Cygnus Review - Autumn 2022

To prepare for this, I started reading some of the pieces I wrote in the recent past. Most of them have been centred on the pandemic, but I think this is now a post-pandemic letter. Maybe it’s time not to focus on that period anymore.

On one level it’s pretty bleak out there. I won’t go into the details because the repetition of what there is to worry about only weakens us. The media does it anyway all the time and I don’t want to help them. Don’t get me wrong – I am not necessarily knocking the media – but I don’t know where this absolute fixation on what people decide to call “the news” has come from. And mostly it brings us down and demoralizes us.

On the other hand, there’s also a version of “out there” based on what I can now see out my office window on a sunny autumn afternoon in London: beautiful tall trees bedecked with different combinations of green and brown leaves; charming low level brick blocks of flats and grimy Victorian workers’ cottages across the road; and a brilliant blue sky streaked with greying but harmless cumulus clouds. It lifts my heart.

When I am fortunate, I find myself inhabiting a timeless territory and many spiritual people are the

same. I have included another piece by Ann Napier and I find that she was writing twenty years ago about the same things that still concern us today, in terms of inner peace and development. In the same magazine as this article or in one at around the same time there’s a lot about Eckhart’s newly-published Stillness Speaks. (Was that really twenty years ago?) There’s a quotation from him: “It is inner stillness that will save and transform the world”. That’s still true.

When I was younger, I wasn’t concerned about death because I was confident it was a long way away and thought it would somehow have been “dealt with” by the time I was middle-aged. Now I know it will happen to me and I can’t avoid it and will have to have it on my mind every day until it happens, but inside I am still the same person who thought he had it “sorted”. However, in the Inner Stillness it’s alright. There it all makes sense somehow.

I had the pleasure recently of attending the UK Tarot Conference, and as ever I went from being anxious at the start about working with tarot and what specifically to do with it, to a calm sense of it being an ideal companion in my life, once I had my old familiar Rider-WaiteSmith deck in my hands. It too lets me into the timeless Inner Stillness, as does meditation, and I know that’s where the answers are, because when I live in the outer world of “stuff” I feel lost in the flood and battered by everything being borne along with me in the stream.

We mustn’t ignore the material world but, to use that classic and true saying, we need to be in the world but not of the world. Politicians are being politicians and newspapers are being newspapers – we can’t expect them to change. But to me Cygnus is a deeply radical organisation and we must become more and more radical in saying THIS is what we believe in and THIS is what we stand for, because it comes from that place of stillness and because we try with every breath we take to be honest with ourselves and to act out of a place

of love. And if we fail once, we stop, ring our metaphorical meditation bell, and resolve to try again. We have already placed ourselves outside the mainstream anyway and are happy to be there.

Not much then! However, these can be seen as difficult times but they are also times of huge potential. Who could have foreseen all sorts of things that are now entering the history books? Every moment is potentially a transformation. If we stay in that quiet place where, as Ann writes, we are not deceived and panicked by a bunch of playing cards, solutions appear and at the very least we are becoming better people.

PS: I’m sorry that some of the prices have gone up in the past few weeks because of the weak pound. It was too late to remove the books but they are still wonderful nevertheless.

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The Place of Stillness

“It is inner stillness that will save and transform the world”.

ECKHART TOLLE

Do you remember that part of Alice in Wonderland, toward the end of the story, when the queen and her army were bearing down on Alice, waving their weapons and shouting “Off with her head!”? At first Alice was full of fear but then, suddenly able to see things as they truly were, she cried out, “You are nothing but a pack of cards!” And with that her oppressors vanished and she woke up.

It’s funny how the things you read in your childhood can make such a deep impression. Times without number we have thought of that episode of Alice in Wonderland. Times without number life has become so oppressive, and we have been so full of fear, pain, worry and anxiety, and then that immortal phrase has popped back into our minds, “You are nothing but a pack of cards!” And then we wake up.

It’s as if two realities are competing for our attention all the time. First there is the dream reality, where external appearances have power over us. And then there is the waking reality, where external appearances only have the power we give them. In the first reality – the dream one – we are infinitely weak, because we have given all our power to illusory things. Even the self we act from, in that reality, is an illusion. In the second reality – the waking one – we are infinitely strong, because our power is vested only in the truth. In the waking reality, we do not put our trust and our belief in any external appearance or phenomenon, but only in the real Inner Self – the Christ-Self, the Soul – and we know that this Self can never be hurt,

Wake Up and Act

harmed or even touched by any outer appearance whatever. On the contrary, its power to heal and harmonize is infinite and invincible, and can never be taken away from us by anything or anyone. And the moment we remember that, the moment we wake up, we observe how external events start unfolding in quite a different way – because the power driving them is coming from quite a different place!

We have noticed how, the more we develop the potential and the insight to escape the dream reality, the more apparently threatening it becomes – in a sort of last-ditch attempt to force us to believe in it. At times like these, it is a great temptation to combat the perceived threat with the illusory self. You know, as if Alice had decided to try running away from the queen and

her soldiers, or to turn and fight them with a sword of her own. But when we do that we are, of course, only sucked further into the dream, chasing after some dream-solution that only recedes further and further into the distance.

This seems to be true collectively as well as individually. A lot of people say that the human race is, at this moment, very close to the boundary between the existing, dream reality and a new, higher reality. In which case, that would account, wouldn’t it, for the immensely threatening world conditions that seem to be building up more and more with every day that passes. Again, this could be seen as a last-ditch attempt on the part of the old reality to maintain the status quo. Seen from that point of view, it’s quite a compliment really, a sign that the human race really is capable now of something higher. But with the compliment, comes the temptation. Will we choose to act within the dream, or to wake up and then act.

If each of us was taking this step alone – this moving from the old and familiar to the new and unfamiliar – it would seem impossibly difficult. Indeed, when we think we are alone, it can often be impossibly difficult. With the old and familiar so set on maintaining status quo, freeing ourselves from it can seem like escaping from a huge vat of chewing gum. A lot of people could do it together, perhaps, but one person alone?

That’s why we need to support each other, and to remember always that, in fact, we are never alone. In the truth, we are one. It cannot be otherwise.

FALLING THROUGH THE TREE OF LIFE by Jane Meredith

This book is expensive but it’s very good. It’s also large-format and more than 450 pages long. Jane Meredith is an Australian spiritual teacher and she has written quite a few other books. This one is endorsed by Rachel Pollack and Kristoffer Hughes, who very much know their stuff. I love the Kabbalah and there aren’t many books that approach it head on, as it were. Jane isn’t academic or po-faced about it though: the subtitle is Embodied Kabbalah and it tells us to leave, breathe and dance the Kabbalah as a daily experience. It’s full of exercises, meditations and rituals and we need to savour it and take it slowly to enrich and transform our lives. Kabbalah can be a daunting subject and in my experience it’s a journey that we can sometimes drop because it’s just too big. This book gives me confidence. 504pp, 235 x 192 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £29.00

Code: 320329 ❖ Non-Member Price: £21.10

Phone: 02078 594 375

Price: £18.99

MEDICAL MEDIUM BRAIN SAVER by Anthony William

This is one of the two new books in the best-selling Medical Medium series. There was originally going to be just one book on the brain and nervous system, but so much information came through there had to be two. This is the book of theory and of explanation and it gives you answers to 100+ symptoms, diseases, and disorders. Is the prevalence of Alzheimer's, dementia, ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, addiction, strokes, seizures, brain fog, fatigue, and more a sign that even with the headlines about mindfulness, neuroscience, and hacking the brain, we're still all too vulnerable? Each book now stands alone, so you can start with the one you need most or read both for a full picture of your brain's health. This book will give you the confidence to start on a whole new process of self-healing. 664pp, 240 x 198 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £39.99 ❖ Code: 320313 ❖ Non-Member Price: 28.33 ❖ Member Price: £25.50

MEDICAL MEDIUM BRAIN SAVER PROTOCOLS, CLEANSES AND RECIPES

by Anthony William

This is the latest title in the #1 New York Times best-selling Medical Medium series. There was originally going to be just one book on the brain and nervous system, but so much information came through there had to be two. This is the practical one which offers customizable protocols, new recipes, heavy metal detox guidelines, cleanses, and cutting-edge information to protect yourself from 300+ symptoms and disorders. Your brain has abilities to heal beyond what medical research and science are aware of today. Anthony William provides compassionate, life-altering guidance to help you understand how to heal from a vast range of brain and neurological symptoms, diseases, and disorders, including anxiety, depression, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Whether your mission is recovery or prevention, here you finally have the answers.

608pp, 240 x 198 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £34.99

❖ Code: 320314 ❖ Non-Member Price: £24.99 ❖ Member Price: £22.99

MEDICAL MEDIUM

by Anthony William

The original and best-selling title in the series, this was a paperback but was then expanded again into hardback with 100 extra pages. It’s still one of the most popular books at Cygnus. Anthony William has helped tens of thousands of people to heal from ailments and diseases that have been misdiagnosed or deemed to be untreatable. In this exhaustive but user-friendly guidebook he tells us the root causes of many ailments that the medical establishment has trouble understanding and goes on to suggest all-natural solutions and healing plans that will help us return to health. It’s more of a general overview, whereas other titles in the series are more specific. His work has been endorsed by Dwayne Johnson, Adam Sandler, Calvin Harris and Rashida Jones, to name just four celebrity fans. 496pp, 244 x 201 mm, Hardback, 2021, RRP £29.99 ❖ Code: 310161 ❖ Non-Member Price: £21.10 ❖ Member Price: £18.99

MEDICAL MEDIUM LIFE CHANGING FOODS

by Anthony William

In his first book, the New York Times bestseller Medical Medium revealed how you can treat dozens of illnesses with targeted healing regimens in which nutrition plays a major role. LifeChanging Foods delves deeper into the healing power of over 50 fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, and wild foods that can have an extraordinary effect on health. Anthony explains each food's properties, the symptoms and conditions it can help relieve or heal, and the emotional and spiritual benefits it brings. Much of Anthony's information is dramatically different from the conventional wisdom of medical communities, so don't expect to hear the same old food facts rehashed here. Instead, expect to get a whole new understanding of why oranges offer more than just vitamin C and a powerful set of tools for healing from illness and keeping yourself and your loved ones safe and well.

352pp, 240 x 198 mm, Hardback, 2016, RRP £26.99

❖ Code: 270119 ❖ Non-Member Price: £19.98 ❖ Member Price: £17.99

Folk stories and fairy tales came from somewhere else, not England. That was something I’d learned as a schoolboy.

