The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Spirit Speaker: A Medium's Guide to Death and Dying
Salicrow
Destiny Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644117286, $16.99, PB, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Speaker-Mediums-Guide-Death/dp/1644117282

Synopsis: We are all curious about the mystery of death. Whether facing our=
own, assisting a loved one in their last days, or grieving the loss of som= eone dear to us, we all have questions about dying and what happens to our = soul after we depart physical form.

With the publication of "Spirit Speaker: A Medium's Guide to Death and Dyin= g", psychic medium Salicrow provides a compassionate and straightforward gu= ide to the spiritual process of dying and what happens after death as she a= nswers the most common questions asked by her clients over her decades of w= ork as a spirit speaker.

Seeking to normalize the spiritual aspects of end-of-life care, Salicrow ex= plains how active dying exists outside of normal reality, in a state in whi=
ch the dying person and their caregivers often experience a heightened stat=
e of consciousness. Describing how the spirit is separate from the body and=
continues to exist after death, she shares thought-provoking stories of sp= irit contact and synchronicities that occurred for those actively involved =
in the dying process.

Salicrow also reveals how these encounters are common and act as guideposts=
along the journey into death, helping to ease the transition. She offers s= imple techniques for helping loved ones who are stuck or struggling to cros=
s over and shares practices designed to help honor our beloved dead and dev= elop living relationships with our ancestral spirits.

Presenting an outline of what may be experienced during the dying process a=
nd beyond, Salicrow explores the time when a soul is actively dying or rece= ntly departed. She explains the multiple ways spirits reach out to communic= ate with us and provides a deep understanding of the signs, symbols, and se= nsations that spirits use to contact us as well as ways to strengthen that = connection. She also explores challenging situations such as suicide, murde=
r, and healing unresolved issues with the dead.

Crafted through years of spirit communication sessions, this guide details = how the spirit world works while revealing the beauty, healing, and love th=
at exist in death.

Critique: A fascinating, informative, and thought-provoking read, "Spirit S= peaker: A Medium's Guide to Death and Dying" is an extraordinary metaphysic=
al treatise on the sensitive subject of death and dying from the perspectiv=
e of a an experienced psychic medium. Exceptionally well written, organized=
and presented, "Spirit Speaker" is unreservedly recommended for personal, = professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collecti= ons. It should be noted that "Spirit Speaker" is also readily available in =
a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Salicrow (https://www.salicrow.com) is a natural psychic me= dium who weaves the traditions of her Irish Traveler and Blackfoot heritage=
with modern magical techniques. For more than 30 years she has worked as a=
spirit channel, seer, and intuitive healer, offering readings and teaching=
workshops throughout the United States and internationally. She is also th=
e author of The Path of Elemental Witchcraft.

Crystals: An In Focus Workbook
Regina M. Bresler
Wellfleet Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781577153528, $16.99, PB, 160pp

https://www.amazon.com/Crystals-Focus-Workbook-Personal-Workbooks/dp/157715= 3529

Synopsis: To metaphysical students and practitioners, crystals are tangible=
energy stores that can help you navigate and master your body, mind, and s= pirit. For beginners to wielding crystal energies, "Crystals: An In Focus W= orkbook: A Personal Guide to the Power of Crystals" is hands-on workbook co= mprising a collection of accessible and enriching exercises that will teach=
you the basics of crystals and crystal healing.

This instruction manual explores: The meaning of colors; The basics of ener=
gy and spiritual healing; Tools for crystal healing, including meditation a=
nd chakra work; Methods for crystal grids and rituals.

With easy-to-follow exercises and meditations, journaling prompts, and acti= vities, all accompanied by calming full-color illustrations, "Crystals: An =
In Focus Workbook" is an uplifting and inspiring introduction to energy hea= ling.

Critique: An ideal DIY combination of instruction guide and 'how-to' manual=
this large (8.35 x 0.7 x 11 inches) paperback edition of "Regina Bresler's=
Crystals: An In Focus Workbook: A Personal Guide to the Power of Crystals"=
from Wellfleet Press is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and pre= sentation -- making it an invaluable and highly recommended acquisition for=
both the novice crystal users and the non-professional 'crystal curious'.

