Cygnus Review Spring 2019

Spring 2019, Issue 1

www.cygnusreview.com

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

An Invitation to Creativity The Transformative Power of Shame

by Dr Joseph Burgo

Personal Stories of Breakthrough from Wendy Erlick and Tony Christie

How to Live with Air Pollution

by Gary Fuller

KELLY NOTARAS helps you with The Book You Were Born to Write

NEW

BOOK & DECKS FROM

❖ Edward Espe Brown ❖ Diana Cooper ❖ Michael Neill ❖ Kyle Gray

Plus!

❖ Cygnus Community News ❖ Directory of Cygnus Cafés

EDITOR’S LETTER

From Inspiration to Transformation

I

am very pleased to include in this spring issue an attractive new edition of the Findhorn Classic Encounters With Nature Spirits by R Ogilvie Crombie. It’s an enjoyable account of a solitary mystic’s encounter with a faun and with the great god Pan in the everyday streets and gardens of Edinburgh. Roc, as he was known, had been studying the esoteric for a long time, but these crucial lifetransforming meetings did not take place until he was in his sixties.

It must be a blessing to have these moments “when the veil parts” and you glimpse a reality that is completely different from the everyday. Maybe it doesn’t dispel all possible doubts regarding an esoteric reality– I think I have written before that we might have to accept doubt as part of the human condition – but these moments are precious and I think it’s our duty where possible to tell people about them and encourage them on their paths, whenever we are blessed enough to have these experiences.

We should be on that path because it’s the right thing to do. Because it’s a path of love, kindness and generosity; because we are working with the universe and its unquestionable “will to good”. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to glimpse the supernatural

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or even to witness a miracle, but that has to be treated as a bonus, and as a rare gift. Please also bear in mind that you can sometimes only recognize the miraculous in retrospect, after the event.

That’s why books like these are so important. They too are gifts from people who have done the hard work, who have a constructive lesson to pass on, or who might even have a miracle to tell us about. We should cherish them, read them slowly and absorb every last drop of energy from them. Make them special, make life itself special.

I have so many books and other materials to look through, and I get blasé all the time. There are books that I pick up with almost unbearable excitement, and which fifteen minutes later are just part of a stack on my shelves. I try not to take anything for granted but that takes constant effort. Yet it’s something we should be striving to do every minute of the day.

The IKEA adverts on television have as their catchphrase “The Wonderful Everyday”. I think that their intentions are ultimately different, but they have a point, that greyness and predictability have to be transcended consciously and even mindfully in every moment.

Even though there are also times when I would like the Everyday to be some kind of distant memory!

I do think that all the books that follow are incredibly valuable, but there’s another one I would like to highlight – Conscious Creativity by Philippa Stanton. It’s a book that’s saturated with joy and colour. It’s full of techniques, tips, stories and wonderful images that can inspire us to be creative and take joy in our surroundings. Look around you and remember those items, those books, pictures, films, meals that inspired you once and you then moved on from – they can inspire you again. Remember those little moments when you said to yourself “Now I can change…now I can do that daring thing that I know will make me happy… now that risk doesn’t look quite so scary”.

I was at an exhibition in London recently devoted to the Italian architect Renzo Piano, who designed the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the

‘Don’t just wait for the muse to visit.’

Shard in London. Being an architect must be thrilling: you are part builder, part poet and part alchemist. In the film shown there he says with passion, “To be creative, you have to decide to be creative”. That’s it. Don’t just wait for the muse to visit, or for the stars to be properly aligned in the heavens.

Do it now, and transform that everyday moment. It doesn’t matter if you think life has passed you by; I don’t think that the universe could care less how old you might be! But just don’t “settle”, and don’t give up on the adventure.

In the end, creativity and spirituality are so closely related as to at times be one and the same thing. Keep your spirit vibrant and look for inspiration.

And also cherish these gifts that other brave and diligent souls have passed on to us, because there are lessons they can teach that might otherwise have been too difficult for us to learn on our own. Finally, keep in mind that we are all in this together!

Adam

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A BUTTERFLY IN NOVEMBER AND SATURN RETURNS BY WENDY ERLICK

W

hen a client commissions a reading in Watkins Books, my first question is “What brings you here and how would you like to feel when you leave?” In their answers I notice a common theme: they are caught in the In-Between and seeking insight or reassurance. In the In-Between they do not feel clearly grounded and I understand that part of my job is to offer them realignment and insight.

Like anyone else I am not immune to restlessness when I notice that I too am out of alignment. However I have now learnt that if I ask Spirit clearly enough I can get profound insight in unexpected and even humorous ways. I learnt this lesson recently on a grey Saturday in November 2018 that reminded me of the opening words of Jane Eyre, “There was no possibility of taking a walk that day”. Although the veil between worlds is thin in November I found myself feeling disconnected and worst of all incapable of helping anyone back into alignment.

On this Saturday, I was rummaging through my shabby handbag looking for my strip of daily contact lenses, but they just weren’t there. My muchloved handbag was falling apart and I needed something larger that would hold my laptop and leave room for those strips of contact lenses without them getting lost! I resigned myself to being grounded for two days until the new lenses arrived in the post. This added to my already bad mood and to my feeling of disconnect from Spirit because without my lenses I might not be able to drive to London to do my most beloved Tuesday Watkins shift.

I asked my personal Angel CB “What’s happening? Why do I feel disconnected?” Immediately, I heard a rustling and saw a beautiful butterfly beating its wings at the window trying to get out. I let it out; I then clearly heard my Angel, “Leave your work for now. Have one day of complete rest.

You could go to Kingsbridge?” I was surprised and truthfully not keen to go to Kingsbridge. The voice though was clear and insistent so I loaded my dog, Flo, into the car.

As I wandered through Kingsbridge

A subtle return to alignment something caught my eye through a charity shop window: an unused dinner set identical to that of my childhood home. Despite the roughness of my childhood and the estrangement I had with my mother, the engraved set reminded me that she has always tried to encourage me and to instill beauty in our lives. I walked into the shop to buy the set and there by the till was my perfect bag! Its label read Saturn Arts and Fashion.

Happily, I bought the dinner set and bag. When I got home, I telephoned my mother and told her that I had our family dinner set as a gift for her.

We had a good conversation for the

first time in months and there was mutual appreciation since I had found something positive to reminisce on from my childhood.

Curiosity to know the cost of my new bag led me to Google the label Saturn Arts & Fashion. I couldn’t find the price, but of course I ran across a mention of Saturn Returns and suddenly I understood my disconnect from the Spirit. I am 58 and therefore undergoing my second Saturn Return (which happens every 29.5 years). No wonder I had felt restless! Of course things were going to change… With this knowledge the ground beneath my feet became firm again.

Finally, I transferred the contents of my old bag to my new bag and discovered the missing strip of contact lenses despite checking so thoroughly earlier. I could go to London after all! I knew then that there are many wondrous ways of receiving messages loud and clear. Being back into realignment never felt better.

• Wendy Jane Erlick is an Intuitive Coach and Angel Channeller and author of A Gift of An Angel. Wendy is based in Devon but works from Watkins Books every Tuesday (call 0207 836 2182 to book) and by Skype all over the world. She may be contacted by email wendyjaneerlick@gmail.com.

Wendy is currently writing a new book about Spiritual Journeys called Walking the Broken Road; to be published in July 2019.

THE WAY OF GRACE by Miranda Macpherson

“Grace is way more than a beautiful state that fills our hearts with gratitude. Grace is the unchanging ground of our being…”

Many of us struggle to truly live what we believe spiritually. In The Way of Grace spiritual teacher Miranda Macpherson gently shows how closing the gap between our belief and our actions is not accomplished through maximum effort, but instead by spiritual surrender and non-dual realization based on the practice of ego relaxation. Macpherson expertly guides the reader on a journey of self-discovery; inspiring the compassion and patience to let ego give way to lightness, freedom and happiness. This is a must read for any spiritual person seeking the transformative power of ego relaxation in their life.

Essential Spring reading

240pp, 229 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290139 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member Price: £10.50

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THE INVISIBLE KILLER BY GARY FULLER

H

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We can’t take our air for granted people’s health. I still lead the London network, the largest urban network in Europe. Over the last twenty-five years I have tracked changes in the air that Londoners breathe, given evidence to government and worked alongside health researchers and air pollution scientists from around the world. I have measured how London’s industrial pollution and problems with petrol cars have been replaced by diesel car pollution and home wood-burning. Around the world many people look to London’s low emission zone as an example of action to control the problem, but if it is so effective then why are Londoners still suffering from poor air? Writing this book has allowed me to explore the

real, global problem of air pollution.