The tales were still ours, of course: it didn’t matter where they had originated, they were still performed on stage in Panto season by people who sounded like I did, and Cinderella, I knew, must be as English as they come, what with Baron Hardup and Buttons, and for that matter Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp might have been set in ancient Beijing but the Widow Twankey was there to tell us, with a joke about eating fish and chips on the South Parade Pier, that ancient Beijing was incredibly local…

I had been raised in a country where stories mattered and had been told, and I knew that too many of those stories were lost, leaving something that was almost a fossil record behind. There were Jack tales, they were English, and I knew about them, and there were local monsters, and places in literature that spoke of the places that tales had been –Shakespeare’s speeches about fairies, whether Puck or Queen Mab, implied a world of stories mostly lost to us; Dickens parodied local stories filled with Goblins, and I wanted to hear the originals.

I first read this book about thirty years ago. I had recently moved to the US, and missed the England I had left, and I found it in a local bookshop. I loved it, devoured it with delight. It felt alive. Here were stories I had never imagined existing that delighted and astonished me, alongside stories I knew, told in ways I hadn’t encountered them before.

I read the Snow-White story, with three robbers instead of seven dwarfs, and it changed the inside of my head. G. K. Chesterton wrote, in The Napoleon of Notting Hill, that: ‘If you look at a thing nine hundred and ninety-nine times, you are perfectly safe; if you look at it the thousandth time, you are in frightful danger of seeing it for the first time’, and now I knew what he meant. I had read and heard and watched the story of Snow

Foreword by Neil Gaiman

White all my life: one of the first books I remember owning had been a beautifully illustrated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And yet the version that Neil Philip gave me here was dissonant enough, real enough, that I looked at the story for the thousandth time, and wrote a version of Snow White called ‘Snow, Glass, Apples’ in which the little princess was a vampire, her prince was a necrophile, and her stepmother was, perhaps, the heroine and the victim.

The retelling of Marie Clothilde Balfour’s ‘The Flyin’ Childer’ was a story I had never run into in any form before. It made a huge impression

on me, and a few years later I retold it myself, in Sandman, illustrated by Charles Vess. It felt alive, in ways that I appreciated, a story shape I hadn’t encountered, a story of murder and revenge, of a betrayed woman, of children who flew away. It was a strange, dark story and it delighted me.

The way that Lucy Clifford’s (written, literary) story, ‘The New Mother’ transmuted into the orally collected story ‘The Pear Drum’ fascinated me, and reminded me that every story starts somewhere, and starts with someone making it up. Here was Dickens’ hilarious take on Bluebeard, ‘Captain Murderer’ alongside the haunting tale of ‘The Story of Mr Fox’ (another story I would one day retell).

Neil Philip had researched assiduously and spread his net wide to create this collection. He had unearthed tales from all across England, stories that resonated, stories that were more than a fossil record of what was left behind but were a triumphant collection of stories that showed what English stories were –and that was something much more interesting than localized jokes in pantomimes. His commentaries on the stories were enlightening.

This is an important collection, and I was thrilled to learn that it would be available once again. But it’s better than just an important book: it’s a treasure-trove of living stories, and enormously fun to read.

THE WATKINS BOOK OF ENGLISH FOLKTALES

by Neil Philip

This is a treasury of over one hundred English folktales captured in the form they were first collected in past centuries and contained within an atmospheric hardback. Read these classic tales as they would have been told when storytelling was a living art - when the audience believed in boggarts and hobgoblins, local witches and will-o'-the-wisps, ghosts and giants, cunning foxes and royal frogs. Neil Philip has provided a full introduction and source notes on each story that illustrate each tale's journey from mouth to page, and the changes that have happened to them on the way. They rank among the finest English short stories of all time in their richness of metaphor and plot and their verbal daring. They are also a depository of a lot of old beliefs and previously forgotten traditions. 400pp, 234 x 153 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £14.99 ❖ Code: 320358 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55

THE

FOLKTALES by Neil Philip

Photograph: Kyle Cassidy

THE ALL SEEING HEART ORACLE CARDS by Saira Hunjan

This beautiful set of 44 blue and white cards and attractive booklet is compelling and will draw you into its magic. Created by Saira Hunjan, a visionary artist and tattooist who channelled all the images, they are intended to help you focus on the many aspects of your heart wisdom. They can be used to find comfort, to open yourself to healing and transformation, increase your energy and find peace and joy by intuiting your heart’s messages. The cards are called, for example, The Dreamer, Inner Unity and Spirit Essence and the images are intricate and alluring. This deck really is heart medicine for your body, mind and soul! With guidance from the book on how to use each card and the pack in general, plus the affirmations connected with each card, you can dive right in.

44 cards + 64pp booklet, 2022, RRP £19.99

❖ Code: 320354

❖ Non-Member Price: £13.88

❖ Member Price: £12.50

THE HERBAL ASTROLOGY ORACLE by Adriana Ayales

THE FEMALE ARCHANGELS ORACLE by Calista

There are 44 cards in this deck. They include 17 archangels who are the traditional figures like Michael, Raphael and Cassiel. Then there are 17 of what Calista calls the Archeia, who are female figures that embody virtues and qualities like Joy, Clarity, Freedom and Victory and are counterpoints to the archangels. On top of that the archangels are also depicted in quite androgynous ways which surely must also correspond with their true nature as beyond gender. Finally there are also 10 other cards that embody aspects of angel healing and include Source, Ancestry and New Earth. All the cards are drawn in bright pastel colours and have that “heavenly” look about them. There is a large guidebook with tips on how to use the cards, and of course they can be used for both divination and inspiration. The author lives at Findhorn.

44 cards + 176pp booklet, 2022, RRP £19.99

❖ Code: 320348

❖ Non-Member Price: £13.88

❖ Member Price: £12.50

Each of the 55 cards in this delightful deck covers one plant or fungus. They are ordered by their planetary sign and then each card also has a quality associated with the herb, for example Joy with Hibiscus, Offering with Tobacco, Initiation with Cacao and Teacher with Arnica. There are also symbols for other planetary correspondences printed on each card. Finally there is a nice chunky guidebook inside which includes further information about each card. For me it’s a great way to get to know a lot of the most powerful plants and fungi and to know how they can be used for healing and spiritual development. The cards are all depicted in calm, autumnal colours. The creator of the deck was born in Costa Rica and is an initiated medicine woman.

55 cards + 176pp guidebook, 2022, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 320304

❖ Non-Member Price: £15.54

❖ Member Price: £13.99

The first strange WhatsApps took me completely by surprise. It was on a warm, sunny afternoon towards the end of June that I locked the front door, poured myself a mug of tea, and went up to my refuge in the summerhouse. Phoebe came with me. She loves it up there in the field and keeps busy following scents and digging for… I know not what… but she certainly likes digging. I was recently back home from France and I was still finding it lonely in the house, but out in nature by the summerhouse, I felt calmer and nearer to Patrick.

That morning, Maria had sent me a WhatsApp asking how I was. She typed that she had been moved by my grief, and continued by describing her gran’s death, when she interrupted herself to say that she was being distracted by a man in a legal wig. She made a joke about it, and then felt mortified when I answered that Patrick had been a barrister—she hadn’t known that he was a lawyer.

I sat and drank my tea, and then meditated to calm the churning that I still felt inside. After an hour or so, I went back down to the house. The house was as I had left it, quite silent. There was no radio on or anything like that. No one could have entered the house. So when I looked at my phone, which I had left in the kitchen, I was surprised to see a whole lot of gibberish, in the WhatsApp message box ready to send to Maria. It didn’t make any sense, and I couldn’t work out how on earth it had got there. It was as follows:

Gov 5 verse vermont cough von va nerve rah rah rah rah rah rah ear air air u wretch choi choice says n or nor uh n earn no or wars wii each woop cocker kaka cuckoo [part deleted to save space] we’re we’d tidworth quick v til tutor it’ is eternity l will well or or where’s wa yah where f sri lanka where care th court lob todd buena le uh we’re amphibian of.

Messages from Beyond

To start with, I was inclined to delete it, but then I thought again, and decided to send it to Maria and ask what she thought. She replied that she had no idea, but perhaps it was a sign from Patrick?

The next day, 21 June 2019, Maria sent this WhatsApp:

Darling Blenheim cotta les Veela bin hi Sri Lanka le omelette darling it’s me grid loots libb prob see meant too bee alias draft herenismo see le auamanons

WHATSAPPS FROM HEAVEN by Louise Hamlin

darling it’s me happily lillies fifth route memories darling it’s me Valentine’s Day 2019 darling it’s me

She added underneath,

Louise I was just going to message you I don’t know why but felt I needed to this was ready to send to you and I have no clue what he or what it means it doesn’t make sense I don’t know if u can get the gist of it.

I didn’t know what to think. On the one hand, it seemed magical and wonderful if indeed the repeated message “darling it’s me” meant that Patrick was sending me a WhatsApp. And certainly he always called me darling. On the other hand, it seemed so incredible and I wondered if Maria was playing some strange joke on me. She seemed like a perfectly sensible, grounded and well-intentioned woman, but perhaps I had misread her? Valentine’s Day 2019 had been one of the last days of Patrick’s life and he had sent me a dozen red roses and a touching card, but why Sri Lanka was mentioned, I had no idea. I couldn’t really believe that Maria had made it up, but I was unable to accept with certainty that the message had come from Patrick.

