Cygnus Review - Winter 2020 edition by Cygnus Review

Winter 2021, Issue 1

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Cygnus Review HEAL YOUR BODY ❖ FEED YOUR SOUL ❖ FREE YOUR MIND ❖ LOVE YOUR PLANET

A New Year & The Light Returns EVERYDAY EARTH MAGIC with Danu Forest AEDAMAR KIRRANE describes a Spiritual Awakening

Plus!

❖ A Message from Geoff Napier ❖ The Heart of Yew ❖ Fermentation with Sandor Katz ❖ Plant Spirit Reiki ❖ Directory of Cygnus Cafes

EDITOR’S LETTER

Chastened but not beaten down

n his book The End of History, written in 1992, American political scientist Francis Fukuyama suggested that certain aspects of development had gone as far as they needed to and that most societies would settle on western liberal democracy as the most efficient system. There would be nowhere else to go and perhaps nothing much else would happen. Well, he got that wrong, didn’t he! Everything is always in flux and nothing is truly solid and immutable. That was the case in 1992 and it has been so in 2020. We can predict very little and that’s as it should be. We at Cygnus know that everything is fluid all the time: it’s the Tao. Thrown back upon our own resources, we are then at our best. So much in the culture recently has been around experimenting with what is local to us and growing all around us, or making things for ourselves, things to eat and drink, doing without packaging and other trappings of this mass consumption society. If I try and divine a theme in this Cygnus it’s folk magic, self-reliance and a rediscovery of the spiritual resources and the domestic rituals that have always surrounded us. It’s a way of building meaning when things seem hard. And existentially it has been very hard in 2020.

The saddest aspect of all this for me is how we have treated our older fellow humans. How so many of them are in care homes where they are appallingly vulnerable to infection and where they have often died alone and unvisited. It is a horrible way to leave this world and we must come up with new ways of appreciating all humanity, without just turning to what’s most expedient and convenient for us. We have to commit to keeping them involved in life and close to us. I think this crisis has shown us that the old model doesn’t work. Enough of negativity. I wish I had had more presence of mind when I was preparing the last issue, but I didn’t realize that this one would come out after Christmas. I didn’t wish you all Happy Christmas/ Yule/Solstice but now I will wish you a Happy New Year, and I hope that we can all ride the growing energies and make the world a better place for ourselves and for all life on the planet. As I write this, in mid-December, I am longing for the Solstice and for the year to turn and the light to come back. Limping towards the finish line... and I am sure many of us feel the same. This crisis has shown us that the authorities are flawed. I am not urging insurrection, not by any means, but institutions are as weak and fallible as any human can likewise be fallible. They are dealing with a demanding situation and they deserve our sympathy but at the same time we need to strike ahead with our own knowledge and experience that we have earned. We don’t do blame, but there’s no denying that there’s been a lot of incompetence. St Matthew’s Gospel reminds us however to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and render unto God the things that are God’s”. There are deeper currents that we can and must attend to. There’s so much love going around out there too. I hope that everyone can work to increase that and to be loving, tolerant, understanding and patient with everyone around us, many of whom might be struggling badly. I don’t need to tell this wonderful community that a crisis

“I don’t need to tell this wonderful community that a crisis is a great opportunity for positive change...” is a great opportunity for positive change, precisely because we can see how fragile institutions are and how quickly the status quo can be transformed. We need to press on, stay honest with ourselves and make the most of any opportunities. So, I hope things settle down, but not too much! I hope people stop getting this horrible illness and that we can spend more time with each other and be in physical contact again. So many people must have gone through a dark night of the soul in 2020, and like most of us I know I have been changed by this. Let’s make sure the changes are positive, and that we remember the people who have worked so hard and given everything for us in 2020, without lapsing into bland platitudes. Thank you for all your support.

Adam

MEET THE TEAM Publisher

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Editor

Adam Gordon

Art Director

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Reviews

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FEELING THE SUPPORT OF NATURE BY FAY JOHNSTONE

felt like one of the lucky ones during lockdown. The advice to stay at home brought a sense of relief and an opportunity to rest. More importantly, with minimal external distractions and nowhere to run to, I felt my garden beckoning me to come and sit. At first I wasn’t very still. I threw myself into all the spring gardening jobs, delighting in the sense of purpose and connection with my garden plants. It was a joy to watch nature in action and spot the daily changes in the plants, as buds turned to blossoms. The birds too seemed to play an essential part of the rich tapestry that also satisfied my internal need for stimulation and connection. My Reiki practice, which has been part of my life for 20 years, took on a new dimension. I have always enjoyed connecting with plants and nature either in meditation, mindful gardening or through the energy practice of Reiki. This spring it felt like the garden was calling for something else, a deeper involvement in my personal meditation and healing practice. Together with a group of four other practitioners we set up a distance healing circle to help soothe anxiety and bring a sense of peace for those who requested it. We each agreed to anchor our individual practices with a tree in nature so that the strength and power of the earth and trees could hold this powerful healing. Each day I visited a group of eucalyptus trees in the garden and, as the days passed, I began to feel an increased sense of connection to the trees and a strong sense of feeling held and witnessed. After completing the

A Tree for all Seasons distance healing, I lingered more in the space, giving space for my feelings, needs and desires. My partner found an enormous tree stump which he placed in amongst the trees for me to sit on. Some days I felt that simply by showing up and acknowledging the trees, sitting with a cup of tea in the stillness, I was receiving a transmission of healing and connection. It felt as if the trees were holding me automatically, together with the Reiki healing circle, without me even needing to ask. I have always felt nature to be powerful, vibrant and supportive but this experience over the summer opened a new doorway of appreciation and connection. While our distance Reiki project has morphed into something else, my connection with these trees still remains. This grove of eucalyptus has become a power spot

PLANT SPIRIT REIKI by Fay Johnstone

in my garden with a palpable sense of magic that feels different to other areas of the property. It has become a place in which I hold ceremony, meditate and send Reiki, to myself and others. I also carry my laptop there and link up online to clients requesting a healing session so that they too can feel held and supported by the trees and nature beings that call this space home. When I feel a little anxious or uncertain, my mind and heart reach out to those trees, even when I am not there. They are a quiet and constant comfort existing in the physical, yes, but also in my heart. When was the last time that you sat with a tree, felt its bark or marvelled at its form and beauty? Have you ever told a tree your story so that you can feel witnessed, held and comforted? With roots that reach deep down into the earth and branches that reach higher into the air than we could hope to, trees bridge both the heavens and earth. They hold a high vibration that we can easily connect to, to feel comfort in our body, mind and soul – a simple hug will do the trick! Perhaps like me, you have a tree friend, an ally to lean on and connect with. Perhaps there is one out there waiting for you, to give you the support you need. I can’t think of a greater unconditional ally to lean on in these unusual times! www.fayjohnstone.com Fay Johnstone is a Shamanic Herbalist, Usui Reiki Master Teacher and the author of Plant Spirit Reiki and Plants that Speak Souls that Sing. Fay offers treatments and training online and from her home in Scotland.

Essential New Year reading

Fay is the author of Plants That Speak, Souls That Sing. This new book similarly includes a lot about plants and plant consciousness but it is specifically about Reiki and Reiki practice. The vibrational energy of plants can contribute to the healing process of Reiki and this book shows you the best ways of facilitating that. You also learn how to use Reiki for nature and how to send distance healing to the earth. There are over 40 exercises and meditations offered by the author and the complete text is a handbook for healing humanity, plants and the whole of nature. Connecting with plants is a lifelong journey but with the author’s wise guidance your relationship will be on a firm footing by the end of the book. Fay lives just outside Edinburgh. 224pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300442 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

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BOOK REVIEWS – Oracle Decks CRYSTAL OVERSOUL CARDS by Michael Eastwood

THE HEART PATH ORACLE CARDS by Nadine Gordon-Taylor

This elegant card set is very reminiscent of the famous Medicine Cards, which were also published by Bear and Co. It includes 53 large format and sturdy full-colour cards and an attractive colour book with guidance and affirmations connected with each card. Every one contains a beautiful image based on the natural world and usually including an animal like a platypus, butterfly, swan or octopus. The cards are called, for example, Balancing Polarities, Communion, Journey to the Miraculous and Slow and Steady. The colours are joyful and bursting with energy and the images are complex with interweaving plants, humans and animals. They are truly, as described, “gateways to the path of the heart”, and can be used for divination, inspiration and activation. The author is a well-known visionary artist. 128pp, 53 cards, 192 x 135 mm, Book and deck set, 2020, RRP £25.00

