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It’s never been so easy to find interesting and inspiring media
information from the experts in mind, body, and spirit and the frontiers of
science and culture. With our monthly Paraview Media Guide, you'll be
notified of intriguing books, magazines, websites, and other media that will
capture your attention, expand your mind and transform the world. Subscribe now!
The media guide is sent via E-mail in HTML format. If your E-mail reader does
not support HTML, you can always view the "Current Newsletter" on this page,
posted on the first week of each month. |
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--------------- CURRENT PARAVIEW MEDIA
GUIDE
NEWSLETTER ---------------
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December 2005Paraview Media Guide is a monthly guide to books, magazines, websites, and other media that capture your attention, expand your mind, and transform the world. Leading experts in mind, body, and spirit and the frontiers of science and culture present their media picks. This free newsletter is distributed by subscription only. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or obtain sponsorship information, please see instructions at the end of this newsletter.
PARAVIEW GUEST PRESENTER:
LEXA ROSEAN | | |
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Bringing the art and magick of spellcasting
to the mainstream, Lexa Rosean is one of the most respected practicing
Wiccans in the world. As a leading occult author, she has written nine
books on Spellcraft and Wicca. Her latest title from Paraview Pocket
Books,
The Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients A Wiccan Guide to Spellcasting,
offers illuminating facts about every herb, spice, flower, vegetable,
fruit, metal, and color that plays a role in the magical universe. As
Lexa explains it, spells are a form of prayer enhanced by ritual.
Beginners and advanced practitioners alike can use this guide to create
magick rituals for almost any desire or occasion: love, luck,
prosperity, creative inspiration, you name it! |
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A
professional psychic, astrologer, and
Wiccan high priestess, Lexa has lived in
New York City since the late ’70s, where
she practices and consults in Wicca,
tarot, astrology, herbology, healing,
crystals, and ritual magic. She is
currently the astrology advisor for
CosmoGirl and
Seventeen magazines, and she
will be featured in two upcoming
documentaries about Wicca,
Out of the Broom Closet and
Potion. Visit Lexa on the
Web at
LexaRosean.com. You can also see
her on Monday, December 12th, 10:30 pm
ET as she gives psychic readings and
magickal advice to the 3 remaining Miss
Seventeen contestants on
MTV! |
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LEXA’S TRANSFORMING MEDIA PICKS | | |
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The holidays
always strike me as a magickal time, and the
one thing all the major celebrations seem to
have in common is light: the candles on the
Chanukah Menorah, the candles on the Kwanzaa
Kinara, the lights on the Christmas tree,
and of course the birth of the light of the
Sun as the Winter Solstice heralds the
lengthening of the days. The selections I
have chosen in all my categories are not
necessarily traditional holiday choices, but
what they all have in common is light. Some
are lighthearted and fun, others will keep
you warm, some are enlightening, and others
travel to very dark places but eventually
return to the light. Enjoy. Bright Blessings
and Happy Holidays!
Love and Light
-Lexa
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Brrr… It’s cold
out there and that is perhaps the most definitive element of winter.
There is nothing like a good book to cozy up with by the fire on those
cold winter days and nights. I love to get lost in fiction especially if
there’s an adventure or mystical journey in store. I also love to
revisit classics and that’s why (please don’t laugh, but you may “Call
me Ishmael”…) I begin reading a few chapters of
Moby Dick; Or The Whale every Winter Solstice and usually finish
by the Summer Solstice.
Melville’s symbolism continues to speak to me, and this is truly
a magickal book. One of my favorite lines: “I'll try a pagan friend,
thought I, since Christian kindness has proved but hollow courtesy”.
When I’ve had my fill of sailors, I turn to the wrestler -- I love John
Irving and all of his books! I’m in the process of reading his latest,
Until I Find You: A Novel, but my favorite is
A Prayer for Owen Meany. It’s a great holiday read, full of
Christian mysticism and an irreverent Christmas pageant that will evoke
laughter and tears for years!
Life of Pi by Jann Martel is a book I cherish and wish I’d
written! The main character embraces Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam
and boy, he sure does get in trouble for that! Even better, the other
main character is a tiger (my favorite animal and personal totem.) An
uplifting choice for the holidays, Life of Pi brings light into all the
dark places and is an evocative journey of the soul. It will strengthen
your faith no matter which spiritual path you have chosen. |
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I don’t go to the movies much but I like to
catch up with DVDs.