The author’s husband died unexpectedly but that was only the beginning of a long series of signs and communications from him. This is a short book but the whole text is an account of their relationship and the surprising events afterwards – there is little theory and no survey of the scene but just many stories and anecdotes. Some of the best relate, as per the title, to the WhatsApp messages he seemingly sent her from the other side. There are also messages via mediums, feathers falling from the sky and objects dematerializing. This book is a wonderful antidote to all the weary and empty cynicism of the mainstream which sucks all the joy out of life. And of course it is immensely comforting as it provides plentiful evidence of life and love continuing after physical death. 112pp, 216 x 137 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £9.99 ❖ Code: 320321 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

YOUR BODY WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY

by Ellen Meredith

Here is the new book by the author of the bestselling Language Your Body Speaks, and again it has an absolutely ringing endorsement from Donna Eden, the queen of Energy Medicine. “The Body” has become such a big thing now. A lot of Mind Body Spirit material in the past kept us in our heads and that’s not the case anymore. Ellen started her spiritual career as a channeller and what she urges in this book is that we should channel the voice of our own body, which knows what’s best for us. We learn here to employ inside-out thinking rather than outside-in, while of course not ignoring the guidance of genuine experts. The book is quite “out there” but not in a way that is unfamiliar to Cygnus readers and the exercises are always grounded and experiential. 272pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 320335 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

ALZHEIMER’S, AROMATHERAPY AND THE SENSE OF SMELL by Jean-Pierre Willem

This book offers a ray of optimism amidst the gloom that surrounds this awful disease. The author, a French doctor, who is at the forefront of a movement to bring traditional healing techniques into clinical settings, describes the science behind the use of essential oils in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. His focus is on the fact that a key symptom of the illness is the loss of smell, suffered by 90% of sufferers, and the fact that the olfactory system lies alongside the area of the brain that controls memory and emotion. He cites exciting studies from hospitals and old people’s homes where aromatherapy has been used as a therapy for Alzheimer’s for more than 10 years, detailing what appears to be a really successful use of essential oils to stimulate memory and prevent cognitive loss. And a bit of encouragement is vital for everyone touched by Alzheimer’s. 256pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 320339 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

HEALING WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

by Heather Dawn Godfrey

This is an exceptional new book from the author of the popular Essential Oils For Mindfulness And Meditation. Here she explores the journey of essential oils from living plant to bottle and then how to use them. It is a work of love, hugely detailed but beautifully illustrated with a combination of colour photos of oils and ingredients, line drawings and charts, cleverly structured to make the information she gives both approachable and digestible. Starting with an explanation of what an essential oil is, she then expands that information to take a wider look at the plants and their habitats. From there we learn about methods of extraction, the chemistry and the use of the oils and then the second half of the book provides in-depth profiles of 58 different essential oils. This vibrant reference book will help beginner or practitioner to benefit more from these miracles of nature.

352pp, 229 x 154 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 320341 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

JIN SHIN FOR CATS AND DOGS by Tina Stumpfig

Jin Shin is an ancient Japanese healing technique. It involves placing your hands gently on certain energy points on the body of the being you are treating, which, as this book makes clear, can be an animal just as readily as it can be a human being. The book is divided into three sections. The first introduces the subject and contains specific treatment flows that can be applied to cats and dogs alike. Then the next two sections are treatments for specific conditions for cats and the same for dogs. The book is in colour and is full of photographs of treatments in action which show specifically where the relevant energy points are. There are also colour body maps that show the points in more detail. Not only does this technique offer the alleviation of suffering, but it also affords an opportunity for gentle and loving contact with your beloved pet. 240pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99 ❖ Code: 320344 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

THE PAIN SOLUTION by Saloni Sharma

The text of this title is full of diagrams, charts and exercises that make it clear that this is an immensely practical book, which does not talk much about pain in an abstract sense. The author is an MD who specialises in pain management but her treatments offered here don’t involve drugs. She works within the Integrative Medicine model and the founder of that movement Andrew Weil wrote the foreword. Pain can be so debilitating and it can lead people into excessive medication and even illegal drug-taking so this book is a welcome beacon of hope. The author’s Relief-5R plan involves understanding fully the factors behind your pain and then using nutritional and movement suggestions to include in your daily life. The programme is full of small steps that lead to great results. 272pp, 215 x 139 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 320334 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.77 ❖ Member Price: £11.50

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR DENTAL HEALTH

by Karin Opitz-Kreher and Jutta Schreiber

With it being so hard to get National Health dental treatment and with conventional treatment being so painful and invasive, using natural substances like essential oils is a very attractive option for oral care. This attractive small book has been written by an essential oil expert and a holistic dentist and is in full colour and very clearly laid out. It proposes many different recipes for all aspects of dental care, both as individual oils and in combinations. It also discusses many other techniques to help with dental issues, including mudras, reflexology zones and pressure points. It’s a great help to our selfesteem and sense of overall well-being to have a healthy mouth and a sense that your teeth are in good condition and your breath smells good. However else you treat your teeth, I think this book supports and backs up your oral health in a gentle and uplifting way. 128pp, 191 x 146 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320347 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

As she’s grown older, my friend Faith has also felt an ever-increasing pull to being on the land, and working with it in meaningful ways. She now lives on a farm in the Shropshire hills, and although she earns her living through long hours spent at a computer, is growing her own herbs as part of her herbalism practice.

‘Ever since I was in my teens, and came to realise that life was a strange, unfathomable and wonderful thing, I’ve been searching for the meaning in it all and trying to live in a way that feels authentic,’ she tells me. ‘Now, at age fifty-eight, when becoming old is beginning to feel very real, the pull towards soulful living is stronger than ever. I’ve been feeling a powerful need to prepare for returning to the earth from which I came, and for me this has meant coming into a deeper relationship with the land itself - the soil and the rocks, the plants and the trees, the birds and the air.

‘I’m strongly aware that I will go alone into death at the end, but if I go out and sit in the field behind our

A Joyful Account of Ageing

myself in that state, I really feel as if I’m part of the web of life. And out of this has come a deep sense of communion with certain plants. So I can feel the presence of hawthorn in my chest now as I speak, and see the colour that sometimes envelops me as I sit and stare at it. I can feel the wisdom of a greater whole presenting itself to me in specific forms – all so different – and I feel humbled and yet safe in that connection.

house I can find a kind of peace with that. I sit quietly and stare across the valley in a trance, feeling the earth beneath me, listening to the wind in the trees – just being me, without distraction or expectation, without the people I love and the demands they make on me, without the everyday business of my life. Losing

‘On the days when I feel as though time is running out and I still haven’t got my life right, the stones and the plants are my guides. I walk back down to the house with a deeper sense of how I want to spend the years I have left – the coming to fullness that is still possible – and I’m slowly, very slowly, learning how to live from that sense, moment by moment. And when the gnarled old hawthorns blossom each year and I see how much beauty and creative genius can come from those who are bent by the wind and fallen to the ground, I feel full of vigour, inspired to make bold new plans and dream the dreams that I couldn’t have dreamed until now.’

HAGITUDE by Sharon Blackie

Hagitude is a word that came unheralded into author Sharon Blackie’s head one day and she became determined to write a book with that title. It’s about getting older, about menopause and having cancer, and about trying to understand this later part of life. A presence throughout the book is the Cailleach, a mythological figure in the Scots and Irish tradition, a fierce and giant woman but one who also offers protection and inspiration for women as they enter the croning years. We have carried other books by Sharon – If Women Rose Rooted, The Enchanted Life and her book of short stories Foxfire, Wolfskin – and the main thing about her is that she is a seriously good writer who is also sensitive to the spiritual life and to otherworldly dimensions. It’s an autobiographical account full of rich stories and anecdotes, which weaves a world where everything is connected. It’s like throwing a rich blanket over your shoulders on a cold night where the thick darkness sits outside, but you feel safe inside and unencumbered and calm.

320pp, 224 x 148 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 320337 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

‘I’m strongly aware that I will go alone into death at the end, but if I go out and sit in the field behind our house I can find a kind of peace with that.’

BOOK REVIEWS

WITCH WISDOM FOR MAGICAL AGING by Cait Johnson

and Shamanism

WITCHES, DRUIDS AND SIN EATERS

by Jon G Hughes

The author Cait Johnson lives in the United States but it’s wonderful that this book has a foreword by our very own Caitlin Matthews. We always try and include books on ageing but this is the first one recently that approaches it from a witchy angle. It’s a manual for becoming the crone and it’s a rich and gentle text. There are wonderful illustrations throughout by Ania Aldrich including four colour plates in the centre that show the witches of the four seasons. This is the approach of the book, which tracks the cycle of the year and is full of recipes, rituals and other suggestions. Ageing is daunting and can make you feel down, but I think paganism is ideally placed to make it as joyful and fulfilling as it possibly can be. After all, that’s where the figure of the crone was first honoured.

164pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320343 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

SPELLS FOR LIVING WELL by Phyllis Curott

This lovely book, the latest from the much respected witch Phyllis Curott, is great for those new to spells and for experienced practitioners alike. The author introduces how we can all try using spells to help manifest change and reassures us that it is easy to do. In her book she clearly lays out all the spells for everything from Self Awareness to Grounding to simply having a Magical Day, along with tips, herbs, oils, and other details to help us tap into this amazing resource. It’s written with warmth and has joyful illustrations too. As Cygnus favourite Kyle Gray says “Phyllis Curott walks her talk and lives her craft—all that she does is aligned with the highest integrity and light. It’s teachers like Phyllis that make the world a brighter place!”

304pp, 178 x 127 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 320311 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

PAGAN PORTALS - ANCIENT FAYERIE by Melanie Godfrey

Developing our relationship with the Fairy realm also leads to us deepening our relationship with the land, as they are so closely bound to it. The veil between the worlds is thinning and this book offers us a practical guide to encountering these mysterious beings, including exercises and guided meditations. It also suggests a number of good places to try and find them, usually based on the author’s own experience. There are some evocative photographs of these locations. The second half of the book contains inspiring stories about encounters with these folk, inspired by the author’s visits to many of these places. They are intended to educate and inspire us. They are almost like meditations that we can use when we too find ourselves at one of these sacred sites. The author is a clairvoyant and psychic who grew up in Cornwall. 136pp, 215 x 139 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £9.99

❖ Code: 320325 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

The subtitle of this book is The Common Magic of the Cunning Folk of the Welsh Marches and I am including it because of its Welsh connection and the connection also that Cygnus has with Wales. It’s a fascinating look at the traditions and rituals associated with that part of the world and the authors are able to exploit their close access to the archives at the National Museum of Wales. The book shows how much ancient lore of Britain might still be lodged in some of the traditions of the Sin Eaters and witches of the area. The book is full of photographs of many of the houses and residences in the Marches and of some of the artefacts that have been collected. There is also a set of colour photos as well. It’s inspiring to learn about this rich culture and to see the relevance and practicality of their techniques. It’s a window into our past and perhaps an inspiration to revive some dormant traditions. 312pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £18.99 ❖ Code: 320346 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

JOURNEY OF THE WHITE BEAR by Robin Youngblood and Sandra D’Entremont

I believe there’s a lot that the indigenous peoples of North America can teach us right now. Their spirituality is closely tied to the earth, to nature and to all-that-is, and these are lessons that we at Cygnus find compelling. The main author of this book is part of the Okanagon/Tsalagi tradition and Sandy the second author is an experienced student and teacher of 25 years’ experience. These are teachings that can and do support the native communities in America but they are also offered to everybody and encourage you to live more fully and passionately. The path is guided by the White Bear totem and the book is packed with ceremonies and exercises. They have a different energy to a lot of the exercises in the European tradition. 288pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 320365 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.77 ❖ Member Price: £11.50