❖ Code: 300437 ❖ Non-Member Price: £17.76 ❖ Member Price: £15.99

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his book and card set Crystal Oversoul Attunements, author and teacher Michael Eastwood then decided to merge it with his second set, Crystal Oversoul New Earth Attunement, into this comprehensive 66 card book and card set. Each full-colour card depicts a photographic mandala which contains one particular crystal and which conveys the meaning and power of that crystal. The accompanying book carries much more information on the crystal including affirmations and exercises. Highly revered within ancient Lemuria, the crystal kingdom holds keys that will accelerate our own awakening process and this deck is an invaluable tool for profound transformation. Michael is the director of AristiA bookshop and lives in Hampshire. 224pp, 66 cards, 196 x 129 mm, Book and deck set, 2020, RRP £25.00

❖ Code: 300445 ❖ Non-Member Price: £17.76 ❖ Member Price: £15.99

THE COSMIC JOURNEY ORACLE by Yanik Silver

This is a deck full of prompts and inspirations that will kickstart our inspiration and creative impulses. Pick a card to find out what to do next or just get a nudge regarding which direction to go in. It will help you spot the signs that the universe is sending you. There are 44 Oracle Cards with phrases like Close Your Eyes to Open Your Heart, Say Yes to Your Open Door and You are Perfectly Imperfect. There are also 11 Cosmic Conversation Q and A Cards which set up a dialogue for making the conversation go deeper. The deck is meant to help you with journaling, so that you can start writing about issues and get greater insight or even make a breakthrough. The accompanying book also outlines various spreads you can set up, plus an eleven day/eleven card Cosmic Vision Quest which is a deeper dive curriculum on creativity and self-transformation. 168pp, 44 cards, 137 x 102 mm, Book and deck set, 2020, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 300411 ❖ Non-Member Price: £14.43 ❖ Member Price: £12.99

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SOME THOUGHTS FOR 2021 BY GEOFF NAPIER

t’s now been 3 years since I left Cygnus and Hermes has recently celebrated his 14th birthday. In my younger adult life I thought the most important things were ideas. But recently I’ve been learning how important emotions are and have come up with some answers that never occurred to me before. When younger, I’d sometimes be relieved or even feel quietly smug about not being overwhelmed by feelings and emotions such as fear, anger or depression. To be brutally honest with you I had become “comfortably numb” as the song goes. This was no victory: I had become a sleepwalker. I lived this way for 20 years until my wife became ill and after a long illness, passed away. This, as I have said already to some of you, broke my heart open and I started to feel again. What a gift! It was painful, but it was a beginning. Over the past few years I have been daring to engage with my feelings and…value them, for whatever they have to tell me, rather than running away from them. Our feelings I am discovering are simply messengers. They are saying there is an important clue in this or that situation and are flags from our souls. I have learned to look behind the flag and see what is hidden. If I have anger or am overwhelmed or depressed, there is a good reason for it. The least useful thing I can do is deny or suppress it, which of course our egos are tempted to do all the time. Instead, I’ve stumbled across a simple three letter word that reminds me to explore rather than sweep it under the carpet. Why? Why am I having this feeling? What trauma is beneath this messenger? How do I become free of it? For example, few times this year I have been with guests at the retreat here at Hillhouse Farm, talking rather too much, a little too keen to share what little knowledge I may think I have. But why was I doing it? A little self-reflection showed me that I had a need to help. A little more digging enabled me to unearth the root emotion: I was wanting to help

Why do we have Emotions? because of my feeling of lack of selfworth. Ok, so that was the feeling, that was the messenger, but where did this lack of self-worth come from? I tracked it back to the first moment on this planet when we all became aware of our individual status. We experienced the illusion that we were separate from source. In that moment I, personally, believed I was alone, isolated and insignificant. Everything was so chaotic around me that I didn’t understand what I had to do. My lack of self-worth was born from this chaos and has stayed buried in my consciousness until now.

Well, what can I do about it now, aeons later? Since our inner divine essence is not trapped by time, it can just as effortlessly act in the present or past. So first I needed to acknowledge the truth of the event, not just in my brain, but in my whole being and then understand that “I did the best that I could at the time”. Once I accepted this and stopped judging myself, I could finally release my link with the emotion and let it go so there were no ties anymore between myself and that trauma that triggered the lack of selfworth. Finally I asked the Universe for all the energy of that trauma that has been stuck in me to be dissipated. I find once I have truly released a trauma, I feel lighter and more free and cannot be triggered again. The first few times I faced an emotion and tracked it back to the root trauma, I felt trepidation and some fear of a coming confrontation. But gradually, as more layers of the onion were peeled back and more of my traumas were released from the prison of my hidden memories, I now have a feeling of excitement and anticipation around that sense of release. I invite you to ask yourself why you have your emotions, find out what messages they bring you from your soul and what trapped traumas are ready to leave you now. Geoff Napier, 01285 762982 info@auroragatherings.com

REPAIR REVOLUTION by John Wackman and Elizabeth Knight

The first thing to say is that this book is American, so some of the resources and regulations outlined in the text might not be relevant to British readers. However, beyond that, it’s a very inspiring and extremely helpful book. It’s a manifesto for changing society via Repair Cafes (one of the co-authors founded the first Repair Café in New York), Fixit Clinics and other volunteer-run organizations that can help people repair beloved and essential items for free. It gives advice on how to staff, run and sustain them and even includes sample posters and flyers that can help from an aesthetic point of view. There are photos throughout of people helping each other: these organizations can be situated in run-down parts of town and thus help regenerate inner cities and bring communities together in all sorts of ways. It even includes several pages with specific repair tips. 224pp, 226 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £13.99

❖ Code: 300422 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

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BOOK REVIEWS – Other Worlds PLANETOLOGY by Annie Botticelli

For those interested and already familiar with astrology, Planetology is a great next step. While astrology focuses on the search for human meaning in the sky, this book takes things that bit further and explores the natural rhythms of the Universe, teaching you how to harmonize effectively with the planetary tides. In the five easy-to-follow parts, you will find practical tools, remedies and meditations to allow you to sync up with the Universe and live a more full and joyful life. Astrology stops being a dry theory and becomes a springboard to making your life more fulfilling and stimulating. Of particular interest are the sections that are full of practical exercises – for example the Emotional Freedom Technique, Affirmations, Schuessler Cell Salts and Meditations. This would make an ideal gift for someone just starting to learn about astrology or who wants to rejuvenate their spiritual life via a rich curriculum of interesting exercises.

This is the final volume in Colin Wilson’s three book survey of the paranormal, presenting new evidence that had appeared since his first book on the subject, The Occult, and it is essential reading for anyone interested in forces and phenomena that don’t fit into the scientific norms. First published in 1988, it includes a new foreword by Wilson’s biographer Colin Stanley. It makes a highly convincing case for the objective reality of what’s known as the paranormal. George C Poulos wrote “Looking back from the year 3000, he [Wilson] will be acknowledged as the philosopher to have most influenced events in the 21st century.” Considering that he makes a case here for the positive transformation of humanity, this would be a wonderful thing.

288pp, 196 x 129 mm, Hardback, 2020, RRP £14.99

528pp, 213 x 136 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £16.99

ELEMENTAL MAGIC by Nigel Pennick

DREAMING TECHNIQUES by Serge Kahili King

❖ Code: 300451 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

Inner Traditions in the United States are republishing many of the best books by British writer Nigel Pennick; this book was originally published in 2001 by Thorson’s under the title Natural Magic. In the introduction he mentions that many authors and teachers add a “k” to magic to create the “pseudoarchaic” word magick and this gives a hint towards what he is trying to cover here. It’s magic as in the laws of nature, of working with its powers to make the world a better place and not of grand pretentious ceremonies. The book describes the power of everyday objects and human actions, not gods and goddesses. Chapters include Magical Animals and Birds, the Magic of the Land and The Power Within. The theme is similar to folk magic and the text is gentle and warming. It’s an ideal introduction to living your life according to local rhythms and initiating a spiritual lifestyle.

❖ Code: 300461 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

Serge Kahili King is best known as the author of many works on Huna and Hawaiian shamanism. He has also been trained by African and Mongolian shamans and he has a doctorate in psychology. Dreaming is of course more than a set of electrical impulses or a psychological run-off sorting itself out and this book looks deeply into dreaming in all its aspects, be it night sleep, liminal sleep or daydreaming. He is able to draw on 5000 of his own dreams as well as the dreams of his students and clients across more than fifty years of clinical work. The text is very easy to read and full of interesting anecdotes and spectacular dream accounts. The author provides rich evidence that we can all use dreams as tools for seeing the world differently, for improving our relationships with all life and for self-transformation.

