5 comments about Alchemical Healing: A Guide to Spiritual, Physical, and Transformational Medicine.

1. This interesting work combines the techniques of energy healing and shamanism with alchemical principles in order to provide a practical guide to physical treatment, psychological counselling and spiritual transformation.

   Many disciplines are integrated into the author's healing modality, including Reiki, Huna, elements, symbols and archetypes, plants, crystals, sound and colour healing. Distance healing and psychic protection are also discussed.

   Other interesting topics include the ethics of healing, the blending of traditions, self-healing (especially where the healer is concerned), psychic surgery and how to obtain help from the spirit realm. There are many exercises, meditations and attunements throughout the book that teach the healer or prospective healer how to access the universal life force.

   Alchemical Healing is a very thorough investigation of and guide to holistic healing that provides a cohesive programme despite drawing on so many different traditions and techniques. The book contains impressive black and white illustrations and concludes with two appendices and an index.




2. This book represents an amazing feat of synthesis and inspired understanding. What Nicki Scully has created with her Alchemical Healing work, drawing from the wisdom traditions of Ancient Egypt and Native America (and others, such as Reiki and Huna) is a comprehensive and integrated school of energetic healing and transformative inner work. This is not some trendy new age amalgam, but a lifework emerging from decades of dedicated practice, life experience and intuitive inquiry. The book is filled with Nicki's amazing experiences and applications of the work, and the moving stories of how this work came to her through life experience, master teachers and spirit guides.

   Most importantly, this book is a practical guide containing exercises, practices, initiations and techniques for energetic healing that anyone can do. The initiations are a key (and in my experience, rare) feature of the book- simple rituals, when followed with conscious intention, that open doors to perception and energy, as well as forge inner connections to your own totems and guides. I can say from experience that these initiations create effective channels of communication and turn on energetic capabilities that persist and become reliable tools for all kinds of inner work. If you are interested in empowering your spiritual work with practical tools that go way beyond the merely psychological, this book can hook you up. For those unfamiliar with working with inner guidance, these initiations will be a revelation to the knowledge that more and more of us are awakening to: we have wise, compassionate, loving help available to us. We have spiritual companionship and partnership available to us.

   Alchemical Healing covers a broad array of topics from basic healing techniques using the Universal Life Force, the Elements, and Spirit Allies. Self-preparation for the healer, including the initiations, invocations and forgiveness- a necessary step to releasing unhealthy attachments- are all fully covered. A large chapter covering specific techniques and application of the work as well as a truly essential chapter on healing ethics to round out the basic healing course. The advanced course introduces you to Thoth's Caduceus, the non-physical element Akasha, healing with sound and music, advanced practical techniques and self-healing. The final section gives you the spiritual heart of the work, which can be summarized as guidance, gratitude, compassion and love. Further, if you wish to work more deeply with Alchemical Healing, there is a list of authorized teachers and healers at the back of the book.

   Clearly, I am impressed with and highly recommend this book, especially to those dedicated to a spiritual path and healers of all kinds. I have had a long-standing relationship to this work (as one of many collaborators to it's development), and it has been of inestimable value to my path of dedication to Spirit. It is an advanced work, that while clearly and non-technically written, might be too expansive for some new to spirituality. It challenges many cultural and religious axioms, but that is part of what makes it a pithy, substantial book and not some superficial feel-good that everyone will be comfortable with. A guaranteed mind-expanding read.




3. You may wish to acquaint yourself with the inspired writing of an internationally known healer, Nicki Scully. We readers find, in Alchemical Healing, clear and practical descriptions of healing methods we can ourselves learn, in order to produce seemingly miraculous results without doctors' appointments and expensive prescriptions. Nicki makes no claim that alchemical healing methods should replace traditional medical care, however, and she has found that both often work well together.