Expanding beyond my London base I will take you from Paris and Los Angeles to India and New Zealand in a bid to understand modern air pollution. The smogs in London and Los Angeles, Scandinavian forest dieback, the Volkswagen scandal and the recent pollution problems across southeast Asia have all prompted steps to clean our air. We will be exploring the impact that air pollution has on our health; the complex shifting political agenda of air pollution control; the tension between public health and government regulation; and the simple, yet crucial, denial of any problem in the first place. There are huge injustices at the heart of the air pollution problem. By using our air to dispose of their waste, polluters are destroying a shared resource and avoiding the full cost of their actions. They leave all of us who breathe poor air to pay the price through our health and taxes. …

This book starts in medieval London. We will follow the evolution of the way in which we understand the air around us and the warning signs that were ignored. In the 1950s, the deaths of around 12,000 people in the London smog and the eyestinging Los Angeles air finally brought about concerted actions to control air pollution, which we will explore in the book. We will then focus on the challenges that we face today to ensure that our air is fit to breathe.

Join me on a journey from the smogs of the past and present to the hopefully cleaner air of the future.

THE INVISIBLE KILLER by Gary Fuller

In this timely book Fuller guides the reader through the history and ever-rising threat of air pollution. He examines everything from LA’s traffic problem to wood-burning damage in New Zealand and takes an in-depth look at VW’s diesel scandal. It goes on to explain how we can “fight back” against air pollution and sets out concrete changes needed to alter our global health.

Fuller passionately believes that the future of our air is reliant on cities and governments taking the threat of air pollution seriously and implementing changes now. This book is a thrilling read, both terrifyingly and fascinatingly showing the future of our global society. Dr Fuller is an air pollution scientist at King’s College London and is a government advisory group member.

224pp, 216 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290126 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member Price: £9.99

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Copyright Melville House UK 2018

umans can live for three weeks without food and three days without water – but only three minutes without air. Yet we simply take our air for granted. It’s always there. It’s everywhere. The air pollution that we breathe has changed a great deal over the centuries. It is largely invisible to us but it is having a significant impact on our health and the health of our children.

More than 90 per cent of the world’s population is exposed to air pollution concentrations that exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Globally, four and a half million people died pre-maturely from particle and ozone pollution in 2015. So why don’t we understand air pollution better? And how have we allowed it to build to the crisis we find today?

The face of air pollution has changed. Modern air pollution does not look like the thick black industrial smoke from the past.

London’s international reputation as the world’s most polluted city, beset with pea-souper smog, has been passed to Beijing. We are all familiar with images of Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium and the Forbidden City shrouded in haze and the city’s residents wearing protective masks.

Despite this coverage in the news, Beijing does not head the WHO list of the world’s most polluted cities. It was 56th in 2016 and dropped to 187th in 2017. Of the worst fifty, the vast majority are in East Asia: twenty-four cities are in India, eight are in China, three in Iran and three in Pakistan.

Six of the worst fifty are in the Middle East, including four in Saudi Arabia.

At the other end of the scale we find small towns in Iceland, Canada, the US and Scandinavia are some of the cleanest. There are some large cities near the bottom of the list too; including Vancouver and Stockholm, showing that air pollution is not an inevitable part of city life.

As an air pollution scientist at King’s College London, my research has focused on the sources of urban air pollution and how these affect

Psychology — BOOK REVIEWS YOU CAN THRIVE AFTER NARCISSISTIC ABUSE

by Melanie Tonia Evans

Although it was an almost unknown term a few years ago, narcissistic abuse now seems to be reaching epidemic proportions. Not that it is anything new, rather it is at last being recognised and understood. The author’s message, that you can thrive and not just survive, comes from her own intense experiences. She quotes scientific research which shows that trauma can cause the condition, as well as faulty maternal care, and it is also a condition that can be inherited from traumatised parents, such as holocaust survivors. It is not easy to recognise narcissism in a partner, or to recognise oneself as someone who can attract such a partner, especially when deeply embroiled in an abusive and toxic relationship. Part Two of this book contains exercises to get to the root of pain and start to release the trauma to gain inner freedom.

272pp, 215 x 136 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290145 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

SUPERCOACH by Michael Neill

From the writer and teacher that Paul McKenna calls “the finest success coach in the world today” comes a tenth anniversary edition of Supercoach, with revised and updated content. Many of us believe in a spiritual approach to life, but most of us still need practical lessons on day-to-day “living”. In this respect Michael is one of the best – his book is full of practical exercises and he is direct and to-the-point – but he is also a compassionate and wise teacher.

There are also many stories and lists. The book is easy to read and understand – it’s an ideal jump-start for getting your life back underway.

256pp, 215 x 134 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290106 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member Price: £7.50

THE MIRACLE CLUB

by Mitch Horowitz

Paying homage to the esoteric seekers of the nineteenth century, this book dives deep into the roots of spiritual wish fulfilment, or positive thinking, and strives to show what really works and what doesn’t to impact reality. Horowitz decisively begins this book by declaring mind metaphysics works and then takes the reader on a journey to demonstrate and explain how we each possess a creative agency to determine and reshape our lives. Even if you come to this book with scepticism you will leave it with a deeper understanding of the power positive thinking has had through history and can have on the personal level. This is a truly fascinating read with potential to help you reap incredibly positive results in your own life.

192pp, 227 x 153 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290121 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member Price: £7.50

THE HANDBOOK FOR HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE by Mel Collins

Being highly sensitive can make it difficult to live in the modern busy world, and other people may be very unsympathetic. Here an experienced psychotherapeutic counsellor looks at the qualities and challenges of being highly sensitive. Experiences can be overwhelming and emotions are felt strongly and deeply, travel and some work environments can prove challenging. But this trait is also a gift, bringing high levels of empathy, intuition and honesty, often with healing and psychic abilities. This guide offers help to reconnect with the authentic self and get needs met by providing strategies and ways of self-protection. The desired outcomes from following this guide are inner harmony and physical, emotional and mental balance, states which can be hard to achieve for anyone, especially those who are highly sensitive.

208pp, 197 x 127 mm, Paperback, 2019, RRP £9.99

❖ Code: 290153 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member £5.99

THE CREATION FREQUENCY

by Mike Murphy

This slim volume promises to deliver a powerful seven-week programme for creating the life of your dreams. The author is a man who turned his own life around and wants to share the secret of how he did it.

There is probably nothing new here, just the advice we have heard about and ignored or failed to take on board in the past. But if the time has come for you to really engage with positive change, this compact manual is a good companion and mentor. All the best tips for turning failure into success and negative to positive are lined up. The law of attraction, a clear view of what you want to achieve, love, good health, generosity, it’s all here in a hard-hitting format. For those truly and powerfully motivated this is a book to have close by as it really could help you transform your life.

200pp, 202 x 127 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290136 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.98 ❖ Member: £8.99

THIS IS FOR YOU by Ellen M Bard

We know self-care is important, and even if we often forget to include it on the long list of what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis, we know that we should. But doesn’t that just increase the pressure? To know that we must? Ellen M Bard thought so, and so she’s created this gorgeous guide for you.

Part journal, part instructional guide, this book displays 101 short creative exercises to allow you to fit in moments of self care in your life in a way that suits you. You don’t have to drift along on everyone else’s expectations; you can proactively build a life on your own values and focus on what’s important to you. And this book is a great place to start.

SAVE 40%

160pp, 194 x 147 mm, Paperback, 2019, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290147 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

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BOOK REVIEWS — Card Decks

ATTRACTING ABUNDANCE

by Jane Struthers

Our universe is already filled with the desires of our hearts and we can attract these desires into our lives by purposefully focusing on them. This beautiful cosmic themed deck includes four suits that help you focus on particular areas of your life: love and relationships; career and prosperity; health and wellbeing; and spiritual growth.

Accompanying the cards is a guide explaining the ways to conduct readings and set your intentions using the cards. Whether you are looking for focused mediation guides or a way to harness positive energy in your life this deck will inspire you and help you become more in touch with the limitless potential of our universe.

16pp, 52 Cards, 143 x 105 mm, Boxed Set, 2019, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 290149 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member: £10.99

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THE WILD OFFERING ORACLE

by Tosha Silver

This gorgeous, floral 52 card deck is designed to encourage you to experiment with the Wild Offering: offering all to the Divine with complete and utter abandon. Following yogic philosophy, this deck promotes problem solving through surrender and release. Each card is unique, offering a prayer that is meant for you in the moment. The deck can be used as an oracle where the Divine guides you to a specific card or you can use it for simple reminders to carry with you or meditate on. Tosha Silver is known for finding fresh, humorous and practical ways of teaching that avoid clichés and dogma and the deck perfectly embodies this lightness. It is a great deck for anyone needing some prayers and lightness in their life.

52 Cards, 142 x 101 mm, Boxed Set, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290115 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

CHAKRA MEDITATIONS

by Swami Saradananda

This vibrant 49 card deck is an invaluable companion for any yogi looking to tap into their full potential energy. There are 7 cards for each of the 7 main energy centres of the body.

Each card offers a practical guide to rebalancing your energy, guiding your meditation, and visualizing your balance. The accompanying booklet describes each chakra’s healing function and how to tell if your chakra is out of balance at any level. These cards are indispensible for every level of yoga practitioner from novice to expert, looking to enhance their mind-body-spirit balance and be in touch with their fully energized self.