144pp, 226 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

240pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

THE HEART OF THE SHAMAN by Alberto Villoldo

FINDING YOUR ELVENHEART by Søren Hauge

257pp, 215 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

224pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300444 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

The latest book by Alberto Villoldo is now in paperback and it’s an enjoyable and illuminating read. It’s very accessible shamanism, but there’s something very relaxed and easy about this book – it doesn’t try to be hugely practical but underneath it all it’s tremendously inspirational. Overall it’s a manifesto for a different kind of living, where you will operate with an unconditional dedication to all life. The stories are well-chosen and succinct, but the principles outlined in the book are also general to all life. Thus you can be inspired by the same principles that guide the shamanic religions of America but you can also use them in your own spiritual practice. It’s generous and humane and I like it. ❖ Code: 300408 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

BEYOND THE OCCULT by Colin Wilson

❖ Code: 300439 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

This exciting new title from Findhorn Press shows us how to communicate with the Sidhe (pronounced “shee”) who are also known as the Faery People and who are humanity’s closest kin. They are not imaginary beings but are less present than we are on the physical plane. They are reaching out to us and exercises in this book suggest various ways of making contact with them and with our inner Sidhe nature. It also includes a history of human/Sidhe contact plus many accounts of other people’s encounters with them. As you can read for yourself, much of the great poetry from the Celtic Revival – poets like WB Yeats and AE – is based on Sidhe encounters. The book is entertaining and easy to read and will inspire the reader to co-create a better world with these mysterious close relatives. ❖ Code: 300438 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

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AN EXCERPT FROM LIGHT ON FIRE BY AEDAMAR KIRRANE

ne evening in July 2015, I sat at my desk to meditate. Golden light from the setting sun flooded my study. I had been meditating for six months and this was the first time that I chose to follow a meditation by someone else and the first time I worked with the chakras. As I drew the different coloured energies up from the ground, through my feet to different locations in my body, I felt powerful energy building inside me. When I got to the seventh chakra on top of my head, suddenly – without the slightest warning, without any preliminary sign, with nothing to prepare me for it – I felt Jesus come to me in a blaze of fire. My head exploded with holy fire. It was staggering in its intensity and in its holiness. I felt Jesus’ presence as a blaze of energy, as a sacred fire, all around my head. As soon as he came, he said to me, ‘I am The I AM.’ I heard the words silently in my head with an inner hearing, but they were spoken with phenomenal majesty, as a king speaking to the whole world. I was filled with a feeling of staggering and sublime holiness. I knew with absolute certainty, as part and parcel of the experience, that this holy fire I felt blazing in me and all around my head was Jesus. I don’t know how I knew it; I just did. I felt Jesus, but I did not see anything. It was not a physical seeing in any way. It was a feeling-knowing at the level of the higher mind – the supra-rational or the spiritual mind. I could feel the incredible holiness of his presence, and his intimate

A Profound Mystical Experience closeness to me. His light surrounded me, and I was utterly absorbed into the experience. Nothing I could ever see with my physical eyes could come close to the beauty, the power, and the profundity of this inner experience and this inner knowing. I was enraptured and lost all sense of my own being, my own body, and the room I was in. The whole world faded from my awareness to the point of obliteration as I was drawn completely into this joyous experience of Jesus. I was consumed by his holy fire, and then I became fire too. All I could do was live the enormity and the intensity of what was happening to me. Then the energy of Jesus’ fire, his spirit, flowed into me, and my fire flowed into his fire. I’ll try to explain

this with an image of two fountains of water: one bigger (Jesus), one smaller (me), beside each other, taking turns cascading our flow of water in and out of each other. We flowed into each other several times in a beautiful, seamless dance of flowing fire. It was utterly blissful. I was ecstatic, in holy rapture. Throughout it all, the holy fire blazed in my head, and on every new in-breath, a fresh wave of fire came pouring into me through the top of my head. I was in awe at what was happening, for the blessing and the sacredness of being visited by Jesus. It was a happiness beyond anything that could ever be experienced in ordinary life. I wanted with all of my heart and soul to give myself to Jesus. The ecstasy lasted about three or four minutes, and as it ended, all I could think to do was to say, ‘I offer myself to you. I am yours to do with me what you will. I am the handmaid of the Lord. I will do your will.’ I was burning alive with spiritual fire, and even now, as I am typing these lines, my head is burning again with that same sacred fire. Since then I have been blessed to experience many sacred visions, locutions and divine union in which I experience the essence of God as the blazing light of Love. The following is an example of how Jesus continues to encourage me to speak for Love: Hold me in your heart, as I hold you in mine. You are my own daughter of love; I AM you and you are me. We are one. The light of Christ is in you – go set fire to the world. www.aedamarkirrane.com/book

LIGHT ON FIRE by Aedamar Kirrane

In Light On Fire Aedamar describes how she became a mystic and came into close communion with God, and how Christ spoke to her. It’s a book that involves Christ, but which is not Christian in the way that Christianity has existed across many centuries. In fact the Catholic church she had grown up in was spectacularly incapable of helping her when she was questioning how to move forward in her new transported state of being. The church couldn’t deal with it. She goes on to analyze all the ways that Christianity has gone wrong and suggest ways that it can move forward, based on Christ’s actual teachings. But more than anything the most compelling parts of the book are where the author describes her mystical transformation. It’s written beautifully, offers a sustaining vision of how divine power can enter our lives and it gives us all hope on our own spiritual quests. 272pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300416 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

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BOOK REVIEWS – Health

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AILMENTS AND DISEASES by Jacques Martel

NATURE’S PHARMACY by Charlotte Haig, Anne McIntyre and Sarah Merson

LIVE LONGER LIVE YOUNGER by Rajendra Sharma

There is nothing quite like this book. It’s large format and thick – 600 pages. It’s an invaluable reference volume for anyone who works in healing or who is interested in keeping themselves and their close circle healthy. It seems to be strongly influenced by Louise Hay’s famous book Heal Your Body, although whereas that is a small and modest book, this is like a telephone directory. It describes how various thoughts, feelings and emotions lie behind more than 900 ailments and conditions. The book is full of affirmations, guidance and simple illuminations that will help listen more closely to your body’s needs and is thus an invaluable companion to a healthy life.

This is a lovely full-colour book that would make a nice gift or basic home reference. It lists 200 different plants, herbs, fruit and other foodstuffs that have healing properties and can be used as part of a healthy living regime. It outlines all their characteristics and properties and also suggests the best way that they can be used. Every entry carries an attractive picture of the foodstuff and many of them have a recipe for making the best use of it, be it ashwagandha, nettles, cashews or oranges. There are of course other books that go into these subjects to a much greater depth but this one is a very good place to start.

It’s common knowledge now how important it is for your health to maintain and cultivate your gut flora, but this is the most comprehensive mainstream book so far on the subject. The benefits are numerous and the health of your gut even has an effect on your brain and overall clear-headedness. The author is an expert in both Ayurveda and TCM and the book is full of practical advice for introducing radiant health, including acupuncture and acupressure and herbal remedies. Asian healing techniques have focused for a long time on the vital importance of the digestive system to overall health. This is an easy to understand book yet it still feels challenging and cutting edge.

How can we ensure we live a healthy, happy and long life? And why do some people age better than others? In this invigorating and practical book, internationally acclaimed physician Dr Rajendra Sharma explains that healthy ageing is within everyone’s grasp. Based on his in-depth knowledge of the latest ground-breaking research into anti-ageing, Dr Sharma details the steps we can all take to achieve and maintain optimum health. This book is sure to kick-start and maintain your journey into living longer and living younger. This was first published in 2014 and has been fully updated with the latest research into Covid-19, and other novel/emerging viruses.

608pp, 254 x 203 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £25.00

304pp, 170 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £10.99

240pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

336pp, 234 x 153 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300447 ❖ Non-Member Price: £17.76 ❖ Member Price: £15.99

❖ Code: 300457 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

❖ Code: 300434 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

❖ Code: 300455 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

HEALING THE PROSTATE by Dr Mark Stengler

CHRIS BEAT CANCER by Chris Wark

The disturbing fact is that 50% of men will suffer from prostate enlargement during their lives and 10% get prostate cancer. You’d think then that many men (and the women who are close to them) would warmly welcome a book that gives them plentiful advice on lifestyle changes, exercises and nutritional adaptations that might prevent painful and life-threatening prostate problems, and here is that book. The author is a highly esteemed naturopathic physician in the United States and there are many pages of notes attached to the text that attest to the scientific evidence that backs up his suggestions. All in all, this is a vital book for most men that will spare them a great deal of suffering.