Editorial Note #1: Regina M. Bresler is a writer and researcher, lifelong B= rooklynite, and firm believer that, if you look hard enough, you can find m= agic in anything. An early interest in beading and jewelry has kept her car= pets seeded in crystal chips and her curiosity for the elements alive and w= ell.

Editorial Note #2: The In Focus Workbooks series from Wellfleet Press prese= nts hands-on introductions to a wide range of mystical topics. The exercise=
s in each book offer enlightening activities, guided journal prompts, and o= pportunities to practice newfound skills in disciplines such as tarot readi=
ng and chakra healing in the real world. With full-color interiors and beau= tiful illustrations, the In Focus Workbooks are attractive, practical, and = fun guides for newcomers to the mystical arts.

Crystal Basics Pocket Encyclopedia
Nicholas Pearson
Destiny Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644115039, $19.99, PB, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Basics-Pocket-Encyclopedia-Energetic/dp/1644= 115034

Synopsis: With the publication of "Crystal Basics Pocket Encyclopedia: The = Energetic, Healing, and Spiritual Power of 450 Gemstones", Nicholas Pearson=
offers a quick-start guide for working with crystals as well as a full-col=
or A-to-Z compendium of the healing properties of 450 crystals, rocks, mine= rals, and fossils.

Covering the basics of crystal healing, Pearson explores why crystals work,=
how to select stones, safe and effective cleansing methods, and hands-on t= echniques and practices to harness the power of rocks and gems to transform=
your life. He also looks at how to charge crystals and program them for sp= ecific purposes, and he examines crystal correspondences with planetary, as= trological, and elemental energies.

This encyclopedia of crystals includes familiar ones like agate, calcite, r= ose quartz, and hematite as well as rarer and more unusual crystals, such a=
s phenakite, cavansite, and yooperlite -- as well as some of which have nev=
er before appeared before in print. Each entry features a beautiful color p= hoto of the stone and defines its physical, psychological, and spiritual he= aling properties and its corresponding chakra, element, planet, and zodiac = sign.

Pearson also looks at the geological nature of each stone, such as its hard= ness and crystal structure, enabling you to explore the connections between=
mineral science and the metaphysics of crystal healing.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, "Crystal Ba= sics Pocket Encyclopedia: The Energetic, Healing, and Spiritual Power of 45=
0 Gemstones" by crystal and gemstone expert Nicholas Pearson is profusely i= llustrated and enhanced with a full color photo and an informative commenta=
ry for each one of 450 different gemstones/crystals. The highly portable si=
ze (4.5 x 0.7 x 5.25 inches, 8.6 ounces) makes the "Crystal Basics Pocket E= ncyclopedia" from Destiny Books an especially useful and unreservedly recom= mended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library = Metaphysical Studies and Crystal Divination collections. It should be noted=
for personal reading lists and use that "Crystal Basics Pocket Encyclopedi=
a" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Nicholas Pearson (https://theluminouspearl.com) has been im= mersed in all aspects of the mineral kingdom for nearly 30 years. As one of=
the leading voices in crystal healing today, he offers a unique blend of s= cience and spirituality alongside a grounded, practical approach to working=
with crystals.

Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness & Light
Meister Eckhart, author
Jon M. Sweeney, author
Marks S. Burrows, author
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker St., Ste. 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.hrpub.com
9781642970456, $16.95, PB, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Meister-Eckharts-Book-Darkness-Light/dp/164297045X

Synopsis: Meister Eckhart (1260 - 1328) was a priest, a mystic, and nearly =
a heretic (he died before the Church court's verdict). In recent centuries,=
the Roman Catholic establishment has rehabilitated him, and the late John = Paul II spoke of his work with fondness.

Meister Eckhart has been a huge figure in spirituality for more than eight = hundred years. Many spiritual leaders such as Eckhart Tolle, Richard Rohr, = and Matthew Fox have credited Eckhart as being an important influence on th= eir thought.

"Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness & Light: Meditations on the Path of the=
Wayless Way" is comprised of Meister Eckhart meditations and especially co= mmended to the attention of people seeking the "wayless way".