   Nicki Scully's courageous journeys to gain knowledge and practical experience of ancient healing techniques -- coupled with her eagerness to share them with people who can know her and her work through her books, lectures, teachings, and guided trips to Egypt, Peru, and Tibet -- are legendary. She works with healing allies: totemic animal spirit guides, crystals, herbs, sound, the elements of fire, air, water, earth, and many others. For her there is no narrow, right way to accomplish personal transformation and healing, and there are as many ways to do so as there are individuals on the planet. She covers many, but certainly not all, and emphasizes the ones she uses most in her own practice.

   Her life's work is now beautifully put forth in Alchemical Healing. It is an amazing book -- electrifying and inspiring -- from Nicki's pertinent and fascinating personal story to healings of critical illness and injury through a number of modalities. The anecdotal stories of healing are often so stirring that they had me in tears.

   The healing methods are described in detail, with exercises and initiation rituals for the reader, who may well wish to become a healer after reading the first one or two chapters of the book. The steps are easy to understand and follow, with essential details emphasized to ensure the safest, most positive results for the healer and individuals receiving the healing.

   I expect to keep this book within easy reach as a treasured reference and guide for the rest of my life.




4. Nicki covers lots of ground, it's almost like a stew. A little Reiki, Alchemy, Shamanism, Intuitive work, spirit helpers, etc. She does a nice job of introducing concepts and making the material very accessible. This is a great introduction to a practical spirituality in general.

   However, if you have had some experience in a few of these areas then Nicki really does not have a work with depth to make this a really meaningful resource. She does not go enough into Alchemy or Shamanism or the Elements for example to give you insights beyond a cursory and somewhat shallow introduction.

   While I have great respect for her and what is trying to do in this synthesis, I feel that she spends too much time on fluff and not enough in the details. She does not really provide enough to successfully give Alchemical Healing it's unique fingerprint as a healing modality.

   A great beginners read but not that useful for someone who wants to get into these topics in detail.

   As examples see the following books for more information on some of Nicki's topics:

   Elements - Healing With Form, Energy and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen
   
   Shamanism - The Shaman's Body : A New Shamanism for Transforming Health, Relationships, and the Community
   OR
   Chosen by the Spirits: Following Your Shamanic Calling

   Alchemy - The Emerald Tablets of Thoth The Atlantean




5. I wholeheartedly disagree with the above March 31, 2004 review.
   I am a physician who is planning to start up my own Energy Healing practice in my home in January 2005. I got "Alchemical Healing" 2 months ago. I read the book in 2 days and found it to be one of the most practical and helpful Healing guides that I have ever had the pleasure of reading over these last 37 years I have been practicing Medicine. I liked the book so much that I flew down to Asheville, NC last weekend (November 6/7, 2004) to take Nicki's Alchemical Healing Part I course. It was magic. Alchemical Healing is not only "what the doctor ordered"..but for anyone interested in practically using the powerful energies of Nature around us. I particularly enjoyed Nicki's Initiation into connecting to and using the Elements for healing purposes. I look forward to using many of Nicki's techniques in my private healing practice.
   Patricia H. Gulbrandsen, MD, MPH
   Silver Spring, MD

3 comments about From Success to Significance: When the Pursuit of Success Isn't Enough.

1. I read the book for a Bible study I was part of at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. I had breakfast as part of a group of men with the author Lloyd Reeb.
   
   The book attempts to show how regular people can add significance to the second half of their lives. He atempts to show how persons before achieving financial freedom and without leaving their career can find significance. He strives to show you don't have to be rich to find a life of significance. It in somes ways attempts to answer the question, "Is that all their is?" He attempts to help you tie meaning to your work and/or ministry to you work. I was disappointed in the examples used in the book. They tended to be examples of persons who were upper middle-class, business owners etc., instead of what I view would be ordinary people. The primise of the book is good, but it missed the mark for me.
   
   Read and reviewed by Jimmie A. Kepler



2. Lyod Reeb has put together a very helpful guide for those of us at mid-life who want to move into doing something more significant for the rest of our lives, but don't know where to start. His personal story and that of others he mentions in the book are both inspiring and helpful.