This is an ideal book for anyone who has been diagnosed or knows someone who’s been diagnosed with cancer. I daresay it would also apply to any challenging illness. Chris Wark was diagnosed with cancer two days before Christmas at the age of 26. He had surgery but instead of chemotherapy he used nutrition and natural therapies to heal himself. Here is his full programme for recovery which can inspire us on our own journey. It’s thorough and well-written: Chris is a committed Christian and this runs through the book, but we can apply any other belief system we have to the process and there’s plenty of great information, even if you want to gloss over the Christian content.

272pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

320pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300413 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

CULTIVATING YOUR MICROBIOME by Bridgette Shea

❖ Code: 300412 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

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HEART OF YEW BY JEHANNE MEHTA

ehanne Mehta is a good friend to Cygnus Books. We published her book Heart of Yew in 2012 and it contains a series of poems about and inspired by the Yew Tree. The book includes a CD on which Jehanne reads her poems. The poems are interspersed with magical music played by Fred Hageneder, another beloved Cygnus author, on a yew-wood harp. Unfortunately Cygnus doesn’t publish now and cannot sell Heart of Yew, but we urge you to buy it direct from Jehanne herself, via her website: www.jehannemehta.com It costs £10.00 including postage. It’s a wonderful way of honouring and celebrating one of these islands’ most important and beautiful trees.

Nearing The Brink Every path winds away into wilderness like wet ivy clinging to old walls… I am nearing the brink of yew. Rath of vertiginous shadow, teeming with metaphor, I cannot reach yew with words… the phrases break off and crumble. Everywhere is edge. For yew I have to relinquish my deaths, truly inhabit my heart, for with yew, time has no measure: it opens like a mouth. I could fall into yew and come up green and smiling in the garden before the fall; But yew will not let me in before time. I need first to awaken to the rhythm of roots,

to the folded growth always new, always stirring under my skin, potent and soft as berries. I am at the brink. Already so many of my words have been swallowed by yew… pages, without trace. Wet winds, wilderness, old walls… The path disappears. I want to be with yew, at the heart of yew, where I can hear yew singing, that close. Will yew open? Will yew let me in?

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BOOK REVIEWS – Tarot THE TAROT OF LIGHT AND SHADOW by John Matthews and Andrea Aste

THE MAGICAL NORDIC TAROT by Jayne Wallace

This deck is inspired by Nordic myth and folklore and what’s great about it is that each image in the Major Arcana is identifiably based on the Rider Waite model but then has many variations upon it which subtly change its impact. The cards are full of animals and Nordic landscapes. The Court cards are likewise evocative and transport you to another place, whereas the minor arcana just carry the regular suit images. As a special bonus the deck also includes a 23rd Major Arcana card, Charity, designed by Tracey Emin. The colours on the cards generally are pale and icy. The book reproduces the cards in full colour and gives their meanings and some suggested Nordicthemed layouts. The set is very reasonably priced and is ideal for anyone whose heart belongs in northern climes.

Tarot expert John Matthews and Italian artist Andrea Aste have combined to create this amazing new tarot which actually consists of two decks in the one box. They allow you to explore both sides of the same question – the shadow and the light side. Or the inner intuitive world and the outer more rational world. Many tarot readers have used two decks before in the same reading, but this is the first time two decks have been specifically designed to work together. As the authors themselves say, in a sense they aren’t two separate decks, but rather one deck that manifests in two different dimensions. The images are pretty unique – they look part Aubrey Beardsley and part African – and there’s a strong sense of familiarity about them. The shadow and equivalent light cards look similar but they also differ in crucial ways. 160pp, 156 cards, 175 x 130 mm, Book and deck set, 2020, RRP £29.99

❖ Code: 300452 ❖ Non-Member Price: £19.98 ❖ Member Price: £17.99

64pp, 79 cards, 177 x 141 mm, book and deck set, 2020, RRP £14.99

This is a strangely hypnotic deck. All the images are black and white, which doesn’t sound promising, but without the colour, the facial expressions, enigmatic gestures and unexpected objects are thrown into clearer relief. There are people who look like Buddha, Inca statues, Arthurian courtiers or Egyptian gods. There is only a small booklet to go with the deck and clearly the creator wants us to get to know the images ourselves without too much intervention from her. However the author’s autobiographical introduction make it clear how much the deck owes to her outer journeying in the Andes, the Arctic Circle and the Lake District and inner journeying via visions, initiations and psychedelics. The deck takes in magical esoteric symbols and shamanic gestures, as well as sacred plants and places. It’s truly mysterious and wonderful. 32pp, 78 cards, 140 x 102 mm, Book and deck set, 2020, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 300403 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

❖ Code: 300446 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

I • THE MAGICIAN

NDS

KNIGHT • WA

VISIONARY PATH TAROT by Lucy Delics

KNIGHT • WANDS

I • THE MAGICI

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“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...”

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Give the books that just keep giving this New Year Available from www.watkinspublishing.com, Amazon and other book retailers

WILD MAGIC BY DANU FOREST

Excerpt used with the kind permission of Llewellyn Worldwide.

e live in a land of magic and deep roots, with a history of native spirituality, spells and folk charms than can be found all across the British Isles. Since ancient times, our traditional healers and spirit workers, known as Cunning Men and Wisewomen, have continued to evolve and practise their skills in league with the spirits of the landscape, of river, mountain or wood. Our connection to our ancestors and the genius loci, the “local gods” of our landscapes, are there to be rekindled at any time. This year I hope many of us have renewed our relationships with nature and its healing regenerative powers. Our collective change of pace has allowed a chance to reconnect both with nature and ourselves. Our connection to the natural world sustains our spirits and is so vital to remaining resilient and whole. We are never truly separate from nature, no matter how far we feel we have strayed from its green paths. This is true as much in the city as it is in the village. All the wild ever needs is opportunity. Our relationship to nature and the land we live on goes far deeper than our physical and biological connections: it is also a spiritual connection, that holds great power and potential if we realign with its generous heart. The Celts of the past knew this, and held the natural world with especial reverence, a belief which to this day has endured in many forms in our wilder places. In Scotland and the Hebrides there was a tradition which still survives of drawing wisdom from nature, of divining the future or the answer to a question from the landscape. This is called making a Frith, sometimes used over the 12 days of Christmas to draw clues as to the nature of each of the 12 months ahead, although it can be used at any time. Go out into nature, and close your eyes. Breathe for a moment, perhaps asking a question of the land about you, “What wisdom do you hold for me today?” Turn slowly on the spot, eyes closed, and then randomly stop

How to be in Nature and open your eyes. The first thing you see is your answer. Some answers that nature provides can take poetic thinking, but others are obvious and strikingly bold: a lightning-struck tree, a bird’s nest, a farmer harvesting a field. Others such as the flight of birds or the shapes in the clouds may take more thought, but the answer will be there for you to unpack with a little contemplation. Try this exercise from my new book to learn your landscape and rebuild your relationship with nature, and your own inner self:

NATURE AWARENESS. Sit out in a spot in nature and try just being there in silence for 20 minutes. Take that time to be still, and notice every living thing around you. Every plant and tree, but also every animal and insect. Repeat this once a week, or once a day if you can, and repeat the exercise throughout a whole season, and even better a whole year. The longer you sit still and quiet, the more animals and birds will begin to relax and reveal themselves. Gradually you will notice the shifts and changes, and the things which remain unchanged. Certain features will show themselves as central points in an area, ecologically or energetically, and others will gain a prominence for a certain period of time. For example, you will notice certain birds will love a certain tree, while in another a particular insect will swarm, but just for the season. Try this at dawn and dusk, and notice the change between the creatures of the day and the creatures of the night. Every moment we spend in nature can be a moment spent in contemplation, and in living prayer, should we wish it. Just as every moment between a mother and her child builds an ever-growing bond, so we may find more meaning there than we ever realised was possible, revealing we do indeed live a magical life, in a magical land, if we only take the time to notice.