SELF SOURCERY by Lisa Lister

Lisa Lister is the bestselling author of Witch, a groundbreaking book. Her writing is fresh, vibrant and relevant, and will be especially popular with our younger audience. In this latest title, she lays out her vision of how to discover your feminine power and return to the rhythmic and cyclic intelligence of your body, Mother Nature and the cosmos. In doing so, you’ll be developing body awareness, taking responsibility for your own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs and accessing the energy needed to cope with these difficult times. The author shares helpful insights and stories and scatters prompts for reflection and practices throughout so as you work though the chapters you can feel your connectivity and strength building in harmony with everyone. 288pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320312 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

DUE LATE NOVEMBER

ABERDEENSHIRE, Cruden Bay Donia Keith 07955 146326 donia@liferoute.co.uk

AVON, Bath Mari Batholomew 01225 840 889 mari@sulis-health.co.uk

BEDS, Luton Jenny Martin 01582 415242 jennym4759@yahoo.co.uk

BRISTOL, Bishopston Jane Stott 07788 418 078 janestott070@gmail.com

BUCKS, Milton Keynes Nikki Brown 07972 257 004 nikki-nutrimed@hotmail.co.uk

CEREDIGION, Llangrannog 1st Wednesday of every month 2-4 plus 3rd Friday 7-9 pm Amanda Painting 01239 654 699 amandapainting@gmail.com

CARMARTHEN Dorothy Morris 01267 267 652 dorothy_morris@hotmail.com

CHESHIRE, Chester Lynn Alexander 01244 951 753 lynn@lynnalexander13.plus.com

CLEVELAND, Saltburn Kathryn Luczakiewicz 01287 204 400 info@saltburnwellbeingcentre. co.uk

CORNWALL, Port Isaac Ann Fanstone 01208 880 300 fanstone@phonecoop.coop

CORNWALL, Penzance Anthea Tounsend 01736 719 606

CORNWALL, Truro Jane Goodall 07967 201 929 janegoodall@live.co.uk

CUMBRIA, Penrith Jackie Lewis 07799 884452 stellapolarisbb@gmail.com

DERBY/NOTTINGHAM David Steare 01332 661 102 david.steare@ntlworld.com

DEVON, Barnstaple Mrs Viv Easton 01271 375 303 easton866@btinternet.com

DEVON, Paignton Marian Davies 07791 263 840 maridavi100@gmail.com

DORSET, Bournemouth Tina Reidy 07855 034918 tinareidy@hotmail.com

E AYRSHIRE, Kilmarnock Anita Neilson 07778 923380 anitaneilson61@gmail.com

E SUSSEX, Bexhill on Sea Carol Sargent 01424 217 630 mail@youniquewellbeing.co.uk

E SUSSEX, Eastbourne Valerie Abl 01323 726 652 valerie@talentshift.co.uk

E SUSSEX, Hove Simon 01273 220 159 info@tolcentre.com

★ NEW FIFE, Markinch Amy Thomson 07775 877114 heartholistictherapiesbyamy@ gmail.com

ISLE OF WIGHT, Shanklin Kate Stuart 07957 909 566 redfox_1@btinternet.com

KENT, Ashford Sylvia Nichols 01233 626 206 viastjames@icloud.com

LANCS, Lytham, St Ann’s Simone Qualter & Andy Cowgill 07928 632 976 simonequalter@yahoo.co.uk

LEICS, Coalville Cheryl Colpman 07974 100591 cheryl@cherylcolpman.co.uk

LINCOLNSHIRE, Horncastle Melissa Bay 07989 508391 countrygardenpets@tiscali. co.uk

MANCHESTER, Sale Rosemary Plunkett 0161 962 4123 rosieglow3@icloud.com

MERSEYSIDE, Liverpool, Woolton Pamela Langley 0151 421 1772 pamelalangley@hotmail.com

MERSEYSIDE, Liverpool, Thornton Sue Massey 0151 924 6240 suemassey60@yahoo.com

MIDLOTHIAN, Edinburgh Tabora Green 01835 268546 trueharmony@hotmail.co.uk

N LONDON, Enfield/Waltham Abbey Chrissie 07845 019398 / 07935707538

N YORKS, Scarborough Helen Marriott 01723 381 118 info@fountainscourt.com

N YORKS, Selby Val Turner 01757 701 571 valdert@btinternet.com

N YORKS, Whitby Daphne Wright 01947 602 425 daphnewright05@gmail.com

NORFOLK, Kings Lynn Amanda Rowe 07786 066761 info@hectorsbarn.co.uk

NORTHANTS, Irchester Karen Holton 07980 770 893 klholton@live.co.uk

PERTHSHIRE, Crieff Rebecca Dearman 07483872183

RHONDDA, Pontypridd Louisa Mills cygnuscaferct@aol.co.uk

RICHMOND UPON THAMES, Surrey Liz Sokoski 07432 585693

ROSS-SHIRE, Conon Bridge Shenagh Leiper 07721 656 668 leipershenagh@gmail.com

SHROPSHIRE, Ironbridge Romella Jones 01952 881 151 cariadtherapies@outlook.com

SOMERSET, Taunton Robin Littman 01278 671 679 Robin@resource-me.com

S YORKS, Doncaster Sandra Edwards 07773 173 919 sandra579@btinternet.com

SOUTH LAKES, Cumbria Catherine Hunt 07957 861408 hello@ primewellbeingfoundation.com

STAFFS, Stoke-on-Trent Nathan Smallman 07724 189 988 nathan.smallman@btinternet.com

STAFFS, Tamworth Jo Greaves 07738 216429 jo.greaves2017@gmail.com

SURREY, Caterham Chris Osborn 01737 551 459 chrisosborn612@gmail.com

SURREY, Guildford, Shere Linda Sewell 07850 839 472 lindasewell@hotmail.co.uk

W MIDLANDS, Wolverhampton Jas Bassi 07830 019 513 Info@jasbassi.com

W SUSSEX, Bosham Kathryn Bingham 01243 572 109 office@thehamblinvision.org.uk

W SUSSEX, Horsham and Haywards Heath Judy Sharp 01444 459 433 judysharp123@gmail.com

WILTS, Salisbury Jane Wainwright 01722 413 902 janesnowflake@gmail.com

WIRRAL, Merseyside Carol Carter 07807 077966 carolcarter100@btinternet.com

WORCS, Tenbury Wells Hilary Foxwell 01584 819 010

02078 594 375

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are never alone; we may be lonely, but we now know we are not alone, wherever we are!

“We hope you can all keep meeting remotely and, if not, that you can get together again soon. Please keep your physical distance from each other and stay safe. With all our best wishes...”

A Guide to Starting a Cygnus Café

We know that we have many members who are interested in starting Cygnus Cafés in their community, and that they have questions, both about how to get started and also how they want their group to run. Below is a mini-guide to running a Cygnus Café to give you a taste of what you can expect – if you would like to start your own Café please do get in touch.

❖ The starting point for setting up a group is the purpose of a Cygnus Café, and that is creating a space for you to meet people of like mind in your own locality. Nowadays it is often the case that you might find you can only get so far by yourself using a book. Sometimes it can be a great help on your spiritual journey to share issues that feel unresolved, with others of like heart.

❖ Most of our groups run in what we would call an unstructured way, they have no agenda and allow the magic of the moment to provide the topics spontaneously, depending on who wishes to share their recently experienced insights or share their current concerns of the heart.

❖ When getting down to practicalities the first thing you need is a space, generally meetings are held in members’ homes or quiet rooms in cafés or community spaces. Any room hire costs etc. are shared by the participants on a donation basis. We advise avoiding noisy venues or spaces that have no door, as this helps a great deal. You need a safe space where you know you will not be interrupted.

❖ When thinking about when and how often to hold your meetings, consider the needs of the group when deciding what is best for (most of) you. Some groups choose mornings, others evenings, some even choose a weekend. Larger groups sometimes choose to have two meetings in a month, once in the evening and once in the morning, to match the different lifestyles. Most meeting last for around 2 hours and our advice is to stick to the same day every month, week or fortnight to allow people to organise their diaries.

❖ Many groups take a little while to gain momentum, and this is normal. We suggest you avoid the temptation of trying to find a perfect arrangement.

Become

❖ Setting up for the meeting we suggest that the host prepares the room in the most appropriate way, arranging the seating so that everyone has eye-to-eye contact. Meetings generally begin with everyone taking turns to say their name and where they are from and, if they wish, a mention about something they may want to talk about later.

❖ Many groups have found it very helpful to keep the level of the meeting at a higher level by setting the intention of the group to the highest good at the beginning of the meeting. So that, whatever happens, the highest good may come out of it.

❖ Gradually most groups begin to observe how Cygnus Cafés can grow in depth as participants feel more comfortable and they can share their vulnerabilities and “soft spots”. This gives others the confidence to share their concerns or doubts.

Cygnus supporter

A MEMBER FOR

❖ For meeting support you can contact Vicky Hartley at Cygnus on vicky@ cygnus-books.co.uk

21 DAYS TO FIND SUCCESS AND INNER PEACE by Dr. Dwayne W. Dyer

The work of Dr. Dyer, aka the ‘father of motivation’ lends itself well to this 21-day course format from Hay House, with a topic for each day, starting with being open to everything, and building through chapters on being passionate, embracing silence, inspiring others and thoughts that strengthen you. Each chapter is a lesson in itself, to be read carefully, digested and acted on before moving on to the next one. The words are positive and kind and above all approachable, and with the prospect of gaining so much in only 21 days, it’s hard not to feel optimistic that the book will make a big change in your life. And importantly, Dr. Dyer’s message is that if a chapter doesn’t resonate with you, then just discard it and concentrate on those that do, so don’t be put off as you go. 176pp, 197 x 130 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £10.99 ❖ Code: 320308 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

21 DAYS TO WORK WITH CRYSTALS by Judy Hall

According to research, establishing a habit requires 21 days of practice so it’s really interesting that Hay House has decided to adapt the work of some of its most prestigious authors into 21-day courses. In this book, the work of Judy Hall is cleverly re-crafted into a day-by-day approach so you build up a wealth of skills that you can use across a variety of applications. Every day includes a practical exercise to expand your sensitivity to crystal energy and help explore its potential too. So, in only 3 weeks you will have experienced a wide spectrum of crystal possibilities and whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced crystal worker, you’ll find something here to inspire and excite you. There’s also a downloadable colour PDF with images of all the crystals as bonus content. This is a great new approach to learning about and experiencing new subjects. 208pp, 195 x 130 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £10.99 ❖ Code: 320309 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

