Soul Portrait: Second Stage ~ Ink.

As I promised in my previous post a few days ago, I have been working on this Soul Portrait and have finally inked in all the pencil lines.  The detail on the leaves and raven required the most time. They also caused me some serious eye strain, but I’m happy with how it’s all turned out so far.

The next stage will be adding color.  Now, sometimes I receive colors along with the symbols.  For example, my guides will tell me, “that’s a raven there, but he’s supposed to be lavender.”  Or, “that’s a sun, but it’s supposed to be lime green.”  It happens.  Some objects or animals that turn up in a

Soul Portrait for L, inked. (C) Nefer Khepri, 2013.

Soul Portrait that we always associate with particular colors are not necessarily meant to be those colors in a Soul Portrait.  Remember, not only do the symbols carry meaning, but so do colors used.  Colors combine with symbols and add energy to that symbol’s meaning.

In the case of this Soul Portrait a few colors did come through so I can start adding color.  However, I have to go into another meditation in order to be shown what the other colors are meant to be.  The horse, for example, is it brown, black, white, a pinto?  I have no idea.  It may even be bright red for all I know.  My guides will tell me and then I will add color accordingly.

I use watercolor pencils, colored pencils, oil pastels, soft pastels & Caran D’Ache water soluable crayons for the coloring process.  This part of the Soul Portrait will take approximately 2 weeks.  Once the image is complete I will then go into a final meditation during which my guides will give me the meanings or interpretations of each symbol and color within the Soul Portrait.

Receiving a Soul Portrait is like having your own personal tarot card created just for you.  To order, please visit http://www.magickal-musings.com/soul_portraits.htm.

Until next time, wishing you & yours many blessings,

Nefer Khepri, PhD., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

http://www.EgyptianLenormand.com

 

Latest Soul Portrait in Progress

Here is a pencil sketch of the Soul Portrait I am currently working on for a client.  The artwork is always 100% channeled.  The symbols that come through are channeled as well as their placement within the composition.  I also receive colors.  Just because there is a raven here does not mean it will be a bluish black. It probably will, but it can also end up being green or pink or who knows what color.  I pay attention to the colors I am given as well because every color has particular spiritual meanings behind it.  That also alters the energy of the piece as well.

Soul Portrait for L. Copyright Nefer Khepri, 2013.

The next step will be to ink in all the pencil lines, which I am currently doing.  After that it will be time to add the color. I use a combination of watercolor pencils, colored pencils, and I may also use soft pastels or oil pastels.  All outlining is done in black ink with Copic fine line markers.

Once the actual piece is completed the process still continues.  What I do next is undertake several channeling sessions with my guides during which they tell me what every item in the Soul Portrait symbolizes.  I already know that the three mountains in the background are the three spirit guides that are most active in L’s life at this particular time.  Mountains in my Soul Portraits always represent spirit guides.  L received the Raven, Tiger, an Horse as her power animals.  They are spirit guides, but in animal form.  Each will have a specific message for L and when I do the channeling session for each one those messages will come through.  I conclude the channeling by sharing the meaning of the colors that have shown up in the Soul Portrait, which adds a further dimension to the overall interpretation of the piece.

The entire process can take 6 – 8 weeks, sometimes even longer. It all depends on how quickly the information comes through. Channeling cannot be scheduled.  It comes when it comes and not before.  Plus, my spirit guides are often busy doing other things as well, so I often have to put in my request for contact on behalf of a client and then they get to me as soon as they can.

I take tremendous pleasure from creating Soul Portraits.  I consider it a great honor to have the opportunity to connect with a person’s energy so I can create something that is uniquely for them at a particular time in their life.  My Soul Portraits have been sold around the world and hang in offices, homes, & businesses.  Each one is a true joy for me and of all the services I offer at my site, Soul Portraits are my personal favorite.

I hope to someday have the honor of creating one for you.

NOTE:  my Soul Portrait price at my site will be increasing by $50 on May 22nd.  This is to cover the increased amount of time each one takes, plus increase in prices of the high grade artistic mediums I use to create each Soul Portrait.

Until next time, wishing you all many blessings,

Nefer Khepri, PhD., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

http://www.EgyptianLenormand.com

 

 

 

Book Review: Cave & Cosmos.

Shamanism/Spirituality

 

Michael Harner

Cave & Cosmos:  Shamanic Encounters with Another Reality

North Atlantic Books

ISBN #: 978-1-58394-546-9

$19.95 USD, paperback, 301 pages

$14.95 in E-Book format

http://www.northatlanticbooks.com

 Author of the anthropological classic, The Way of the Shaman (1980), Dr. Harner (now a retired professor who once taught at UC, Berkeley, Columbia & Yale), is a pioneer of the resurgence of shamanism.   He and his wife, Sandra, are co-founders of the non-profit  Foundation for Shamanic Studies.  He is the originator of “core shamanism,” a methodology focusing on the practices shared in common among shamans around the world.  His first book in 30 years, Cave and Cosmos focuses once again on shamanism, but this time the emphasis is on the experiences of westerners following age old shamanic practices.

In order to understand what a shaman experiences during journeying, Dr. Harner taught his students to use drumming, what he calls “sonic driving” (a repetitive percussion tone) in order to induce a trance-like state.  During these trances his graduate students and later westerners through his Foundation for Shamanic Studies, experienced their own journeys.