©danuforest2020 Danu Forest is a druid and traditional Celtic wisewoman. She is the author of several books, and offers regular ceremonies, readings, consultations and courses. www.danuforest.co.uk WILD MAGIC by Danu Forrest

Danu lives on the Somerset Levels near Glastonbury and her book reflects the spirit of the land she lives in, being informed by folk traditions and practical magic. It includes stories and myths, but it’s also practical with exercises including Seeking Wisdom from the Wild Huntsman, Preparing Moon Water and Making a Saining Herb Bundle. The text looks great and includes attractive and instructive line drawings. She directs her advice towards the solitary practitioner, which is appropriate in these strange times. There is a rich tradition of such books and it’s good to get an up-to-date one that might guide the reader into practical ways of healing their life and making the world a better place, from one of this island’s most popular and best teachers. 226pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300428 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

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BOOK REVIEWS – Healing CHAKRA HEALING THERAPY by Glen Park

This is a deeply detailed study book of the history, process and applications of chakra healing. Chakras can help you understand not only yourself and your own body, but also the world around you. For those looking to apply this science to healing both body and mind, this book will walk you slowly and carefully through every stage, including various diagrams, body maps and photographs to follow throughout. It’s also large format with many colour plates. The author offers exercises and visualizations to help you work with the subtle energies. It wise and learned but not at all academic. While not for the complete beginner, I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to fully immerse themselves in this spiritual healing practice. The author lives in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. 312pp, 254 x 203 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 300443 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

This is an extremely practical and easy-tounderstand book about taking care of your feet and keeping them healthy for your whole life. The routines in the book add up to a four-week course of fifteen minutes a day. Also included are exercises and principles to keep in mind which will stop the bad habits from ever returning. The book is richly illustrated with diagrams and photographs to back up the various exercises and the author also includes many stories and anecdotes around the lessons and improvements she has helped her students with. The book is also a nice pocket size and everything is explained succinctly without too much technical or medical flourishes. It includes solutions for bunions, fallen arches and hammertoe, to name just a few of the common afflictions. It’s just a question of learning how to use every part of your foot in the way that nature intended. 192pp, 196 x 145 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300462 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

ESSENTIAL OILS AND AROMATHERAPY WORKBOOK by Marcel Lavabre

VIBRATIONAL SOUND HEALING by Erica Longdon

This is a 30th anniversary and updated edition of one of the most comprehensive practical guides available to the history, folklore, science and art of aromatherapy. It’s large format and printed in full colour, with photographs of the plants, of the techniques described in the book and from the history of aromatherapy. Importantly the book describes in detail how to extract the essential oils from the plants and goes on to advise the readers how to use the oils in healing and therapeutic practices. There are two appendices at the end: an essential oil reference table, giving the plant name and the way it can be used, and an aromatherapy therapeutic index, which lists various ailments and the oils that can be used to treat them. This is an attractive and invaluable book for both the beginner and for the more experienced aromatherapy student.

This is a really good introduction to the therapeutic possibilities of sound in all its manifestations. The book isn’t long but it’s comprehensive and it covers all the different ways to work with sound, from angels to vowels and from bowls to Nada Yoga. It even includes a chapter on silence. It’s very easy to read and follow and fills you with enthusiasm for trying all these different therapies. Of course every single one of these therapies could have their own book devoted to them, but this gives good guidance and plenty of ways to explore the subject further. There are also many straightforward exercises in the book. The author is a metaphysical teacher and healer living in Penzance. She was to start on this path by a car crash she suffered in 1988, which led her to give up her highly-driven but conventional life.

256pp, 254 x 204 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £16.99

176pp, 210 x 137 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

THE CORONA TRANSMISSIONS edited by Sherri Mitchell, Richard Grossinger and Kathy Glass

MIND OVER MEDICINE by Lissa Rankine

The opening chapter of this book, written by veteran publisher and visionary Richard Grossinger, simply states that Covid-19 is the biggest event of our lifetimes, and I think sometimes we really need to take this in. This is a fantastic and diverse collection of opinions and research on the subject, mostly in prose but also including poems. Contributors include the herbalist Matthew Wood, groundbreaking nutritional expert Gabriel Cousens, alternative economist Charles Eisenstein and crystal expert Robert Simmons, who is featured elsewhere in this magazine. You might disagree with much in this book but there will also be much that you learn from and be inspired by.

Have you ever come away from a medical appointment feeling powerless and confused, wondering why your body has become sick in the first place, and why another person (the doctor or surgeon) has to be in charge of diagnosing and fixing it? How would it feel if you could actually diagnose and heal yourself? Dr Lissa Rankin says that you can and the title of this book gives you the clue! Within its pages she makes a powerful case for this truly modern approach to real healing, showing how each of us can actively use our mind and spirit to find and heal root causes of sickness and allow the body’s own natural healing power to complete the cure. We need to tune into what she calls our Inner Pilot Light.

378pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £16.99

344pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300448 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

❖ Code: 300464 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

THE FOOT FIX by Yamuna Zake

❖ Code: 300449 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

❖ Code: 300409 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

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Deep Spirituality – BOOK REVIEWS EYE OF THE HEART by Cynthia Bourgeault

HAPPY IS THE ONE WHO IS NOTHING by J Krishnamurti

240pp, 214 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £13.99

96pp, 193 x 134 mm, Hardback, 2020, RRP £10.99

This wonderful book by one of the leading mystics of our day explores other levels of existence and how we can work in the imaginal realm. Bourgeault is a Christian priest but is well-versed in all the Abrahamic traditions and here she also borrows a great deal from the Gurdjieff teachings. It’s a demanding read but also an exhilarating one as she describes her close relationship with a Catholic contemplative called Rafe which has continued as a collaboration even though he has left his body. The possibilities for transcending the gross earth level and to move to upper levels are endless and we are opened up to a truly panoramic vision of the purpose of existence. Cynthia also includes a lot of fascinating autobiographical accounts in the text. It feels like a rare privilege to read such an intimate and rigorous description from a contemporary mystic. ❖ Code: 300432 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

THE JOURNEY OF SOUL INITIATION by Bill Plotkin

Here is another essential title from the author of Soulcraft. It’s not personal development but spiritual development, a manual for the more mature and adventurous spiritual quester. The list of endorsers tells us exactly where this book is coming from: James Hollis, Father Richard Rohr, Sharon Blackie and Thomas Moore, amongst many others. It’s deep and soulful, full of illustrative quotes and observations from WB Yeats, Rilke and Joseph Campbell, plus stories from students and workshop attendees. It goes deep into all the symbolic and mythical twists and turns in a soul’s development, guided to a great extent by the author’s reading of CG Jung’s Red Book. 320pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 300424 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

This is another text by Krishnamurti (1895 – 1986) that was previously distributed only within the Krishnamurti Foundation and is now available in an elegant gift hardback presentation for a wider audience. Most of the book consists of letters to a young person who was under pressure and suffering. In his usual direct and uncompromising style Krishnamurti gives advice to this correspondent on how to live, advice that would work well for all of us. Reading Krishnamurti is like taking a bracing cold shower and you know that, if you follow his guidance, you will almost certainly feel happier and more fulfilled. The book also contains Krishnamurti’s transformative manifesto for young people on general education, an area in which he was a pioneer. There is no superfluous text here and every word draws us toward the truth. ❖ Code: 300453 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

REALISING THE TRUTH AT THE CENTRE OF LIFE by Berta Dandler

The author is the warden at Shanti Sadan, a non-duality centre in London. Like all books on Advaita Vedanta, it deals with big issues, but the language is simple and easy to understand, and in the end the issues aren’t that hard to grapple with. The book itself is a nice pocket size and would be easy to take everywhere with you for a daily dose of inner peace or for a lift clear of the doldrums. The author quotes many of the key Indian texts but she also includes extracts from poetry, the Bible and Zen Buddhism. There are also colour pictures to back up the text and two very practical meditations. Sometimes certain books or teachings feel woolly and too compromised or general: the best non-duality teachings are bracing and cut straight to the point, like an espresso coffee, and this book is no exception. 212pp, 175 x 120 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £8.00

❖ Code: 300433 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member Price: £5.99

MARY MAGDALENE REVEALED by Meggan Watterson

MARY MAGDALENE’S FINAL LEGACY by Julie De Vere Hunt

264pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

258pp, 229 x 150 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £9.99

The subtitle of this book says it all: “The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel and the Christianity We Haven’t Tried Yet”. Meggan is a Harvard- educated theologian, a feminist and a passionate teacher and workshop leader. Many of us suspect that Christianity and the sacred texts have so much more to offer us but that it’s being lost in the curricula of established religions, and this is the ideal book that will reconnect us with the loving heart of Christ’s teaching. At the centre of it all is of course Mary Magdalene, and at the centre of this text is her Gospel, the only one that was written in the name of a woman. It offers a compelling introduction to the riches hidden in the story of Christ and the Magdalene. Now in paperback. ❖ Code: 300414 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

Here is the follow-up to Mary Magdalene’s Legacy, featured in Cygnus in 2019, and it tells the story of the three generations that followed after the great teacher Yeshua and Mary Magdalene, and their various struggles. Once again it’s a story, a dramatization, but it does as ever carry a universal truth, and everything is supported by the documents that have been found over the years and by the non-canonical Gnostic gospels. The book is entertaining and fascinating to read and the text includes maps and city plans. The book concludes with an amazing revelation about Mary Magdalene which will shake the foundations of the church and which I trust will be uplifting to most Cygnus members. ❖ Code: 300407 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

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FERMENTATION WITH SANDOR KATZ

Life Coming Out of Perceived Death

e wanted to include two books by Sandor Katz, the king of fermentation. Fermentation is immensely popular at the moment because there's something earthy and primal about it; because also it's life coming out of perceived death; and finally because the resultant food is so healthy. Here are his classic The Art of Fermentation and his new book, which is a fascinating love letter to the whole process. These pictures come from that book.