3. This is a wonderful book if you are looking for a tangible process of thinking through "what's next" for you in your life. It does more than just give you a 30,000 foot view, but takes you through the right questions to ask and simple, yet profound, tools to help you find your sweet spot in the second half of your life.

5 comments about Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith.

1. Anne Lamott is back in all of her glorious humor, angst, and wisdom. If you haven't discovered Anne yet, she is shock therapy for those of us who learned how to be religious before we learned how to be human.
   
   In Traveling Mercies, Anne shared her crooked journey through alcoholism, bulimia, and broken relationships to a connection with St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and Jesus. Now, in Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith, Anne shares the new challenges to her faith: The Bush Administration, her aging mother, menopause, the losing friends to illness, teaching Sunday School, and raising her teen-aged son, Sam. While many of her crises in Plan B are stock milestones of middle age they are no less poignant when rendered by Anne's pen.
   
   Anne's power comes from her unflinching authenticity, a scarce quality in the self-serving industry of memoir writing. Anne describes her life has it happens, without bothering to airbrush away her neurotic impulses and imperfections. Her self-depreciating humor and honesty creates a picture of spirituality reminiscent of Dostoevsky; we are all simultaneously noble and depraved. As I read Plan B, I laughed with Anne at her foibles and became more honest about my own.
   
   Anne Lamott, along with Fredrick Buechner, might be the best living Christian Author that you can't find at a Christian book store. Anne elevates cursing to a literary art form. More significantly, Anne is openly pro-choice and pro-gay rights. She addresses God as a feminine being. Some readers might balk at her left-wing politics. However, I'd challenge any reader to see Anne as more than the sum of her politics and ideas. Reading anything by Anne Lamott creates the opportunity to remember that God wills and works through your bad attitudes, flawed character, and humanity. Wading through Anne's positions is worth any personal risk you might feel. Encountering her writing style is a joyous experience and you'll bump into God's grace as often as you will step in piles of human frailty.
   
   Anne is back and triumphant.



2. I adore this woman for her faith, her wit and her unbelievable ability to keep on "keepin on" but the politics in this book just about drove me over the edge. I know, I know... to love Annie is to expect her political rantings. I kept reading and I did gleam little nuggets here or there of the Annie I know & love. It was worth the read, if only I could fast forward some of the politic heavy chapters.



3. I love Anne Lamott and this book is no exception. As always, she writes with honesty and humor about her everyday experiences. She helps me see the lighter and darker side of Christianity and life in general. I can relate to her foibles and rejoice with her in her human triumphs. I'm glad for Christian writers who I can relate to-not holier than thou, never make a mistake writers. I won't mention names. This book was a blessing.



4. I like Anne Lamott's writings but she continuously bashes the President in this book. I think this is uncalled for. Seriously. She hates the President instead of praying for him (and as another reviewer noted she should "love thy neighbor") it totally turned me off in this book. Thank goodness I got this one at the library and did not waste my money on this book. Very disappointing.



5. When I read this book, I felt like I could have written every word. Like Anne, I sometimes think that I make Christ drink himself to sleep at night. I wish she was my sister.
   
   Anne writes for us Christians who aren't afraid to say in really expressive terms what we really think and feel about our faith. To me, it seems like most Christian writers live in a rainbow gumdrop unicorn world where nothing bad ever happens - not Anne. She is so refreshingly honest about her struggles with both her family, friends and faith and her redeeming moments. If you are uncomfortable with people who share exactly what they feel without mincing words, this is not the book for you.

5 comments about Essential Survival Guide to Living on Your Own.

1. Regardless of your age, there is always something new to learn -- like "Techno Lingo" or "essential emoticon list"; and it's always great to get another opinion of the essentials for the pantry, refrigerator, etc. The overall theme seems to be a mix of "getting organized" and learning how to cope with the many responsibilities of life -- and to take on those responsibilities by knowing the "essentials of survival" in today's world.
   This book is a very good resource for responsible families to teach their children (and themselves) various topics which will help them be responsible citizens.



