Category: Products

The Tell-Me Tarot

by Administrator, posted in Magic/Occult, Products, Reviews

I have always loved tarot cards. There’s something just so delightfully arcane and occulty about them. I have loads of decks that I love to thumb through but never use. I own “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tarot and Fortune-Telling” by Arlene Tognetti and Lisa Lenard and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tarot Spreads” by Arlene Tognetti and Carolyn Flynn, and I still don’t read tarot. Why? I can never remember the basic fundamental meanings of the cards. Now I know there is this whole school of intuitive tarot reading where you define the cards yourself based on what they seem to mean to you, and I get that, I really do. However my respect for the old school will not allow me to do that without first knowing exactly what Arthur Edward Waite said they meant first…by memory. What is a slave to tradition like me supposed to do? Turn to the “Tell-Me Tarot” created by Arik Eyal and illustrated by Nir Cassuto.

The “Tell-Me Tarot” is a traditional 78-card tarot deck that features whimsical art that plays off the traditional “Universal Waite Tarot Deck” artwork. The big difference between the “Tell-Me Tarot” and other decks is the inclusion on each card of a brief meaning for the card. Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? It’s so clever!

For instance, a favorite card of mine, Death is explained in Waite’s “The Pictorial Key to the Tarot” as “The veil or mask of life is perpetuated in change, transformation and passage from lower to higher, and this is more fitly represented in the rectified Tarot by one of the apocalyptic visions than by the crude notion of the reaping skeleton. Behind it lies the whole ascent in the spirit. The mysterious horseman moves slowly, bearing a banner emblazoned with the Mystic Rose, which signifies life. Between two pillars on the verge of the horizon there shines the sun of immortality. The horseman carries no visible weapon, but king and child and maiden fall before him, while a prelate with clasped hands awaits his end.

There should be no need to point out that the suggestion of death which I have made in connection with the previous card is, of course, to be understood mystically, but this is not the case in the present instance. The natural transit of man to the next stage of his being either is or may be one form of his progress, but the exotic and almost unknown entrance, while still in this life, into the state of mystical death is a change in the form of consciousness and the passage into a state to which ordinary death is neither the path nor gate. The existing of occult explanations of the 13th card are, on the whole, better than usual, rebirth, creation, destination, renewal, and the rest.”

Obviously the previous definition is describing the art and symbolism of the Waite deck, but still, pretty long and involved. What happens when you draw Death in the “Tell-Me Tarot”? You get the delightful variant art by Nir Cassuto and at the bottom of the card it says “DEATH=TERMINATION & RENEWAL Let go of past patterns, people, or activities in order to allow renewal and personal growth.” How simple is that?

Thanks to the on card definitions, there is no need for the little booklet that comes with most tarot decks. Instead, there are four cards that briefly explain a few spreads and different ways to use the cards.

The “Tell-Me Tarot” is the perfect starter deck for anyone interested in tarot.

The Power of Jigsaw Puzzles

by Administrator, posted in New Age, Products

Jigsaw puzzles are hardly new. They’ve been around since the 1700s, and have evolved from hand-cut wooden educational tools to a huge industry targeting children and adults alike. They have certainly stood the test of time, providing education and hours of peaceful time passed. What studies are now showing is that these “toys” have lasting benefits both to our health and basic well-being.

We were likely all exposed to jigsaw puzzles in our youth. As toys, they are used to teach words, shapes, colors, and geography, and provide focused, quiet time for children and parents alike. They’re used in schools to educate, in waiting rooms to pacify, and are thought to develop fine motor skills in children and prepare them for reading.

Research is now showing the quantifiable benefits of carrying this activity into adulthood. Studies, like the notable MacArthur study, have shown that keeping the mind active with jigsaw puzzles and other mind-flexing activities can actually lead to a longer life expectancy, a better quality of life, and reduce our chances of developing certain types of mental illness, including memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s Disease (by an amazing third).

But how does this simple toy accomplish such amazing things? Most likely it is due to the simultaneous use of both sides of the brain. The left-brain hemisphere, our analytical side, sees all of the separate pieces and attempts to sort them out logically. The right brain hemisphere, our creative side, sees the “big picture” and works intuitively. Both types of thinking are required in order to successfully piece the puzzle together. In exercising both sides of the brain at the same time, we create actual “connections” between the left and right sides, as well as connections between individual brain cells. These connections increase our ability to learn, to comprehend, and to remember. In addition, completing a puzzle, or even just the successful placement one piece, encourages the production of dopamine, a brain chemical that increases learning and memory.