The bulk of Cave and Cosmos shares their experiences of journeying to other realities.  Shamans view the universe as being comprised of three levels:  a Lower, Middle, and Upper World.  The Middle World is the level of reality in which we all live.  The Lower and Upper Worlds are other realities in which spirits and other beings exist with whom the shaman interacts during the journeying process.  In The Way of the Shaman Dr. Harner focused on journeys that took participants to the Lower World.  Cave and Cosmos focuses on journeys to the Upper World.

There is a brief discussion of visits to the Lower World, again more details can be found in Dr. Harner’s earlier work, but Chapter 6 does provide information on journeyers meeting with their power animal in their travels through the Lower World.  Their experiences are both interesting and enlightening.   Details of exit points to the other levels of reality are discussed and can be worked into your own meditation practices.  Dr. Harner then discusses visits to the Upper World and begins by questioning if such journeys solely exist within the mind of the individual.  He merely touches upon it, but it would be a fantastic topic for another book all on its own.

Visits to the Upper World are discussed.  Participants share their experiences of journeying to places consisting of crystalline structures, of hearing celestial music, and of seeing Beings such as angels, saints, Jesus Christ, and Buddha.  These visits all share general themes in common; such as, being surrounded by a sense of unconditional love, wonder, and awe.  Chapters 9 – 10 focus upon entities Dr. Harner refers to as “Teachers,” but in the terminology my readers are most likely accustomed to this would equate with “spirit guides.”  The main text ends on page 218.  However, if you would also enjoy attempting journeying to the Upper World I strongly advise you to read Appendix A, which includes instructions.  Appendix B includes instructions of how to journey to the Lower World so the reader can compare Upper and Lower World journeys.  Appendix C includes contact information for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies should the reader wish to undertake additional training.  Appendix D is written by Dr. Harner’s wife, Sandra, and focuses upon information for doctors and health care professionals.  It goes over such concepts as soul retrieval, guardian spirit retrieval, and spirit intrusion extraction, to name a few topics covered.  Their therapeutic benefits are discussed.  The book concludes with a 11-page “Notes” section and an extensive 5 ¾ page bibliography.

Written by a highly respected anthropologist and academic, Cave and Cosmos is not some stuffy text written with only professional colleagues and graduate students in mind.  Cave and Cosmos is highly readable and entertaining.  A background in anthropology and shamanism is not required.  The writing style is personable and interesting.  This book will hold your interest.

Cave and Cosmos will appeal to anyone interested in shamanism as well as readers fascinated with experiences of other realities.  It is my opinion that after reading Dr. Harner’s previous work in college and graduate school that Cave and Cosmos is destined to become a contemporary classic of shamanic studies.  If you are interested in shamanism, do yourself a big favor and treat yourself to a copy of Cave and Cosmos.  You will not be disappointed.

 Note:  the text of the book does contain actual details of people’s journeys to the Upper and Lower Worlds.  If you do not wish to be influences by their descriptions you can first read chapters 1 – 5 to gain an understanding of the basic concepts, then skip to Appendix A to attempt the method of journeying outlined there.

All text on this blog copyright Nefer Khepri, PhD. 2013

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!

“TIGER, tiger, burning bright                                  

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame they fearful symmetry?”

 ~ William Blake

 I have always had a fondest for the poetry of William Blake.  Sunday, as I worked on a Soul Portrait for Lydia, the words to the first verse of this poem kept running through my mind.  You see, Lydia has a shy tiger who was trying to hide from me as I was channeling the symbols for her Soul Portrait.  However, as I was beginning to commit the final drawing to card stock before adding the color, the tiger poked through shyly.  I sensed that he wished I hadn’t seen him.

Now I make it no secret that I have a very difficult time drawing animals.  So when I saw the tiger I sighed.  Perhaps that’s why the tiger had been working so hard to hide from me.  Perhaps somehow it knew if he showed up he would only end up giving me a hard time.  However, I always strive to draw every symbol that comes through in a Soul Portrait because every single one is important and has bearing on the meaning and interpretation for the rest of the symbols.

There was no way I could even consider excluding the tiger just because he would be difficult for me to draw.

 So, I sat at my table for about two hours struggling with Mr. Tiger as he looked at me from the ethers, his eyes indeed burning bright.

 I was sketching in his nose, then his markings when I became a bit frustrated at how it was going.  So at that point I decided to focus on his eyes.  I had the TV on with the Chicago Cubs game on in the background (in case you’re wondering, they lost.  AGAIN!).

As I focused on the tiger’s right eye there was a commercial break and the soundtrack to the first commercial of that particular break at that particular moment in time was the song, “The Eye of the Tiger.”

 I kid you not!  I stopped what I was doing, focused on the commercial, then I just began to laugh.  I would love for someone to explain to me what the odds are of THAT particular commercial coming on at THAT particular moment in time with THAT particular song as I worked on drawing the tiger’s right eye.  I’m sure they can’t even be measured, they are THAT astronomical.

I got over it, giggling to myself as I continued attempting to draw Mr. Tiger.  I struggled for another hour over him alone when, during another commercial break, whom do I hear??  My beloved TV friend from childhood, Tony the Tiger!  Surely you remember Tony from the old Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes commercials (don’t ever forget, “they’re GGRRREAT!”)?  There was Tony, being brought back to the ad campaign in recent years exclaiming his famous line while there I was finishing my work on Mr. Tiger.

 Okay, even I must admit this was WEIRD.  Again, what are the odds???