2. This is a great book; everything a kid ought to know about living on their own. I found it interesting reading for me as well; so many things to say "wow, I didn't realize that!" Not only did I find an informative, helpful gift, I also found a book for myself that I can refer to time and again. This is a definate keeper!



3. This book covers a lot of bases, probably more than a young adult preparing to move out will need initially, but will eventually have to deal with. For example, information on maintaining a car will be useful for a teenager, but advice on buying your first house won't be needed for years. That said, parents would be wise to read this book too, using it as talking points for discussions with their young adult children before they even leave the house. Then hand the book over to them as they go, for they surely will refer to it often.
   
   This book is, however, not for everyone. Its mixture of the spiritual and practical lends itself to some, but not to all. And the sheer size of the book - almost 400 pages - will put off some kids, and that's not the author's fault.
   
   The Essential Survival Guide is a well-written, comprehensive guide that covers all the bases, essential and otherwise for the focused young adult leaving home for a life of their own. Believe me, the author has thought of just about everything! 50 Ways to Leave Your Mother



4. Can we say helpful? Necessary? A must-read for any graduate?
   
   Sharon has taken the overwhelming life-lessons and created a great reference book for young adults (and not so young adults).
   
   What a great tool for parents and youth leaders!
   
   I wish my husband and I had had this wonderful book when we married eons ago! Our daughter will receive a copy as one of her wedding gifts.



5. This book is so thorough. Sharon Siepel details the how-to of any issue that faces one moving out on their own for the first time. High school graduates, college graduates and even young marrieds would benefit from this detailed guide to daily living. Topics ranging from money, purchasing homes and vehicles, health, shopping, cleaning, taxes and voting make it a complete and perfect gift. Finally, a truly USEFUL graduation gift!

5 comments about The Love of Impermanent Things: A Threshold Ecology.

1. What a fascinating book! I would highly recommend this read. O'Reilley's way with words is mesmerizing. Her book makes you stop and think about your own history, your own family with all its quirks. Her sense of humor and deep reflection on her life make this book a true pleasure to read.



2. O'Reilly is an excellent writer whose work exhibits the rare combination of sharp observation and deep kindness. She is a seeker, not content with received wisdom or easy answers; her thinking is lively and precise. She also knows how to tell a good story -- and she's very funny.



3. and I am only about 100 pages into it. I heard the author interviewed on NPR and decided impulsively to buy the book. It is incredibly written -- funny, wise, deep, reflecting. I am reading it slowly, savoring the stories, and trying to embrace the wisdom of "living the life that I am". I have a copy for my spiritual director...and plan to buy another for one of my dearest friends. For all of us who seek the One that embraces us in Love and Beauty, I recommend this book. Prepare to laugh...at the stories...at yourself...and then settle into the deepest regions of the heart to contemplate what God calls you to be.



4. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Take Annie Dillard, Barbara Kingsolver and maybe the Dali Llama and put them together and you get Mary Rose O'Reilley. I loved how she ponders all the questions many of us ponder when we reach a certain age, like `Are we our vocation?' or "How should we be spending our time without guilt", "How we can feel lonely even though we seek solitude" "How come we can't be aimless any more?" All of this is mixed in with ordinary life events written in a very poetic and beautiful way with enough sarcasm to keep it from being boring. I don't know why more isn't said about this author, I think she is extremely talented and I'm glad I fel upon her writing - I hope we will see more of it.



5. As one begins to age, all that's left to do is look back and wonder what has went by. "The Love of Impermanent Things: A Threshold Ecology" consists of Mary Rose O'Reilley looking back at the remains of her long life and trying to make sense of this crazy thing called life. Her language and writing is humorous, enlightening, entertaining, and most of all poignant. "The Love of Imperfect Things" is highly recommended reading, with much readers will relate to.

No comments about Everyday Wisdom: A Spiritual Book of Days.

