreads, and provides detailed guidance that educates and inspires, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced reader.

Discover basic reading techniques for a wide variety of systems, including Marseilles, Rider-Waite, and Thoth. Identify the meaning of associations, correspondences, reversals, and dignities, and experience the ways that tarot interacts with astrology and personal spirituality. Combine tarot reading with Kabbalah, numerology, Jungian psychology, journaling, and storytelling while exploring card selection, creativity, tarot ethics, and specialized spreads. Focusing on the use of tarot for insight, empowerment, self-understanding, and fortunetelling, Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Tarot provides centuries of accumulated wisdom that will enable you to make optimal use of one of the most powerful spiritual tools ever developed.
You know when Llewellyn publishes a "Complete Book of" it's bound to be good, and Lewellyn's Complete Book of Tarot does not disappoint. This comprehensive title is filled with endless amounts of fascinating and useful information that it will be your go-to reference for tarot.

In the beginning, Louis provides his disclaimer. When asked to write this book, he was not only honored, but also noted that he would have to approach it from a non-bias platform. This automatically intrigued me, as I tend to tread lightly with my spiritual reading for this very reason. Anyone can make a subject be what they want it to, based on their own opinions, uses, experiences, or version of history. Louis' respect for the reader playing the role of his student makes him a more credible teacher.

The next set of business is the history of the tarot card and many misconceptions that come with it. Honestly, this was probably one of my most favorite parts. I'm still fairly new to the practice, and I learned so much about where tarot came from (originating from the Italian Renaissance as playing cards). There is so much depth to this section that I didn't want to stop reading for fear of missing information. I was very impressed with Louis' knowledge and the execution was very easy to understand. This is also where he covered several myths and replaced them with facts...all very interesting to read!

The rest of the book covers the application of tarot. In my opinion, it was well organized and Louis did a very good job of encouraging his student to follow their intuition. He ties in astrological significance, so be prepared for a lot of planetary and zodiac references. I had to take all of this a little bit at a time, because once you get into all the lists and charts it can get a little overwhelming. But the information is rich! This is most definitely my new go-to book for tarot. Louis is a mindful teacher, and that is obvious in his writing. Llewelyn's Complete Book of Tarot is a great choice for the beginner and advanced readers alike.