 Perhaps Mr. Tiger suddenly got over his shyness upon being seen.  Perhaps he went to great lengths to let me know he appreciated me picking up on his presence for Lydia’s Soul Portrait.  I may never know, but one thing I do know.

The timing of those two commercials was beyond coincidental and were downright freaky, but also quite funny.

 Don’t you all know that Spirit has a wonderful sense of humor?  Listen and watch for it.  The sense of humor is there.  Subtle, but it’s there all the same.

Deck Review: The Resonance Oracle

                                                                  

Dara Caplan

Resonance Oracle Cards

40 cards & 93-page guidebook

http://www.schifferbooks.com

ISBN # 978-0-7643-4138-0

$24.99

         Intended for novice and experienced readers alike, The Resonance Oracle Cards is characterized by thought-provoking channeled images in both portrait and landscape orientation.  The cards measure 5 X 3 ½” as does the guidebook.  The cards and guidebook are housed in what we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from Schiffer Books, a stiff, sturdy and highly laminated cardboard box with a hinged magnetic lid with ribbon pull.  The packaging makes for a lovely presentation.

The guidebook is open-ended regarding the typical “how to use this deck” goes.  You can draw a single card, 3 cards, or carry out more involved spreads typically used with tarot decks.  I do not feel this will cause any confusion even to beginning readers. It will encourage them to use their imagination and perhaps start creating their own spreads.

Cards have titles such as:  Garden of Beauty, Communication, Eclipse, Blessings, Life Abundant, and Release.  Card interpretations offered in the guidebook consist of a single paragraph that offers a general summary and two short alternative meanings.  Each card is depicted in black and white on the facing page.  The deck laminate is sturdy and glossy that is typical of decks from Schiffer Books.  The deck will withstand years of use.

The cards were stiff coming out of the box.  However, it only took about seven shuffles to break them in.  They became much more supple and easier to shuffle.  The deck stands 11/16” high when stacked.

There are two things I really like about this deck, in addition to the artwork.  Firstly, they broken in easily when shuffling.  I don’t appreciate decks that remain stiff indefinitely since I have smaller hands.  Secondly, I love the fact that the artist chose to create the images in both portrait and landscape orientation.  Portrait orientation is what readers are accustomed to seeing for a deck, but as an artist myself, I find that many times a subject matter just isn’t suited to the portrait orientation.  Based upon the composition of the images and the information conveyed by the imagery wise choices were made as to which cards would be created in landscape format.  It also creates an interesting layout when you use the cards with some in the spread in portrait orientation and others in landscape orientation.  The energy flows from card to card a bit differently than what readers may be used to, but I really enjoy the difference.

The cards are not numbered. The title appears at the base of the card.  Card titles are provided alphabetically in the guidebook so they can still easily be found when doing readings.  However, the image is so provocative that I really encourage you to first try using this deck without the guidebook.  You may come up with some very interesting interpretations of the imagery all on your own.  The images consist of various components that tend to draw the eye to particular symbols.  Whenever that occurs in a reading you should know to pay special attention to the symbol and work it into your overall interpretation of that card.  This goes for any deck, not just The Resonance Oracle.

 Dara Caplan, both the artist and author of this deck, leaves it open-ended as to how you are to use it.  There are no spreads provided in the guidebook so if this is your very first deck you have ever purchased, I do recommend you purchase a book on card spreads.  An excellent one that was published in the past few months is Barbara Moore’s Tarot Spreads:  Layouts & Techniques to Empower Your Readings (Llewellyn Publishing, 2012).  This book offers a myriad of spreads  that you can use with tarot and oracle decks alike.  The book is very well written with the meaning beh

ind each card position in each spread fully explained.  It’s wonderful for beginnings and if you are an experienced reader like myself, the book is still very useful and will encourage you to create your own spreads.

The Resonance Oracle is an enjoyable deck that – at least for me – provides readings that make me sit and think.  I connect the dots and then the answer or guidance reveals itself.  I’m much more a tarot person than a user of oracle decks, but this one is very nice and I enjoy using it.

Removal of 2 Services From My Site.

As many of you know, I have been in business at Magickal-Musings.com for the past 15 years.  Over that length of time I have gone from hoping for an order – just ANY order from ANYONE to now having clientele on every continent on the planet except for Antarctica.  My business over the past three years has grown tremendously.  Every year my banker husband runs the numbers.  We discovered that in 2012 my business has grown via new clientele by a whopping 40%!  Plus, I have clients who have been with me for years, some as long as 10 – 12 years who bless me by repeatedly returning to me for readings and candle work.

I credit two things for the massive growth spurt.  Firstly, three years ago at the suggestion of another long-time client, Henri J., I created a business presence on Facebook.  He insisted it would really help me.  Henri was right.  I created groups to share what I know with like-minded people (the links to which can be found at the top of my blog’s page) & I have “met” many very lovely people on Facebook who have blessed me with their friendship.  My business grew more.

The second thing that happened about 2 years ago that has helped tremendously is that somehow, some way totally unknown to me, my page at my site on “How to Contact Spirit Guides” now comes up in a google search for the search terms, “contact spirit guides.”  My page comes up as NUMBER ONE!  I wish I knew how that happened so I could do that with all the pages at my site, but that ONE page has brought in many new clients, especially over this past 1 – 1 1/2 years.  So I am very grateful for the awesome page placement on Google for that article.