5 comments about Living, Loving & Learning.

1. This book is incredible and I believe everyone should own a copy. If I had enough money I'd buy it for the entire world. Very simple, down-to-earth, and humane reading. Leo Buscaglia represents every individual in this heart warming lectures book!



2. I'm glad people like Leo Buscaglia. Really, I am. If he helps people, fantastic. However, after receiving the book as a gift, I felt smothered by his "love talk", sounding for all the world like a medicated flower child. Considering that his ideas coalesced in the 60's, this may not be far from the truth. The book is a bit like mind control, and I'm sure his speaking presence was compelling. However, I think optimism is best tempered by reality and concrete steps, rather than this unedited exhortation to "love". A simplistic order to love is not going to work for most people. Love must be tempered with reason, intellect, responsibility, and experience. Life is a battlefield, and we are the soldiers. Choose a side and keep your eye on your enemy.



3. I have not only read this book myself, but have purchased it for many of my friends that have faced difficult times in their lives. Dr. Leo Buscaglia was wonderful as a Professor at USC, and his books carry forward the legacy of exactly what this title says: Living, Loving, Learning. It can be read many times over, and something new sets into the mind of understanding of who we are, what we are, and how we can have a happy life in all circumstances.



4. When I first saw Leo Buscaglia, it was in a college class in the 70's.
   The professor showed us a film of his speech on love and up to that time, I had never seen anything like it. By the end of the class, there was not a dry eye in the room. Everyone left in silence. Something had changed. No one in that class was ever the same. His words still ring in my ear to this day, thirty years later. He was a gift to us and anything he ever wrote is gold. In this now jaded world, I doubt we will see anyone like him again.



5. We are here to live a life with purpose, to learn to love and transcend all that seems to be obstacles in our paths. Buscaglia's contribution to the world is superb. This book is truly a gem full of inspiration that will guide you to remember the loving being you really are.

5 comments about Re-member : a Handbook for Human Evolution.

1. Imagine you have access to a collective. Imagine it is not hierarchical. Imagine your more persistent thoughts, while being illogical/irrational, are that link to the collective.
   
   Somehow, suddenly, all the things in this life that are unbearable, the things you can't, will never, understand just make sense. Page after page, you re-discover who you are, why you can accept it, why it is just a matter of accepting that you don't understand but that, in the weirdest way, it makes sense. And that the power is not in controling knowledge but in knowing you don't know.
   
   If you let go of judgement, just feel the words, then you are half-way there. Because these words just tell you to be yourself, at all levels. And if you don't trust them then this is part of your own path. Because this is a book for re-membering who you are, not for convincing you of being somebody else nor molding you.



2. 
   I just love this book. I re-read parts of it every time I need some spiritual nurturing. It is organized into 18 chapters on a miriad of topics, such as: tools for walking with spirit, synchronicity, the flow of universal energy, remembering the other side of the veil, and most memorably, the evolution of humanity. Each chapter is subdivided into topics as well, which makes it easy to read in short bursts if you are inclined.
   
   The information is channelled through the author during some fairly prestigious speaking engagements, some in front of the United Nations. The amount of love pouring through from the beings that are being channelled (The Group) is enormous, and the sincerity is obvious. The information is very up-to-date and was mostly new to me, not simply re-hashing of other spiritual authors' works.
   
   I can sincerely say that you will not be disappointed with this book, and I say this after reading 50+ spiritual books, including the classics as well as metaphysical and new age/new thought.



