2024 September by Retailing Insight Magazine

EDITORIAL

Retailing Insight Magazine is a bimonthly trade magazine specializing in the conscious living retail market. The magazine is published exclusively for qualified retailers and small independent businesses in the United States. Our mission is to share one on business advice, product reviews, advertisement from top sellers and makers in the industry, and exclusive topics to help business continue to thrive.

Editorial

Roberta Gazzarolle

Art Gisely Fernandes

Digital Media & Sales adsales@retailinginsight.com

Contributing Writers

Melanie Barnum

Deborah Blake

Stacey Demarco

Jacki Smith

Karen Stuth

Melinda Carver

©2024 New Way Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 2372-7977. Volume 38/ Issue 5/ September-October 2024. The magazine is published bimonthly/ six times a year (January, March, May, July, September, November) by New Way Publishing, LLC.

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Retailing Insight Magazine is published by New Way Publishing, LLC. Charlotte, NC 28220 circ@retailinginsight.com

DISCOVER YOUR PSYCHIC GIFTS

Have you ever had that random thought or feeling that seemed to come from nowhere? How about a vision or hearing words that you quickly discovered were not part of your physical world? And possibly strongest, and most powerful, the moment you question if you just had a psychic or an intuitive flash. These are the times your psychic gifts are letting you know they are present, just waiting for you to use them.

Let’s start with the basics, first. Psychic versus intuition. There are many explanations for the differences in these words. For me, the word psychic refers more to those who have expanded and studied, and possibly

have a greater disposition to become professionals, reading for others. But, intuitive, is what we all are. We are born with a natural intuition that we use regularly. You will often find me interchangeably using the words psychic and intuitive, as they refer to the same basic gifts. More importantly, it can be amazing when you discover you have them.

So, how do we recognize these abilities? How can we understand when our intuition is trying to tell us something? It can be different for everyone. I say this because even though we all have access to the same psychic gifts, we don’t always use them. You may feel drawn to one more easily or even more excitedly

About the Author: Melanie Barnum is a psychic, medium, speaker, life coach, and hypnotist who has been practicing professionally for over twenty years. She is an awardwinning author whose books have been translated into several languages and featured in numerous print, broadcast, and online media bookings. Melanie’s friendly and down-toearth manner and gifted psychic insight make her readings unique and powerful, providing invaluable advice and guidance related to relationships, family, career, and educational opportunities. She has facilitated her clients’ communication with their spiritual guides and deceased loved ones. In addition, she offers mentorship, guidance, and support for those interested in developing their intuitive abilities. For more information on Melanie and her work, please visit www.melaniebarnum.com.

– you probably have a natural propensity towards that one. As you read the psychic abilities below, you may relate to one or even a couple. You might even think, wow… I’ve experienced that. So, let’s take a look!

Psychic Senses

We can’t talk about our psychic gifts without first addressing imagination. We sometimes question whether what we are perceiving as intuition may just be our imagination. After all, so much of psychic ability is individual and occurs inside the mind or the body, rather than external. They are the intangibles that are difficult to prove.

You can think about it this way. Without the collection of imaginations to fuel our visions or sounds, we would not be able to recognize anything – psychic or not. So, we need our imaginations to recognize and identify what we are perceiving, psychically as well. To take it a step further, when we see, hear, or feel something in our imagination, it tends to feel more commonplace. When it’s intuitive based, it will feel more energetic, at times even giving you a tingly feeling. When it happens often, you’ll be able to discern between your imagination and your psychic abilities more easily. There are five basic psychic gifts – These are the ways we perceive intuitive messages.

Each extra sensory ability starts with clarity which means clear. Clairvoyance, one of the most recognized words, does not mean psychic. In other words, if you’re clairvoyant you may be psychic, but being psychic does not mean you’re clairvoyant. It doesn’t encompass our metaphysical gifts, but it does cover one: clear or psychic sight. The most common way to experience this is to see an image, a color, and possibly a symbolic impression in our mind’s eye, or our third eye.

Symbolism is something we can understand in our language, that we can more easily decipher. There are some other common misconceptions about clairvoyance. To be clairvoyant, many believe, you have to see people or things outside your physical body, with your physical eyes. It is actually extremely rare for people, even most mediums, to see images like that. It is more likely to see images in your mind’s eye. Another common misbelief is these images will appear like videos. Usually, rather, or most people, these images will pop up like photographs or photographic flashes.

Clairsentience is a clear feeling. It’s a feeling you may have in your body, often in your belly, which can feel warming or chilling and doesn’t just refer to temperature. Rather, more so, it might make you feel happy or sad, angry, or content, cheerful or confused.

Though it’s not always easily discernible from that egg salad sandwich you just ate, this gut instinct invokes a sensation in your body or even in your mind, which you can interpret to be an emotion or two. Clairsentience emerges if you are trying to decide if something feels right. Think about being on a dating app that doesn’t have pictures and all you have is the name. If location and age were all the same, you’d have to rely on whether you got a good vibe on the person or not. That vibe is coming from your clairsentience – you’re feeling their energy. That gut instinct you have will also help you decide the energy of a room when you walk into a potential future home. If it feels yucky, chances are you’ll move on to the next place, regardless of the physical appearance.

Claircognizance is a clear knowing. It is the knowledge that comes unexpectedly, a surprise, which is born not from evidential means, but from metaphysical. This means it is grasping a truth that you have no

proof of or no reason to know. This knowing may shock you initially because it makes you wonder how you could know something you have no reason or logic to know.