My time is not exclusively devoted to my business, yet it does take up most of my days now, sometimes as long as 12-hour work days.  Many don’t realize that I’m also a mother and a wife.  I’ve been married to Stuart, a wonderful man, for going on 19 years this May.  We have a fantastic daughter, Ariel, who is now 14 going on 30 and knows it all now that she’s a teen!  I have to take care of them, the house, the dog, plus run my business.

I have always been VERY grateful to my clients who allow me to have my business. Without them Magickal-Musings.com would have ceased to exist years ago as I would have been forced through financial necessity to find a regular 9 to 5 job.  Although I have come close a few times in the early years to losing my business due to a total lack of income from it, I have maintained my faith that my feet are on the path that is meant for me and that through my business I am fulfilling my Soul’s Purpose of being a teacher, healer, and of service to others.  Despite the hard times my family has experienced I have always remained here and will be here until I am at some point too old to work.

Progress creates change, or is it the other way around?  At any rate, due to all the growth my business has experienced the demands by clientele for my services has also increased, which has been a great blessing to me and to my business and, therefore, also to my family.  I am now re-working things just a bit in order to make it more feasible for me to fill orders in as timely a manner as possible.  I have never liked to keep anyone waiting.  I am now fully booking up my work schedule one week in advance for readings while the schedule for candle work hasn’t changed much.

In order to have more time to fill orders as they come in I am having to reluctantly eliminate two services due to them being so very time and energy consuming for me.  I am talking about my Past Life Karmic Tarot Readings and my Tarot Annual Forecast reading.  Each of these readings takes me approximately two weeks to do for a client.  This is due to the fact that most of the information is channeled.  I don’t know what any of you know about channeling. In brief, it’s when you open yourself up to Spirit and allow Spirit to either write or speak through you.  Well, at least for me Spirit isn’t always available.  My spirit guides are often busy helping and guiding others so when I try to tune into them in order to channel the necessary information for these two types of readings nobody is home so I have to postpone my work and try again another time.  That’s why I always tell clients it will take me 2 weeks.  Most times it’s less, but in some cases it can be much longer as well.  Again, it all depends on how the channeled information comes through, when, and in what quantity.

So it is with a sad heart I announce that due to growing demands on my time, my Past Life Karmic Tarot readings and my Tarot Annual Forecast readings shall be no more.  I am leaving the pages up for approximately another two weeks for anyone who wishes to order.  After that, those two types of readings will be gone forever.

Now, those of you who order my Tarot Annual Forecast every year, don’t fear.  I will still fill your repeating order should you wish to order another when your Forecast has concluded.  Just email me and I’ll send you payment information and the price will always remain the same.  I just won’t be doing that reading for new clients because it is so time and energy consuming.

I wish to thank everyone who has ever ordered because each has played a vital role in making Magickal-Musings.com what it is today:  a thriving home-grown, home-run successful business.  It has allowed me the blessings of being able to stay home every single day to raise my daughter and the blessing of keeping my feet firmly on the path that was meant for me.  I realize few people enjoy either of these blessings and I am very thankful every single day.

Wishing You All Many Blessings,

~ Nefer

Book Recommendations for Learning About Wicca.

My Mini-Power candles, homemade from soy wax.

I receive emails constantly about people interested in learning about Wicca, but they’re worried they’ll end up with a bad book or one full of bogus information.  Now I’ll be the first to admit there is a lot of crap out there.  Much of it is someone just trying to make a buck.  However, there are a few good authors out there.

I used to teach a Wicca course out of my home years ago.  I used two books as my textbooks for the class & every student was required to purchase them.  In brief, they are:

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, by Scott Cunningham; and,

To Ride a Silver Broomstick, by Silver Ravenwolf.

Both are published by Llewellyn & have been in print many years so you can probably find them used if you need to watch your budget.  Cunningham’s book is a very good broad introductory text that explains the Sabbats and basic Wiccan rites like how to cast a sacred circle, and so on.  Ravenwolf’s book is a bit more involved.  It contains the same basic information that you can find in Cunningham’s book as well as exercises you can do to hone your newly developing skills.

I often recommend both of these books to people who email asking what they should read if they want to learn how to practice Wicca.  So I figured I’d also share them on my blog for those of you out there who may also be wondering the very same thing.  Both books are an excellent read, and Ravenwolf has two sequels to her book that are more advanced:

To Stir a Magic Cauldron, and

To Light a Sacred Flame.

If you’re interested in working magic with angels she also has a book entitled, Angels: Companions in Magic, that I would also recommend.  I found it every useful for me when I was trying to figure out how to incorporate angels into my practice of Wicca.

Blessings to each of you on your path, whatever it may be.  May it lead you to happiness and personal fulfillment.

~ Nefer

How to Connect with Your Animal Totem Spirit.

I’m often asked by people what’s the difference between a totem and a spirit guide.  The only difference is that an animal totem was always an animal while a spirit guide was once a living human being.  Animal totems are also called power animals, spirit animals, spirit totems, totem spirits, and power totems.  All of those terms mean the same thing.

Each of us is affiliated with a particular animal totem, and most likely each of you has more than one.  Your animal totem chooses you, you do not choose it.  Now, you may have a natural love or affinity for that animal, but you can’t just wake up one day and decide that the Horse is going to be your animal totem.  They choose you just as your spirit guides do.  An excellent case in point is my daughter.