16pp, 49 Cards, 143 x 105 mm, Boxed Set, 2019, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 290150 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member: £9.99

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SAVE 37%

SHAME BY DR JOSEPH BURGO

Copyright Watkins Publishing 2019

I

magine yourself at a social gathering with people you recently met and whose company you enjoy. Conversation is lively; everybody appears to be having a good time. When another guest makes a comment that reminds you of a funny story you once heard, you take advantage of the natural opening and begin to recount it. Because you remember how much you laughed when you first heard the story, you look forward to sharing your enjoyment with these new friends.

As you glace from face to face, anticipating their laughter, you finally reach the conclusion of your story.

Silence.

After a moment somebody says, “Oh, I see—that’s funny.” Still, no one laughs.

You suddenly feel yourself blushing as your face goes hot. You glace down and avoid making eye contact with any of the other guests. You feel briefly confused, your thoughts unfocused and disorderly. You wish you’d never told the story and that you could disappear. When another guest changes the subject and conversation moves on, you feel relieved that group attention has shifted, and you soon recover. No more than seven or eight seconds have passed since you finished your story.

What is the name of the emotion you felt when that story fell flat?

If I tell you that you felt a type of shame, you’ll probably object by saying, “That’s not shame, that’s embarrassment.” Most people react this way when I use the world shame to describe such an experience. They might insist there’s no reason to feel shame about something so minor. Everyone occasionally tells a joke that turns out to be a dud. Embarrassing, of course, but nothing to feel ashamed about.

Yet, from Darwin onward, researchers who study biology of emotion widely agree that the mental and physiological symptoms you experienced during those awkward seconds unambiguously denote the emotion of shame. Human beings everywhere, in every culture and on every continent the world over,

The Unexpected Power of Shame experience shame in exactly the same way: gaze aversion, brief mental confusion, and a longing to disappear, usually accompanied by blushing of the face, neck, or chest.

What scientists understand and believe about shame differs broadly from the way a layperson conceives of it. Most people tend to view shame as something big and bad, a toxic emotion we hope never to feel – SHAME written in scary capital letters…

In contrast, researchers who study the emotions, including me, conceive of shame as more varied in nature and not always so imposing—an entire family of emotions, as Léon Wurmser

describes it in The Mask of Shame.

To feel shame can be agonizing or just slightly unpleasant; it might be transient or enduring…

Most preeminent books in the field of popular psychology, some of which you may have read, focus on SHAME as a largely destructive force. This book will introduce you to the entire shame family of emotions (including embarrassment, guilt, and self-consciousness), which are unavoidable aspects of everyday life and not always toxic. You will learn to recognize the ways we typically speak of shame without ever using the word itself. When we say that we feel bad about some aspect of ourselves, for example—our bodies, our behavior, or our failures—we’re usually alluding to some member of the shame family of emotions…

However we respond to it, each and every one of us deals with the shame family of emotions on a daily basis…

As psychoanalyst and shame expert Donald Nathanson has described it, shame in all its varieties “is the hidden power behind much of what occupies us in everyday life.”

To help you enter more fully into this perspective, I invite you to consider and eventually shed a few preconceptions about shame that most of us share. Or perhaps you might reserve those preconceived views for SHAME and make room for a new concept: everyday, ordinary, and inevitable shame.

SHAME by Dr Joseph Burgo

Essential Spring reading

Shame has been pushed to the sidelines in Western culture over recent decades. It is easier to speak of embarrassment or low self-esteem, but shame still plays a crucial role in our development and daily life. It is something that can define a person’s sense of self. Throughout history shame has been a civilizing influence on society and only recently have people fought back against the toxic aspects, such as stigma. Drawing on 35 years’ experience as a psychotherapist, Dr Burgo recounts many stories of guilt, remorse and other emotions that contribute to shame, and he looks at how different people have used their sense of shame as a positive tool for self-knowledge. The book contains a survey to assess your own score when it comes to shame. Using this score, the chapters become a guide to supporting areas that show up as needing attention and exercises to help learn from these.

320pp, 233 x 155 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290152 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.98 ❖ Member: £8.99

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BOOK REVIEWS — Mindfulness and Inspiration

LIFE ON EARTH

by Mike Dooley

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION by Heather Dawn Godfrey

Now in paperback. This comes recommended by Caroline Myss and it’s a rollercoaster ride through metaphysical thought. Demanding but not overwhelming, it’s as if the author has bowed to popular demand and said “Yes, here it is, the world in all its aspects, the key to how to live without illusion”. He asks the questions, the answers come and they add up. Everything is covered – all the big ones – like “What about Karma?” “Is there life after death?” and “And what of fate? Destiny? Angel help?”

You might agree, and that means there’s a lifetime of material to chew upon. You might disagree, but you are left with plenty of stimulating material.

It’s a bracing ride!

Most people know how pleasant the pure aromas of essential oils are, perhaps as drops in a bath or supporting a massage. But here we explore more deeply, learning how they support meditation and develop mindful awareness. This is not a new idea, references are found in many ancient texts concerning oils to support prayer and ritual. Here a useful table shows which parts of the brain individual oils are drawn to and the outcomes produced. This book would be particularly useful to those who already have an established meditation practice and wish to incorporate essential oils to deepen their experiences.

202pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

160pp, 230 x 180 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290104 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

❖ Code: 290119 ❖ Non-Members Price: £8.33 ❖ Members: £7.50

HOW TO BE CONTENT

by Dr Arlene K Unger

These two connected titles by a Californiabased clinical psychologist and wellness coach are attractive enough to be perfect gift books but content-rich enough to make for an ideal New Year New You self-help manual. This one isn’t a heavy philosophical tome, but it’s packed full of wise and constructive tips and techniques for being happier in 2019. Inspirations originate in both Scandinavian lifestyles and Buddhist teachings. None of the suggestions are especially new or ground-breaking, but the whole book with its cheerful drawings and its references to Greek myth and Western fairy tales forms an irresistible invitation to a fresh start.

176pp, 182 x 148 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £9.99

❖ Code: 290128 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member: £6.99

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WHAT’S BEYOND MINDFULNESS?

by Stephen Fulder

MINDFUL THOUGHTS FOR COOKS by Julia Ponsonby

We all know about mindfulness by now – it has become a daily practice for many and has even been incorporated into schools and healthcare. But what’s the next step? Well, this book will show you. Mindfulness is just one of many Buddhist approaches to life and there are others. Each chapter deals with a specific topic, area or question relating to our lives and how they can be seen from the aspect of awakening, allowing you to use the book as a navigation aid to point you to change. Discover how to age wisely, be fulfilled at work, dissolve difficult emotions and generally live a liberated life.

256pp, 216 x 137 mm, Paperback, 2019, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290151 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

Cooking is a necessity of life that is so often rushed by urgent hunger and passed over for quick ready-meals. However, finding the time to cook is not just beneficial for the body to get the most nutrients, but can be used as a space to practise mindfulness.

Schumacher College’s Head of Food Julia Ponsonby has created this compact guide to nourishing the body and soul through your daily cooking. Chapters deal with everything from culinary history to mindful meal making and mealtimes. If you are searching for an area of your life to focus on mindfulness or are just trying to appreciate the value of homemade food in your life then this little book is for you.

160pp, 134 x 114 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £5.99

❖ Code: 290130 ❖ Non-Member Price: £5.00 ❖ Member: £4.50

HOW TO MAKE SPACE

by Dr Arlene K Unger

This title is more specific than the other but is still just as well-designed and fun to flick through. It’s more about looking inwards than outwards, about making a safe and comfortable home rather than striking out boldly and bravely. It’s still just as inspiring, with ideas for rituals around homecoming, having a cup of tea, sowing seeds in the garden or creating a sanctuary. It’s about choosing less, instead of having or achieving more. Again it takes its inspiration from Scandinavian Hygge and Lagom, from Buddhist retreats and Zen rock gardens. It won’t shake you to your foundations with bold new ideas, but will inspire you gently to create a calm and contented life.

176pp, 182 x 148 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £9.99

❖ Code: 290127 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.76 ❖ Member: £6.99

BOOK YOUR AD TODAY ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 ❖ Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk More information: www.cygnusreview.com/pages/advertising

LOOK, CONNECT, CREATE WITH PIPPA STANTON

CONSCIOUS CREATIVITY

by Philippa Stanton

This is a delightful inspiration to creativity, full of clever and witty photographs, which are laden with vivid colour. The author is a professional photographer with 400,000 Instagram followers, whose work has been used by Green and Black’s chocolate and the travel company Tui. Chapter headings include “What Sort of Creative Are You?”, “Texture and Wabi Sabi” and “Atmosphere and Nothing”. The chapters are full of guidance and personal stories, with exercises at the end. And everywhere there are striking photographs of the author’s own work or of amazing scenes she has caught on camera. Whether you have lost your mojo or need some fresh ideas, this portable guide will get you back on your creative track.