Bell, Book and Candle is my favorite witch flick. (My cat
Pywackette loves it too.) Kim Novak is so sexy and Jimmy Stewart is a
lot more fun here than in any of those saccharine Christmas films. Jack
Lemmon plays a fabulous warlock, and my favorite scene is when they all
go to an underground jazz club called the Zodiac Lounge. In this film,
witchcraft is really an allegory for the taboo of homosexuality. As a
queer witch, I feel a special resonance seeing these two worlds
metaphorically collide. It’s also a warm and fuzzy love story underneath
it all and makes a perfect love spell! Cuddle up and watch with someone
whose heart you want to win.
For those who hate the holidays, check out another fave of mine,
Grand Hotel. It won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1932, and
Garbo delivers her famous recluse line: “I want to be alone.” The movie
ends with the famous lines of the doctor: "People come, people go.
Nothing ever happens." But a lot does happen. This film reminds me of a
circle song about the Goddess: “Everything she touches changes.” Also, a
very young Joan Crawford is delightful.
At this point, some of you are thinking: ”Enough with the past-life film
readings, Lexa!” Can’t help it -- I’m a pretty retro girl. But for my
last film, I’d like to look into the future… I’m very excited about Ron
Howard’s
The Da Vinci Code. This is one I’ll actually get out and stand
in line for. I read the
book and totally loved it! It’s such a great message, and I
think we can trust Ron to do a good job and deliver it as powerfully on
the screen as Dan Brown did on the page. Certainly this is one for the
Goddess -- its theme is about as “Child of God” as you can get! | |
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I want to listen to my music without
interruption and have my ears completely penetrated and my mind moved to
ecstatic heights. Or I want my body to move to the groove of the funky
beat. No in between. I hate loud music in restaurants and stores -- I
think it is totally obnoxious. Loud music in bars is downright
antisocial. I like my music straight up and not watered down alongside a
million other distracting things.
For pure listening pleasure I choose Tatiana Troyanos on
Carmen/Troyanos, Domingo, van Dam, Te Kanawa; Sir Georg Solti, Georges
Bizet, London Philharmonic Orchestra. This CD is a steep
investment but Troyanos is the best Carmen I have ever heard.
Tatiana Troyanos in Recital is easier on the pocketbook, and
here she sings a variety of composers (including Bizet) with James
Levine conducting.
For dancing, I will always choose tango music.
Gotan Project is very cool for the uninitiated tango ear. (Check
out my Web site entries for more on tango) Then there’s Frank, who’s
kind of a cross between the two. He’s wonderful to listen to and has
several foxtrots that will get you up on your feet. Spread the holiday
joy with
Classic Sinatra. (Track 13 is “Witchcraft,” and I just melt when
he sings, “Cuz there’s no nicer witch than you!”) | |
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Another way to stay warm this winter is with the
Close Embrace! When I’m not writing or reading the Tarot cards, I’m dancing
Argentine Tango. This dance has been the love of my life for more than 10
years. I dance both the lead and the follow as well as teach and deejay.
Check out
Todo
Tango to learn about the interesting characters in the tango. You
can even listen to the orchestras or tune in live to radio in Buenos Aires.
My first exposure to magick was through voodoo and hoodoo, so I feel right
at home visiting
Lucky Mojo. The site has more than 6,000 links and tons of
fascinating information.
Irshad Manji is an inspiration to me: she is single-handedly attempting to
bring about Islamic reform and Muslim women’s rights. She and I have some
things in common: I was excommunicated by a Chassidic Council of Rabbis, and
Irshad was expelled from an Islamic school -- and we’re both queer. Her work
continues to give me hope that the patriarchal forces will not bring us to
an apocalyptic end. (What a cheerful thought for the holidays!) Her site is
constantly updated and she even posts the numerous death threats made to her
by Muslim extremists and answers them with wisdom and wit. (So far I’ve only
received two death threats, one from a neo-Nazi group and another from a
group of witches who didn’t like my “Reformed” version of the craft.) What a
woman and humanitarian! Every fanatical religion needs its very own Irshad.
Visit
Muslim-Refusenik.com and rekindle your own passion with a spark of
her fire. | |
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What's New at Paraview
Keep an eye on Paraview.com this
December.
We will be offering a free
Paraview Pocket Book
for you to download!
Don’t Miss
Left at East Gate, and its
authors, Larry Warren and Peter Robbins, will be featured on two
nationally broadcast documentaries in December. The Sci Fi Channel will
broadcast their feature-length UFO Invasion at Rendlesham (hosted by
Bryant Gumbel) on December 1, 2005, at 1 PM and December 27 at 9 PM
(EST), while the History Channel's documentary, Britain's Roswell, will
premier on December 17, 2005 -- check your local listings! Both mention
Left at East Gate by name. Don't miss either of them!
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