 |
|
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Astrologer's Notes:
Ask Carrin Martin,
Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrology
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Martin Lass,
Astrologer
Alan Oken,
Astrology
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Erin Sullivan,
Astrologer
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
Monthly Horoscope:
Stellar Scopes
by Daija De Mornay
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Awakening to the
Miracle of Ordinary Life by Dennis Lewis
Avant-Gardening:
Insights by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
Bodymind Integration: A Psychology of Potential
by Kevin Roberts
Breaking Free:
Anne Brewer
Choices: The Art of Conscious Creation:
by Teri Harris Saa
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
Kabbalah:
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Memos From The
First Tabugian
Art Rosengarten, Ph.D.
The Path of Wisdom and Love
Dr. John Demartini,
Concourse of Wisdom School of Philosophy and Healing
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
Understanding
Wicca: Ask Fyre
Pathways to the Self
Connie Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Mythology & Legends
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care
The Practical
Practitioner
Feng Shui:
Wind & Water:
Carole J. Hyder
Parenting:
Living With Your
Intuitive Child:
Sherry Healy
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Soulforest:
Tarot and Spirituality
Rachel Pollack,
Tarot Grand Master
Gateway to Tarot:
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Unexplained Phenomena:
Paranormal Potpourri:
By Dr. Gerri Leigh, Ph.D
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Crystals, Gemstones & Minerals by Mirabai of MoonCave
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Predictions
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Other
Novel Moments
Your Views
Interviews:
Erin Sullivan,
Astrologer
Healing & Alternative
Health:
"The Ancient Way of Chinese Medicine"
by Kevin O'Neil
Flower Essences
by Donna Cunningham
Empower Yourself
to Heal
by Gerri Shapiro
Herbology:
Ron Norwood
Homeopathic Medicine
by Deborah Olenev, CCH, RSHom (NA)
Integrated Healing Arts
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
by Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
The Directory
The Gift Guide
Archives:
Past Issues
General Information:
Synopsis of Contents
Editorial Submission
Information:
Articles
Columns
Editorial Opinions
"Your Views"
General Content
Event Calendars
Graphics & Photos
Editorial Deadlines
Advertising
Information &
Opportunities
About
The Meta Arts
Magazine
Department
Contacts:
Publishers
Editorial
Advertising Sales
Graphic Design
Promotion Dept.
Employment
Contact Us
Legal Notices
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reviews: Tarot Decks
Tarot & Cartomancy Deck Reviews
by Bonnie Cehovet
Tarot Master
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Woman With The Alabaster Jar:
Mary Magdalene And The Holy Grail
review by Bonnie Cehovet, TM
author: Margaret Starbird
Bear & Company
Inner Traditions
1993
ISBN #1-879181-03-7
Margaret Starbird was raised within the Catholic faith, holds a Master's Degree from the University of Maryland, has studied at Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany and at Vanderbilt Divinity School. In 1995, under a recommendation from friends, Starbird read the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail (by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln). This brought about a major turning point in her life - the life of a faithful daughter of the Catholic church. The major premise of Holy Blood, Holy Grail was that Jesus had taken a wife - the Mary called Magdalene, the same Mary Magdalene that the church called a "penitent prostitute"!
Starbird made the decision to "debunk" what she saw as the blasphemy of Holy Blood, Holy Grail. To do this, she researched the paintings of the artists that had been implicated by the authors as being in collusion with the Grail heresy. She worked with the symbols found in these paintings, cross-referencing them with the watermarks (symbols worked into the paper used for writing) of the Albigensians (heretics who flourished in southern France from approximately 1020 through 1250 A.D.).