21 DAYS TO UNLOCK THE POWER OF AFFIRMATIONS by Louise Hay

Another title in the interesting new series from Hay House, where they take work from prestigious authors to create dynamic 21-day courses. In this book, we take a fresh look at Louise Hay’s work on affirmations. One of the founders of the use of the power of thought to help improve our lives, Louise always reminded us that we needed to practise regularly to get our affirmations to work, so this 21-day course is a perfect way firstly to understand the process and then really make headway with our own affirmations. It tackles specific topics and concerns, from self-esteem and fearful emotions to critical thinking and forgiveness; from health and ageing to job success, money, and prosperity; and from loving yourself to friendship, love, and intimacy. It of course includes exercises to show how to make these positive changes. This is a great self-help manual for all levels. 192pp, 197 x 130 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 320310 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

MOONOLOGY DIARY 2023 by Yasmin Boland

Moonology Diary 2023 is written by leading astrology and moonology expert Yasmin Boland, whose previous Moonology diaries were instant Amazon #1 bestsellers upon launch. It is a must-have tool to invite the Divine into everyday life through the magical powers of the Moon. This is a pocket diary that is also a guide to working with moon energies. The entry for each day carries the phase of the moon plus its position in the heavens. As you go through the year it offers advice relating to every new moon, depending on which sign it is in. It also includes short chapters at the start on various subjects especially written for this edition. Each month brings different lunar energies, and when you know what to expect, you can take time to prepare. Prepare for personal transformation as you become the best version of you in 2023. 288pp, 195 x 137 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99 ❖ Code: 320302 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

2023 WITCH’S DIARY by Flavia Kate Peters and Barbara Meiklejohn-Free

This is an attractive and fascinating diary from two British authors. It’s a northern hemisphere edition so all the information is sound and needs no adjusting. The authors are well-known for their fairy work but they are witches too. It’s a little bit heavy and there’s a fair amount of black in the book, as well as pentacles and other witch-associated images but at the same time it’s positive, generous and domestic. As ever, it’s always up to you! It’s full of recipes and spells, as well as tips and reminders of witches and the treatment of witchcraft through history. Full moons and new moons are included in the diary as well as all the pagan festivals with accompanying explanations and suggestions. In the end it’s also a magical tool that will help you live the pagan life. 160pp, 245 x 231 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320350 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

THE WAY BACK ALMANAC 2023 by Melinda Salisbury

Following on from the successful first edition in 2022, the 2023 Almanac once again takes you by the hand to help you connect or reconnect with nature while living in the 21st Century. Start in January and you’ll be surprised what you can do in this darkest month, whether cooking seasonal foods, building a nest to hole out in or reading a good book recommended by the author. And so the year goes on, with suggestions of crafts, home remedies and recipes to try, useful guides to growing your own veg in the smallest of spaces, a look at the stars and the seasons, clever home organisation tips, digital wellbeing know-how and a scattering of ancient and modern wisdom. You can make notes for yourself in the book too, something to refer to or look back on later in the year. This is a really lovely book! 288pp, 206 x 150 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £12.99 ❖ Code: 320357 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN BEFORE by Steve Leder

This is a wonderful book that’s so inspiring. It’s not long but it’s full of profound wisdom and plenty of comfort. There are so many stories in it that can guide and inspire us, mostly about people’s guts and resilience. At the same time the author, who is a rabbi in Los Angeles, doesn’t shy from looking head-on at suffering and loss, and the effects they have on relatives and other loved ones. It was in hardback four years ago and is finally in paperback. Compassion shines out of every page and you put the book down full of admiration for the human race and people’s ability to survive and thrive in the face of terrible suffering. Sooner or later every one of us will have to walk through hell. It can’t be avoided but I hope this book makes the experience easier to handle, when that time comes.

224pp, 178 x 126 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £11.99 ❖ Code: 320306 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

THE PATH TO HEALING IS A SPIRAL by Anna McKerrow

A frank, fresh and often amusing personal account, this book is a great introduction to many forms of healing for anyone suffering from emotional trauma and/or depression, from Reiki and spiritual healing to past-life regression therapy and breathwork. The author has been through a lot and tried a whole raft of different healing techniques to help her get through, and she recounts it all in a down-to-earth way which makes for a rich reading experience. Supported by helpful descriptions of the history and processes of each healing type plus interviews with the healers themselves, you feel both entertained and educated by the time you put the book down. There are many people struggling today who will find this book helpful. 224pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320355 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

HIGHER PURPOSE by Robert Holden

Robert is a well-known and well-established Hay House author and this book is classic spiritual self-development. It has endorsements from people like Caroline Myss, Kyle Gray and Rebecca Campbell. I doubt it has any great blinding revelations on the usual path to Purpose but it’s written by a wise and experienced teacher who gives the reader confidence and it would make a great gift for someone who is struggling to find the way. It’s a great point of departure and includes sidebar quotations by many prominent figures like Mary Oliver, Eileen Caddy and Albert Einstein. It’s an autobiographical account full of stories and lessons from Robert’s life as well as inspiring stories about other people, famous and otherwise. These all combine, along with practical exercises, to give us a roadmap towards our own sense of purpose. 272pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99 ❖ Code: 320305 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

HOW WE LIVE IS HOW WE DIE

by Pema Chödrön

Pema is one of the wisest and most reassuring teachers around right now. She is an American-born Buddhist nun who has directed various monasteries and schools across the continent. She is also the bestselling author of When Things Fall Apart and many other books. As much as we might try to resist, endings happen in every moment – the end of a breath, the end of a day, the end of a relationship, and ultimately the end of life. And accompanying each ending is a beginning, though it may be unclear what the beginning holds. Here Pema Chödrön shares her wisdom for working with this flow of life – learning to live with ease, joy, and compassion through uncertainty, embracing new beginnings, and ultimately preparing for death with curiosity and openness rather than fear. 224pp, 210 x 133 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £23.00 ❖ Code: 320328 ❖ Non-Member Price: £16.65 ❖ Member Price: £14.99

CRYSTAL 365 by Heather Askinosie

This is an amazing book – full colour at a very reasonable price. It’s very “Instagram” and all the wonderful photographs are set in clean, decluttered and tasteful homes. It also won’t be of so much interest to any member who already knows a reasonable amount about crystals and stones. All in all it’s a Californian crystal title. On the other hand the pluses are amazing. It would make a wonderful gift for someone just beginning on the path or for someone you wanted to give a nudge to on the path. Because everything looks so attractive it would draw the most hard-hearted reader into a life with crystals. The pictures also bring out the wonder of crystals and stones. There are affirmations and intentions linked to every stone. There are also 30 crystal combinations to help with specific intentions, like creativity, sleep, weight loss and protection. 368pp, 230 x 155 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £17.99 ❖ Code: 320318 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.77 ❖ Member Price: £11.50

INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIVINE by Caroline Myss

Now in paperback, spiritual superstar Caroline Myss’s new book explores and inspires us with the mystical power of prayer. Instead of confining this practice to a particular form of religious dogma, she instead sets out a method where we use prayer as a tool to gain an intimate relationship with a higher cosmic order. Many times we are too caught up in our own little bubbles, leaving us somewhat disconnected to the greater whole. With this book, Myss gives us 100 different prayers to inspire us to reach beyond our egos and more actively seek out the power of grace in our daily lives. These beautifully written prayers have nothing formal about them at all, but rather are like direct conversations with the divine, and are highly inspired by great mystics like Rumi and St. Teresa of Avila. 304pp, 230 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £13.99 ❖ Code: 320303 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

PROOF OF SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA by Mona Sobhani

There is something reassuring about a die-hard scientist switching their attention to the spiritual world. And in this case it’s someone who previously believed that physical reality is the only thing that exists; so for her to turn her mind to finding out why this isn’t true is a big step and makes for a fascinating and enlightening read. This book is part journey and part science and the author expertly weaves the two stories together. She has applied her scientist’s mind and training to try to unpick what makes the universe tick, from psychology and philosophy to quantum physics and neuroscience, and leaves you feeling confident that there is a whole lot more going on that the present scientific world can’t comprehend. 256pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99 ❖ Code: 320349 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

MYSTERIOUS MESSAGES FROM BEYOND by Von Braschler

We don’t usually include books on “strange phenomena” for their own sake, but I know the author is a spiritual person and won’t be sensationalist. Rather, he has an inquiring mind and is always trying to make sense of the strange things that have happened. A lot of the stories relate to him personally so it’s particularly interesting to read him trying to piece it all together. Altogether the book is enjoyable to read and describes a world that is far richer and stranger than the mundane one we are encouraged to believe in. He includes exercises too, so that we too can have the same unusual experiences. Some of the stories are unsettling but overall he paints a picture of lives that go on and a world where what we call death is certainly not the end. 128pp, 229 x 152 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £18.99 ❖ Code: 320364 ❖ Non-Member Price: £16.65 ❖ Member Price: £14.99

AN EXPLORATION OF TRANCE MEDIUMSHIP by Chris Ratter

Chris is a spiritualist medium and is currently the only psychic surgeon practising in Scotland. When he was starting off in this work he found that there were a multitude of questions he wanted to ask about the practicalities but he had no idea where to go to get answers. Now that he himself is more experienced, he decided to write this book. He talks about his spirit guides who help him in his work, and about other energies that come through. He discusses the practicalities of seances and guidelines that should be in place around them. He also describes how healing takes place and how to do it both online and in person. All the teaching in the book is accompanied by fun and uplifting stories about the characters of his guides and about the amazing healings that have taken place. 200pp, 216 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320324 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

BOOK REVIEWS – The Other Side

PAST LIVES IN ANCIENT LANDS AND OTHER WORLDS by Shelley A Kaehr

Books on past lives and lives between lives are very popular at Cygnus. Here we can explore case studies of past lives from legendary places and worlds beyond ours, including experiences in ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, Lemuria, Atlantis and other planets. In addition to sharing some of her most exciting client regression sessions, Shelley A. Kaehr guides you through uncovering your soul’s earliest experiences and clearing out unwanted influences from these times. She describes many profound techniques for exploring possibilities. You can create a journal, complete a past life regression, and conduct healing exercises. This book will help you pinpoint where your soul existed in the past so you can find meaningful answers to questions about your current life, while getting to know your true self better than ever before.

336pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 320330 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

CONNECT AND WORK WITH SPIRIT GUIDES by Shannon Yrizarry

Spirit guides can be powerful sources of wisdom, inspiration, and support, but understandably it isn’t always easy to communicate with them. This introductory book takes you step-by-step through the process of awakening your innate connection to higher vibrational guides. It answers common questions and covers important techniques such as building trust in yourself, healing from physical ailments, creating the life of your dreams, and releasing negative energy for good. Sometimes that voice in your head is not just “in your mind” but it’s one of your guides and surely when they are speaking from that perspective, you will want more of that information. Shannon Yrizarry teaches you to connect with benevolent spirits using chakras, vision boards, crystals, oracle cards, altars, and meditations.