Ariel & her jaguar next to my Soul Drawing by Lisa Hunt.

When Ariel was 5 she dreamt about a giant talking jaguar that asked her to climb in its mouth & promised not to hurt her.  Being a trusting child she did so. The jaguar ate her, but she said she traveled through the jaguar & she saw stars & rainbows inside the jaguar, & came out of its rectum covered in stars. The jaguar then said to her he was her power animal & would always keep her safe & be her guide & when she was older she could be a great healer or teacher if she wanted to be.

I was stunned by this because with my academic degrees in the study of the Classic Maya I knew that  Mayan shamans all have the jaguar as their main totem. They are chosen when they dream they’re eaten by a jaguar and come out the other end. Many have reported in the dream they come out covered in either stars or rainbows. Ariel had no idea, I never told her about this since she was so little, so her dream floored me for weeks.

Then a few months later we’re driving to a friend’s house & she screams for me to stop the car. It was right after Christmas. Sitting on top of a pile of garbage bags that had holiday wrapping paper in them was a perfect very large stuffed jaguar toy with the red ribbon still around its neck! Ariel was SCREAMING from the back seat that was hers, that her jaguar promised to come to her as a stuffed toy. I got out to check it out & it was so clean & even still smelled brand new. I took it, sprayed it down with Lysol to be safe & ever since the jaguar lays at the foot of her bed, ever watchful.

In Ariel’s case the jaguar definitely chose her.  Prior to that dream she never had any interest in jaguars or any other large cats.  Our animal totems make themselves known to us in dreams.  They can also instill in us a great interest or love of them so that we become consciously aware of their energy in our lives.  Here is my story that serves as an example of this.

Ever since I can remember I have loved sea turtles.  I’ve always found them to be so cute, so precious.  Sea turtles have very old souls.  I was blessed in 2011 to swim with a sea turtle while snorkeling in Maui, Hawaii.  That was something so very special that every time I think of it it brings tears to my eyes.  I was clinging to my husband since I cannot swim.  Suddenly, I felt a pair of eyes on me.  Fearing the worst (a shark) I slowly turned to see a very inquisitive looking sea turtle eyeballing me!  I pulled on my husband to get him to stop swimming in the opposite direction, but he didn’t pay any attention so I risked all and let him go so I could float along with the sea turtle.  We floated not 3 feet apart and I could feel the sea turtle’s eyes look deep into my soul.  I was crying inside my snorkeling mask (which made a mess!).  We floated along for what seemed an hour, but it was in reality probably about 3 – 4 minutes, then the turtle turned and swam off.  That is one of the most special, most cherished experiences of my entire life.

My nickname all through school was “turtle.”  I don’t know how it started.  Perhaps I told some friends I loved sea turtles, I really don’t know.  But I grew up with that energy being reinforced around me daily as someone would often refer to me as “turtle,” which I loved because to me that meant they thought I was cute!

Another animal I’ve always adored is the Emperor Penguin.  When my husband and I were on our honeymoon in the Chicago area (I had taken him back home to Waukegan to meet my parents!!) we went to the Shedd Aquarium where Stuart bought me a stuffed Emperor Penguin toy from the gift shop there.  I named him Horatio.  Horatio had his home on top of a 6 foot high bookcase in our bedroom where he was the tallest of all my cherished stuffed animals from childhood (including a vintage stuffed E. T., the Extraterrestrial).  Ten years later at yet another aquarium, this one in Corpus Christi, Texas, Stuart bought me a stuffed sea turtle toy that I adored from the second I saw it.  I placed it on top of the bookcase next to Horatio and named my sea turtle, Antiquity.

Horatio & Antiquity

The odd thing is that every once in a while I will wake up to find Antiquity laying on her back on the floor while it very much looks like Horatio has slightly shifted his position over night.  I scold him every time and tell him to stop being mean to Antiquity, that I love them both, but secretly, Antiquity is my favorite, but I’ve never let on to poor Horatio who is obviously jealous.  LOL

A year or so ago a woman on her Facebook page was offering free animal totem readings.  So I asked her what mine were & she immediately identified the sea turtle.  After discussing the meaning of the sea turtle in her comment to me she then added that she saw a little penguin who kept peeking out at her from over my right shoulder.  She told me that Penguin was jealous of all the attention that Sea Turtle was getting and that I needed to divide my affections more evenly between them.  She had no idea of my love for either animal nor did she know about my stuffed animals and their strange antics.  I took her advice & moved Horatio to our bed, told him he was extra special and left him there a few weeks before placing him back up on the bookcase along side Antiquity.  Ever since then the sea turtle toy had never fallen back on the floor.  Bizarre, I know!

If you have a great interest or love of a specific animal for no good reason that you can fathom, then that is your special animal totem.  In order to strengthen its energy in your life you can do several things.

• Purchase figurines or stuffed toy versions of that animal

• Collect artwork that depicts that animal & display it in various places in your home

• Read books about that animal to learn more about its habits

If you’d like an active connection with your animal totem you can try this simple little ritual.  You will need the following items:

• white candle (this can be a votive, a taper, but something small that will burn out in one day)

• a holder in the appropriate size for your candle

• lighter

• incense in whatever scent pleases you

• incense holder

• a picture, figurine, or stuffed toy of your animal totem

Arrange the items in whatever way pleases you on a table top or shelf (be sure there isn’t another shelf on top of the one you’re using or the candle will burn the underside of the upper shelf).  Light the incense & wave it around to distribute the scent around the room in which you’ll be working.  Place it back in its holder.