160pp, 210 x 162 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

Copyright Leaping Hare Press 2018

SAVE 30%

❖ Code: 290132 ❖ Non-Member: £11.66 ❖ Member: £10.50

"Creativity is about discovering your own ways of working"

ORDER & CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk ❖ Website: www.cygnusreview.com

9

BOOK REVIEWS — Health GOOD MOOD FOOD by Charlotte Watts with Natalie Savona

Although it contains over 70 recipes, this is much more than another cookery book. The food we eat gives us energy and profoundly affects our moods. Unbalanced blood sugar and hormone levels in particular are well known aggravators, but they can respond well to correct nutrition. Stress and anxiety compound a bad situation so practical advice on breathing, exercise and sleeping well are included alongside dietary recommendations. There is a chapter on female hormones which can be responsible for mood swings, particularly around PMS and the menopause. Vitamins, fats and supplements are covered in depth and suggestions for an eating plan supports the message that a solid nutritional framework is necessary to support a long-term sense of good mood. The final analysis of a healthy balanced diet is reduced to four factors: freshness, variety, food in a natural state and plenty of fluids and fibre.

This expertly researched and reader-friendly guide is a life-saver for understanding the ketogenic diet properly. Dr DiNicolantonio and Dr Mercola team up to clarify how dietary fats affect our bodies and how you should be eating for optimal health. They cover all your burning questions about which fats make you lean and which make you fat, the best lesser-known oils and supplements to be taking, and the role societial evolution plays in our diets. Dr DiNicolantonio is a cardiovascualr research scientist and doctor of pharmacy. He has contributed extensivley to health policy and has testified in front of the Canadian Senate on the harmful effects of added sugar. Dr Mercola is a physician and New York Times best-selling author.

Together their expertise and first-hand research will teach you how to perfect your fat intake and optimize your health.

272pp, 235 x 160 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £20.99

320pp, 215 x 135 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290113 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member Price: £11.99

THE CLEANSING POWER OF YOGA

by Swan Saradananda

TIBETAN YOGA FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING by Alejandro Chaoul

❖ Code: 290154 ❖ Non-member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member: £6.50

A yogic lifestyle is much more than the postures that people know as yoga. This guide, created by internationally renowned yoga teacher Swami Saradananda is an introduction to the detoxifying power of kriyas for the modern world. Simply designed and easy to follow, Saradananda explains ways to improve general health and mental wellbeing, reduce stress, and ease anxiety through yoga cleansing. Each chapter includes yoga postures, breathing exercising, mudras, mantras, and visualization in a step-by-step, illustrated format. This guide is perfect for the individual who wants to combat society’s pressure and overconsumption to reduce stress and find balance.

Although yoga has become increasingly popular over the years, much of Tibetan yoga is still little known in the West. The practice involves moving your body in sync with your breath-energy and allowing your mind to settle into that flow, as opposed to static postures. With practice, Tibetan yoga can improve physical strength and increase both emotional and mental health. This book is the culmination of a decade’s work by the author and is a wonderful introduction to the practice. It gives detailed instructions on how to perform the movements, as well as exploring the history of Tibetan yoga through the author’s experiences of daily practices in different cultures.

128pp, 240 x 203 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

160pp, 234 x 164 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290103 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member Price: £7.50

NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTIVIRALS by Christopher Vasey

HOLISTIC REFLEXOLOGY

by Ewald Kliegel

208pp, 209 x 136 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

192pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £16.99

❖ Code: 290144 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.98 ❖ Member Price: £8.99

Christopher Vasey is a Swiss naturopath and author of the bestselling Acid-Alkaline Diet. Here he gives an overview of the immune system and how it functions, and then goes on to explain the effects of disease. He describes the characteristics of 18 different healing oils and tinctures and finally he suggests multiple treatment options for 50 common infections. The text is straightforward and clear and there are no tricky or intimidating aspects to it. It encourages you to take your health into your own hands, and thus avoid treating the body with potentially toxic substances. ❖ Code: 290122 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

10

SUPERFUEL by Dr James DiNicolantonio & Dr Joseph Mercola

This book takes reflexology beyond the hands and feet, and applies the principles to the entire body to help relieve pain and promote healing. It relays how to treat different emotional and physical disorders with a combination of reflexology and complementary therapies, such as essential oils and gemstones, ying-yang massage strokes, Korean hand treatments and craniosacral massage. The book includes more than thirty maps of reflex zones in the body, from head to toe, showing how to tackle deep-seated issues as well as everyday complaints. ❖ Code: 290124 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member: £10.99

BOOK YOUR AD TODAY ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 ❖ Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk More information: www.cygnusreview.com/pages/advertising

FIND YOUR LOCAL CYGNUS CAFÉS AVON, Bath Mari Batholomew 01225 840 889 mari@sulis-health.co.uk BEDS, Luton Jenny Martin 01582 415242 jennym4759@yahoo.co.uk BERKS, Bracknell Ms Debbie Lewis 01344 455 394 BERKS, Upper Basildon Lynne Mitchell 07770 278 080 lpmtll@gmail.com BRISTOL, Bishopston Jane Stott 07788 418 078 janestott070@gmail.com BUCKS, Milton Keynes Nikki Brown 07972 257 004 nikki-nutrimed@hotmail.co.uk CARDIGAN, Llangrannog Amanda Painting 01239 654 699 amandapainting@gmail.com CARMARTHEN Dorothy Morris 01267 267 652 dorothy_morris@hotmail.com CHESHIRE, Chester Lynn Alexander 01244 951 753 lynnalexander@talktalk.net CHESHIRE, Sandbach Karl Grey 07450 499 284 karlgrey@hotmail.co.uk CLEVELAND, Saltburn Kathryn Luczakiewicz 01287 204 400 info@saltburnwellbeingcentre. co.uk CORNWALL, Port Isaac Ann Fanstone 01208 880 300 fanstone@phonecoop.coop

CORNWALL, Penzance Anthea Tounsend 01736 719 606 CORNWALL, Truro Jane Goodall 07967 201 929 janegoodall@live.co.uk CUMBRIA, Penrith Jackie Lewis 07799 884452 jackie.lewis@lewissurveying. com DERBY/NOTTINGHAM David Steare 01332 661 102 david.steare@ntlworld.com DEVON, Barnstaple Mrs Viv Easton 01271 375 303 easton866@btinternet.com DEVON, Paignton Marian Davies 07791 263 840 maridavi100@gmail.com DORSET, Poole Anna Russell 01202 769 859 allthemore97@yahoo.co.uk E AYRSHIRE, Kilmarnock Anita Neilson 07778 923380 anitaneilson61@gmail.com

KENT, Ashford Sylvia Nichols 01233 626 206 viastjames@icloud.com

★ NEW NE ABERDEENSHIRE, Aberdeen Doria Keith 07955 146326 doria@liferoute.co.uk

LANCS, Lytham, St Ann’s Simone Qualter & Andy Cowgill NORFOLK, Kings Lynn 07928 632 976 Amanda Rowe simonequalter@yahoo.co.uk 07786 066761 info@hectorsbarn.co.uk LEICS, Coalville Cheryl Colpman NORTHANTS, Irchester 01530 831 798 Karen Holton cheryl@cherylcolpman.co.uk 07980 770 893 klholton@live.co.uk LINCOLNSHIRE, Horncastle Melissa Bay OXON, Witney 07989 508391 Cindy Gumm countrygardenpets@tiscali.

07525 267 817 co.uk cinjken420@hotmail.com MANCHESTER, Sale Rosemary Plunkett 0161 962 4123 rosieglow3@icloud.com MERSEYSIDE, Liverpool, Woolton Pamela Langley 0151 421 1772 pamelalangley@hotmail.com MERSEYSIDE, Liverpool, Thornton Sue Massey 0151 924 6240 suemassey60@yahoo.com MIDLOTHIAN, Edinburgh Tabora Green 01835 268546 trueharmony@hotmail.co.uk

E SUSSEX, Bexhill on Sea Carol Sargent 01424 217 630 mail@youniquewellbeing.co.uk N YORKS, Scarborough Helen Marriott E SUSSEX, Eastbourne 01723 381 118 Valerie Abl info@fountainscourt.com 01323 726 652 valerie@talentshift.co.uk N YORKS, Selby Val Turner E SUSSEX, Hove 01757 701 571 Simon valdert@btinternet.com 01273 220 159 info@tolcentre.com N YORKS, Whitby Daphne Wright ISLE OF WIGHT, Shanklin 01947 602 425 Kate Stuart daphnewright05@gmail.com 07957 909 566 redfox_1@btinternet.com

RHONDDA, Pontyprith Louisa Mills cygnuscaferct@aol.co.uk.