240pp, 203 x 133 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 320326 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member Price: £10.50

ANSWERS FROM THE ANCESTRAL REALMS by Sharon Anne Klingler

This is a comprehensive guide and therefore a great enabler if you are looking to communicate with your ancestors. The author, a professional medium for over 40 years herself, describes all the different ancestors and how to reach out to each of them, with helpful descriptions of symbols to look out for too. Chapters include Sensing and Sending: How Spirit Communicates with You, Processes for Healing the Past, Ancestral Healing in Daily Life and Connectivity and the Readiness to Receive, and are self-contained so you can dip in and out of those that you’re particularly interested in. With easy exercises - some shorter than 2 minutes - the book also reveals how easy it can be to contact, receive and interpret messages and get the answers you are looking for from the ancestral realms.

312pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £13.99

❖ Code: 320320 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

Janny

As a child, I used to sit in an earth cave created by the upended roots of a fallen tree on the bank of a slow moving river, and watch the water flowing.

It was like being in a womb, the roots around and above me feeling like veins. An intense warmth would flood my body, starting in my upper legs and gradually spreading throughout my whole being. Back then, I called it ‘the hug’. I always felt like there was something I knew, but couldn’t quite remember. It was as if everything around me was alive, that it could talk to me, and that I was a part of it. That I was someone I should know, but had forgotten.

Years later, as a spiritual seeker familiar with such phenomena, I now know that this ‘hug’ was an experience of merging with the greater mind, the consciousness that is called by many names, a profoundly visceral experience of communication with what I would now call Oneness. And that the ‘someone’ was my Soul Signature – who I was and am beyond time and space.

And in the years following, I forgot. Just as we all do. Life happened. Pain, loss, trauma, fear, shame – the dust and rubble of living a human life fell on top of that beautiful knowing. This time/space illusion, in all its relentless brutality, became convincingly real.

Years ago, Plato coined the word ‘anamnesis’ – a remembering of all we knew before birth. Children are great rememberers, I think. They are not so

Our Soul Signature

long into incarnation that they have lost touch with the Oneness out of which they emerged. They stand in their cot, delightedly watching and pointing to phenomena we can no longer see; they talk animatedly to guides here to ease them from one reality to another. They talk of what happened before. And, because we have forgotten, we call it imagination, pretend play.

As a psychotherapist of 30 years and energy worker, I’m familiar with forgetting. We incarnate eagerly, up for the adventure, still remembering we are not alone here. Then trauma hits, life becomes real, and forgetting sets in. Only as we are close to returning home, nearing death, does the veil lift

YOU CAN REMEMBER WHO YOU WERE BEFORE LIFE MADE YOU FORGET by Janny Juddly

This is quite a rare book that deals with life with a personal development approach but which has a deep spiritual connection. There’s that feeling when it seems there are two different aspects of you that are being projected strongly but which seem to contradict each other. The outer you can get angry, be mean or kind, messed up or expansive, and it feels like an anomaly. Then there’s the deeper part of you, which feels truer and more whole and generous, and which looks on at the outer you and says, “Where did all that come from? Who IS that person stumbling its way through life?” I think this is exactly the book that can help you be the soul rather than the personality. Janny is a working psychotherapist and the book is full of great teaching stories, including a personal account of a night that changed her life completely. 256pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 320366 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

once again. Even then, just as with children, we are met with scepticism, ‘logical’ explanations from those who have still forgotten.

As that same psychotherapist and energy worker, now a spiritual seeker also, who continues to experience transformative mystical experiences, I have found myself pondering this process of forgetting and remembering.

Why does it happen? Are we meant to forget? Does it serve a purpose? Since I believe that nothing is accidental, within a Universe I know to be conscious, there had to be meaning and significance to this universal process.

My search for an answer has led me to read and discuss widely, considering the latest research in neuroscience, transpersonal psychology, studies into the nature of consciousness, mystical and spiritually transformative experiences, energy and quantum physics, and the nature of ‘reality’ itself. In the process, I have encountered the most amazing minds, thinkers outside the box. And I have become convinced that we are on the cusp of the greatest paradigm shift there has ever been.

That shift is one that is moving away from the prevailing world of materialistic reductionism with its rigid tunnel vison and resistance to any ideas which fall outside its narrow framework. Human consciousness is expanding to accommodate a new reality, that of a conscious, creative, expanding Universe in which everything is interconnected, the very fabric of which is composed of love.

How does forgetting and remembering fit into this paradigm? I believe that this conscious Universe expands through experiencing itself in an infinite variety of forms. I believe that we – as souls who become form for a while – are part of that process; and that the only way we can fully immerse ourselves in a human experience is to temporarily forget all that we truly are.

In this book I invite the reader to explore their own human journey through those eyes, and the lens of that awareness. The many tearful messages of recognition I have received would seem to confirm that it is time.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND THE ART OF REIKI by Steve Gooch

By exploring the relationship between Reiki and Buddhist principles, especially mindfulness meditation, this book helps us understand that there is much more to Reiki than we might think. The author explains that “beyond a therapeutic practice, Reiki has the potential to profoundly change the nature of one’s experience of reality on all levels of being”. To achieve this we must learn to become deeply and profoundly aware, which is a skill not usually taught to those learning to harness the power of Reiki, but one which the book tackles head on. It’s a fascinating book, clearly well researched and full of interesting detail, and it will provide you with a framework to work within to help you deepen your practice and discover the depth and breadth of Reiki as an inherently spiritual activity. 264pp, 216 x 139 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99 ❖ Code: 320322 ❖ Non-Member Price: £14.43 ❖ Member Price: £12.99

EMPOWERING PRACTICES FOR THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE by Bertold Keinar

Being highly sensitive can seem like such a burden and if you are feeling this way then this book will surely help you. The author, a Reiki healer and a highly sensitive person himself, believes that with some effort you can turn this burden into a blessing by gaining lasting stability and equanimity, increasing self-esteem and improving your general health. He has transformed his own life and wants to help you to do so too, setting out the reasons and explanations for your sensitivity and giving you step-by-step illustrated exercises that will help switch attention away from the left side of your brain into a more balanced way of being. The exercises are somatic and practical and you’ll be able to understand when they are working using the author’s helpful hints and tips. This is a timely new way of approaching an issue that affects so many of us. 176pp, 228 x 151 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320338 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

THE ENERGY TO HEAL by Lauren Walker

During these difficult times, it’s comforting to discover a new way of tackling stress and trauma. The author, Lauren Walker, is the founder of Energy Medicine Yoga and in this book she explains her unique healing system which combines yoga with energy work. It’s thoughtfully written so that each person reading the book gets the most out of it; it’s also totally approachable and you don’t even need any yoga background before diving in. It offers simple, practical and gentle tools to use to help us heal from whatever is stressing us, and ultimately it helps you to respond rather than react. The book is given a big thumbs up by Donna Eden, the guru of Energy Medicine: “...This pioneering approach of Energy Medicine Yoga to move beyond trauma is an important book that you will turn to again and again” 264pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 320332 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.77 ❖ Member Price: £11.50

BOOK REVIEWS

WISE POWER by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer

If you’re dreading the menopause, dragging yourself through it or have emerged to a new world where you’re not sure of your place, then it’s worthwhile reading this book. Viewing the menopause from a spiritual perspective, and offering guidance about navigating it, the authors are adamant that if tackled correctly, moving through the menopause can help you grow your authority, steep you in purpose and awaken you to great power and wisdom. The book is divided into four parts, the first two setting the scene and providing context; the third gets to the heart of the matter laying out the five phases of the menopause using personal stories and a liberal dose of humour; and the last introduces you to the promises of post-menopausal life. The thought of this transitional period giving you new strength and purpose is definitely an uplifting and encouraging one.

288pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320316 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

UNLOCK THE POWER OF YOUR CHAKRAS by Masuda Mohamadi

Esteemed yoga teacher Masuda Mohamadi combines the ancient wisdom and philosophy of yoga with accessible practices you can use to make profound changes in your body, consciousness, and life. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific chakra and helps you have an immersive experience with it through exercises, yoga sets, and meditations. You’ll also explore affirmations, journal prompts, self-reflection questions, and poses from both Hatha and Kundalini yoga. It’s full-colour inside which is ideal for a book on chakras which are so dependent on specific colours, and the book’s attractiveness will make the work especially enjoyable. The chakras are so important to esoteric and health practices and this book will boost your underlying connection to spirit and energy. 288pp, 235 x 191 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £17.99

❖ Code: 320327 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.88 ❖ Member Price: £12.50

HEALING ADAPTOGENS by Tero

Isokauppila and Danielle Ryan Broida

What are Adaptogens? Fundamentally they are super plants and functional mushrooms whose health benefits have been known and used over the centuries to help with energy, stress, mental function, immunity, and more. They include Turmeric and Cacao and around 700 species of fungi but this book focuses on just the top 21. Neatly dividing them into three main categories: Defend, Perform, and Restore, the authors then analyse the science behind how they work, including how they interact with our bodies and what they are made of so you can focus on those that have the properties that fit your needs. This superb book also includes advice on getting the best quality adaptogens and has a handy shopping guide. The authors are eager to help us be able to use these adaptogens in our daily life, and have created their 10 Commandments of Adaptogens which provide an easy, go-to reference for their daily usage. 256pp, 229 x 152 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £19.99

❖ Code: 320315 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.88 ❖ Member Price: £12.49

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BOOK REVIEWS – Spirituality and Dreamwork

ACTIVATE YOUR COSMIC DNA by Eva Marquez

If you are tuned into your starseed lineage or thinking that you would like to connect with your own cosmic origins then this book will be a great gift to you. It is a comprehensive guide to activating your spiritual DNA and awakening the profound soul attributes that reflect your star nation. You will also read about your cosmic family’s lives and who they are, plus their unique teachings and wisdom. The author has laid out helpful energy exercises and guided meditations specific to each star family to help you to activate your spiritual DNA and awaken the multi-dimensional abilities within you. So if you are feeling disconnected, frustrated with the slowness of the world to make change and want to connect and reach your full potential, then this is the book for you.

160pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320340 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

ARCHANGELS by Richard Webster

This new book is by Richard Webster, who is a prolific author of over 100 titles, 9 of which are about angels, so he is an expert. This one is his concise guide to all the Archangels, with descriptions of each one, who they are and what they do. They are the mainstays of countless spiritual traditions. With helpful chapters containing advice on how to invoke an Archangel and how to work with them through meditations and rituals, the book also includes comprehensive lists that make it easy to find angelic correspondences to zodiac signs, essential oils, chakras, months and more. As Archangels surround us with love, these spiritual beings of pure light can help us reach our goals, find our life’s purpose, and help us live in peace and harmony with others. 264pp, 202 x 133 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 320336 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

THE HERO OF OUR STORY by Edwin Faust

It’s good to have a new book about the great Indian guru and teacher Ramana Maharshi, who lived and gave darshan in Tamil Nadu from 1879 until 1950. Here Edwin Faust gives us a commentary on Ramana’s Sat Darshanam, which consists of 42 short verses. It’s not academic or obscure and it shows us that, if we become the hero of our own story, we will not need anyone else’s approval or endorsement to feel content and fulfilled. It also serves as an entry point into the teachings of Vedanta, which seem especially important in these times. There is so much to learn and be inspired by in Ramana’s teachings and this is a great place to start. The chapters are short and the explanations and commentary is concise. Much of his teaching was done through silence so this text is especially valuable. 128pp, 216 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 320323 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

TALKING ZEN by Alan Watts

There is no one quite like Alan Watts for breezy, entertaining and easy-to-read books that are at the same time wise and academically sound. Even though he died in 1973, he left a wealth of recorded talks that have been easy to reframe as books. Zen is in the title here but these chapters cover other topics in the field of Eastern wisdom, like Taoism for example. Chapters include Taoist Ways, Swimming Headless and Picture Without a Frame. This small book can fit very easily into your pocket and thus his uplifting wisdom can be available to you wherever you are. Alan Watts was born and grew up in England but his outlook was shaped by his life in California, where he became a counterculture celebrity, but through it all he remained one of the greatest teachers in religion of the 20th century. There is no one better on that quicksilver quality of Zen.

272pp, 177 x 128 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £17.99 ❖ Code: 320333 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.88 ❖ Member Price: £12.50

THE HEALING WISDOM OF DREAMS by Kathleen Webster O’Malley

This is an interesting and readable new work on the power of dreams with particular reference to self-healing. The author tells us that “Dreams come not to fix us, but to encourage us to explore our inner lives and guide us through life’s most difficult moments” and in this book she sets out to help us to understand and harness them. The book is divided into two halves, the first providing specific tools to help enhance our dream recall, including dream journaling exercises, visualizations, and meditative practices plus how to understand our dreams and how they relate to ourselves and our lives. The second part is about the mystical aspect of life, allowing us to see that our waking life is also a dream - a construct of our beliefs, imaginings and expectations, influenced by the world of spirit. 280pp, 216 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 320319 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

THE DREAMWORK HANDBOOK by Dr Nicholas Heyneman

This compact, attractive hardback will look good on your bedside table, and you’ll be picking it up all the time before you go to sleep or after you wake up to unpick a dream. With pages where you can keep notes and fun, easy-to-follow exercises this book will help you to keep a dream journal, improve your sleep, influence dreams that might help solve specific problems, use them as well to enhance relationships, explore dream interpretation and even start co-dreaming with a partner. It includes many examples to shed more light on certain types of dream analysis and it’s laid out so that you can learn gradually and be ready for the more advanced exercises suggested later in the book. If you are wanting to understand your dreams more and get more out of them, look no further.

208pp, 185 x 130 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320361 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

We both feel lucky to have always had the sense that nature is alive and can deliver messages to us that will guide us, bring us strength and courage, and help us to make decisions in life.

We were exposed to the wilds of nature from our earliest years and given the freedom to explore them. It is because of this experience that we have been able to meet the plants in a magical sphere and share our knowledge of them. We have seen misconceptions of the poisons arise over the years, in particular regarding the witching herbs, the nightshade family of plants. We have set out to counter these misconceptions by creating profiles of their healing capacities to help us understand and be guided by each plant’s unique spirits.

Nature expresses vibrations and initiates responses, indicating that everything forms part of the universal connection of living things. We know the plants hold a vital spirit; they are sentient beings. They possess souls –also referred to as spirits – which are living entities with volition, moods and the capacity to wreak havoc as they are wooed or offended. There is an exquisite uniqueness to each individual soul. With the witching herbs in particular, we hear their callings and songs. The energy that comes from working magically with these revered plants is essential to our herbalism.

Throughout our lives we have allowed the plants to lead our work and have followed the signs that they have gifted us. As we opened up our hearts and souls to the witching ways, henbane turned up, self-seeded in a pot

The Witching Herbs

outside our front door and growing from the rubble on the land next to where we lived. Datura filled the tool yard at a place where we gardened – a beautiful deep purple variety that we’ve not seen since. Then we were gifted a mandrake at an event. One night, on a full moon, we found a huge belladonna plant growing between the cracks on the steps of a cathedral in Spain. We felt that nature had granted us access to another sphere of existence; a curtain had been drawn back and we glimpsed a state of being that was out of the ordinary.

It was vital for us to follow the signs and work more deeply with these plants. The more we worked with them, the more they appeared in our lives. We began growing them and researching their history, medicine and magic. By forming friendships with each of our native power plants, we discovered that these potent plants possess

POISON PRESCRIPTIONS by The Seed Sistas

such a forceful nature that even just growing them is often enough to alter conscious reality. There is no need to use frighteningly large doses; including them in rituals even in tiny amounts can be extremely potent. We have come to love including the nightshades in both our clinical and spiritual practices. They have enabled us to bring the magic back into the clinical setting.

The witching herbs have, on the whole, fallen out of fashion in the modern Western herbalist’s tool kit, which means losing out on some extremely potent and life-enhancing medicine. All too often, modern clinical herbalism has been guided by a wish for its practitioners to be regarded as professionals, akin to doctors. Indeed, our comprehensive university training saw us in a hospital setting, complete with white coats and stethoscopes. While we learned detailed diagnostic and laboratory skills during our studies, the lack of reverence for the spirit and magic of nature left a palpable void.

We believe, as plant lovers, herbalists and healthcare professionals, that we need to rebuild relationships with the witching herbs. We aim to integrate a more receptive, less linear approach to both research into and spiritual practice with these valuable and beautiful plants. That is not to say that more analytical and measurable methods are obsolete, but that we could achieve a more balanced perspective when coupled with the revival of some ancient practices. We believe that these special herbs hold the key to a remerging of medicine and magic. While the physical medicine of these plants is obvious and well documented, the magic and power they bring cannot be denied any longer.

Kazz and Fiona are two medical herbalists who are strongly committed to the alternative ways and magical paths. They have a holistic view of plants as conscious beings who we work with for the good of the earth and all beings on it. They are the authors of The Sensory Herbal Handbook which was a big success at Cygnus. In this richly illustrated and attractive hardback book they go more deeply into their heritage as witches, and into the plants that specifically work with consciousness enhancement. It’s a practical guide to plant magic, medicine and ritual and offers invaluable advice to readers who want to reclaim control over their own wellbeing or to rediscover the old ways. The Foreword is by musician Neneh Cherry and there are powerful endorsements by Bruce Parry, Glennie Kindred, Satish Kumar and Pip Waller – all well-known to the Cygnus Community. 304pp, 200 x 145 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 320360 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

BOOK REVIEWS

HURT, HEALING, HEALED by Emma Mumford

Deep Personal Development

THE BURNOUT ANTIDOTE

by Anne Bérubé

This is a great book for all of us looking to take our manifesting abilities to the next level, especially if some of the blocks experienced keep coming back and we want to move them once and for all. The author has created a formula to help us shift our mindset, which is basically a three-step approach dealing first with hurt, then healing and finally moving to healed. The first part of the book deals with hurt, what causes it and how to identify the inner work that needs to be done to tackle it; the second with healing, giving you tools and modalities to use all the way through the healing process; and the final part is teaching and encouraging you how to enjoy the new you! Clearly presented with practices to engage in, check-ins to fill in and a variety of exercises to use from meditation to a grab-bag of tried and tested healing techniques, it is both detailed and approachable.

216pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320353 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

LEARNING TO LOVE THE SPACES IN BETWEEN by Claire Gillman

Claire was closely involved with Kindred Spirit magazine for more than twenty years, many of them as its editor. It means that the list of workshop leaders, authors, teachers and researchers she could draw on for this book was very long and her narrative has been shaped by her personal encounters with Yasmin Boland, Caroline Myss, Denise Linn and John Parkin, to name just four. We can benefit here from their experiences of going to the edges of “normality” and finding out more about the human spirit from being in challenging learning situations. All of us are confused and many of us are quite daunted and here is a book that can help guide us away and give our life meaning. Liminality means the places on the edges and that’s where pioneering work is done. This very well written and entertaining book gives us a snapshot of the best of that healing work. 224pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 320362 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.99 ❖ Member Price: £11.69

THE ANXIETY ANTIDOTE

by Kamran Bedi

Overcoming anxiety can be really hard so it’s good to read a new book on the subject which includes brand new techniques. Kamran Bedi is an anxiety and mindset practitioner, who uses a 3-stage approach - self-awareness, self-action and the new self - centred around the principles of Neuro Linguistic Programming. NLP allows us to understand the structure of our thoughts and identify the specific ones that are causing us to feel and behave in a particular way, so once they are understood we can explore and improve these thought patterns as part of the process of dealing with our anxieties. In the first stage the book helps you to understand your own mindset and teaches you how to shift focus, the second stage gives you methods, tools and techniques to help you improve the way you are thinking and the final section helps you to integrate your new awareness and tools into your day-to-day life.