It is surprising. That absolute knowing. And it may happen if someone asks you a simple question and you discover you instantly have an answer that you shouldn’t know. Being able to answer a question with no history or previous familiarity might normally feel like you were making it up. But, when your claircognizance kicks in, it’s like you are certain and there’s no question. Just yesterday my friend texted me and asked if I knew where her passport was because she couldn’t find it. I didn’t think about it, just told her it was in a box, in a bag, with kitchen stuff, somewhere it shouldn’t be. I didn’t see it or feel it or even hear it. I just knew it. Sure enough, she just texted me that she found it, exactly how I described it. You can practice this psychic gift yourself by asking quick yes or no questions about what will be on the television when you change the channel.

Clairaudience is clear hearing. It is different from our physical hearing because it’s not heard externally. It is an internal sound. It might be just a sound, a song, a word, or anything else your physical ears can hear, but something heard inside your mind. As with clairvoyance, clairaudience can be extremely brief or can be longer, but it may make you ask those you are with if they just heard something.

Let’s imagine you are deciding whether to move to New York City or stay where you are in a rural part of Connecticut. While thinking about this you suddenly hear train whistles. Then you hear what sounds like a lot of people talking. And finally, you hear car horns. Now, you didn’t hear actual words telling you to ‘move!’, but it’s pretty obvious that your

intuition is saying to ‘go’ to the city! Alternatively, if you heard chickens clucking and roosters crowing, that indicates a more rural or even country setting. Just listen.

That leads us to the fifth Clair sense, but I will add on a sixth because they work so well together!

Clairalience is the psychic sense of smell. When we talk about this sense, we can’t forget to mention clairgustance which, you’ve probably guessed, is psychic taste. As with your physical senses, these two gifts go hand in hand and can enhance what your metaphysical senses are imparting to you. If your initial thought is your clair gifts will present you with wonderful, chocolatey goodness smells and tastes, think again. I’ve had everything from actual trash scents to tasting what I can only describe as the best fried chicken ever. It all depends on what you’re tuning into. People also relate scents and tastes of food, or tobacco, or perfumes to their deceased loved ones.

Other Examples of Psychic Discovery

Now that you’ve been introduced to what you may or may not have already experienced, it’s time to give you some other real-life examples you might be able to personally relate to. Have you ever felt an energy around someone you’ve just met? What about goosebumps? Both may indicate you are having an intuitive reaction! Like an allergic reaction, an intuitive reaction lets you know your intuition is alive and well. These are energetic and even aural occurrences that let you know you’re connecting to someone else’s energy. The aura is the energetic field that surrounds all living things which can be tapped into psychically. It contains

information about the person it is attached to.

Signs and synchronicities are often indicators of your intuition showing up. Signs can be thought of as external or tangible guidance that you may see or notice. For example, seeing a cardinal after asking if your deceased loved one is with you is a common response letting you know they are sending you a sign they are indeed around. Other common signs include seeing pennies in unusual spots or at strange times, such as pennies from heaven, for loved ones.

You can ask for a sign, such as, “show me a sign to let me know where I should go on vacation,” and when you turn on the television there’s a commercial to take a trip to Alaska. But, to provide you with even more direction, you change the channel and there’s a gold rush show which takes place in Alaska. These two signs are pretty clear — head to Alaska!

Synchronicities are interesting. They are two, or a collection of unrelated events or occurrences that wouldn’t otherwise have been connected. Carl Jung, a psychologist, introduced the concept in his work back in the 1950’s. He later went on to say if you wait long enough, you’ll always discover synchronicities. The synchronicities we are concerned with are the kind that feels mystical and makes you pause.

This type of psychic existence can be difficult to recognize because it occurs in two separate, mostly unexpected ways. Usually, there will be a first event that makes you take notice in some way. However, you most often will not have a clue as to why it seems important. Until, and it can happen soon, or may take a week or so to occur, the second event or sign shows up. That is the moment that you identify there is a synchronistic connection. It might be something

big, to help you in a major decision or it could be something smaller.

I was shopping in a local mall, not for me, but for my kids. I passed by a store and in the window display there was a pair of black pants. Now, black pants are not uncommon. So, although I was drawn to the black pants. I ignored it, convinced I did not need them, and after all, I was shopping for my kids. It wasn’t until the following week that I discovered why I had specifically noticed the clothing. Unfortunately, a family member had passed, and I needed to attend the funeral, and lo and behold, no black pants. But I knew where to get some.

These are the types of synchronicities you might experience, even if you hadn’t originally identified it as such. One suggestion to help you better familiarize yourself with these events is to write down when something makes you say, ‘huh?’ And leave space for the coordinating synchronistic event. By setting yourself up with the intention, you will be more apt to remember and more in tune with spotting the connection.

It’s All Psychic

Regardless of how you discover your psychic gifts, I hope that you will give yourself the space and take the time to dive into your abilities! You have your own guidance system that you can utilize every day. Start with one simple exercise a day and you might discover you’re more tuned in than you ever thought! The key? Just believe!

Business & mar KeT ing

From Chaos To Control: A RETAILER’S JOURNEY IN MASTERING INVENTORY AND SALES DATA

Sarah wiped the sweat from her brow as she surveyed the cluttered backroom of her boutique, “Crystals and Candles.” Surrounded by boxes of unsold inventory, spilled bins of tumbled stones, and a stack of invoices, she felt overwhelmed. “How did it come to this?” she wondered. Just three years ago, she opened her store with dreams of bringing insightful, spiritual products to her small town. Now, she was drowning in excess

stock and struggling to keep bestsellers on the shelves.