THE ART OF FERMENTATION by Sandor Ellix Katz

It’s so great to be able to offer this at a reduced price – one of the best food books ever written. Michael Pollan hits it on the head in his foreword: “Why [is] The Art of Fermentation different? For one thing, Sandor Katz writes about the transformative power of fermentation with such infectious enthusiasm that he makes you want to try things just to see what happens.” It literally tells you everything you need to know about fermentation (with colour pictures!) including of course kimchee, kefir and kombucha, but also covering salami, cheese and figs, for example. Over recent months people have got more and more into these domestic food projects, and here it all is in one place, conveyed clearly and with boundless enthusiasm. There are also many pages of resources and references. 528pp, 249 x 192 mm, Hardback, 2012, RRP £30.00

❖ Code: 300402 ❖ Non-Member Price: £19.98 ❖ Member Price: £17.99

FERMENTATION AS METAPHOR by Sandor Ellix Katz

This is a brand-new book by “the godfather of fermentation” and it’s a bit different to his Art of Fermentation. It’s not a textbook or a “how to” but instead more of a gift book for a big Sandor Katz fan. In it he muses on the work that he does and the fascinating connections between microbial communities and other communities in the larger world, and on what we can learn when we genuinely consider fermentation as a metaphor. As he writes, “Fermentation is not obsolete and it’s not a fad. It is a fact. It is an inevitable life force…” The book includes more than 50 beautiful and psychedelic photographs of microorganisms taken using both a stereoscope and an electron microscope. This unique book can teach us a great deal about food, life and deep and sweeping transformation. 128pp, 211 x 208 mm, Hardback, 2020, RRP £20.00

ABOVE: Mould on neglected kombucha mother with stereoscope. © Sandor Katz.

ABOVE: Mouldy millet with stereoscope. © Sandor Katz

❖ Code: 300401 ❖ Non-Member Price: £14.43 ❖ Member Price: £12.99

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Crystal & Earth Energies – BOOK REVIEWS CRYSTAL PROTECTION FROM 5G AND EMF POLLUTION by Barbara Newerla

LEARN TO DOWSE by Uri Geller

80pp, 165 x 114 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £7.99

120pp, 203 x 125 mm, Hardback, 2020, RRP £10.99

We are all aware of the possible dangers of electromagnetic pollution and even radiation, but the good news is that there’s a lot that we can do about this by using crystals. This small book was first published in 2011 with the title Protect Yourself from Electromagnetic Pollution and it has been revised and updated to cover the new 5G technology. It’s pocket-sized but full-colour and the main thing is that it has bright and clear photographs of all the different crystals – from clear quartz to emerald. In a sense that is all you need, but of course there is more, including the science behind EMF pollution and some non-crystal methods for minimizing its impact. ❖ Code: 300450 ❖ Non-Member Price: £5.54 ❖ Member Price: £4.99

THE ALCHEMY OF STONES by Robert Simmons

Robert Simmons is the author of the absolute classic Book of Stones and this book is just as comprehensive and takes stone and crystal consciousness to a new level. It’s expensive but it’s large-format, printed on 470 pages of heavy high-quality paper and absolutely packed with colour photographs of stones, crystals and arrangements of these, as well as wands and labyrinths. Anyone who is deeply into stones will have to have this book. It covers the esoteric and mystical aspects of stones and explains their alchemical powers. It is packed full of meditations and rituals, plus many illuminating anecdotes. The book concludes with a comprehensive illustrated dictionary of more than 375 different minerals. 496pp, 276 x 178 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £25.00

❖ Code: 300440 ❖ Non-Member Price: £17.76 ❖ Member Price: £15.99

SECRETS OF SPACE CLEARING by Denise Linn

Denise Linn is one of the most beloved spiritual teachers and has created many books and card decks that we have carried at Cygnus. They draw both on her extensive studies and experiential knowledge, and on her Native American heritage. This title covers all the different space clearing techniques available, which she has synthesized into one rich approach, including using light, water, salt and smoke. She also looks at all the different reasons for doing space clearing, such as moving into a new house, doing up the house you are already in or as part of the next stage after a misfortune. The book is immensely practical and beautifully designed. It’s not hugely detailed but it’s an invitation to find out more about the process and would definitely make a great gift for someone new to holistic and spiritual principles. 224pp, 196 x 129 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300415 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

He can bend spoons, but can he write books? Turns out, yes, yes he can. Paranormalist Uri Geller is famous around the world for his psychic abilities and now he has loaned his skill to teaching the layperson how to dowse – the method of searching by intuition. The art of dowsing has a wide array of applications – recalling lost objects, reading health signs and even searching for your life’s purpose, are among its many uses. This book will take you through all of these applications, as well as the history and various equipment that can be used in dowsing, peppered among fascinating true stories and the author’s easy conversational tone. A great read for anyone new to the technique. ❖ Code: 300454 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member Price: £6.99

THE ENERGIZING ART OF FENG SHUI by Paul Darby

Feng Shui had a real surge in popularity a couple of decades ago but since then it never really went away. There will be more comprehensive titles than this but it’s a very charming book. The cover is great and its gift hardback format makes the content approachable and easy to understand. It’s an introductory book that will help you make some quick and easy changes to your home or workspace, written by a world-renowned expert on vibrational energy work who has over 30 years’ experience in feng shui consultancy. It’s also full of clear and concise diagrams and has an introduction by Martin Shaw, star of The Professionals and Judge John Deed. The book has three sections: Feng Shui Basics, which covers the principles of the art, Room by Room which goes from front door to attic, and Modern Feng Shui Factors, which covers building locations and selling your house. 168pp, 196 x 129 mm, Hardback, 2020, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300456 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

ESOTERIC MYSTERIES OF THE UNDERWORLD by Jean-Pierre Bayard

First published in 1961 and out again in a new edition in 1994, this fascinating book has been newly translated into English and was written by a French esoteric scholar and practising Mason. It covers every aspect of humans venturing underground, from the significance of underground places – on this island we have caves, barrows and fogous – to the myths of underground realms all over the world, along with their symbolic meanings. He also discusses the underground currents flowing along ley lines and the significance of subterranean waterways. We are fascinated by what’s underground and by the places built there by earlier generations: this is an in-depth guide to every aspect of these mysteries. 310pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £18.99

❖ Code: 300466 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

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BOOK REVIEWS – Inner Transformation

SENSITIVE SOUL by Michael A. Jawer

This book is an interesting exploration of the role of emotion in our lives and in the world as a whole. By focussing on what is called the ‘non-ordinary’ examples, the author investigates emotion on a global scale, rather than in our individuated day-today. These states include autism and synaesthesia, as well as the less acute highly sensitive states. The author explores a broad territory. In an attempt to bridge the gap between science and the spiritual, the author poses that strong emotion may even endure through space and time, and possibly into the next life. It is a fascinating study of the force that connects us with the world, with each other and with nature. 256pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 300435 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

THE CALL OF INTUITION by Kris Franken

This book is a fairly straightforward guide to living intuitively with the help of meditation, chakras and crystals, but it also looks at spirit guides and other forces on other dimensions. It also contains the latest cutting-edge information about things like electromagnetic fields, breathwork and the importance of the vagus nerve. It’s full of stories and there are also plenty of practical exercises, in particular meditations and visualizations. The greatest benefit may well be in teaching us to let go of what we think of as control in our lives and letting go into the guidance available from other levels and sources. 244pp, 201 x 134 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £13.99

❖ Code: 300465 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

GROWING BIG DREAMS by Robert Moss

Steve Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology in Leeds and an expert on the interface between psychology and spirituality. Like previous books, this one has been endorsed by Eckhart Tolle and published under his own miniimprint at New World Library. It contains a series of short chapters which are expressed in a poetic form and offer direct insight into spiritual and psychological states. These are chapters that you read slowly and carefully, and muse gently upon. Headings include It’s Hard to be a Human Being and Coming Down from the Mountain. They are of value, because they are written by someone who knows and who you can confidently trust as a reliable guide.