224pp, 216 x 137 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320356 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

Life has been a struggle for many of us as society has emerged slowly from lockdown and one of the main characteristics has been how readily we have felt burnt out or overwhelmed. The subtitle to this book reads A Spiritual Guide to Empowerment for Empaths, Over-Givers, and Highly Sensitive People and that places the book pretty well. Fortunately this book does what it says on the cover and is an invaluable toolbox of exercises and techniques that can help us function fully in this environment that seems so demanding. There are many guided visualizations that look promising and effective, and inspiring stories from the author’s life. Highly Sensitive People have great gifts to offer the people around them but we need resilience in order to be our best and to offer them freely. 264pp, 202 x 134 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99 ❖ Code: 320331 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.77 ❖ Member Price: £11.50

HOW TO LIVE WITH DRAGONS by Caroline Mitchell

Following on from her successful Dragon deck, Caroline Mitchell is back to tell us how to include dragons in our lives to an even greater extent. They can be seen as spiritual warriors of the Earth, and we can harness that Earth Energy for empowerment and even adventure. They can be treated like Angels, who exist on a different frequency and who can likewise support and guide us, although in a different way. The book is full of exercises, meditations and visualizations that will help us connect with our own personal dragon. A lot of the material has been channelled from the Dragons themselves. I would imagine that this book would be ideal for anyone who wants to bring through and accentuate their Earth aspect. We can all become spiritual warriors for the Earth. 224pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99 ❖ Code: 320351 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

WHOLE BRAIN LIVING by Jill Bolte Taylor

Jill is the author of the New York Times bestselling book My Stroke of Insight. In it she described the stroke she had when she was 37 and how it shut down the left hemisphere of her brain. As she is a neuroanatomist, she was able to watch her faculties shut down one-by-one: reading, walking, talking and even recalling any event in her life. All of this she had to re-learn and she then gave a vital TED talk in 2008 where she described what she had learnt. This book shows the latest research that she and others have done on the hemispheres of the brain and their different capabilities and it’s not the case anymore that we can say that the right brain is emotional and the left is rational. There are all sorts of whole brain potentialities and Jill tells us how to make the best of what we all have. This was formerly in hardback and now in paperback. 304pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 320317 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

BOOK

MEANINGFUL COINCIDENCES by Bernard Beitman

After the recent book Dreaming Ahead of Time by Gary Lachman, here is another book about serendipity and coincidence, but now not relating just to dreams. It explores the concept in all its aspects, including times when people have claimed a coincidence to advance their personal or political cause. It’s a more analytical book and explores the statistics and the theory more than entertains us with a succession of stories. But more importantly it also explains how synchronicity and serendipity can be agents for personal growth or social evolution, beyond having it make the world a more magical place. There are practical tips on how to write your own coincidence story or to relate to a wider community. And there are plenty of stories too! 224pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99 ❖ Code: 320345 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

HOLY WATERS by Tom Morton

If you’re looking for a new perspective on spirituality, faith and religion around the world, look no further. Tom Morton has travelled the globe on our behalf, looking for each country’s finest drinks, and in his delightful, easy to read and humorous book reveals the many links between alcohol and faith that he discovered along the way. There’s wine in Holy Communion, the temple libations in Japan and all the alcohol brewed in monasteries from Buckfast to Benedictine. Pour yourself a glass of your favourite tipple, whether it be Highland Park or Irn Bru, and sit back and enjoy! He even found the motorbike he travelled on could run on cask-strength malt. This would be a great Christmas gift. 272pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £14.99 ❖ Code: 320359 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

MINI-FOREST REVOLUTION by Hannah Lewis

This book should be on the desk of every environment minister, town planner, school board, community organisation, newspaper and TV editor. It’s such a simple message - we need more trees to help the environment, and by planting mini-forests wherever there is a small space, on a roundabout, in an unused plot, in a school playground, in the back garden, we can do just that. This book studies the science behind the concept and details the multiple environmental benefits, from cooling urban areas, establishing wildlife corridors, building soil health, sequestering carbon, creating pollinator habitats and more. It describes how this revolution started, and explores the impact that these miniforests are having within diverse types of terrain, climate and location. It’s full of good news and it gives us the creative optimism to start as soon as we can.

224pp plus 8-page colour insert, 229 x 153 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £16.99 ❖ Code: 320201 ❖ Non-Member Price: £14.43 ❖ Member Price: £12.99

SERVICE LINE

MANIFESTING by Von Braschler

The subtitle of this book mentions the creation of Thought Forms, which is a concept widely introduced into the West by the Theosophical Society, which the author Von Braschler has been heavily involved in for years. In a way it’s the same thing as Creative Visualization, and it’s very useful here to have a serious practitioner tackling a subject which is more often a realm for personal development authors. He writes with a reassuring confidence and an absence of woolliness or sentimentality. His approach is to literally picture desired objects and situations in your mind’s eye and to project them into the world – the book includes plenty of exercises, so it’s very practical. There are also reassuring stories from his own life and the lives of others about how Manifesting has been used to beneficial effect.

168pp, 280 x 274 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 320363 ❖ Non-Member Price: £14.43 ❖ Member Price: £12.99

DREAMTIMES AND THOUGHTFORMS by Richard Grossinger

Richard is a publishing legend who started North Atlantic Books. He is a man of great learning and wit and he specialises, both when he was a publisher and as a writer, in these amazing imaginative tours de force. It’s really hard to describe, suffice to say it includes UFOs, the Covid pandemic, the Aboriginal dreamtime and the language of crows, and it’s optimistic, mind-expanding and easy to read. It’s intelligent but not daunting, and it will leave you educated and with an awareness of the world as a magical place. It’s an amazing poetic journey and overall it’s a confident declaration that matter is thoroughly infused with spirit. Even though it’s hard to describe, I thoroughly recommend it.

192pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2022, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 320342 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.44 ❖ Member Price: £8.50

SHODO by Rie Takeda

This lovely small hardback is an introduction to calligraphy in the Japanese style. The subtitle proposes mindfulness through the calligraphy process and ultimately I think it would be pretty hard to do it well without being extremely in the moment. The first part of the book is about mindfulness, about preparing the space and sitting properly, all of which sound delicious. The remainder of the book describes the brush-strokes and then the sequences for composing various popular Japanese words in calligraphy, like Sun and Moon, Joy and Clear Mind. There are many other delightful illustrations, apart from the calligraphy itself. This would make a lovely tasteful gift and it’s wonderful to know that the fruits of your mindfulness might be so beautifully expressed.

248pp, 185 x 130 mm, Hardback, 2022, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 320352 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

Phone: 02078 594 375 ❖ Website: www.cygnusreview.com

APPROVED

CLEANSING & CLEARING

NEW ENERGY PATTERNING - Clearing patterns, life issues, contracts, past lives, other-dimensions, galactic work, journeying, Soul Retrieval. Working with Light Beings and Energies. £45 contact Jane 01691-662471 newenergyp@proton.me

COTTAGE FOR RENT - IRELAND

COUNTY MAYO IRELAND Beautiful secluded cottage sitting in over an acre of land, with nothing but rolling countryside for views. Surrounded by open farmland and lovely walks, this is the perfect spot for anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing break. Only a 15 minute drive from Knock airport, close to local amenities and just a short drive from places like the Wild Atlantic Way, Croagh Patrick and Westport. Sleeps 6 + cot, with 3 bedrooms (2x double bed and 1x bunk bed). Multi-fuel stove and open fire for cosy nights in. Well behaved dogs are welcome. Prices from £300 to £575 per week. Contact: 07720 076142 kevsmeaton@yahoo.co.uk.

COUNSELLING

COUNSELLING COMBINED WITH vast experience of Shamanism, for personal development and spiritual growth. Online as well as face to face in the Exeter area. Michelle Corrigan http://www.headtoheartcounselling.com/

EVENTS, COURSES & WORKSHOPS

HOLY FIRE AND KARUNA REIKI COURSES, on-line. Accredited by International Centre for Reiki Training. Tutor 20 years’ experience. More information from Pamela on enquiries@the9thhalo.co.uk or text 0772 090 5123.

ECKHART TOLLE UK EVENTS Free Online Webinars, Workshops, Retreats, One-to-One, Video Teachings, Local Support Groups. www.eckharttolle.co.uk Email : neil@ thepowerofnow.co.uk Tel : 07754 016779

HEALING, COACHING & READINGS

ANGELIC GUIDANCE WITH MICHAEL Welcome positive change into your life. Please telephone Eastbourne 01323 365751 for further details. mikeallone@talktalk.net

CLAIRVOYANT, PAUL offers spiritually guided consultations in Brighton & Eastbourne and also by telephone. My work always helps those ready for change. Please telephone Brighton 01273 602929 for further details

JULIE GOODRIDGE (MSC.) HEALING. Distance Healing, Workshop and Retreat Facilitator Testimonials at: www.juliegoodridge.com +44 7749 391714 contact@juliegoodridge.com Use discount code KS Winter for 25% discount.

Peel back reality’s thin veneer…

Your world is not what it seems.

Behind supposed ‘reality’ lies an ancient core of spiritual energy and life.

Authored by acclaimed spirit communicator Joseph, the Spaces Between takes you into that invisible world to discover the powerful forces and life forms that interact unseen with you and influence your existence here. Your abilities as a subconscious creator are also examined and revealed in detail.

The Spaces Between is essential reading for all who wish to understand and positively influence their place in the scheme of things.

Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 3QW. For details of other Joseph Communications books: www.thejosephcommunications.co.uk

For seekers who expect a book by spirit guides to actually guide

In this remarkable 480-page volume twenty spirit guides, members of a vast group soul collective concerned for humankind and the planet, communicate wisdom to uplift, inspire and offer the earnest spiritual seeker clarity and direction.

No platitudes. No wasted words.

or amazon.co.uk or send cheque for £18.95

p&p)

payable to: Band of Light Media Ltd. to: 10 Sparrable Row, Briercliffe, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 3QW.

Just detailed guidance on topics such as: Life’s Journey; Aspects of the Afterlife; The Sacred Earth; Spiritual Science; CoCreation; Connections; Spiritual Living and Health and Healing Let Many Voices, One Mission deliver to your door timeless spiritual wisdom for 21st. Century living.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

UNPLUG AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE in remote Welsh off-grid holiday cottage overlooking lake, surrounded by forestry tracks. No phone signal or wifi, just peace. Sleeps 9. dalarwen.co.uk, Tel: 01544-318414

LAUGHTER YOGA

ZOOM FUN, FRIENDLY, informal group laughter exercises for positive health/wellbeing. Regular sessions weekdays/ Saturdays. No formal charge, donations gratefully accepted. Also in-person teaching, clubs, sessions in SE. Lesley 07557 932293

The Gel™ Gagnon Essentials

The Gagnon System is a revolutionary health and beauty approach rooted in immune-system enhancement.

What is The Gel?

Beth Gagnon created the Gel in 1984

The Gel combines the healing benefits of acupuncture with homeopathic medicines.

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Stimulating the body’s healing systems to heal skin tissue and improve tone and condition.

What are the benefits of The Gel?

From ageing skin to babies’ skin, The Gel rejuvenates, heals and soothes:

‘the best-kept secret in the beauty world’ (awardwinning health–beauty author Leslie Kenton).

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For optimal daily skin rejuvenation and for skin conditions and damage: acne, burns/sunburn, broken capillaries, dark spots, eczema, insect bites, muscle spasms, open cuts & wounds, postop treatment/scarring, psoriasis, rosacea, sprains, vaginal dryness/thinning.

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Everyone – it is gender-neutral and safe enough for babies.

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