ROSSHIRE, Conon Bridge Shenagh Leiper 07721 656 668 leipershenagh@gmail.com SHROPSHIRE, Ironbridge Romella Jones 01952 881 151 cariadtherapies@outlook.com SOMERSET, Taunton Robin Littman 01278 671 679 Robin@resource-me.com S GLOS, Thornbury Trisha Seward 0117 962 1661 trishaseward@talktalk.net S YORKS, Doncaster Sandra Edwards 07773 173 919 sandra579@btinternet.com SOUTH LAKES, Cumbria Catherine Hunt 07957 861408 hello@ primewellbeingfoundation.com

STAFFS, Tamworth Jo Greaves 07738 216429 jo.greaves2017@gmail.com SURREY, Caterham Chris Osborn 01737 551 459 chrisosborn612@gmail.com SURREY, Guildford, Shere Linda Sewell 07850 839 472 lindasewell@hotmail.co.uk W MIDLANDS, Wolverhampton Jas Bassi 07830 019 513 Info@jasbassi.com W SUSSEX, Bosham Kathryn Bingham 01243 572 109 office@thehamblinvision.org.uk W SUSSEX, Horsham and Haywards Heath Judy Sharp 01444 459 433 judysharp123@gmail.com W YORKS, Holmfirth Leanne Ainley 01484 680 126 info@holmevalleywellbeing. com WILTS, Salisbury Jane Wainwright 01722 413 902 janesnowflake@gmail.com WIRRAL, Merseyside Carol Carter 07807 077966 carolcarter100@btinternet.com WORCS, Malvern June Walters 01684 568 192 mpower4you@gmail.com WORCS, Tenbury Wells Hilary Foxwell 01584 819 010

STAFFS, Stoke-on-Trent Nathan Smallman 07724 189 988 nathan.smallman@btinternet.com

We are never alone; we may be lonely, but we now know we are not alone, wherever we are!

BOOK YOUR AD TODAY ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 ❖ Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk More information: www.cygnusreview.com/pages/advertising

11

❖ Dates & times are on our website: www.cygnusreview.com/pages/cygnus-community-cafes ❖ Contact: vicky@cygnus-books.co.uk for more information

A Guide to Starting a Cygnus Café

W

e know that we have many members who are interested in starting Cygnus Cafés in their community, and that they have questions, both about how to get started and also how they want their group to run. Below is a mini-guide to running a Cygnus Café to give you a taste of what you can expect – if you would like to start your own Café please do get in touch. ❖ The starting point for setting up a group is the purpose

of a Cygnus Café, and that is creating a space for you to meet people of like mind in your own locality. Nowadays it is often the case that you might find you can only get so far by yourself using a book. Sometimes it can be a great help on your spiritual journey to share issues that feel unresolved, with others of like heart.

❖ Many groups take a little

while to gain momentum, and this is normal. We suggest you avoid the temptation of trying to find a perfect arrangement. ❖ Setting up for the

meeting we suggest that the host prepares the room in the most appropriate way, arranging the seating so that everyone has eye-to-eye contact. Meetings generally begin with everyone taking turns to say their name and where they are from and, if they wish, a mention about something they may want to talk about later. ❖ Many groups have found it

❖ Most of our groups run in what

we would call an unstructured way, they have no agenda and allow the magic of the moment to provide the topics spontaneously, depending on who wishes to share their recently experienced insights or share their current concerns of the heart.

very helpful to keep the level of the meeting at a higher level by setting the intention of the group to the highest good at the beginning of the meeting.

So that, whatever happens, the highest good may come out of it.

❖ When getting down to

❖ Gradually most groups

practicalities the first thing you need is a space, generally meetings are held in members’ homes or quiet rooms in cafés or community spaces. Any room hire costs etc. are shared by the participants on a donation basis.

We advise avoiding noisy venues or spaces that have no door, as this helps a great deal. You need a safe space where you know you will not be interrupted. ❖ When thinking about when and how often to hold

your meetings, consider the needs of the group when deciding what is best for (most of ) you. Some groups choose mornings, others evenings, some even choose a weekend. Larger groups sometimes choose to have two meetings in a month, once in the evening and once in the morning, to match the different lifestyles. Most meeting last for around 2 hours and our advice is to stick to the same day every month, week or fortnight to allow people to organise their diaries.

begin to observe how Cygnus Cafés can grow in depth as participants feel more comfortable and they can share their vulnerabilities and “soft spots”. This gives others the confidence to share their concerns or doubts.

❖

We love hearing from our members and finding out what you are up to at your café meetings. Please send your comments, thoughts and updates to editor@cygnus-books.co.uk so that we can include them on this page.

❖ For meeting support you can contact Vicky Hartley at Cygnus on

vicky@cygnus-books.co.uk

12

ORDER & CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk ❖ Website: www.cygnusreview.com

Eastern Thought — BOOK REVIEWS THE BUDDHA PILL by Dr Miguel Farias & Dr Catherine Wikholm

This new version updates some of the original 2015 book, based on feedback and new research. As before it aims to tease fact from fiction when it comes to meditation. The authors connect with those working with meditation in organisations such as the Prison Phoenix Trust, bringing meditation into the prisoner’s cell, and the NHS. They look at some of the leading researchers who have examined ways to make life-changing experiences on a personal and global level. An entire chapter is devoted to the dark side of meditation, building on strong responses to a mention of this in the original book. There are examples of those who have had adverse reaction to intense experiences of meditation and a look at some medical research into certain mental illnesses. The book is thought provoking as it discusses seven myths about meditation and ultimately they conclude it is a beneficial practice.

352pp, 197 x 127 mm, Paperback, 2019, RRP £9.99

❖ Code: 290148 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member Price: £5.99

THE SCIENCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

by Shinzen Young

Musician and poet Leonard Cohen called this book “a towering work by one of the great teachers of our time”. Young is not only an ordained Buddhist but also a determined scientist, and here he applies all his skills to what really might be happening when we meditate. It’s a vital map of the territory: well-written and approachable, it goes very deep, and clears away a lot of the woolly concepts that have sprung up around the contemporary rise of mindfulness. Thus it becomes a book of profound hope, because it shows that Buddhist concepts stand up to the most rigorous analysis. Read it carefully and your life will become more meaningful and satisfying.

264pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290138 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member Price: £10.50

EVERYDAY YOGA MEDITATION

by Stephen Sturgess

GRADUAL AWAKENING

by Miles Neale

SAVE 30%

For almost all of us a sudden spiritual awakening is as unlikely as winning the Euromillions. But anyone can choose to have a gradual transformation, particularly by following a well-trodden path such as the Buddhist Lam Rim, a collection of teachings that has been around for centuries and shows how to achieve renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom. The author is critical of the way many modern Western teachers package small parts of ancient wisdom and promote them with promises of instant results. Instead he introduces some of the great masters he has studied with, who have themselves studied in great depth over a length of time. By carefully following the steps set out in the ornate practices the practitioner begins to experience a complete psychological workout. In this way, the ancient traditions become relevant to the modern world without sacrificing depth and slow-paced learning. This is useful for both experienced and novice students of Tibetan Buddhism.

288pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290142 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member: £10.50

PAUSE, BREATHE, SMILE

by Gary Gach

Pause, Breathe, Smile is a purely enjoyable read that helps to cultivate awareness, compassion, and joy in the midst of everyday life. Writer Gary Gach was lay-ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh and in this book he draws on his 50-plus years of study and practice to create one of the most accessible and clear guides to mindfulness available. The book is broken down into three sections focusing on Intention (Pause), Introspection (Breathe), and Insight (Smile). Mindfulness literature may be overly abundant, but Gach truly brings a humour and poetic simplicity to the subject that makes this book informative and engaging. From the very first page you’ll feel the lightness and freedom that can be found in the simple three steps of pausing, breathing, and smiling.

192pp, 184 x 128 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £13.99

SAVE 37%

Kriya Yoga is the yoga of meditation based on the teachings of the sage Patanjali. Asana, the physical postures that are the best-known aspect of yoga, are just one of the eight limbs that form the yoga path.

Performing physical postures before sitting to meditate can help create a sense of inner peace and stillness. Pranayama, the art of breathing, is another of the 8 limbs that allow the mind to grow calm. With an understanding of the subtle energy system and correct preparation of mind and space, meditation can begin. This can take a variety of forms, individuals need to find what suits them best and it is not essential to adopt a complex posture. Ultimately it is a personal choice but the book ends with suggestions for morning and evening meditation.

160pp, 232 x 162 mm, Paperback, 2019, RRP £15.99

❖ Code: 290146 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.10 ❖ Member: £9.99

❖ Code: 290157 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member Price: £9.50

FOUR HUTS Translated by Burton Watson

The ideal pocket read for everyone interested in simple living. Expert translator Burton Watson brings renewed life to these vivid Asian texts from the ninth to seventeenth centuries and the authors’ underlying sense of the world and what is to be valued. Accompanied by eleven brush-paintings by renowned artist Stephen Addiss, this book embodies the qualities of awareness of imperfection, love of nature, fondness for poetry and music, and an appreciation of the quiet life. This book is perfect for gifting and an ideal pocket guide of simple life to carry with you on the go.