Robert Moss is described as a “dream shaman”. He is also described as a “cartographer of inner space”, and that’s a really important quality nowadays when so many of us are bombarded by vivid shouting things in the material world outside and electronic messages that set us on edge. It’s good to feel confident about inner space and feel safe navigating there. All our heroes know that there are places of the imagination that are entirely real, and this book gives us games, exercises and stories that will guide us there. We can bring what we create and imagine inside out into the world where it will take root and make the world a better place.

144pp, 210 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £15.99

304pp, 214 x 141 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300421 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

❖ Code: 300423 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

ARE YOU AN EARTH ANGEL? By Tanya Carroll Richardson

YOU WERE NEVER BROKEN by Jeff Foster

288pp, 203 x 133 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

224pp, 202 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £13.99

The concept of an Earth Angel is in a sense the next stage in development from Highly Sensitive Person or Empath, but with the emphasis slightly changed. So this book still talks about self-care and looking after yourself when there are so many things that can unbalance you or even overwhelm you, but it also suggests that you might feel this way because you have a purpose. The book is full of quizzes, exercises and fascinating stories that will help you decide if this is the case. You could say it might give you too much self-importance, but a whole point of being an Earth Angel is not to blow your own trumpet. In the end, if it helps with the discomfort and the sense of overwhelm. ❖ Code: 300427 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

THE CLEAR LIGHT by Steve Taylor

Jeff Foster is a very well-known non-duality teacher from the UK. This is a book of his poems and each one presents an opportunity to reflect on a facet of the spiritual journey. It’s a contemplative book and you can also meditate on each poem if you choose to. It’s an essential text for Jeff’s fans and for anyone who likes to take the slower and quieter path to transformation. The subtitle is Poems to Save Your Life, and the author has run the gamut on his own journey from the darkness into the light that lies on the other side. As he writes, “Once I wanted to die, and now I want to live.” These small poems tackle the big issues: the four sections are entitled A Field of Meditation, Saying Yes to the Mess, The Courage to Stand Alone and Reasons to Stay Alive. ❖ Code: 300419 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

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Angels & the Other Side – BOOK REVIEWS INVITING ANGELS INTO YOUR LIFE by Kathryn Hudson

AS THE LAST LEAF FALLS by Kristoffer Hughes

240pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

320pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £15.99

IN SEARCH OF YOU by Patsy Freeman

KNOWLEDGE OF SPIRIT WORLDS AND LIFE AFTER DEATH by Dr Bob Woodward

If you’ve ever felt a steer in the right direction, a loving hand on your shoulder in a time of distress, or a healing song played at just the right moment, maybe it’s time to invite the angels into your life. This book teaches you how to open the channel to the angelic realm, by surrendering to the angels around you and hearing their message. Through various practices, rituals and exercises outlined in this book, you can also harness their angelic power for healing, both emotional and physical. The book also outlines 15 different Archangels who represent specific qualities that you can connect to and call upon for help. This is a great guide on how to open your heart to the helpers around you and live your life by their guidance. ❖ Code: 300436 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

Patsy’s adult daughter Jasmine died in 2013 and this lovely book contains diary entries/letters from 2012, when Jasmine’s cancer is diagnosed, until 2019, when Patsy feels her presence move away. It’s painful but also utterly inspiring, as it tracks a brave approach to overwhelming grief. You could read it in one sitting if you wanted to but it would be way more beneficial to read it slowly and appreciate all the beautiful emotions: there is no self-pity in this book. Jasmine’s presence lingers close to her mother and you feel that she is supporting her in her grief. That grief never goes but by the end you feel Patsy’s confidence start to return. This book will help and inspire you if you are going through grief yourself but it’s also a good read for anyone who wants to restore their faith in humanity and to appreciate the courage and dignity that lie in all of us.

As the Last Leaf Falls gives a complete overview of death and bereavement from a pagan point of view. The author explores the three realms of existence, the realms of necessity, spirit and infinity and provides exercises, meditations and rituals to take you on a journey of discovery through the most profound of all human experiences. Kristoffer is in a unique place to provide experienced guidance as he is both Chief of the Anglesey Druid Order and an experienced mortuary worker. It’s an uplifting book because it aims to remove the fear around death and it offers advice on how to honour your friends and family in spirit. Letting go of that fear is such an important stage in learning to live fully. I can’t imagine a better book than this to show you how. First published in 2014 as Journey Into Spirit. ❖ Code: 300429 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

Based on information passed on by his eight spirit guides, Cygnus member and supporter Bob Woodward explores with us all the spirit worlds that we pass through and dwell in before and after this material existence. Most of the material is presented in dialogue form but the author also includes his own commentary on the material and much of that is based on his years-long study and engagement with the work of Rudolf Steiner. There’s a great deal of illuminating information here and it’s presented in a light and entertaining way. The book culminates in an extensive and moving interview with the soul of Dr Woodward’s dead father, which provides even more insight into these other realms. It’s an illuminating and ultimately comforting read that I think will appeal to most Cygnus readers when we live in a world that so many powerful forces treat as meaningless.

184pp, 196 x 129 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £10.99

166pp, 233 x 154 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £12.99

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EVERYDAY ANGELS by Margaret Ann Lembo

WHEN WE DIE by Kenneth J Doka

Margaret Ann Lembo is best known as a crystals and gemstones expert with several card decks in print through Findhorn Press. She now turns her expertise specifically towards angels, which she has had many encounters with since childhood. This book tells you how to petition the aid of the angels of many different qualities, from Abundance and Prosperity to Unconditional Love, via Fertility, Intuition and Protection. She suggests ways of attracting them via the chakras, colours, gemstones, oils, affirmations and petitions. She also describes the mighty archangels who are available to support your approach. Angels are just waiting for your permission for them to help you.

Unusually for Llewellyn Publications, this book isn’t chock-full of supernatural stories and weird phenomena, but is actually serious and unsensational. The bibliography stretches to 14 pages and there are 210 footnotes. It’s an overview of all the unusual and exceptional phenomena that occur around the end of life, including dreams, terminal lucidity and death coincidences. The book will educate us about what can happen around death and will offer encouragement for anyone weighed down by grief. Accounts of near-death experiences and evidence of reincarnation will reassure readers. The whole book is scientific but not heavy and it increases the sense of wonder and magic around the last moments of life.

240pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

202pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300418 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

❖ Code: 300431 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

❖ Code: 300405 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

❖ Code: 300430 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

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BOOK REVIEWS – Thoughts & Emotions FEEL BETTER NO MATTER WHAT by Michael James

WHY WE GET MAD by Dr Ryan Martin

Personal development coach and teacher Michael James has been busy during lockdown. Following on from his ebook Emotional First Aid comes his next “proper” book after Lighthouse, which has been one of Cygnus’s bestselling recent titles. His teaching here is practical and straight-to-thepoint and is full of tried and tested techniques to deal with the challenges life throws at us. I enjoy his friendly and frank conversational style. There are no glib or new agey answers. This book presents a four-week course that will leave you more confident and more resilient and I think it will be invaluable for anyone feeling overwhelmed in these uniquely weird times.

We all get mad. That’s a fact. But it doesn’t have to be a draining, useless emotion. It can, in fact, serve a purpose and help us to develop and grow. Backed by 20 years of research, this book will show you how to develop a healthier relationship with anger, using it as a fuel to energize yourself, rather than just a drain on your feelings. The book is laid out in five chapters which will take you through from the biology, to the types and dangers of anger, and finally to how you can use anger for your advantage. It is entirely natural to struggle with such a powerful emotion and there are very few of us who aren’t challenged by it, which makes this book essential reading for everyone.

192pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

216pp, 216 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2021, RRP £12.99

THE POSITIVELY WEALTHY JOURNAL by Emma Munford

THE HIDDEN POWER OF EMOTIONS by Melanie Dean

192pp, 213 x 160 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

240pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

HOW CAN I STOP WORRYING? by Kay Johnson

ANXIETY FREE WITH FOOD by Liana Werner-Gray

❖ Code: 300460 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

This companion book to Positively Wealthy is a spiral-bound workbook made for you to write in yourself so that you can plot a positive course to manifesting wealth in every aspect of your life. All the techniques are guided by the Law of Attraction and the undated journaling pages are generous enough to last a whole year. It’s attractively laid out with illustrations, affirmations and spaces for all your ideas. It’s also immensely practical and offers help on devising your own goals and on budgeting. The whole book is positive and uplifting and hopefully it will empower you to take control of your finances and put energy behind your goals so you can manifest the life you truly want. The author is British and is an award-winning life coach, speaker and broadcaster. ❖ Code: 300458 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

This very helpful book was written by a Cygnus member and is a thorough approach to dealing with chronic worrying. It’s important to stress here that she is not a professional in the field but has tried working with her crippling worry for 25 years and in the process of this work and all the reading and studying she has done, she has come up with an approach that has helped her immensely. It has also helped others and there’s nothing weird, confrontational or wildly unconventional in it. In this five-step approach she works with affirmations and guided imagery. There are no superfluous anecdotes or scene-setting here but she stays right on the point with key point summaries and clear tips. Of course if it becomes more serious you would need to seek professional advice but this seems to me to put forward a clear and confident approach to getting better. 184pp, 216 x 138 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £9.97

❖ Code: 300463 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

❖ Code: 300459 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.87 ❖ Member Price: £7.99

Most of us focus on thinking positively to create what we want in our lives, but science shows it’s actually our feelings that matter most. Melanie Dean is a psychologist and so this book takes us away from “creating your reality” as a fluffy new age catchphrase and towards practical scientific techniques we can use to activate our energy field. As one of the chapters says, you can laser focus your passion and use your energies consciously to connect with what you truly want. Your energy waves go out and connect with similar energies. It’s a very practical book rich in anecdotes and personal stories and which is also illustrated with power zappers (common struggles that weaken your power) and power boosters (recommendations that increase that personal power). ❖ Code: 300410 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

Here in this book are all the tips and approaches you will need to tackle your anxiety via what you ingest. Thus it covers nutritional supplements and foods you can eat that will reduce anxiety, plus the most neurotoxic foods on the market. It also gives tips on how you can upgrade the foods you really like so they will be better for you. This is the first half of the book and the second covers recipes for every meal (plus snacks) that contain foods that will help you. Finally there is also a seven day plan with suggested diets and several pages of invaluable resources. Ultimately the author was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression when she was 26 and 8 years after that diagnosis she is free from anxiety. Of course some people need medication and professional therapy but this is a great introduction to tackling these challenging states and these tips are easy to deploy and will last for life. 368pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £13.99

❖ Code: 300417 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.98 ❖ Member Price: £8.99

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Various – BOOK REVIEWS EVERY BREATH, NEW CHANCES by Lewis Richmond

SLEEP WELL by Anna Black

Facing ageing and ever-closer death is a challenge for almost all of us. This rich and elegant book addresses this issue as it especially relates to men, although any gender of person could appreciate it. Men though can find it especially hard to face up to loss of virility and status and they are also less likely to pick up a book on the subject. So I would urge all men in middle age or friends or family who love them to read this book. The text is full of stories and exercises and meditations that will help us reframe the whole process of ageing. It’s very easy to read and it’s encouraging. I can’t claim that it empowers us to stave off the inevitable, but it offers strategies to embrace ageing peacefully.

This great book was first published in 2018 as Mindfulness and Sleep, and it’s a great introduction to improving your sleep using various evidence-based techniques that rely on the calm and resilience that you can generate yourself. Practices include Body Scan, Letting Go Into the Out-Breath and Outlining the Body, and they are clearly explained and all easy to practise. If you want to explore any of the techniques further, there’s a Resources section in the back. One of the best things about mindfulness in this context is that it teaches you acceptance so, if you sleep poorly, you are less likely to get anxious about it and at least then that anxiety won’t make things worse. It’s a charming pocket-sized hardback with simple colour illustrations.

256pp, 196 x 129 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

144pp, 159 x 122 mm, Hardback, 2020, RRP £7.99

BIODYNAMIC BEEKEEPING by Matthias Thun

THE LANGUAGE YOUR BODY SPEAKS by Ellen Meredith

192pp, 234 x 156 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £16.99

272pp, 226 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

THE ELECTROMAGNETIC BRAIN by Shelli Renee Joye

CULTURAL EMERGENCE by Looby Macnamara

❖ Code: 300426 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

Matthias was of course the son of the biodynamic pioneer Maria Thun, and he worked every year on her seminal annual calendar. He learned everything from her and like her lived on the family farm where he picked up years of experience looking after bees. This book is ideal for the conventional beekeeper who wants to convert to biodynamic methods or for the biodynamic beekeeper who wants to learn more. With many bees under threat, these natural methods are sure to be supportive of their health and well-being. The text isn’t too demanding and complicated and there are many accompanying photographs. You can learn about all sorts of subjects including the best days to inspect colonies and collect honey, and how to use biodynamic techniques to combat destructive mites. ❖ Code: 300406 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

Science traditionally struggles with subjective awareness and the nature of consciousness. The author looks at the possibilities for electricity in the form of electromagnetic fields being the living consciousness that runs through the brain. She does this by explicating and examining twelve of the most credible theories on the subject. The book comes with praise from Rupert Sheldrake and Ervin Laszlo, who are also two of the scientists whose theories are considered. The text is demanding but not too academic, and overall it’s an enjoyable and stimulating read. The author goes on to explore practical applications of these theories and how contemporary brain stimulation devices can lead to all sorts of positive outcomes for humanity. The author is a trained scientist who also has a great deal of experience in the contemplative traditions. 320pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 300441 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

❖ Code: 300404 ❖ Non-Member Price: £5.54 ❖ Member Price: £4.99

This is a book all about energy healing and will explain in detail how to understand and to “speak” energy. The author has been in practice as an energy healer since 1984 and the book draws deeply on her vast experience with over ten thousand clients. As ever, her practice was inspired by the struggles she originally had with ill health. The foreword is by Donna Eden, the queen of energy medicine, and there’s also praise on the cover by bestselling authors Dawson Church and David Feinstein. The book is full of exercises that will provide a rich curriculum for your own personalized self-healing programme, and the author also groups the exercises together for us depending on the particular issue that needs dealing with. The text is very clearly laid out and there are many diagrams that go along with the exercises. ❖ Code: 300425 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

Looby is a leading light in the UK permaculture movement and we have featured several of her books in Cygnus. This is a book for the challenging times we live in. It observes there is no going back to “normal” and shows how we can move forward, because life is constant evolution and we need the courage and conviction to stay with the change. It helps us to better understand where problems come from and how to create successful healing strategies and build resilience in turbulent times. We must adjust to transitions – whether they are personal or collective challenges such as climate change. It’s different to many of the books we carry because it’s very much based in community: community relationships and internal dynamics. It’s bold, brave and inspirational, with multiple quotations from great thinkers and other heroes of social change. 338pp, 248 x 190 mm, Paperback, 2020, RRP £22.00

❖ Code: 300420 ❖ Non-Member Price: £16.11 ❖ Member Price: £14.50

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I WORK WITH GALACTIC BEINGS, MASTERS, ANGELS AND SACRED GEOMETRY, clearing and healing deep energy imbalances, with intuitive guidance to ease the healing process, as described in my website: Kennaelizabeth.net ANGELIC GUIDANCE WITH MICHAEL Welcome positive change into your life. Please telephone Eastbourne 01323 365751 for further details. mikeallone@talktalk.net

Ebook available from www.watkinspublishing.com iBooks, Amazon and other ebook retailers

RETREATS ANAM CARA RETREAT CENTRE, Scottish Highlands, Inverness. Residential workshops and retreats in Shamanism, Buddhism, Meditation, Yoga Training, Healing Arts, Creative Ecology & Working Retreats. To request a brochure, tel. 01463 711702 email: welcome@anamcara.org visit: ww.anamcara.org SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS!

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Spiritual Journeys on foot through beautiful West Wales, steeped in Celtic lore. Time in nature to come home to yourself, to relax, to allow for change. Small groups. More information: Email: hello@guidedpilgrimage.co.uk Web: guidedpilgrimage.co.uk

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Sharing Spiritual Wisdom for 30 years

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