Recommended Reading

Anyway, down at the Magistrates' Court last week I discovered the most wonderful magazine which has me absolutely captivated so that I've fallen under its spell (more of that later). It's a women's magazine that men should read too and it's called Spirit and Destiny.

Now I'm not a connoisseur of women's magazines but this one is useful, educational and inspirational. The January issue has two pages dedicated to telling you how good oranges are for you. You'd be amazed. (Or maybe you wouldn't, I don't know.) You can do more than eat them, anyway (again, more later). There's also two pages on eco-friendly skiing called Respecting the Mountain, and lots of stuff about organic, friendly eco-conscious ways of living.


Then there's the useful stuff - spells provided by the resident Wicca, Silja. Candles are a big theme here so it's time to invest. There's an "easy-to-cast money spell" (green candle), as requested by a reader, one (red candle) to make someone at work ask you out (a curiously old-fashioned approach for such an up-to-date publication it seems to me, but we'll let it pass), a spell to boost your luck (nutmegs and an old shoe, for a change) accompanied by a testimony from someone who tried it, a spell to make you less depressed in the winter (here's where the oranges come in) and a New Year celebration for if you missed 31 October, for which you need white wax. Add some general advice about meditation and some ruminations about why we get depressed in the winter and how to combat it (honey stirred clockwise into orange juice) and you have a whole lifestyle.

What else? Seven-day guide to detox for the new year; after a day of preparation, day 2 is the liver flush (the liver is where your spiritual soul lives, so don't poison it), day 3 cleanses the skin, day 4 helps your digestion (by a technique I am not personally going to try), day 5 clears your lungs (a use for frankincense!) and day 6 sorts out your kidneys (load up on the salt, which you also need for the feng shui exercise elsewhere) so that on day 7 you can finish by polishing your spirit. What a start to the new year!

I said that men should read it too, and I meant it. From the September issue I learned to be careful whenever a lady offers me a cappucino. Apparently if you want to seduce a man, he is more likely to agree if he has accepted said drink. True. Not that this is a situation I feel likely to occur, however forewarned is forearmed. (Mind you I haven't read the feature article on 7 steps to higher love, copiously illustrated, and based apparently on the Kama Sutra.) This advice does seem more suited to the modern miss than that above, though, if I'm any judge.

Anyway back to the research. Did you know that chidren who watch lots of TV are likely to be more unruly in school? You did. There's a feature on alternative schools, too.

Oh, there's too much. Almost at random, I could find more. Psychic healing, holistic makeovers, useful hemp bags, homeopathic and naturopathic remedies, recycling to save money, spiritual paths to material prosperity (before you spend money on bills, always spend some on spiritual growth and fun or celebration - you don't find that in the Financial Times) and recognise how much you need (er?)

There is plenty of other research, too.
Did you know that if teenage girls live with their dads the moment when they're biologically ready to have sex can be delayed by up to three months? Not stated whether this is approved of, or not. And bad luck too to have an older sister, as it holds you back further; stepbrothers help you though. There is no suggestion thankfully of what to do if you're caught in this predicament.

I should mention that as it's the January issue there's a proper horoscope with actual dates in January, not one of these cobbled-together two-paragraph jobs in other mags. If it applies to men too then I'm likely to be short of money at the end of the month and be cautious especially on the 22nd if I want to buy an internet cafe. (Er, I wasn't actually thinking of that, so I might get away, I suppose. Anyone want to make me an offer?)

You really must read this, especially if you're a leader of worship and want to know where your congregation is. I've just sent off for a year's subscription. It's the ultimate proof of G.K Chesterton's famous statement that when folk stop believing in something they don't believe in nothing they believe in anything. Did I mention the bollocks? Not sure.

I've barely scratched the surface. Buy it, read it. Ignore it at your peril.