96pp, 171 x 110 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £8.99

❖ Code: 290137 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

ORDER & CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk ❖ Website: www.cygnusreview.com

13

T

here are a lot of obvious reasons why I’m happy to devote many hours of labor to writing this book. I want to share what I’ve learned over two decades in books, first and foremost… But there’s another, less obvious reason I’m writing a book about how to write a book. And I need you to lean in a bit here— it’s a secret, so I have to whisper it: I’m writing this book because I believe in you…

The chapters that follow offer a simple, step-by-step path from setting your intentions to holding a finished book in your hands. My goal is to demystify the publishing process. Giving you the tools, insider information, and inspiration you need to start strong, keep going, and get across the finish line as quickly as possible.

One thing that makes my work as an editor—and thus the information in this book—unique is the amount of time and energy I ask my clients to invest before the writing begins.

For this reason Part I will focus on setting clear intentions for your project and developing a premise and an internal structure strong enough to support the book. Part II starts the moment you’re ready to pick up your pen and go. I will share all the tips and tricks I’ve learned in my two decades of helping writers sit down

Getting your Wisdom onto the Page and write. Finally, Part III will take you from “writer of a manuscript” to “published author.” We’ll talk about building your book—and we’ll go over both traditional publishing and self-publishing options. My hope is that by the time you finish Part III, you’ll know precisely what steps will be required in order to get your book out of your hands and into the world!

I’m not going to say the process of writing a book is easy or simple. It’s a big goal that requires organization, dedication, time-management skills, and perseverance. There are no

THE BOOK YOU WERE BORN TO WRITE

by Kelly Notaras

This wonderful book contains everything you need to know about writing a spiritual or transformative book and bringing it to the world’s attention. The author has worked in publishing for many years. She started in the mainstream and ended up as the Associate Publisher at Sounds True, which brings out many of the best-selling books featured in Cygnus. She lays bare all her knowledge and experience in this comprehensive manual, which is divided into 3 sections: Before You Start Writing, The Writing Process and The Path to Publication. The book is American but contains very little USA-specific information. Kelly now runs an editorial studio called kn literary arts: I can think of no better guide for all of us who feel we have a book inside us.

296pp, 235 x 161 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £19.99

❖ Code: 290116 ❖ Non-Member Price: £13.88 ❖ Member: £12.50

14

Essential Spring reading

guarantees that you’ll make back your investment if you self-publish. But if you have the echo of a book dream in your deepest heart, a book is also the journey of a lifetime. On the other side are riches unimaginable: knowing what greatness you’re capable of; offering your gifts in service of others; changing lives in an exponential way.

Every day writers of transformational nonfiction receive e-mails, letters, and messages on social media thanking them for the life-changing wisdom they’ve brought into the world.

While writing a book represents a significant investment of time and energy, and—I’m not going to lie here—can feel never-ending at times, in the end it’s always worth it. Yes, I know you’re busy. You also might be kinda-sorta scared. I get that it’s hard to write an entire book. I understand you have other priorities: a full-time job, a kid or two, perhaps a spouse or grandchild who needs extra attention.

Meanwhile you’re trying to eat right and exercise, maybe squeeze in some yoga or meditation. I know how difficult it is to get into the routine of any of the above, and it may seem impossible to imagine adding writing to a day that’s already too full. I get all of this. But. You have to do it anyway. You just have to.

If you feel the call, there’s a reason.

You have to follow. This is not up to you to decide, it’s up to Life. You have agreed to carry some important mantle. I know this because here you are, reading this book. The good news is that writing a book is all the hard things, but it’s a whole lot of fun too. Writing makes you feel like a rock star a lot of the time.

It’s a huge boost to energy, selfesteem, and creativity. (As opposed to thinking about writing, which is a total resource drain.) Writing a book is a dream for so many people.

And if you’ve read this far, I can only imagine you’re one of the rare few who’s ready to live that dream. So go on. Get in there. Do what you need to do. I believe in you, I’m going to show you the way, and your readers are waiting.

ORDER & CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE ❖ Phone: 02078 594 375 Email: advertising@cygnus-books.co.uk ❖ Website: www.cygnusreview.com

Copyright Hay House 2018

THE BOOK YOU WERE BORN TO WRITE BY KELLY NOTARAS

Other Realities — BOOK REVIEWS ANGEL PRAYERS by Kyle Gray

COMPENDIUM OF MAGICAL THINGS

by Radleigh Valentine

If you are confused by all the books on different ways to connect with divine guidance, this volume brings together a spectrum of magical paths leading to that goal. All methods require some common approaches such as a peaceful environment and a calm state of mind. Beyond that each chapter looks at different ways of working from astrology to mantras. Do you personally relate more easily to angels or fairies? Which tarot deck speaks most powerfully to you? Each method of communication has its advantages according to personal preference. At the end of each chapter the author gives his own take on the subject. He knows and loves them all. He advises that astrology needs a deep level of study and a mentor, pendulums are perhaps the easiest tool, tarot cards merely mirror one’s own divine intuition. Easy to read and comprehensive, a good addition to the bookshelf for anyone exploring this magical world.

208pp, 227 x 153 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290112 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

LIGHT MAGIC FOR DARK TIMES

by Lisa Marie Basile

This beautifully laid out, illustrated hardback could just as easily be called a book of rituals, rather than one of 100 spells. It’s an honest and empowering manual – primarily directed towards young women – for making sense of the world and feeling that you have power and a voice there. A lot of people feel helpless and this book assures you that you can make a difference. All the spells are positive and constructive, and include A Ritual for Comfort After the Loss of a Pet and A Spell to End Loneliness and Conjure New Friendship. It’s a book of comfort and encouragement; and if it draws you more wholly on to the spiritual path, so much the better.

SAVE 30%

176pp, 209 x 135 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290131 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member: £10.50

SPIRIT MESSAGES

by Elizabeth Owens

If you’ve ever been curious about mediumship, this book is a great place to start. Elizabeth Owens has been a certified medium since 1984 and, as such, has a wealth of personal experiences to share with you on the subject. From full spirit manifestations in her apartment and witnessing a foretelling of a serious accident she would encounter, to observations of other mediums’ work with spirits and tales of her ghost-hunting days, there are stories to delight, intrigue and mystify you.

Owens skilfully takes you by the hand and guides you through this unknown world, providing comfort where needed and shedding light on common concerns.

240pp, 202 x 143 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £13.99

❖ Code: 290134 ❖ Non-Member Price: £10.55 ❖ Member: £9.50

If it sometimes feels as if nobody is hearing our prayers, this book aims to prove that’s untrue. Calls for help, answers, even miracles transcend religion and connect directly to God, and angels are always there to help this process. Prayers are always heard. Our minds can manifest anything, and whatever we focus on we attract, so positive affirmations are the key to receiving help and positive outcomes. A large part of this book is a directory of angelic beings, helping those who pray to connect with the best possible channel for their prayers. We learn about each of the archangels, their special qualities and how to connect with them. Each has a special prayer. Divine feminine energy is present through Mary, known as Queen of Angels, and other powerful female figures. Finally a directory of prayers provides a valuable collection that supports dozens of situations, which may arise in daily life.

288pp, 185 x 135 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290107 ❖ Non-member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

SPIRITUAL GOLD

by Paulinne Delcour-Min

Answers to the big questions about life don’t lie out there, they can only be found within ourselves. We come to a life with certain hopes of what we want to achieve, but over the years we forget and need to listen to our hearts and our guides to remember what those wishes were and what our soul’s purpose truly is. The author tells her own story of overcoming her mother’s negative influence and finding healing and greater awareness. She tells of meeting with angels and being drawn to reveal secrets of the crystal skull. She also explores regression to past lives and describes her own intense experiences. The stories she relates are vivid and powerful. As Nadia she meets Jesus and listens to his teachings. In another life she is Mary of Bethsaida and again meets the Saviour. The stories are extraordinary but told with sincerity and deep conviction.

208pp, 214 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290102 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member Price: £10.99

THE LITTLE BOOK OF DRAGONS

by Christine Arana Fader

There have been many wonderful dragon books and decks recently, but one of the best came out in 2015, and I am pleased to be featuring it now. Christine is known as the “Dragon Woman”, and since birth she has been accompanied everywhere by her dragon companions. The text is full of inspiring and poetical stories, plus advice that will help you get in touch with your own dragon, which will then bring true magic into your life. There are also beautiful full colour illustrations, of, for example, the Silver Moon, Fire and Leopard Dragons. When you are touched by a dragon, you will feel the depth of its love.

120pp, 206 x 136 mm, Paperback, 2015, RRP £8.99

❖ Code: 290120 ❖ Non-Member Price: £5.54 ❖ Member Price: £4.99

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15

SMALL OPENINGS AND AMAZING RESULTS BY TONY CHRISTIE

I

n life, you experience a series of doorways, gateways and openings to love, light and wisdom; that if taken will bring you to a higher state of existence.

You are at a gate, a doorway, an opening. Perhaps like me you got here via a circuitous route - the labyrinth of life. Rather than looking back to see how you got here, pausing briefly to consider where you are can bring you to realize that you are at the doorway to your future; the entrance to the integration of your inner and outer worlds; a gateway to self-discovery and to fulfilling your life’s purpose.