Sarah’s story is not unique. Many retailers find themselves in similar situations, grappling with the complexities of inventory management and sales tracking. There is a point when you can’t keep everything in your head anymore. Sarah’s journey from chaos to control offers valuable lessons for retailers of all sizes about the power of monitoring inventory and sales data.

About the Author: Over 30 years ago, Jacki Smith – founder and owner of Coventry Creations, created the trend we see in spiritual candles. Her parallel journey in the spiritual and business world allowed Jacki to hone her craft of honoring the Business Soul. From books to podcasts, Jacki shares her experiences with the world. Her coaching clients rave about how she helps them find the soul of their business so they can create their ideal life. You can find Jacki on social media at https://www.facebook.com/jacki.smith.official, https://www. instagram.com/jacki.smith.official/, https://www.threads.net/@jacki.smith.official

Tip Fortune in Your Favor

WHY MONITOR INVENTORY AND SALES DATA?

As Sarah sat amid the clutter, she realized something had to change. She needed a better way to understand her business, to anticipate what her customers wanted, and to manage her resources more effectively. She is feeling the change in the retail market and knows if she doesn’t control the chaos, she might become another statistic of failed businesses. This realization is at the heart of why monitoring inventory and sales data is so crucial:

Improved

Cash Flow:

By optimizing inventory levels, you can free up cash that would otherwise be tied up in excess stock.

Reduced

Losses:

Proper monitoring helps prevent stockouts (losing sales) and overstocking (leading to markdowns or obsolescence).

Better Customer Service: Ensuring popular items are always in stock leads to improved customer satisfaction.

data you need to start making better decisions. You just need to learn how to use it.”

WHAT DATA SHOULD YOU MONITOR?

Alex explained to Sarah that effective inventory and sales management revolves around monitoring several key metrics:

Alex smiled reassuringly. “It may seem overwhelming at first, but with the right tools and processes, it becomes second nature.”

HOW TO MONITOR INVENTORY AND SALES DATA

Over the next few weeks, Alex helped Sarah implement a new system for monitoring her data:

Informed Decision Making: Datadriven insights help in making better purchasing, pricing, and marketing decisions.

1. Stock Levels: The quantity of each item you have.

2. Sales Velocity: How quickly items are selling.

Trend Identification: Regularly monitoring data allows you to spot trends and cross-selling opportunities early and capitalize on them.

Fraud Detection: Unusual patterns in sales or inventory data can alert you to potential theft or fraud.

SARAH’S JOURNEY: THE FIRST STEPS

Determined to turn things around, Sarah reached out to her old college roommate, Alex, who now worked as a retail consultant. Over coffee, Sarah poured out her frustrations.

“I feel like I’m flying blind,” Sarah confessed. “I never know what’s going to sell, so I over-order everything just in case. I never want my shelves to look empty or picked over”

Alex nodded sympathetically. “It’s a common problem,” she said. “But the good news is, you already have the

3. Sell-Through Rate: The percentage of inventory that sells within a specific time frame.

4. Days of Supply: How long your current stock will last based on sales rate.

5. Stock Turn: How many times you sell through and replace inventory in a given period.

6. Gross Margin Return on Investment (GMROI): A measure of your inventory profitability.

7. Shrinkage: Loss of inventory due to factors like theft, damage, or administrative errors.

8. Stock-to-Sales Ratio: The relationship between your inventory levels and your sales.

9. Seasonal Trends: How sales of different items fluctuate throughout the year.

10. Category Performance: How different product categories are performing relative to each other. Sarah’s eyes widened. “That’s a lot to keep track of,” she said.

1. Implement a Robust Inventory Management System

Sarah invested in a new point-of-sale system with integrated inventory management features. It was a significant expense, but as Alex pointed out, “Think of it as an investment in your business’s future.”

Sarah knew that just buying the system was a big step, setting it up was the next big hurdle. With her team’s help over a weekend, they created a spreadsheet of items and quantities to enter into her database. Using the services of the new POS, they were able to upload the data and start using the system on Monday.

2. Set Up Regular Reporting

Together, they established a routine for reviewing key metrics:

- Daily sales reports

- Weekly inventory level checks

- Monthly performance reviews of top-selling and underperforming items

- Quarterly trend analysis

Sarah was able to start using these reports right away to spot trends and identify her top 20% of sales hours. She understood what Alex was telling her, thet 50% of her sales were made during the top 20% of her business hours. Sarah realized that if she had

additional help during that time, she could sell even more.

3. Use Data Visualization Tools

Sarah was surprised to fi nd that her new POS system included basic data visualization features. “I’m a visual person,” she said. “Seeing the data in graphs and charts makes it so much easier to understand.”

Now Sarah could drive even deeper into her data and understand her Gross Margin Return on Investment (GMROI) - how much profit she gets from each dollar spent on inventory.

4. Implement Cycle Counting

Instead of her dreaded annual inventory count, Sarah started doing smaller counts more frequently. “It’s less disruptive to the business,” she noted, “and I catch discrepancies much quicker.”

During cycle counting (Even the tumbled stones) Sarah understood what products needed to be secured better, what areas of her store turned over more sales, and how to rearrange so her highest profit items sold faster.

5. Leverage Predictive Analytics

As Sarah became more comfortable with her new system, she started exploring its predictive analytics capabilities. “It’s like having a crystal ball,” she marveled. “I can make much better buying decisions now.”

After a few seasons, Sarah was excited to plan her purchasing for holidays and seasonal rushes. This allowed her to take advantage of promotions and quantity price breaks.

6. Train Your Staff

Sarah made sure her small team understood the new system and processes. “I was surprised by how enthusiastic they were,” she said.