The connections made while working on jigsaw puzzles aren’t limited to our brain cells. Exercising both sides of the brain simultaneously also allows the brain to move from a Beta state, the wakeful mind, into an “Alpha” state, the same mental state experienced while dreaming. The Alpha state is where we tap into our subconscious mind. Jigsaw puzzles naturally induce this state of creative, focused meditation, where connections can be made on deeper levels.

The jigsaw puzzle is a metaphor for life. Challenges we face with our jobs, relationships, and health can leave us confused and overwhelmed. These challenges are easily likened to the fragmented jigsaw puzzle, with so many disconnected pieces and no clear starting point. By physically piecing a jigsaw puzzle together while in a powerfully creative meditative state, we are shifting the focus in our subconscious from confusion and inundation to proactively working on the solution. We become “rewired” to take a more balanced, holistic view of our lives, considering all the little pieces, but also how they fit into the big picture. We begin to make connections between things that may have previously seemed unrelated, such as relationships between our emotions and our state of health. Patterns begin to make sense as we focus that positive energy and apply it within our own lives. As the jigsaw puzzle takes shape, the different parts of our lives start coming together to form a sensible picture.

Jigsaw puzzles are a unique activity that allows us to achieve a state of creative meditation, while providing a fun activity that imparts a sense of accomplishment. The benefits to the brain are becoming increasingly clear. Perhaps even more powerful are the effects on the subconscious in helping us piece together this puzzle we call life.

Author Bio:
Trish Donroe Barker is a Homeopath and artist living in Hawaii and is the owner of Connections, Jigsaw Puzzles for Healing, a company that offers exclusive jigsaw puzzles featuring positive and healing images for focus. For more information about her Homeopathic practice or Connections Jigsaw Puzzles for Healing, please visit www.connectionspuzzles.com or contact Trish PO Box 661, Kula, HI 96790 / trish@connectionspuzzles.com / (808) 344.4435.

The Big Bang Theory

by Administrator, posted in Geek Stuff, Products, Reviews, Television

As you can tell from my mention in a previous post, I’m a fan of the television show “The Big Bang Theory”. In my amateur opinion, the back to back airings of “The Big Bang Theory” followed by “How I Met Your Mother” is one of the finest hours of comedy television American audiences have had access to in a very long time. My husband, a fan of unique storytelling techniques favors “How I Met Your Mother” slightly more. On the other hand, being a fan of geeks, I like “The Big Bang Theory” a touch more than “How I Met Your Mother”. However, before I continue let me stress that you shouldn’t really watch one and not the other. As a package set, they cannot be beat. That said, allow me to indulge and share some fun stuff involving “The Big Bang Theory”, including some help with holiday shopping (hint, hint).

The show has a small ensemble of characters: Leonard Leakey Hofstadter, Ph.D., Sheldon Cooper, Ph.D., Howard Wolowitz, M.Eng., Rajesh Koothrappali, Ph.D., and Penny. The show focuses on Leonard and Sheldon, who are super intelligent and roommates, and Penny, the beautiful blond woman who lives across the hall. Penny is supposed to be the everyman, in other words, not a genius like the other characters, but possessing things like social skills and common sense. Of course, she has a halfway decent apartment in California on a waitress’s pay, so I think she’s way smarter than anyone on the show will give her credit for. Here’s a taste of what we’re talking about:

For some more clips you can check out “The Big Bang Theory” on the CBS website or their You Tube Channel. I guarantee, once you watch Sheldon explain the problem with teleportation, or the Superman issue, you’ll be hooked. It’s okay though, because Season One is already out on DVD, so you can enjoy catching up easily.

Now I promised you all some help with the holiday shopping. My friend Greg from the website What Greg Eats emailed me a link to the most clever fan site ever! It’s called Sheldon Shirts. Yes, some very focused fans of the show went through and collected links on where to buy any number of things featured in the show. Obviously, they worked hard to find you links to purchasing many of the amusing t-shirts that Sheldon and Leonard wear in the series, but they also have belt buckles that the playa Howard wears, where to find the Batman cookie jar from the episode “The Bat Jar Conjecture”, and more! Once you get hooked on this show, you will need the Sheldon Shirts website.

Enjoy!