From The Woman WIth The Alabaster Jar: "My research eventually drew me deep into European history, heraldry, the rituals of Freemasonry, medieval art, symbolism, psychology, mythology, religion and the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. Everywhere I looked, I found evidence of the feminine t hat had been lost or denied in the Judeo-Christian tradition and of the various attempts to restore the Bride to her once cherished status. The more deeply involved I became with the material, the more obvious it became that there was real substance in the theories set forth in "Holy Blood, Holy Grail". And gradually I found myself won over to the central tenets of the Grail heresy, the very theory that I had originally set out to discredit." 1
The Woman With The Alabaster Jar speaks of the life of the man called Jesus and his followers, of the politics of his time, and the reason for the sacred marriage with Mary the Magdalene. The book starts with a fictional account of the initial meeting between Jesus and Mary the Magdalene. Aside from representing the marriage of the archetypal Sacred Bride and the archetypal Sacred Groom, the literal marriage between Jesus and Mary the Magdalene was a highly political one - uniting the daughter of the tribe of Benjamin and Jesus, the messianic son of David, uniting the Benjamite lands surrounding the Holy City with the Holy City, fulfilling the prophecy and acting as a source of healing for the people of Israel. This was also a marriage that was, for political reasons, kept secret from all but a select circle of royalist followers.
This is the story of the sacred feminine, and how it has been denied down through time - how the church became based on the masculine principle of the Sacred Triple God, without acknowledging the feminine counterpart of the Sacred Triple Goddess - maiden/nother/crone. I grew up in the Congregational Church, and seemed to have no problem with the virgin mother Mary (I was truly not aware that Jesus had siblings!), and a celibate Jesus.
It was amazing to me the process that Starbird went through in this book - and how it brought many disparate bits of knowledge in my life together. Amongst these bits of knowledge were the "why" of the multitude of shrines to Mary in France and Italy, the Black Madonna (referring not to race, but to the hidden aspects of Mary the Magdalene), the holy grail as a euphemism for the vessel of Mary the Magdalene as a mother, Tarot as a tool of the symbolism of the time ... and much more.
In the middle of the book Starbird has included full color plates of representative Tarot Trumps from the Charles VI deck, and color plates of the Madonna by Botticelli and della Francesca, as well as representative water marks from this time. Connecting Tarot as a tool of the time - it is one thing to say this, and another to see it!
Whether you end up agreeing with Starbird or not, this book is a "must read". This world needs to realize the sacred union - the balance of the masculine and the feminine principles. We have known this for a long time now - but if you are like me, you never took the thought back far enough, back to the "beginning" - or what serves as our beginning. The Woman WIth The Alabaster Jar will show you how to think outside the rules - to find your own truth.
Oh ... and what is the alabaster jar? The who is Mary the Magdalene. The alabaster jar is the jar that contained the scented substance called nard that Mary the Magdalene anointed Jesus with. The beginning of the journey for her, and for us.
Footnotes:
1. ibid. pages xx-xxi.
The Nahualli Animal Oracle
reviewed by Bonnie Cehovet, TM
authors: Caelum Rainieri and Ivory Anderson
epilogue by Marc Bekoff,
illustrated by: Raphael Montoliu
Bear & Company
Inner Traditions International
2003
ISBN #1-59143-017-8
This book and deck set is a class act, from the word go! The outer box is well constructed, with an inner box that slides out (from the side), with a grove in the middle for the cards, and room to place the book above that. The base color of the box is an intense dark blue, with a full color animal graphic on the front.
The cards themselves (a deck of 39 cards) are of good quality, non-glossy card stock. Care will have to be taken in working with the cards so as not to bend or tear them. The cards are 3 1/2" by 5", which make them a bit large for small hands. The backs of the cards have a brownish-red border, followed by a smaller gold border. Although the book does not address this, it appears to me that the bottom graphic on the back of the card (done is brownish-red) is meant to represent the steps of an Aztec temple. Following that is an area of dark blue, followed by an area of intense yellow. Seated on top of the blue area, and surrounded by the yellow area is a brownish-red circle that most likely is meant to represent the sun.
The face of the cards contains the same borders as the back of the cards. The middle of the card depicts the animal energy of the card, often with a graphic above that. At the bottom of the card is the card number and the name of the animal energy represented.