“They could see how it made their jobs easier too.”

Sarah brought her staff into the process of setting up the new POS. This was a big win, as her team knew how to work the system as well as she did and they didn’t rely on her for all the trouble-shooting. She also didn’t have to battle the team to ensure they were using the system as they were just as invested in its success as she is.

7. Monitor Across Channels

When Sarah later expanded to online sales, she made sure her system could track inventory and sales across both her physical and online stores. Sarah told Alex that she would never have been able to launch an online store with her old system that relied on her memory and scraps of paper. Now she is ready to use this information in her marketing.

THE TRANSFORMATION

Six months after implementing her new data monitoring processes, Sarah’s store had undergone a remarkable transformation. The cluttered backroom was now organized and efficient. Popular items were always in stock, and slow-moving inventory was identified and dealt with quickly.

“I feel like I have control of my business now,” Sarah told Alex over another coffee catch-up. “I’m not just reacting anymore. I’m planning ahead.”

The numbers backed up Sarah’s feelings:

- Overall inventory levels had decreased by 25%

- Sales had increased by 20%

- Markdowns on the slow-moving stock had reduced by 40%

But perhaps most importantly, Sarah had regained her passion for her business. “I remember why I started this in the fi rst place,” she said. “Now I have the tools to make my vision a reality.”

THE HAPPY ENDING

Sarah’s journey from overwhelmed store owner to data-savvy retailer is a testament to the power of effectively monitoring inventory and sales data. While the specific metrics and tools may vary, the fundamental principle remains the same: understanding your data leads to better decisions and a healthier business.

For retailers facing similar challenges, Sarah’s story offers hope and a roadmap. Start small, focus on the metrics that matter most to your business, and gradually expand your monitoring efforts as you become more comfortable with the process.

Remember, the goal isn’t to drown in data but to extract actionable insights that drive your business forward. With persistence and the right approach, any retailer can transform their operations, just as Sarah did.

In today’s competitive retail landscape, effective data monitoring is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity. Those who master this skill, like Sarah, are well-positioned to navigate challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and thrive in the ever-evolving world of retail.

As Sarah locked up her now-thriving spiritual boutique one evening, she smiled. The journey hadn’t been easy, but with the right tools and mindset, she had turned her data into her most valuable asset. And in doing so, she had transformed not just her business, but her entire approach to retailing.

DIVINATION DECKS: A Primary Product for Today’s

Mind – Body – Spirit Market

Divination cards are one of the most well-selling products in Mind Body Spirit. In the past 20 years, divination card decks and systems have exploded in new market entries, sometimes leaving retailers confused about which decks and how many decks to offer in their stores. Divination decks have grown in popularity in a way that should have been difficulty to imagine 20 or even 10 years ago, and adapted in use nearly everywhere on the planet. For example, #Tarot has over 8 billion views on TikTok, a platform where digital divination readings have become wildly popular.

Card decks now come in packaging of all sizes and shapes, and many decks are expanded and themed, offering more cards than ever before. Some retailers opt for the “tried and true” titles that have a proven track record, while others embrace the wide variety of new decks available to their customers. Often, their decisions come down to a foundational issue of shelf space.

While many buyers of divination decks purchase them as a fun game to play with friends, for others they represent a serious purchase as a step in their spiritual evolution and a way to access their information and the information available from the Divine.

Divination decks generally fall into three categories: tarot, wisdom, oracle and Lenormand decks. Although tarot is a highly popular style of divination deck in today’s world, users and cartomancers (a type of clairvoyant who uses cards, usually tarot cards, to connect with their Divine Source in order to tell the future.) also use oracle or wisdom decks, which are not generally ordered according to a particular system and require no special training. Still others prefer Lenormand card decks, a set of 36 cards in no particular order. Lenormand card sets also require no particular experience or training. In this system, there is no significance of a particular symbol or a particular number as in tarot.

What are the benefits of using divination decks?

For many persons, divination decks overall can provide an accurate personal growth vehicle for storytelling and the development of the Higher Self. Carl Jung called this process “individuation.” As a tool for divination, they can help the user or person obtaining a reading through another as a way to gather information from their subconscious mind as they choose cards that form the foundation of the card spread that unlocks intuitive information.

The cards and the card spread, such as a Celtic Cross, each bring further information through their meaning and position. While card spreads are more often applied to tarot, spreads can also be applied to oracle decks as well. Inexperienced and untrained users might have more difficulty using tarot without consulting an experienced reader, but by using a tarot system many learn their way around and become proficient simply by using a deck and reading the accompanying booklet over time. There are also many books and courses available to help obtain more training.

Persons receiving a divination reading or conducting their own can discover their own motives, find a fruitful path of process, or obtain clarity regarding their own internal struggles or conflicts. In this way, divination decks can be a tool for developing or honing life skills. As Lara Tupper has written, “It’s for anyone who desires to

heal, evolve, and live fully, because it can provide context for both of these channels, empowering us with the element of choice. It can help us to understand what the brain believes, what the soul is asking for, and how to weave them together.”

Origins of Tarot

With their mystical allure and gorgeous, colorful and detailed designs, tarot cards have captivated the world’s imagination for centuries. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the earliest references to tarot all date to the 1440s and 1450s in Italy, where it began as a social card game. Not until 1780 in France did the use of occult and fortune-telling purposes begin to gain purchase. Today’s association of tarot with fortune-telling and the occult gained momentum only in the 19th century and has nothing to do with the

medieval tarot cards, although the use of the four suits of cups, staves (or wands), pentacles, and swords were retained. Sometimes in modern tarot, these suits are renamed or replaced with other suits that follow the theme of the deck.