It is sometimes the small things in life that serve as openings to the most wondrous events and meetings.

My first encounter with the Cygnus Review appeared to be one of these small things – and it might nearly not have happened. I sometime wonder how different my life would have been if I hadn’t followed the prompting of my intuition many years ago.

When you are in tune with your intuition and find synchronicities happening to you that you cannot always explain, you are following the guidance that you are receiving.

You may first become aware of this when you notice yourself choosing one thing over another just because it feels right, or having to go someplace even though it may not always make sense. I remember following an urge in 2004 to go to a health food store and restaurant in Cork. I had been there only a few days before and had stocked up on everything I needed, so I couldn’t fully understand my “need” to go back there. I decided to drive by and I said to myself that if I got a parking space nearby I would go in. There was one right outside the door! I went in and walked all around the shop and didn’t find anything that I needed.

I moved along to the restaurant entrance where there were many notices and information leaflets about all kinds of activities, mainly of a mind, body, and spirit nature. In one of the information racks someone had left a magazine with reviews of mind/body/ spirit books. These were old editions

16

Stepping through the Doorway to the Future of Cygnus Review, and it was the first time I had seen or heard of it. I flicked through one and read the start of the editorial that spoke about powerful cosmic energies that were coming through in mid to late 2003 that would have significant life-changing effects for many people. That was around the time that I divorced, and so I was intrigued by what I was reading. Not having much time, I picked up the three or four other Cygnus Review magazines that were left there and brought them home with me to read later.

As I was going through the Cygnus Reviews at home, I noticed a person’s name and address on the back of one of them. As I was looking to meet up

with like-minded people who were interested in spiritual topics, I took a chance and wrote a letter to the lady whose name was on the back of the magazine. I received a phone call from her shortly afterwards saying that she had a meditation group at her house every Sunday evening and would I like to come along. I started going to the Sunday evening gatherings. A few months later, there was a dream workshop happening at this woman’s house. It was at this dream workshop that I met Fionnuala. Fionnuala is now my wife.

It was Fionnuala who introduced me to the labyrinth. She had a deck of Angela McGerr’s Angel Cards and asked me one evening to pick one. It was called “Melchizedek’s Labyrinth”.

My labyrinth journey from that one card has taken me all over the world, brought much wisdom and insights that I share through my Labyrinth Wisdom Cards, and gifted me a new form of healing called Melchizedek Labyrinth Healing.

When you listen to the guidance you are receiving and follow it, even if doesn’t appear to make sense, you are opening a doorway to endless possibilities. One of my greatest learnings with the labyrinth is an awareness of the significance of every moment. When you fully live in the presence of every moment, you are walking your own path to selfdiscovery, and tapping into the oneness of all of existence!

LABYRINTH by Tony Christie

Now we have this wonderful piece from Tony, we are including this book again. This tells you all you need to know about the labyrinth from an esoteric point of view: why they were placed in the ground, how to approach your experience in the labyrinth and how to create your own version.

Labyrinths appear on hills, in cathedrals and in country SAVE gardens, their origins lost in the mists. They must have 33% been important once and here you learn multiple approaches for releasing their power. They are enigmatic but this book gives you every technique you might need to penetrate their mystery. Also available online (not from Cygnus) are his Labyrinth Wisdom Cards.

360pp, 228 x 153 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £17.99

❖ Code: 280435❖ Non-Member Price: £13.32 ❖ Member: £11.99

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Esoteric Arts — BOOK REVIEWS

CRYSTAL CLEAR

by Golnaz Alibagi

THE LUNA SOL TAROT DECK

by Mike Medaglia

ARCHANGEL ANIMAL ORACLE CARDS

by Diana Cooper

We don’t often feature “classic” tarot decks here at Cygnus, but this one is just… really good! It’s well grounded in the images on the Rider Waite deck, but the human characters depicted are a bit more ordinary, a bit more like you and me and not intimidating or austere in the slightest.

The colours are all light and pastel, featuring many greens, pinks and purples. The artist is a renowned comic illustrator and he has done a great job making the characters look gentle, kind and positive. Above all, there’s a wonderful mix of skin colours, genders, shapes and sizes – this is a deck for the modern world, ideal for beginners, but also for people who love the Rider Waite but find it too old-fashioned now.

Diana Cooper has been a leading voice on ascension for over 30 years and this new tool for accessing spiritual gifts will be welcomed by many. Animals, birds, insects, fish, reptiles all have a soul purpose. Like humans they are here to experience life on the physical plane. Each brings a unique insight guided by the angelic realms and imparted to us telepathically. These cards bring messages from creatures who are here to guide and assist us. They can give an answer to a specific question or more general guidance depending on the spread chosen.

When a card is chosen we learn which angel is working through this creature and the guidance that is offered when we choose it.

52pp, 78 cards, 127 x 76 mm, Boxed Set, 2018, RRP £19.99

160pp, 44 cards, 139 x 101 mm, Boxed Set, 2019, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290143 ❖ Non-Member Price: £17.76 ❖ Member Price: £15.99

❖ Code: 290108 ❖ Non-Member Price: £12.21 ❖ Member: £10.99

This full-colour hardback isn’t deep or heavy and it doesn’t have any major new discoveries or profound esoteric techniques.

It is however full of amazing photographs and enthusiastic tips and ideas for enhancing your life in all sorts of ways using crystals and precious stones. In his praise for the book, Kyle Gray says that it has “spiritual remedies for every situation” and these include smoky quartz for positivity at work, carnelian for motivation and red garnet for sensual passion. It’s a book for beginners, an ideal gift to someone just starting to explore crystals and stones, and as a £9.99 colour hardback it is fantastic value, and an amazing launchpad into a magical new world.

144pp, 218 x 180 mm, Hardback, 2018, RRP £9.99

❖ Code: 290101 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member: £5.99

I’LL MEET YOU AT THE LOST AND FOUND

by Sam Glory

I’ll Meet You At The Lost And Found is unlike many other self-awareness guides in that it is fun and poppy, with very quotable and quick chapters that are aimed at taming the ego-mind, being conscious of your reality, and feeling unconditionally content.

With catchy chapter headings like “But more, much more than this…you’ll do it your way: Discernment” and “Kindness is the new black” you can tell that Glory is really bringing a feisty, unique style to selfdevelopment. This is definitely worth a read for anyone that is interested in living from the context of your inner self, but maybe also wants to have a bit more free, fun contemplation rather than meditative.

160pp, 215 x 140 mm, Paperback, 2019, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290125 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member Price: £7.50

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BOOK REVIEWS — Findhorn and Beyond SOUL DOG by Elena Mannes

Pet owners know they have a special bond with the animal who shares their life, but for Elena Mannes her dog Brio was a unique companion. As a sceptical journalist she was at first wary, but in time her experiences with Brio led her to investigate deeper into animal consciousness and their ability to communicate. She tells the story of their life together in New York, how Brio grew from a puppy with a mind of his own to a dog with ‘presence’, recognised as an old soul. As a producer with ABC News Elena continued to interview animal communicators and look into research, while always aware of Brio’s sixth sense. When her dog fell ill and died the story continued as she became aware he was still around and sending her messages. This is a strange story, but as a journalist Elena explores and questions everything, which adds depth and reason.

This wonderful book – newly reissued as a Findhorn Classic – recounts the author’s experiences with nature spirits in his native Edinburgh in the 1960s. It was something he had wished for since childhood, but he had to wait until he was 63. It was worth the wait!

Through his encounters – you might even say his initiation – he learned the immense power of the elemental kingdom, especially in creating an abundance in nature that goes way beyond our conventional capabilities. It’s no surprise that Roc (as the author became better known) was a crucial guiding figure in the early years of the Findhorn community. Includes a new Prologue by Mike Scott from The Waterboys.

SAVE 42%

204pp, 198 x 130 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

192pp, 228 x 155 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290156 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

THE ART OF MINDFUL GARDENING

by Ark Redwood

LEARNING TO LOVE

by Eileen Caddy

144pp, 201 x 133 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £7.99

128pp, 228 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £9.99

BEFORE I GO by Jane Duncan Rogers

NO RECIPE

by Edward Espe Brown

❖ Code: 290118 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

“We have to instruct the mind to stay focused, and not shoot off in all directions.”

This book is not a gardening textbook, but rather a companion to the practice of gardening and ideas for how to turn your gardening into a practice of mindfulness.

Written by Ark Redwood, the head gardener at Chalice Well Gardens in Glastonbury and a lifelong practitioner of Zen Buddhism, this lovely book gently instructs and inspires; showing how gardening is a pastime that provides the opportunity for mindfulness training through the seasonal changes, and the patience that it requires. Artfully written, this guide will expand your knowledge of the natural world and teach you to meditate in your natural surroundings. ❖ Code: 290129 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member Price: £5.99

All of us will need at some point to prepare for death, be it our own or the death of someone we are close to. This book, by a life and death coach who lives within the Findhorn community in Scotland, offers emotional and practical guidance for the end of life process.