Take the candle and rub it out from the middle to both ends, including the wick to cleanse it of any spiritual impurities it may have picked up during the manufacturing shipping, or time spent on the store shelf. Imagine it leaving as gray clouds of smoke and ask that this energy be taken up to the Light to be transformed back into Light.  Your candle may start to tingle or feel somewhat lighter to you.  Then set it in its holder.

Hold your hands palms facing downward over the candle and say three times:

I wish to contact my special animal friend

that one animal special to me

my helper and protector

who is with me to the end,

and as my will, so mote it be.

Light the candle, look at the picture or figurine and concentrate on the animal’s image until you can close your eyes and still see the image in your mind.  Then open your eyes and repeat the prayer three more times.  Then allow the candle to burn itself out.

Keep the animal’s figurine or picture in a special place and know that in one way or another it will soon make its energy known to you.  Animal totems most commonly come to us in our dreams where they can speak just like humans, so don’t be surprised if you dream of your animal one night and it suddenly starts speaking perfectly to you.

We all have animal totems.  In my experience when picking up on them around my clients, often they appear in sets of 3, 5, and 7.  So you more than likely do not have just one.  Have fun discovering who your animal totems are and I wish you many blessings on your path with them.

Book Review: The Art of Bliss

The Art of Bliss

Tess Whitehurst

Body, Mind & Spirit/Inspiration & Personal Growth

http://www.llewellyn.com

Llewellyn Publications

ISBN #” 978-0-7387-3196-4

$16.99 USD

305 pages, paperback

If you are familiar with the practice of Feng Shui, the Chinese art of placement,       then you will already possess a firm foundation for applying the principles of The Art of Bliss to your home, office, place of business, and your life.  If not, then Tess Whitehurst opens her book with a very good introduction to the principle tool of Feng Shui, the Bagua, and how to orient it over the floor plan of any structure in order to rearrange furniture and objects to create as conducive a flow of energy as possible.

 The subtitle of this book is:  Finding Your Center, Getting in the Flow &  Creating the Life You Desire (original emphasis).  In order to help you to carry out these goals the author provides the reader with a number of approaches all grounded within Feng Shui that are easy to understand, implement and follow.  The main tool she discusses is the Bagua, which is a map of the nine major areas of life.  The book helps readers to learn how each key area works with the others and methods are introduced to help create balance between one area and the next.  Such balance will result in positive changes in one’s life.  The book teaches the reader how to work with Chi, Prana, & Heka – which are all names from various spiritual traditions for the divine life force that flows in and through everyone and everything.

 The book is divided into nine chapters with each chapter devoted to a particular area of life (Serenity, Life Path, Synchronicity, Creativity, Romance, Radiance, Prosperity, Resilience, and Synergy).   In addition, there is an introduction, epilogue, appendix, and bibliography.  The Introduction runs 21 pages long and I do suggest if the reader has no exposure to Feng Shui to pay particular attention to the information imparted in the introduction in order to make the best use of the rest of the material shared in The Art of Bliss.  The introduction is very important and lays the foundation for the remainder of the book.

 Each chapter is organized in the same manner and includes information on the area of the Bagua that governs each area of life and the places in your home, office, or business that corresponds to it.  Qualities of each area of life are summarized and this is followed by “Practices” you can follow to help energize this particular area of life that range from meditation and/or prayer to candle burning, affirmations, journaling exercises, symbols you can incorporate into your life and wardrobe that magnify the energy of each area of life, deities, animals, colors, herbs, and crystals.  Each chapter concludes with a Key Master Ritual.

 I suggest you also pay particular attention to the Appendix.  In fact, I would recommend first reading the introduction, then skipping to the end to read the Appendix as the two go hand in hand.  The Introduction focuses on the Bagua and how to overlay it on the floor plan of your house.  The Appendix takes this further.  The Bagua assumes your home is a perfect square and it divides the square into nine equal squares, each representing a major area of life.  However, not everyone’s home is square.  For example, in my home I have three bay windows that give the dining room, breakfast nook and master bedroom a bit of extra wall that juts outward from the rest of the house.  This window placement effectively cuts off the outer corners of three areas of my home.  The Appendix offers information on what is known in Feng Shui as “cures,” which are things you can add to a room, inside or out, that will create a more beneficial flow of energy so those missing or extra bits to a home’s floor plan will not be an issue where the flow of energy is concerned.  For example, a cure I have used effectively is to place a potted plant outside in the “missing” corner. This then energetically draws the walls outward to energetically finish off that corner, making the room on the inside a whole squared off room for a better flow of energy.  You can also bury crystals outside, or place crystals inside on window sills, and so on.  The Appendix even offers information on how to deal with areas of your home or any floor plan for which a total area of life is missing, like an “L”-shaped building, for example.  So, I highly recommend you read first the Introduction then skip to the Appendix.