For fortune-telling, each tarot card is ascribed a meaning. The cards of the major arcana refer to spiritual matters and important trends in the questioner’s life. Some mind body spirit devotees believe a reading using a classical tarot system can give them the truest and most accurate information. The illustration of classical tarot decks often provides multiple and highly symbolic images, numbers, and even colors that carry intentional meaning and significance. Perhaps the best-known tarot deck is the Rider-Waite tarot. A traditional tarot deck has 78 cards, and many themed tarot decks are now available.

History of Lenormand

According to Labrinthos, Lenormand cards are an alternative system of cartomancy, similar to Tarot but also different in purpose, feeling and structure. Unlike tarot, Lenormand is a much more practical deck - focusing somewhat less on psychological feelings and instead on everyday happenings. You’ll notice when reading with Lenormand decks, that these cards tend to focus on practical matters - Tarot focuses on the “why”, while Lenormand tends to focus on the “how.”

As interest in and use of cartomancy and divination grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, Marie-Anne Adelaide Lenormand emerged as well-known fortune-teller. Born in France in 1772, she later began as a fortune teller in Paris using a card deck she developed which later bore her name. Lenormand has controversially claimed to have created the cards herself, using her knowledge of arcane systems that include numerology and astrology and other mystical systems to craft a deck uniquely suited to divination. Lenormand was reputed for her accurate predictions and intuitive insights. Her fortune-telling clients are said to have included Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine.

Although less well-known than the tarot system, Lenormand cards, which most often contain 36 cards, are employed today for divination and fortune-telling. Many Lenormand decks are available, included themed decks, each with their own signature system and interpretations. Some cartomancers prefer Lenormand decks to tarot for the greater simplicity of their systems.

The Accessibility of Oracle and Wisdom Cards

Oracle decks are in wide use today for their ease of use without the

need for any special training or experience. They are most often intended for divination and offer the same personal development opportunities as tarot or Lenormand decks. If the decks offer an accompanying guidebook, that author’s interpretation of each card can be all that a user needs to obtain the information they seek.

Oracle decks come in all sizes. Many are often smaller in number of cards than tarot, and themed in thousands of different ways, while others are very large, some offering up to 128 cards in a large box. They often are more lighthearted, which attracts many to them, and the illustrations often do not intend subliminal cues. Their free-form style and whimsical themes make them an excellent choice as a “fi rst deck” for someone looking to experiment with the use of a divination deck. Oracle cards can be applied to traditional card spreads. Many who are new to divination decks begin with an oracle or wisdom deck and some later migrate to the tarot or Lenormand system.

Divination decks can be a core tool for spiritual and personal development, as method to reduce anxiety or depression by accessing knowledge from our inner or Higher Self, and as a conduit to the Divine. Universal in appeal, the aggressive of explosion of divination decks today is also a possible response to what many see as a growing level of uncertainty in a rather volatile world. While some consumers buy them as a ‘parlor game,’ the information they likely receive is certain to impact them in important and sometimes subliminal ways.

And that’s a good thing.

Marigold Tarot

Teeth & Bone Tarot Cloth

Celestial Amethyst Altar Cloth

Tarot Candle Lovers Zodiac Candle Libra

Your Crystal Allies Altar Cards & Oracle Set

Mirror Oracle

Q&A

WITH CRYSTAL MANNARA

Imprint Director For RedFeather Mind-BodySpirit, an Imprint of Schiﬀer Publishing

When did the REDFeather imprint start at Schiﬀer Publishing, and what is the signiﬁcance of the name?

REDFeather Mind, Body, Spirit was founded in 2017 as an imprint of Schiffer Publishing, an independent publisher located in southeastern Pennsylvania and currently celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

REDFeather grew from the tradition that Schiffer established over the previous decades of creating high-quality,

unique books and decks on a wide range of categories related to personal transformation, understanding, and empowerment.

Our name is a reference to Schiffer’s logo, a red quill pen—but is also a nod to the special meanings that have been attributed to feathers by cultures and spiritual traditions throughout the world. Whether the feather of Ma’at, sacred eagle feathers, or those said come from angel wings,

feather and bird imagery speaks to us of principles like balance, truth, thought, aspiring to the Divine, and lifting our spirits beyond the everyday experience.

What do you want our retailers to know about the product oﬀerings and product quality that REDFeather typically publishes each season?

Quality is where we shine! We want our titles to be treasured spiritual resources for our readers—that means high end production choices like our signature magnetic boxes, full color guidebooks and sturdy card stock. That also means quality content, focusing on titles that offer something truly unique, have accurate information, and are ultimately of value to our target readers.

What consumer trends are you noticing when it comes to the Mind|Body|Spirit category, and/or Tarot and oracle decks speciﬁcally?

Although there will always be a market for quality beginner material, in terms of books we’re leaning in more on titles that move “beyond the basics” as we’re fi nding that’s what’s working best in the current market.

Within Tarot and Oracle, we know great art and high

production quality are “always trending.” Our top selling decks include a range of designs and themes, from the celestial and luminescent Star Tarot to the gritty and elemental Awakening Tarot. “Variety’s the spice of life” as they say!

In terms of trends, we’re hearing a lot lately about customer interest in “authenticity”, seeking themes that dive straight to original practices/ traditions rather than modernized retellings, historic cartomancy systems, and generally diving deeper. Customers also comment they’re looking for things which are unique, new and different, and we’ll continue to focus on that offering with innovative products like our Transparent Tarot, Ancient Wisdom Scrolls, Crystal Spirit Talking Board and our upcoming Tarot Training Sleeves.