3. Sometimes the day to day grind saps my energy making me a bit cynical and jaded about 'spiritual' matters. Reading spiritually oriented books always helps me maintain a more balanced perspective. For whatever reason, this book was just what the Dr. ordered for my latest bout with spiritual malaise. To be frank, I don't know what to think about 'channeling'. I believe Mr. Rother is sincere and presents a very positive and uplifting take on the current state of the world. He offers a refreshing perspective, and builds a strong case that in the midst of all the trouble and tragedy of modern times there is something of much greater significance going on. That all of humanity is playing it's role (quite admirably it seems) in bringing more light into the dense physical world.
   We all like to think that our lives have some greater meaning and purpose and 'The Group' affirms that this is so. Through our lives, and on our planet, cosmic purposes are unfolding toward the dawning of a new day. It seems we are the cutting edge of evolution. As I neared the end of the book, I found myself feeling inspired, that life is indeed good, and worth all the trouble. It does no harm to believe that humanity's struggle toward greater understanding has repercussions far beyond what is apparent to us in our everyday lives. Is it true? I don't know. But I felt different having read it. I'm all for anything that brings a little more light into the world. Thanks Dan.



4. This is the first book of Steve Rother and the Group that I have read. It is spectacular. I have found at the turn of every page life changing information and empowering tools to implement into ones life. I will be purchasing more books by Steve Rother in the very near future.



5. In our world we are traveling at the speed of light. If you ever had the yearning to just stop and go home, this book will show you the way.

5 comments about The Hawaiian Oracle: Animal Spirit Guides from the Land of Light (Book & Cards).

1. This is the first time an oracle depicting the animal spirit guides of Hawaii have been used in a spiritual guide: any with a special affection for Hawaii will thus find THE HAWAIIAN ORACLE: ANIMAL SPIRIT GUIDES FROM THE LAND OF LIGHT a unique presentation, pairing a 36-card divination deck with a 144-page guidebook. Hawaiian mythology is replete with gods and goddesses and animal life of the islands, so the cards and book are perfect for any who would infuse spirituality with the grace of aloha.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. "Once we knew a great happiness that resonated all around us. We lived in brightness. We knew how to fly and loved our families, which included creatures of the air, land and sea, as well as our spirit families...That land some of us know as Lemuria, and it can be remembered through the magical Hawaiian language and the myths of her creatures." - From the companion book
   
   With its warm beaches, palm trees, vibrant colors, and swaying native dancers, the enchanted land of Hawaii is one of the most visited travel destinations worldwide. Consisting of eight main islands formed by underwater volcanoes, Hawaii became the 50th state of the U.S. in 1959. Despite its popularity, Hawaii happens to be most isolated population center on Earth.
   
   Hawaiian mysticism, known as Huna, is animated by flamboyant gods and goddesses--known as Akua--and many natives look to their aumakua for guidance. According to anthropologist and author Rima Morrell--who holds the world's only Ph.D. in Hawaiian shamanism--the Aumakua are spirits that provide guidance to humans and help us by taking on the body of an animal.
   
   Dedicated to the magical spirit of the Land of Light, The Hawaiian Oracle kit includes a 144-page guidebook and 36 gorgeous divination cards illustrated by Steve Rawlings.. Providing both encouragement and warning, these animal spirit cards represent indigenous creatures that predate white settlers. For each Aumakua, Dr. Morrell presents the Hawaiian name, imagery, keywords, upright and reversed interpretations, complex mythology, and a message of illumination.
   
   Some of the animals found in The Hawaiian Oracle include:
   
   * Albatross
   * Bat
   * Caterpillar
   * Crow
   * Dog
   * Dolphin
   * Frigate Bird
   * Green Turtle
   * Hawaiian Monk Seal
   * Humpback Whale
   * Lizard
   * Octopus
   * Pearl Oyster
   * Rat
   * Sandpiper
   * Spider
   
   The oracle cards consist of beautiful photography, vibrant colors, and digitized enhancements celebrating the spirit of each animal. An easy to use index facilitates finding the card/s chosen for contemplation or divination.
   
   Meticulously researched, The Hawaiian Oracle offers the ancient wisdom of Huna for answering contemporary dilemmas and fostering awareness for the connection of all beings, particularly humans and animals. If you're interested in Hawaiian shamanism and Polynesian mysticism, this tool will likely inform and illuminate.
   