 Now, I will tell you that the approaches offered in this book work even if you do not follow through and Feng Shui your home for an improved flow of energy. I’ve tried several of the recommended exercises and also a Key Master Ritual and have gotten what I would consider to be fair to really good results.  I’m a clutterbug so I did not go through and Feng Shui my home first.  That would take way too long and I wanted to see if any of these ideas presented in The Art of Bliss would work, so I skipped all that and jumped right in.  I’m sharing this so you will realize you do not have to go through and Feng Shui your entire home first.  HOWEVER, I am sure that the practices, exercises, and rituals would be much more effective if I did go through the work of applying the principles of Feng Shui to my entire home.  I did this once before when my husband and I were just starting out and renting an apartment in a very negative apartment complex. I applied Feng Shui principles to every nook and cranny.  This greatly increased our sense of peace and harmony in our home there, plus it helped with our prosperity as well.  So I know from personal experience Feng Shui works.  Since getting this book I have cleared up the clutter downstairs so I am now ready to apply the Feng Shui cures and principles to that area of the house.  Now to tackle the 2 bedrooms, the loft, and my office upstairs, but that’s a whole other project best saved for a very boring rainy day.

 I highly recommend The Art of Bliss.  Tess Whitehurt’s author’s voice is very conversational and in many places the book reads as though she’s right there explaining everything to you one-on-one.  The book flows well, is very easy to understand, and in total it’s a good read, plus you will learn the introductory information you need to start applying Feng Shui to your life as well as learn some very useful practices, exercises and rituals.

I also highly recommend Tess Whitehurt’s earlier book, Magickal Housekeeping, also published by Llewellyn Publishing. It will inspire you to seriously clean your house.  No kidding!

 

 

Deck Review: The Radiant Wisdom Tarot

The Radiant Wisdom Tarot

Laughing Womyn Ashonosheni

Sophronia Press, 2012

ISBN #: 978-0-9854206-0-4

$65.00 USD

http://RadiantWisdomTarot.com

 If you appreciate smaller tarot decks due to having small hands, bright colors, easily comprehended symbolism, and nice extras like an extra suit and an included velvet bag, then The Radiant Wisdom Tarot is for you.

 At 3” X 4”, The Radian Wisdom Tarot fits comfortably in my hands despite being thicker than most decks due to a fifth suit.  The cards are printed on a supple card stock that was immediately easy to shuffle right out of the box.  The laminate is light weight yet thoroughly protective of the cards.

 The extra suit of Bridges represents the process of manifestation and the cards of this suit represent the energies that create a bridge from initial inspiration or idea to the final physical results (manifestation).  The deck is housed in a 9 X 5” blue velvet drawstring pouch that has plenty of room if you’d like to add your favorite crystals, stones, and/or a packet of herbs.  The velvet bag is a very nice added touch to The Radiant Wisdom Tarot.

 The Radiant Wisdom Tarot consists of 92 cards:  22 major arcana and 70 minor arcana of five suits with 14 cards each.  Suits are:  Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and the extra suit is Bridges.  Court cards are:  Mystic (Page), Achiever (Knight), Nurturer (Queen), and Keeper (King).  All minor arcana cards are titled.  For example, the 2 of Air is entitled, “Indecision,” the 1 of Fire is entitled “Enthusiasm,” the 6 of Water is entitled, “History,” and so on.

 The cards of the major arcana, with the exception of Strength, have all been renamed and are as follows:

 Fool = Simplicity, Magician = Manifestation, High Priestess = Spiritual Guide, Empress = Generosity, Emperor = Strategy, Hierophant = Conformity, Lovers = Love, Chariot = Success, Justice = Balance, Hermit = Solitude, Wheel of Fortune = Opportunity, Hanged Man = Perspective, Death = Transformation, Temperance = Flexibility, Devil = Breakthrough, Tower = Awakening, Star = Gratitude, Moon = Intuition, Sun = Expansion, Judgment = Consciousness, and the World = Wholeness.

Various cards from The Radiant Wisdom Tarot.

As you can see, a main keyword for the meaning of each major arcana card was used as the new title of that card for The Radiant Wisdom Tarot.

 The paperback guidebook measures 5 ½ x 8 ½”  and has 213 pages.  It begins with an “about the Author” section and a brief introduction.  A summary of the chakras and brief advice on working with crystals and stones is also included along with a brief discussion of grounding.  The cards are discussed in terms of a general meaning and then what they specifically mean when they appear in a reading.  Furthermore, each card is discussed in terms of its “Ease” and “Effort,” which is an interesting concept to include for any deck and is one of the things that makes this deck unique when compared to others.  Advice on how to go with the flow of the energy of each card regarding how that card’s energy is experienced through the situation in question is what is discussed for the “Ease” of the card.  The “Effort” of the card represents flowing with the energy outside of the experience embodies by the card.   The foundation of each card’s energy Is included as a Key Phrase.  Every card interpretation also includes a simple phrase explaining how that card’s energy lends itself to a creative pursuit or project.  Correspondences to other cards, astrology, chakras, colors, and runes are also included.  The guidebook concludes with six spreads unique to this deck.  I have tried them all out and they all work well for me and have offered up some useful insights.

 Usually, when a deck creator decides to include a fifth suit it will correspond to the Element of Spirit, or Ether, recognized as a fifth Element in addition to Air, Fire, Water and Earth. However, The Radiant Spirit Tarot is unique in that the deck creator chose to focus on the process of creation and manifestation of ideas into physical end results, thus her suit of Bridges embodies the energies of the process of creation and manifestation.   In The Radiant Wisdom Tarot the suit of Bridges represents the process of creativity from initial idea or desire to the final physical product.  Thus, The Radiant Wisdom Tarot is a useful deck for artists and writers who wish to consult the tarot about their projects.  I have done so with this deck; and again, I was given some very clear and helpful insights to my creative process.