What new REDFeather decks and books are you most excited about this fall that retailers will want to note?

We have so many incredible titles coming up this season! I’m especially excited for The Vedic Tarot from Robin Murphy-Gibb (September 28th), an in-depth dive into Tarot and the Vedas which also draws parallels to music and the Sanskrit, Hebrew and Ogham languages.

We’re also thrilled for our new Tarot Training Sleeves (October 28th), an innovative tech-based Tarot learning system from James Jacob

Pierri and Dan Williams. Tarot Training Sleeves helps you learn Tarot using your favorite deck, putting defi nition cards and keywords right into your hands, with QR links to the Tarot Training Portal where animated videos give you indepth defi nitions and more.

Another unique fi nd this season is Frame This Oracle (October 28th) from Juno Lucina and Dan Goodfellow, a truly innovative oracle featuring twenty five 4 x 6” hollow card “frames” that can be used on their own or placed around other cards, sacred items and more. This is such a wonderfully versatile tool and I know readers are going to love exploring how to use this for insight, magical practice, meditation and more. Juno is even working on an accompanying app that let’s your “frame” your environment by snapping a picture and seeing which frame you get around it.

Myself and the entire REDFeather team are committed to bringing you bespoke spiritual titles that dive deep, shine bright and break the mold. We’re so excited to be welcoming these and the rest of our Fall 2024 titles to our catalog of over 400 premier decks, books and sacred products.

We have some truly incredible titles lining up for 2025 and beyond, so be sure to visit our website redfeathermbs. com, fi nd us on social (IG @ redfeather.mbs) and sign up for our mailing list to stay on top of the latest.

THE COUNCIL OF HORSES1

The Council of Horses has incarnated for millennia into wild and domesticated lives. Those in spirit and those who have never walked the earth’s plains, assist from the outer realms. Like wind moves over the grasses, so do we migrate through time and space. Perpetual nomads between earth and spirit, we are flesh and blood, ether and element, glowing brightest when the heavens are filled with celestial fire. The aurora’s transient and ecstatic ribbons of light shine as the revelation of our Hridaya, the ineffable dimension of our being.

We have been the guardians and paladins of humankind for millennia.

Our unifying principle is that of a pantheon of scholars providing lessons for every stage of learning. Whenever horses appear to you, in these cards, in your life, or your psyche, they are your master teachers. We meet you where you are at, as all good teachers do, and then invite you to aspire to another level.

Your ancestors gave you the life force and ancient codes that govern your potential. What you do with that potential is your choice. Evolution is defined as “the drive to survive through adaptation.” This concept is the same whether it happens in a species over millions of years, within

your individual lifetime, or within each choice you make.

When you stand at your personal crossroad, you get to decide what the next step will be, which direction to take, or if it is time to make your own path. The choices you make now influence what you bring to life and, just like a species of their own, grow like branches on a genetic tree —some dying off when there isn’t sufficient support, and some thriving from the nourishment that comes from valuable resources such as relationships within family or community, your human herd.

You might ask why horses were consistently the subject matter of your

About the Authors: Sandra Wallin, M.A., is a beloved educator, psychotherapist, and horse listener. A sought-after speaker, she teaches equineguided wellness worldwide. https://www.sandrawallin.com/councilofhorses. Kim McElroy is an award-winning equine artist renowned for her visionary artistic and written creations. https://www.spiritofhorse.com.

artistic ancestors. Since the dawn of human evolution, we have been inspiring your people to enter the transcendent realms of imagination and symbolism. Cave drawings are proof of the symbolic thinking that enabled your ancestors to make visual representations of the beings they revered. We held this mythical status from the earliest creations of humankind.

The cave painters were so revered they were allowed to set aside the survival skills they used to support their clans, so they could do their important work. The artists were the shamans of the community, creating images that gave portent to the mysteries of the spirit.

Today, being an artist isn’t solely about making marks or sculpting forms. It is about making connections between your ideas and actions. It can also include accessing the skills and imagination you already use in your daily life and applying them differently, in focused and innovative ways. Doing so may lead you down new pathways of learning.

If your creative impulses have become buried beneath layers of intellectual rubble, it might be time to embark on an archeological dig to unearth them again. As ancient beings who have accompanied your ancestors on the walk throughout time, we can be the catalysts for that excavation, which is itself an artistic exploration.

The endpoint of these experiences is not to maintain a certain latitude or prowess but to reach new heights after you have yet again fallen off the horse. It is human nature to get back up and climb back on. Each successive fall helps you integrate the qualities of the horse; a connection to the Earth, the somatic, the instinctual, and the powerful ¬subconscious—along with the qualities of the human; the conscious mind, the intellect, creative innovation, and thought. While many would see these qualities kept separate, or struggle to ensure the dominance of one over the other, I am here to help you bridge the relational aspects of each,

so you can become an integrated and total being and, therefore, far more than the sum of your parts.

I appear when it is time for you to travel deep inside your humanity, to help you release the reverence you hold for order and convention. Herein, you begin to make sense of the world in a different way, beyond the boundaries of upbringing and education. I give voice and shape to the reasons you feel drawn to horses, even if you do not understand them.

Until now the collective voices of Equus have oscillated at a wavelength only certain people could hear. Our purpose has been to support your individual and concerted ascension, providing harmony where there is dissonance, and gently raising the amplitude of humanity. We have been patiently awaiting your awakening, believing, and trusting you will remember who you are and why you came. But we have lost the luxury of time. We are no longer whispering. Our chorus is a crescendo of consciousness, calling you to perk up your ears.