The coloring used in the deck is vivid and bright - lots of oranges, reds, yellows and greens dominating the graphics. I am not an artist, but the way that I would describe the style of these cards is primitive. Quite often the animals take on human characteristics. A few of my favorite cared are the Coyote (quite interesting - we see the Coyote in mid air, as if he were flying, carrying a human literally by the seat of his pants!); Deer (who appears, facing us, with front feet held up in the air and kneeling on on knee); Eagle (who appears as a warrior, walking as if in a human stance) and Jaguar (who appears looking more like a monkey than a cat, seated with front feet in the air).
The book that accompanies the deck is indeed a book - 6" by 9", 183 pages. I always look at the deck before the book, so by the time I got to the book I already knew that I loved the deck! I work with many different energies, and animal energy is one of the foremost energies that I access. I was thrilled to see that the authors were serious in their presentation of both the book and the cards. This was not a project that was thrown together at the last minute so that it could go to publication. The authors state that they work with animal energy in their own lives, and that they teach others to do the same. The book and the deck have evolved over time, as all things that are meant to stay do, in my humble opinion.
The author's give three manifesto's that they wished this deck and book to achieve:
1. To improve our understanding, respect and appreciation for animals as unique emotional and spiritual individuals;
2. To honor the Aztec civilization for its many accomplishments, and
3. To resurrect and authentic oracle of the Aztec religion as an instrument for obtaining wisdom, guidance and insight into everyday affairs. 1
The deck, as one might now surmise, is based on the Aztec religion. Nahualli is the Aztec term for "shadow soul", the animal double of the human soul. It was the belief of the Aztecs that animals were sacred beings that shared the earth with the gods long before humankind came into being. In the Aztec world, on the fourth day after a child was born the family would be visited by a priest, who would determine the nahualli, or animal nature that was to be the lifelong companion for the child. The energy of the nahualli would teach and protect the child over their lifetime, helping them in the physical and spiritual worlds. This was an highly respected, intense energy bonding.
I am one who loves to see charts, and this book not only has the need for charts, but presents them in a highly organized, readable fashion. The first chart shows the general rules for the pronunciation of the Nahautl language. This is followed by two charts - one for the Lords of the Day and one for the Lords of the Night, with their names, titles, card number and oracle meaning. Following this is a chart of the nahualli (animals), with their name, card number and oracle meaning. My little Capricorn self was in seventh heaven!
There is a brief section going into the Aztec religion, the pantheon of gods and the Lords of Day/Night. This is good background for both understanding and using this deck. The discussion then goes into the purpose of the nahualli, and what place this animal energy serves in our life. The nahualli functions as a teacher, protector, ally, advocate and inner spirit. The more we work with our nahualli, the closer the bond. The closer we are bonded to our personal animal spirit, the more it will be able to teach and guide us. This is not a once a month connection - out animal guides, if we chose to honor and work with them, are with us 24/7, in every aspect of our lives.
Now we get into how to determine our personal nahualli. There is yet another really "cool" chart that gives the days of the week, and the hours of the day. Associated with each day, and with each hour within the day, are specific animals. Find the day of week you were born, and the hour that you were born, and there is your nahualli! Not sure of the specific day of the week you were born on? There is a link given to an Internet site that will determine this for you. I checked - the site is there and it does work. However, using this method, my nahualli is the Vulture, and I am not too sure that I am pleased with this! LOL There is another method given, where the cards are fanned out and one card is chosen energetically (by passing your hand over the fanned out cards). Either method may be used. My gut instinct is to go with the animal that has already shown themselves to be a motivating force in my life, and you may well choose to do the same.
The presentation of the animal energies is very well thought out. Each card presentation gives the card name, the keyword, a discussion of the animal energy, and upright and reversed meanings. From the book:
22 - Jaguar
Keywords: Power, Authority, COurage, Twilight
The Jaguar is the most mysterious, most revered, and most successful predator in Central and South America. Jaguar symbolized the might of Tezcatlipoca, the greatest of the Aztec gods. Not only was he Tezcatlipoca's nahualli, but he was also a god in his own right - Tepeyollotl (Heart of the Mountain). In Aztec cosmology, the first epoch was known as the Jaguar Sun.