 As a result, my sample reading is going to focus on a creative project of mine that has stalled, The Magickal Musings Tarot.  My question is:

“What is the reason for the long stall?  Do I need to drop the project for now to start on something else?”

 For this reading I used the “Personal Alignment” spread from the guidebook. This spread is very useful because the card positions tell you what things in your life you should keep the same and which you should change in order to manifest the changes or end result you desire.  This spread tells you what is necessary in order to remain committed to a project.  My cards are as follows:

The Radiant Wisdom Tarot, sample reading using the Personal Alignment spread.

 1:  Unknown.  The guidebook says to keep this card face down for the length of the reading.   Although it’s very hard for me not to look, I am following the rules, hence the card back in the picture here represents the first card of the “Personal Alignment” spread.

 2:  3 of Water:  Loyalty.  The card position is defined as what I need to maintain in my life in order to remain committed to my project.  Using traditional Rider-Waite interpretations, the 3 of Water (corresponding to the 3 of Cups) is happiness, joy, social gatherings with friends, and a reason to celebrate.  So right there this card is telling me that I need to be in a happy mood in order to create, which is very true.  The guidebook says that I need to ask myself is I truly do intend to remain committed to this project to the very end or should I perhaps try something new.  The phrase about creativity for this card says:  “Creativity is supported through devotion.”  The card is telling me I need to maintain a support network (I do have a group for The Magickal Musings Tarot on Facebook).

 3:  4 of Water:  Serenity.  The card position is described as what I need to change or adjust in order to maintain my commitment to my deck project.  The 4 of Water is all the importance of maintaining peace and harmony in our lives so that we remain in balance.  The phrase about creativity for this card is, “creativity is supported through inner peace.”  I can’t speak for others, but as far as I am concerned, I cannot create artistic works when I am under stress.  This card is telling me I need to focus on eliminating or somehow decreasing the amount of stress in my life.  Easier said than done for most people, but I am taking this under advisement.

 4:  Simplicity (The Fool).  The card position here represents the type of external support system I need in order to help me to complete my deck.  According to the guidebook, Simplicity focuses on the combination of innocence and trust with the wisdom we gain through our life experiences.  In other words, I need to trust the higher powers that I will be guided in the direction that is right for me at this time of my life.  Regarding external support specifically, this card is telling me to rely upon past experience and how it made me feel.  I did just finish creating a Lenormand deck, The Egyptian Lenormand, so I am well aware of all the work that went into creating each original work of art for each card of that deck; and, for a tarot deck I would need to multiply that by 2 since my Lenormand deck has 39 cards.  It was a LOT of work, but I feel I could do it again, and yes, probably times two, so a tarot deck is not completely out of my reach, especially since I have around 20 images already completed.  The creativity phrase for this card is, “Creativity is supported through play and adventure.”  Something tells me I need to lighten up regarding my approach.

 5: 5 of Water: Disguise.  The card position here represents that internal spark within upon which I can rely and repeatedly activate.  According to the guidebook, some truth is being hidden by me or someone else and that I need to focus on discovering this truth.  The phrase regarding creativity is:  “Creativity is supported through disguising reality.”  I’m not sure what that means right now and need to think about it.  I think this hidden truth is that I am fully capable of creating a 78-card tarot deck and that I just need to buckle down and do it.  We often do not know what we are capable of until we actually try to accomplish it, then we often surprise ourselves.

 6: Achiever of Earth:  Effectiveness.  This card position represents the most gentle manner in which I can motivate myself to get moving on my deck.  According to the guidebook, the Achiever of Earth (equivalent to the Knight of Pentacles) represents “our ability to have an impact on the world.”  He represents a new endeavor and that along the journey my skills will increase. I have already seen this occur during the creation of my Egyptian Lenormand deck.  Artistic abilities is like a muscle.  The more you use them the finer tuned they become.  This card states that creativity is supported through “successful action.”  In other words, I’m being told to just get off my butt and DO it.

 All in all, a very helpful reading and it has helped me to decide to go for it and focus on creating my tarot deck.  Overall, in order to remain focused on the completion of my deck, The Radiant Wisdom Tarot is telling me that I need to focus on my interest in and loyalty to the concept of my deck (3 of Water).  In order to achieve that I need to introduce more peace and harmony into my life and eliminate as much stress as I can (4 of Water).  The external support to maintain my interest in this deck is my previous deck creating experience and the support group environment of Facebook (Simplicity: The Fool).  I need to focus on the sense of accomplishment that completing my Egyptian Lenormand has given me and allow it to serve as motivation to complete The Magickal Musings Tarot.  The 5 of Water suggests I focus on finding the truth. I take this to mean my own truth as an artist.  Finally, the Achiever of Earth is telling me to focus on increasing my skills as the project continues.  Perhaps I need to try some new artistic approaches in order to expand my boundaries and skill set.

2 of Bridges, from The Radiant Wisdom Tarot.

As for the hidden card in position # 1, that turned out to be the 2 of Bridges, entitled, “Ground” which represents the need to be willing to follow through to the end and to focus on the end goal.  Very appropriate, I thought.

 As you can see, although the imagery of The Radiant Wisdom Tarot appears very simple at first glance, this deck provides very deep and thought provoking readings. It’s given me a lot to think about and I’ve decided to continue working on my own tarot deck.  Who knows what truths I may discover along the way?

If you’d like to see more cards from the deck in action, please check out this YouTube video.