Your soul fulfillment is not just about you as an individual. You are being called upon to add your voice to our conjoined efforts to illuminate and benefit every being on the planet. Once freed from your amnesia, you can step into the role of the erudite, passing along your legacy of learning to evince our ancient pact. Now is the time to listen, and to act.

The Council of Horses Oracle

A 40-Card Deck and Guidebook

By Sandra Wallin and Kim McElroy Foreword by Linda Kohanov

Pages: 192

ISBN: 9781591434931

Imprint: Bear & Company

Tap into the divine wisdom of horses for guidance and selftransformation. Includes 40 beautifully illustrated cards featuring horse avatars and mythic equine beings such as unicorns, kelpies, Pegasus, and Chiron. The guidebook shares the message of each card, guidance to help you determine if you are on the right path or need a nudge in a more positive direction, as well as suggested actions to help you integrate the lessons from the Council of Horses

Allowing you to tap into the earthly and spiritual wisdom of horses, this oracle embraces humanity’s millenniaold relationship with horses as interactive guides to transformation. Each beautifully illustrated card conveys the captivating presence of the horse, offering an encounter with the equine soul while transmitting healing frequencies directly from the mystical Council of Horses. Serving as portals of transformation, the cards allow you to actively engage with horses as sentient beings who choose to support the well-being of humankind.

CaRdDeckS

MYSTERIOUS SEASONAL MAGIC

Earthy Thrills for Your Customers to Sink Their Teeth Into

The haunting power of romance, desires, duality and transformation beckon to your customers from the artistry of these new cards. Self-discovery and empowerment are beacons in the decks, assisting the seeker in foretelling their future. As pumpkin spice roars back into our stores, other seasonal delights featuring the magical practices of Witchcraft, Shamanism, Esoteric Symbols, Vampires and Bones continue to fascinate, attract and assist us out of the darkness.

TAROT OF THE VAMPIRES

By Charles Harrington

Illustrated by Craig Maher

Published by Llewellyn Books

ISBN: 9780738766287

78 cards, 240-page book

$31.95

Richly colorful, Maher’s art beckons you to see human life through the eyes of modern and ethnically diverse vampires. The Codex of the Vampires (accompanying book) by Harrington infuses his vampires as a “dark mirror” for us to view our own human society and experiences. He shares the myths, fantasies and taboos that follow these creatures through the centuries. Mysterious creature lovers, horror movie buffs and self-identified vampires will devour this deck!

About the Author: Melinda Carver is a Spiritual Business Expert and an award-winning Author, Psychic Medium and Speaker. She has appeared on TV, radio, podcasts, corporate events, expos and stores. She is the President of the Church of Radiant Lights located in Cleveland, OH. www.melindacarver.com

THE JOLANDA WITCH TAROT

By Rosie Bjorkman

Illustrated by Hans Arnold

Published by Findhorn Press

ISBN: 9788888500668

78 cards, 400-page book

$40

Awaken your inner witch with the renowned artist Arnold’s supernatural illustrations. His hand-drawn art features archetypes, animals and symbol interpretations from multiple magical teachings (witchcraft, Shamanism, alchemy). Bjorkman’s impressive book dives deeply into combing these teachings with Tarot and also provides the seeker with keywords, exercises, stories and card spreads. Enchant your witchy and magical customers with this stunning deck!

EARTH & BONE ORACLE

By Sirian Shadow

Published by Rockpool Publishing

ISBN: 9781922785725

42 cards, 112-page book

$24.95

Pushing you to explore rebirth and transformation, each card is darkly colored and features skulls, bones, and nature. The cards are titled and list keywords. Shadow’s booklet explores deeper card meanings and balanced guidance. Showcase this macabre deck for the Halloween season!

LETTING THE SUNSHINE IN…

Iam sitting outside on a cold winter’s day in a small sunny corner of my garden, out of the wind. I have gravitated to this corner even though I have a large garden because allows me to be comforted by the warmth of the sun. I feel enlivened and expansive and grateful for the respite from the stinging frigid wind on my face. I’m also certain that I can just smell Spring is on its way and thus, I feel

hopeful and a little excited, even though I generally love winter.

This feeling of delight at the return of the warmth and light after winter isn’t something unique to me (or even you), and it’s a very human reaction. Ancient peoples built whole ritual calendars around the waxing and waning of the sun and seasons, the equinoxes and solstices, and we

About the Author: Stacey Demarco, The Modern Witch, who is the author of the best sellers Queen of the Moon and the annual Lunar and Seasonal Planner lives in Sydney, Australia.

Bestselling Tarot and Oracle Decks from

know this probably started off as a kind of ritual around fertility and survival.

Think on this…

No sun equals less or no food. Less access due to extreme weather conditions like snow and ice. More sun equals more food, more access, an easier time to travel hunt, grow, and gather. It was a respite. It often meant less stress too on the body, less sickness and death. Therefore, it was important to venerate the sun, and the energies of growth and light because this meant health and life. This also naturally saw deities of the solar realms evolving and a rich mosaic of rituals to support the coming and going of the sun.

On a recent trip to the very far north of the world, I was at a lovely city at the top of Iceland and my guide shared how her small town, one that was sheltered by hills and mountains, celebrated

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the return of the sunlight to their streets. In fact, they had a ‘sun street’ celebration after a season of dark polar night.