It is not for those looking for a simple path. These fresh, stunning render= ings of Eckhart's writings in poetic form bring life to one of the great sp= iritual voices of any age. They reveal what it means to love God and find m= eaning in darkness. Not darkness in general, but your darkness, because it =
is the one thing you know something about -- without facing your darkness, = you'll never know what it means to desire the light. Only when you are in t=
he darkness, Meister says, do you have even the possibility of seeing the l= ight.

Critique: Thanks to co-authors Jon M. Sweeney and Mark S. Burrows, "Meister=
Eckhart's Book of Darkness & Light: Meditations on the Path of the Wayless=
Way" will prove to be of particular appeal to readers with an interest in = Mysticism, Christian Theology, and Religious Poetry. While also readily ava= ilable for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99),=
"Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness & Light: Meditations on the Path of th=
e Wayless Way" is an outstanding and unreservedly recommended addition to p= ersonal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies=
collections.

Editorial Note #1: Jon M. Sweeney (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_M._Swe= eney) is an independent scholar, critic, and writer. Several of his books h= ave become History Book Club, BOMC, and QPB selections. His book, The Pope = Who Quit, was optioned by HBO. He served as an editor at Jewish Lights and = Paraclete Press and is currently editor-at-large at Orbis Books. He lives i=
n Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Editorial Note #2: Mark S. Burrows (http://www.msburrows.com/about-mark-bur= rows) is a poet, translator, and professor of religion and literature at th=
e Protestant University of Applied Sciences in Bochum, Germany. His poetry = has appeared in Poetry, The Cortland Review, Southern Quarterly, Weavings, = and a number of other periodicals.

Water Alchemy Oracle: A 40-Card Deck and Guidebook
Alexandra Wenman, author
Aveliya Savina, illustrator
Findhorn Press
www.findhornpress.com
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644117309, $25.00, Card Deck, 144pp,

https://www.amazon.com/Water-Alchemy-Oracle-40-Card-Guidebook/dp/1644117304

Synopsis: Water is the most sacred element on our planet. It is everywhere,=
within us and around us, and without it there can be no life. As a spiritu=
al element, water is closely linked with our emotional world and the powers=
of intuition as well as being aligned with divine feminine wisdom. By work= ing with the energies of water, we can discover healing, transformation, gu= idance, miracles, and the manifestation of our dreams.

With the publication of the 40-card deck and guide divinatory oracle book, = "Water Alchemy Oracle: A 40-Card Deck and Guidebook" Alexandra Wenman takes=
you on an alchemical journey to work with the healing wisdom of water to e= nhance your intuition, bring more fluidity and flexibility into your daily = life, and offer personal healing energies to the polluted and damaged water= ways of our world.

The 40 high-vibration full-color cards by artist/illustrator Aveliya Savina=
focus on water elements from nature, such as waterfalls, lakes, mist, ice,=
and sacred water sites, each beautifully illustrated with a water scene fe= aturing magical beings, such as nymphs, mermaids, undines, goddesses, devas=
, and other deities.

The accompanying guidebook offers a detailed interpretation of each card, e= xplaining the healing and cleansing properties of each sacred body of water=
along with a channeled message and guidance from the water beings, Guardia= ns, Angels, and Councils of Light.

"Water Alchemy Oracle" also provides engaging exercises, practical rituals,=
and manifesting techniques to explore the powerful practice of Sacred Wate=
r Alchemy, a spiritual process to help you understand the depth and range o=
f your emotions, purify your lower self, reunite with your divine self, rev= eal your spiritual gifts, and create miracles.

Critique: Of special appeal to anyone with an interest in New Age Channelin=
g, personal transformation, and angel/spirit guides, "Water Alchemy Oracle"=
is a unique, beautifully designed, thoroughly 'user friendly', effective, = and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and professional Metaphys= ical Studies and Oracle Card collections.

Editorial Note #1: Alexandra Wenman (https://www.alexandrawenman.com) is a = gifted angel communicator, spiritual alchemist, channel, healer, poet, and = presenter. The author of Archangel Fire Oracle and Archangel Alchemy Healin=
g, she is the creator of The Alexandra Wenman Show on YouTube. Alexandra li= ves in London.

Editorial Note #2: Aveliya Savina is an artist and illustrator whose inspir= ing graphic design compositions range from cartoons to realism. She lives i=
n Santiago, Chile.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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