Where Art Meets the Occult: Sacred Art Tarot

by Administrator, posted in Art, Magic/Occult, Products, Reviews

For not actually being a tarot reader, I love tarot decks. Perhaps it’s because tarot decks are generally where quality artwork meets the occult, two things that I can appreciate. Although finding most decks pleasing to the eye and a thing to make my inner occult geek go, oh yeah, I rarely feel inspired by them. You know, like maybe I should turn off “The Big Bang Theory”, get my ever widening butt up off the sofa, and learn me some tarot. The “Rider-Waite Tarot” gets me every time, and now I can add the “Sacred Art Tarot” to the list.

The images used on the cards are great classic works of art primarily of a Christian orientation. Yet the way those images are used invoke a very Western esoteric tradition that I find compelling. The creator of the deck, Andre St. Dryden, does say that the meanings are based on the teachings of Qabalists and occultists with a mixture of the creator’s own beliefs and esoteric decks such as the “Golden Dawn Tarot” and Aleister Crowley’s “Thoth Tarot Deck”.

The “Sacred Art Tarot” is a 78 card deck that comes with an instruction booklet and a custom spread sheet. If your tarot tastes run more towards the occult I highly recommend checking this deck out.

The Universal Vanessa-Palin Tarot Card

by Administrator, posted in Politics, Products

Ever notice how the faithful seem to see the Virgin Mary everywhere? Trees, food, etc. I’ve found that despite my lack of faith, I seem to see Sarah Palin everywhere. I just want to buy my copy of The Advocate and bam, I see Sarah Palin all over the magazine section. I turn on the television to get all the news in thirty minutes, and bam, all I see is Sarah Palin. I go shopping for new frames for my glasses, and every frame I touch seems to say, buy me, you’ll look like Sarah Palin (which politics aside, physically, she’s a hottie, so perhaps not so bad). In the end I bought round wire rimmed frames. To further prove my point, a clever friend of mine emailed me this…
The Vanessa Tarot, which this card is from, was published over two years ago. Yet, I’m just looking for some fun divination, and bam, you guessed it, Sarah Palin.

For those of you that are curious, “The Pictorial Key to the Tarot” by Arthur Edward Waite has this to say about The Hierophant.

“He wears the triple crown and is seated between two pillars, but they are not those of the Temple which is guarded by the High Priestess. In his left hand he holds a scepter terminating in the triple cross, and with his right hand he gives the well-know ecclesiastical sign which is called that of esotericism, distinguishing between the manifest and concealed part of the doctrine. It is noticeable in the connexion that the High Priestess makes no sign. At his feet are the crossed keys, and two priestly ministers in albs kneel before him. He has been usually called the Pope, which is a particular application of the more general office that he symbolizes. He is the ruling power of external religion, as the High Priestess is the prevailing genius of the esoteric, withdrawn power. The proper meanings of this card have suffered woeful admixture from nearly all hands. Grand Orient says truly that the Hierophant is the power of the keys, exoteric orthodox doctrine, and the outer side of the life which leads to the doctrine: but he is certainly not the prince of occult doctrine, as another commentator has suggested.

He is rather the summa totius theologiae, when it has passed into the utmost rigidity of expression; but he symbolizes also all things that are righteous and sacred on the manifest side. As such, he is the channel of grace belonging to the world of institution as distinct from that of Nature, and he is the leader of salvation for the human race at large. He is the order and the head of the recognized hierarchy, which is the reflection of another and greater hierarchic order; but it may so happen that the pontiff forgets the significance of this his symbolic state and acts as if he contained within his proper measures all that his sign signifies or his symbol seeks to shew forth. He is not, as it has been thought, philosophy-except on the theological side; he is not inspiration; and he is not religion, although he is a mode of its expression.”

After all of that, the “Sarah Palin” tarot card is a naughty Sunday school teacher? Again, the American political machine dumbs down another conversation.

Ball of Whacks

by Administrator, posted in Products, Reviews

This is the coolest thing I’ve ever touched,” I said. My husband responds with, “I think I may be insulted.” “No, see?” I ask as I toss him Roger von Oech’s Ball of Whacks. After a moment with the Ball, he agreed with me.

What is the Ball of Whacks? At its most impressive and enlightened, it’s a tool to help inspire creative thinking. For a knucklehead like me, it is the greatest fidgety widget of all time. That’s right, better than a Slinky. It’s comprised of 30 magnetic blocks that can be arranged into many different shapes.