Mythology attests to Jaguar's great power and courage. It is said that Jaguar leapt into a tremendous fire built by the gods, and emerged unharmed but for the scorch marks that he now bears. The Mexica believed that as the First Sun came to a close, the humans were destroyed by a race of giants, who were in turn consumed by the Jaguars.
The Jaguar's spotted pelt is often compared to the wonderful night sky, lit up with its incredible array of constellations. The mystical connotations of this nocturnal hunter are often associated with the underworld, the molten fire, the tremendous liquid heat of the center of the earth. The transfiguration of the black Jaguar Black Tecatlipoca, a form of the Greek underworld god Pluto or the Roman Dis.
When Jaguar appears in your reading, there is great power at work on a subliminal or subconscious level. Your conscious mind is often unaware of the workings of your deep mind, but trust that there is a hurricane brewing under the surface and that all the courage and power you need are yours. Authority emanates from your very soul, and t hose around you can feel its pulse. The outward manifestation of this authority may take some time to develop. It will be felt before it is seen, but others will react to its invisible presence just the same. This time will serve as a measuring stick in determining who is your ally and who is not, for those who sincerely want the best for you will appreciate your newfound power in a favorable and supportive way, offering encouragement and respect. Those who have low self-esteem or low self-worth will tend to feel threatened by this inner power of yours and might find reasons to avoid you or may deliberately act against you in surreptitious ways. It's unlikely that they will be directly aggressive, so learn to become more sensitive to the unspoken language of others. Pay attention to how others conduct themselves with body language, facial expression, and tone of voice in addition to noting what they say and what they don't say. This will serve you well during the season of Jaguar's work in your life.
Jaguar's presence not only evidences inner power, but it is an extremely auspicious sign for external success. His close affiliation with the Sun promises a favorable outcome in the issues that have been in your thoughts of late. Jaguar is Nature's most successful hunter, literally at the top of the food chain, and offers the same degree of accomplishment for you. The accompanying requirement is that you must claim it as your own and use this power with integrity and grace, applying it with the focus of your mind and the sincerity of your heart to access your true self, your highest goals, and your best resolve.
Contrary Meaning:
Contrary Jaguar is power gone awry. It's power perverted by fear, doubt or anxiety. Remember: an animal totem is a channel that can be directed by your heart. If your heart is gripped by self-doubt or self-loathing, fear, or rage, Jaguar's power will contribute to and strengthen that negative energy. Of, on the other hand, your conscious mind can sense that this nocturnal hunter is near you, then use this time to focus on overcoming your fears, doubts and whatever negativity you may be projecting onto others. 2
The end of the book goes into how to ready ones self for a reading - how to approach the cards for best results, how to work in a humble manner with intent and purpose. Several different spreads are provided, along with sample readings for each one.
There is an important difference between this deck and other animal oracles. In using these cards to access the nahualli energy, you are asked to fulfill your part of the "agreement" - to find a way not only to access and work with your nahualli, but to find a way to honor them by working with efforts to preserve wildlife, to support and protect them.
The epilogue, by Marc Bekoff, goes into the magic of the animal world, and how our world needs to be reflective of their needs as well as our own. This sets the tone for my recommendation re this oracle: it is a powerful gateway into another world. If you choose to walk this path, please do so with humbleness, integrity and honor.
Footnotes:
1. ibid. pages 3-4.
2. ibid. pages 96-98.
Next Page |
|
|
|
|
|
Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master, and Reiki Master/Teacher.
|
 |
Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Master, professional Tarot reader and Reiki Master/Teacher.
Bonnie has been reading the Tarot professionally for over ten years. She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, including Secretary and Web Assistant For Links. She is currently Certification Director and Secretary for the American Board For Tarot Certification. Bonnie is also a founding member of the World Tarot Network.
Bonnie has had her work published in the ATA newsletter, in Geraldine Amaral's "Celebrating The Tarot" print newsletter, on the World Tarot Network and other internet sites. She is editor for her own monthly newsletter "Gateway To Tarot" (Yahoo Groups).
www.tarot.
thecrystalgate.
com |
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory!
|
|
|
|
|