   On a personal note, I found it hard to relate to the text and oracular interpretations, but perhaps this is because I don't resonate with Huna as a spiritual path. However, The Hawaiian Oracle will no doubt delight those fascinated by the spiritual traditions and creatures permeating the enchanted islands of Hawaii.
   
   Note: The information posted here on Amazon is incorrect. There is NO correlation with Tarot in this stand-alone oracle, nor is there a card-for-card comparison with the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. There COULDN'T be, because this 36-card oracle has nothing to do with a standard Tarot deck.
   
   (To see 10 images from The Hawaiian Oracle, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)
   
   Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)



3. "You were once there -- and there you are returning."
   
   This is the feeling that lights inside me every time I pick up these beautiful cards or read an excerpt from the accompanying book. Each card is a shamanic journey unto itself, containing layers of color and mystery that are slowly revealed, as the great remembering takes place. This is the deck I was seeking and I am slowly, respectfully, getting to know the cards and their deep meanings. It is like re-acquainting myself with trusted old soul-friends.
   
   My personal favorite and a permanent resident of my shamanic altar is Kohola, the humpback whale card. Kohola is about following the true song of your soul. Having journeyed with Kohola, I was delighted to find that what is given in the accompanying book matched my experience almost exactly; it takes great courage and belief in your divine path, to seek the ancient call that is Kohola. The rewards of this journey are infinitely worthwhile, and this Great and Honored One will be a vital part of the new book I am writing [untitled, as yet]. Kohola is of the deep, and of the old knowledge; the knowledge and wisdom of Huna that is filtering divine light into our consciousness at this pivotal time in our history.
   
   The other resident of my shamanic altar is Kala, the surgeonfish. The gift of Kala is forgiveness. I had chosen this card when I received the deck as a gift for my birthday last March. This card talks about family ties and the conflicts that arise that must be forgiven. At that time, there were many conflicts within my birth family, so the oracle really hit the mark. The accuracy of this card and the advice given were divinely guided; my mom crossed over in April, bringing any and all conflicts within the family into a new light and new perspective. Forgiveness is the true path to harmony with All Our Relations and I keep this card on my altar as a reminder of this fact.
   
   This deck continues to inspire me daily. As I meditate with each card, light filters through the vibrant colors used in the artwork, and a sense of wonderment is reawakened that I hadn't realized I have been missing for a very long time. Thank you, Dr. Morrell, for this rainbow.
   
   Walk in Beauty
   Louisa StrongBear, author of Journey By Night: A Solitary Journey
   Journey By Night: A Solitary Journey



4. These cards are beautiful and original! The accompanying book gives card info as well as mythical background and stories on each. I did some readings for my friends and they were perfect!



5. This is a relatively new deck to my tarot and oracle arsenal but it's a unique flavor and really does capture the spirit of Hawaii.
   
   The booklet is set up nicely. There are the animals (some of which are listed by another reviewer), followed by the Challenge, The Way Through, and the Gift of the card, and then the subtitles of Imagery, Interpretations (for upright and reversed), the mythology and the illumination. Very thorough and poetic. You can simply read the interpretation if you don't wish to read the mythology and other info every time.
   
   I generally don't pull more than a couple cards. The cards are potent and I find with oracle decks that a dab will do ya! They don't seem to function in quite the way that tarot cards do. You COULD use them in a larger spread but I prefer a smaller reading with these.

2 comments about Bow to Life: 365 Secrets from the Martial Arts for Daily Life.

1. This is an excellent book, which is easy and simple to read on a daily basis. It is peaceful and helpful in providing the mindset that is the foundation of martial arts, helping the reader to remember the important philosophical and mental aspect/purpose behind the physical activity. I recommend it highly, particularly for those like me who live a hectic and fastpaced life.



2. This is a fabulous book for the person striving to continue improving their life. Beautifully designed to take in one lesson a day, Bow to Life uses Karate training as a metaphor for life. No need to have ever entered a dojo to gain insights from this book, but if you have, you will undoubtably deepen your understandings.