It comes with a 96-page booklet that is loaded with different exercises you can do with the Ball of Whacks. Like most creativity inspiring exercises, the ones in the book seem silly and I will readily admit I did not try or use a single one of them. Who has time for that anyway when you’re busy fidgeting that Ball obsessively? Yes, my husband and I have already battled for control of the Ball of Whacks. Since I’m the one writing this article, you know who won.

Now, I had several of my friends play with the Ball of Whacks, and despite the fact that my husband and I are certain it’s the greatest fidget of all time, they remained unconvinced. So it begs the question, what is your favorite thing to fidget with? You know my answer, what’s yours? And keep it G Rated…yeah, I’m talking to you, yes you. You know who you are.

My Daily Affirmation

by Administrator, posted in Products, Reviews

My rep at U.S. Games Systems recently sent me a care package of goodies to look over, and one assumes to write about. She included a box of Daily Affirmations, “just for fun.”

What arrived is a fun and attractive oval box labeled “Daily Affirmations”. Inside there are 365 oval cards with quotes gathered from poets, philosophers, statesmen, celebrities and spiritual leaders, as well as common wisdom. Every morning since the box’s arrival I’ve had my husband and I draw a card to read. By now, my husband cringes as he hears the distinctive sound of me shaking the box so we can randomly select cards. (Helpful tip, 5:30 A.M. is maybe not the best time to receive an affirmation.)

With the holiday season in mind, these seem like they’re designed for all-purpose gift giving. And if affirmations aren’t your thing, U.S. Games has “Daily Quips” (which includes proverbs from around the world, and classic quotes from Lucille Ball, George Burns, George Carlin, Mark Twain, Lily Tomlin, and many others) and “Daily Strategies” (which provide 365 cards to inspire leadership and motivate successful thinking). See what I mean, really something for everyone.

In closing I want to say “Making the best of ourselves is the reason we were born, but it requires patience and perseverance,” which is attributed to Sarah Ban Breathnach, and more importantly, is my affirmation for today.

Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses and Heroines Divination Deck

by Administrator, posted in Mythology, Products, Reviews

I’ve always had a good relationship with U.S. Games, one of the go to places for tarot decks, but I just got a new contact there and she sent me a box of goodies to go through and I plan to steadily share it all with The Magical Buffet’s readers!

First up, Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses and Heroines Divination Deck by Kay Steventon and Brian Clark. This isn’t a traditional tarot deck, hence it being called divination deck.

This is a 78-card deck that’s a veritable who’s who of Greek mythology. I’m not going to lie, I had to bust out my “Bullfinch’s Mythology” for some of the ladies depicted. The deck also comes with an instruction booklet and a spread sheet to help you use the deck for divinatory readings. I could imagine someone using it as a daily quickie reading, much the way you’re encouraged to use the I Ching. Every morning wake up, shuffle, and draw a card to see some portents of what’s to come in your day. Thanks to the attractive art, I also could easily see a Game Master using this deck as a prop for any role-playing games that deals with ancient Greek mythology.

All you Goddess worshippers, yeah, I’m talking to you! This is the deck for you!

Mystic Faerie Calendar

by Administrator, posted in Products, Reviews

If you’re like me, you tend to give a lot of thought to what kind of calendar you’re going to buy for the next year. That’s why I was so psyched when my friends over at Llewellyn sent me a copy of their Mystic Faerie Calendar for an advance sneak peek.

These days it seems like there are hundreds of fairy calendars…. that is probably because there are! I can easily say that this one stands out from the crowd. It features the fanciful artwork of Linda Ravenscroft and great quotes from literature about the fairy realm. For me though, what makes this fairy calendar so unique is that the artwork is pulled from the Mystic Faerie Tarot that Ravenscroft did for Llewellyn. So not only is there beautiful artwork, but there is an extra layer to it as you gaze upon an image from tarot.

The calendar releases in August. If you’re a fairy fan, this is the calendar for you.

Product Profile: One Kind Couture

by Administrator, posted in Products

Marie Chalifoux is the designer and owner of a Portland, Oregon based company that blends art with fashion to create one of a kind designs. Her line is feminine and figure flattering, designed to show off a woman’s soft curses. She believes that the Universe see’s all woman as being beautiful and unique and that’s how she wants her customers to feel when they wear her designs! Her inspiration comes from many forms, from the beauty of Mother Earth to the diversity of people and places. She has been creating and designing apparel for over a decade. She offers ready to wear clothing, handbags and she also accepts custom orders. For more information, visit her web site at http://www.onekindcouture.com