I found myself saying, “Nice. Really nice.” After reviewing a copy of Clea Danaan’s Voices of the Earth.

Green spirituality is on the minds of lots of pagans these days. It’s a central theme running through out our spirituality, no matter the tradition. Clea Danaan embraces this idea and vets it in practical application.

I love gardening and having my hands in the earth’s rich soil, so I have a deep appreciation for this book. But you don’t have to be a gardener to appreciate and apply the life’s lessons Danaan has for you on this path. Anyone can pick up this book and start practicing it’s common sense approach to spirituality.

One of best lessons by Danaan came early on in Voices of the Earth. In fact, I actually bookmarked it because I wanted to share it with you. It’s that important. Danaan says…

Our bodies and souls love the natural world, and only very recently have our minds disconnected fromt he natural currents of life on our planet. In our highly technological, capitalistic culture, we have largely lost touch withchanging season, the sources of our food, and the living land. This disconnect is an illness. While there is nothing inherently wrong with money and technology, when we divorce our conscious awareness from our roots, we become zombies. Instead of being controlled by an evil sorcerer, we are driven by our demons of greed, fear and narcissism. (page xiv)

When you sit back and take in what she just said, you realize the depth of the impact this statement has on our lives. Here we are as magical people who believe we can influence the outcome of events favorably, and yet most of us are totally disconnected from the very thing we hold most sacred … the land. And ultimately, that means we are disconnected from ourselves.

I liked Voices of the Earth because it was a gentle blending of herbal arts, pagan beliefs and Faery faith all rolled into one book. It’s an easy read and kind of reminded me of Scott Cunningham’s books with it’s easy to follow and easy to do exercises, practices and journaling. It’s not a hard core witchcraft book. In fact, it’s something that you could gift a friend with quite easily because the book simply preaches the common sense rituals of “being Green.” And let’s face it, all of us could use a little greening up. Get your own copy of Clea Danaan’s Voices of the Earth: The Path of Green Spirituality.

When Ghosts Speak

When Ghosts Speak is an absolute page turner for those who wanted to know what happens after you die … which means, this book is a must read for most of us!

I received my copy of When Ghosts Speak as a gift from a friend who said the book literally yelled out to her … SEND ME TO BOBBIE! Without hesitation, she bought it and shipped it off to me and honestly, when I opened it and began reading … I didn’t stop until it was finished.

Mary Ann Winkowski answered some of the nagging questions I’d been asking for years, and I am forever grateful to her for writing this book; as I’m sure are many of her readers.

And, I’m also grateful to Winkowski for setting the record straight as to what is fact and what is fiction with regard to the TV show The Ghost Whisperer, which is loosely based on the life and experiences of Winkowski.

Reading When Ghosts Speak allowed me delve deeply into many of the possible scenarios and circumstances under which ghosts consciously decide to stay earth bound. I wasn’t too surprised to hear that fear of what awaits them at the pearly gates of judgment is a primary reason for staying put.

Winkowski, while Catholic, isn’t your typical “there’s only one way” type of theology-minded individual. There’s just no way that you can have these types of experiences and not grow beyond your own religious ideologies.

I also loved that Winkowski continues to use the family folklore and heed superstitions as passed down through her Italian lineage; keeping the old ways alive. She honors her grandmother’s memory and her living relatives by using the quince seed charms to keep discarnate spirits from sucking energies from their wearer. Winkowski has a website where you can buy quince charms from her directly.

When Ghosts Speak is a very touching series of stories about compassion for souls who find themselves stranded in the wrong side of eternity. Winkowski’s abilities to see ghosts was fostered by her grandmother at a very early age; would that more families would encourage their children this way. The world would be a lot better off. This is a wonderful lesson for all families on dealing with death.

It’s ultimately a lesson for us all about what to do if we find ourselves haunted. What we should and should not do in an effort to help ourselves stay healthy, while also helping the spirit to cross-over. Winkowski says learn to make the white light or direct the ghosts to the nearest funeral home where the recently dead will have white light for them to pass over through. Brilliant! I’d never thought of it.

Personally, I loved this book so much that I went out and bought a copy for my best friend. I can hardly wait for her to read it so we can discuss it together. As for my copy, I find myself continuing to carry it around the house. I’ll most likely reread it … it’s just that fascinating. Get your own copy of When Ghosts Speak.