It can be such a complicated and demanding journey and this will help us to feel more comfortable about it, so that we can get on with the joy of living now, in this moment.

It’s a serious issue but Jane deals with it using lightness and humour. The book is also packed full of resources, including downloadable worksheets and supportive online courses. She has been doing this work for over 25 years, and this includes her experience caring for her beloved husband Philip, as he made the transition into death.

192pp, 227 x 152 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £12.99

❖ Code: 290123 ❖ Non-Member Price: £8.33 ❖ Member: £7.50

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ENCOUNTERS WITH NATURE SPIRITS by R. Ogilvie Crombie

Eileen Caddy’s timeless classic Learning To Love is a step-by-step guide to choosing to love ourselves and others. In this newly revised edition, Caddy’s principles ring as true as ever as she teaches us to make the decision to accept and respect ourselves and choose to remove the barriers in our hearts and lives that disrupt love’s natural flow. Caddy was the co-founder of the Findhorn Foundation and spent 50 years listening to and sharing her inner guidance with others. Learning To Love sets out her principles of loving in a clear and measured tone as it guides you through exercises, meditations, and visualizations to help you examine your inner world and make real life changes. ❖ Code: 290155 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member Price: £5.99

The subtitle of this book is “cooking as a spiritual practice”. Edward wrote the groundbreaking “Tassajara Bread Book” which came out in 1970 and for several years he was the founding chef at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California, founded by Shunryu Suzuki, author of “Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind”. Of course he helped to create tasty food, but Zen cooking also includes how you chop your vegetables, and your inner approach to cooking. So this – as suggested – contains no recipes, but instead is replete with teaching stories and wise advice on how to create delicious food, and how to live a rich and fulfilled life. It’s a warm and quirky book.

240pp, 204 x 136 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290141 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member: £10.50

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Hay House ‘Made Easy’ Titles — BOOK REVIEWS THE AKASHIC RECORDS MADE EASY by Sandra Anne Taylor

TAROT MADE EASY by Kim Arnold

For anyone who has struggled to understand and access this hidden library of knowledge, a book that offers to make the Akashic Records easy will be welcome. To access this energetic vibration of thought, emotion and information it is essential to open the mind, meditate and breathe, and there are exercises here to help achieve these states. The records contain valuable information about past lives, global knowledge and spiritual truths. A guided meditation takes you to a sacred temple and introduces a guide to the records. With the knowledge you gain it may be possible to shift the future for the better. Many people in history have accessed the records including famous names such as Edgar Cayce, but this book encourages anyone with the right desire and motivation to seek their own personal wisdom there.

There are many tarot packs available these days. For the beginner a colourful set of picture cards that have a personal appeal is recommended, but experienced reader Kim Arnold prefers the traditional Rider Waite pack. The book follows these cards in detail but the information can easily be adapted to other packs. The bulk of the book looks at individual cards, what the image represents, its message and an affirmation for when that card is drawn. There are also instructions on different ways to lay out the cards and how to learn to link cards for deeper meaning. It is not essential to be psychic to study and interpret Tarot cards but inevitably regular use tends to awaken a sixth sense. Tarot is shown as a tool for help and guidance that always allows for choice. The individual chooses whether or not to seek out and heed their message.

272pp, 209 x 197 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £9.99

256pp, 196 x 129 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

CRYSTALS MADE EASY

by Judy Hall

SHAMANISM MADE EASY

by Christa Mackinnon

❖ Code: 290109 ❖ Non-Member Price: £6.65 ❖ Member Price: £5.99

There is no shortage of books about crystals, some of which offer advanced knowledge. But this is aimed at the complete beginner, starting out with how to find your first crystal. Perhaps it is chosen because it looks pretty, maybe you need protection and relaxation, an improved ability to meditate or guidance to the mystical. Trust that the right crystal will find you. Crystals come from deep in the earth and are then cut to all sorts of shapes. The way they split light varies their colour, and a collection of crystals forms an extended rainbow. They each have an energy field which interacts with other fields, particularly the human body and brain, and crystals have a particular resonance with the aura and chakras. A simple but comprehensive guide from an internationally recognised expert.

❖ Code: 290117 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

Shamanism can take many forms and there are shamanic elements in many spiritual traditions around the world. This introduction is a perfect starting point for getting to know which paths are available; maybe from here we can take the journey further and properly dip our toes into one of them. There are exercises on Cleansing Your Personal Space, Creating Power Objects and Journeying to Connect with an Ancestral Guide. It will reassure you about a strange encounter or dream you might have had – sometimes you might not be aware that you have been drawn to this path. After all, this is a powerful process that might help you find healing and wholeness in your own life, as well as healing for the planet as a whole.

240pp, 196 x 131 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

272pp, 196 x 130 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290110 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member: £6.50

TANTRA MADE EASY

by Shashi Solluna

WICCA MADE EASY

by Phyllis Curott

272pp, 196 x 131 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

288pp, 196 x 130 mm, Paperback, 2018, RRP £10.99

❖ Code: 290111 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member: £6.50

I think we are all aware that Tantra does not necessarily mean sex and sexuality but it undoubtedly does involve them.

The sensual life exists in the dance of Shiva and Shakti, male and female, body and spirit, passive and receptive.

The author has been involved in both the Osho lineage and the teachings of Taoist master Mantak Chia. The book is well grounded in Tantric philosophy, but is also full of practical exercises and personal anecdotes about her path to Tantra. It’s a positive and lifeenhancing book about reconciling apparent opposites through the path of love and relationship. ❖ Code: 290114 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

Unlike many in this batch of Made Easy new editions from Hay House, this is a brand new title. Phyllis does not fit any cliché images of a witch – rather she is a high-profile American attorney – but here she has created a succinct and engaging account of the Wiccan life. And even if you aren’t looking specifically for initiation it’s still a great introduction to the green spiritual path. Phyllis introduces you to practices like visualization and spell-casting, offers rituals to include in your daily life and shows you how to attune your body, mind and spirit to Nature’s rhythms. A great gift to yourself or to a friend who wants to start living this rewarding lifestyle. ❖ Code: 290105 ❖ Non-Member Price: £7.22 ❖ Member Price: £6.50

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BOOK REVIEWS — Obituaries

Father Thomas Keating March 7th 1923 October 25th 2018

THE PATH OF CENTERING PRAYER

by David Frenette

Marion Woodman

CREATIVE VISUALIZATION

by Shakti Gawain

ADDICTION TO PERFECTION

by Marion Woodman

September 30th 1948 November 11th 2018

August 15th 1928 July 9th 2018

Cistercian monk Father Thomas Keating did invaluable work during his lifetime to develop the brotherhood between faiths, and within Christianity he went a long way towards restoring its contemplative heritage back into daily practice.

He wrote the foreword to this book, in which he calls it “the best, most comprehensive, and most practical book on centering prayer”. For those of us who don’t want to stray from the Christian path, or others who are drawn to return to their Christian heritage, Centering Prayer is a perfect technique for meditation within this tradition.

This beautiful introduction explores the principles behind Centering Prayer, gives guided instructions on the various sacred practices and passes on several other practices founded

by Keating, and Thomas Merton before him, for drawing closer to God.

This is one of the great books of what has gone on to be called the “New Age” movement and it remains crucial even today. It’s optimistic, positive and constructive, embodying a profound “Californian” mentality. Creating images in our heads, writing things down and setting goals are all invaluable in bringing about beneficial psychological and physical effects, and this title uses exercises and meditations to accelerate the process. Of course there’s more to life and transformation than this, but books like these help people feel confident and in control of their lives. Seven million copies of this groundbreaking title have sold so far and it remains popular even 40 years after its initial publication. As Oprah Winfrey said “I do believe, and I have seen in my own life, that creative visualization works”.

Marion Woodman’s own experience of anorexia led her to write her first book, The Owl Was a Baker’s Daughter, and she followed that up with this study of the effects of patriarchal values on modern women and their manifestation in addiction. Thus we get figures in our mythology like Medusa and Lady Macbeth– Woodman says that her book is about “taking the head off an evil witch”. It’s a wonderfully powerful story, full of folklore, dream stories and archetypal characters, and it shines a bright light on women’s mysteries, making as much sense today as it did on its initial publication in 1982.

The flourishing of Jungian literature in the late 20th century brought forth many great female teachers like June Singer and Clarissa Pinkola Estes, and Woodman deserves to stand alongside them.

264pp, 378 x 134 mm, Paperback, 2017, RRP £14.99

192pp, 216 x 142 mm, Paperback, 2016, RRP £12.99

208pp, 219 x 150 mm, Paperback, 1982, RRP £14.99

❖ Code: 290140 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member Price: £10.50

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Shakti Gawain

❖ Code: 290135 ❖ Non-Member Price: £9.98 ❖ Member Price: £8.99

❖ Code: 290133 ❖ Non-Member Price: £11.66 ❖ Member Price: £10.50

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23

Sharing Spiritual Wisdom for 30 years

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