When the sun fi nally hit a particular street, the community had a huge celebration called Solargargur (Sun Day). Everyone would come out to soak up the sun’s rays and people would cook pancakes and have coffee. If the sun doesn’t come out on this day and the weather is cloudy, the celebration is called off. They wait until the sun literally hits the street. Some other arctic places had a particular day for the celebration and some remote areas folks had individual celebrations marking when the sun hit their house. It was a big deal especially in the far north where the sun may not rise for months at a time.

In these places people had learnt to really take care of themselves and

each other due to this lack of sun and light. We know that Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD), a physical and mental condition triggered by lack of sunlight, is rife in these areas if not addressed. We also know that the traditional Sápmi community, whose territories stretch right across the far north, even has a ancient Goddess named Beaivi, who is in part a goddess who looks after mental health during the times of darkness.

The sun is joy and the sun is life. Yes, literally!

But the sun also contains much magic and illumination and big power.

When I was creating my new oracle deck, “Queen of the Sun”, I wanted to celebrate this most ancient of energies. I wanted to create an illuminating deck, one that had this idea of

illumination at its heart, one that would be extroverted in its energy, life affi rming and of course, powerful to use all year round.

I wanted to also create a ‘sister deck’ to “Queen of the Moon” (QOM). I know many people love this deck of lunar magic and asked me to create a solar companion. The format will be much the same to reflect this request, but the feeling is of solar originwarm, joyful, fertile, expansivesomewhat different to our moon.

" We can allow the spiritual and physical energy of the sun to still illuminate our lives.

"

Similarly to “Queen of the Moon”, it contains details of cycles and seasonal aspects, but in this case whilst there is no long lunar cycle as such (28 days of waxing and waning), but there is however a spectacular 11-year solar cycle that we can observe- something that most people know little about. As well, I’ve included the

well-known solar cycles of the Celtic Wheel of the Year and phenomena like eclipses and flares.

Importantly though, the sun has a rich history of mythos. Almost every culture has a sun deity or one celebrating summer or agricultural growth. From Amaterasu, the sun goddess of Japan, and Baldr of the ancient Norse, through to the God of Light, Apollo of ancient Greece, the veneration of solar deities’ as a practice cross time and geography. Their mythos (stories with a truth) are always full of wisdom, illuminating in their guidance. It is always a joy to include goddesses and gods from all over the world in my writing – all beloved and experts in their spheres.

We can enjoy their timeless wisdom under the same sun as our ancestors. We can allow the spiritual and physical energy of the sun to still illuminate our lives.

TaKeFive FIVE WAYS TO PICK THE PERFECT TAROT OR ORACLE DECK

Tarot and oracle decks are gaining popularity every day, both with the witchy crowd and with folks who otherwise have little interest in the paranormal. But with so many options out there, it can be a little intimidating to try and pick out the one that will suit you best. Here are five suggestions for things to consider when choosing a new deck, whether it is your first one, or your fiftieth.

1. Check Out the Illustrations

First and foremost, a deck has to appeal to you visually. Most people pick up a deck based in large part on whether or not the cards appeal to them on a visceral level. In a store, you will often hear, “Oooh, look at

this one!” If a deck makes you reach for it based on the cover picture alone, it may well be the right choice for you. If, on the other hand, the illustrator’s style doesn’t appeal to you, you’re not going to be happy using the cards.

If You Can Take a Peek at the Book that Comes with the Deck

Most, although not all, tarot and oracle decks come with a guidebook. Some folks don’t feel the need to use one, but for many of us, a good guidebook can be really helpful. If you don’t like the author’s style, or don’t find the card descriptions helpful, it may not be the right deck for you. On the other hand, if you check

out a few of the card interpretations and love them, or like the guidebook author’s general style, plus you like the illustrations, you’ve probably found your new deck. Hint: if you can’t look at the guidebook because the deck is wrapped in plastic, try going online to see if you can find some samples, then buy the deck from the store you’re in.

3. Decide Whether

You’d Rather Have a Tarot Deck or an Oracle Deck

Some people like them both (I do), but other folks prefer to work with one or the other. Tarot can be a little more complicated, and if you’re new to it, there may be something of a learning curve. On the other hand, it

About the Author: Deborah Blake is the author of the popular Everyday Witch Tarot, as well as the Everyday Witch Oracle and Everyday Witch’s Familiar’s Oracle, published by Llewellyn Worldwide with illustrator Elisabeth Alba. Deborah is also the author of eighteen books on modern witchcraft, as well as numerous novels. She lives in upstate NY with five cats, a large garden, and way too many books, tarot, and oracle decks. She can be found at www.deborahblakeauthor.com

can answer much more complicated questions, and also be incredibly fun to play with, whether you’re a newbie or an experienced deck user. Oracle decks, in contrast, are much easier to use, and there is no learning curve to speak of, although as with all such things, you will probably get better with it over time. Oracle cards are best used for simple questions or basic guidance, so it will depend on what you want a deck to do for you. Of course, you can always have both!

4. Ask Friends for Recommendations

If you know other people who use tarot and oracle decks, you can always ask them which their favorites are. Of course, what suits someone else may not suit you, but it can at least give you a starting point for your search. And as a bonus, you might get a chance to look at and handle all the cards before you buy your copy, if your friend happens to live nearby.

5. Go With Your Gut

This is the best way to choose a deck and can be a combination of the previous four suggestions, or just one of those “aha!” moments. If a deck calls to you when you see it, if you pick it up and don’t want to put it down, that is probably the deck for you.

After all, reading tarot and oracle cards is all about intuition, isn’t it? So be sure to listen to your gut when choosing a new deck. Does it feel all special and shiny? Does it make you want to spend time learning to work with it and learning its ways? If it makes you happy, it’s your deck.