The Real Witches’ Handbook. Kate West

seriously large amount of money on a tarot deck, but it will not give you a better reading than a cheap one, and quite often the runes you make yourself will work better for you than the ones which came in a velvet pouch with a special reading board and cloth.

      REINCARNATION AND THE SUMMERLANDS

      Witches believe in reincarnation, that we return to this world many times over. We also believe that after death we move firstly to the Summerlands, a place where we may rest and become renewed. In the Summerlands we may be able to meet those we have loved who have gone before us and we can choose the lessons that we will learn in our next life.

      However, belief in reincarnation does not allow us to be complacent about the life we are currently living. You can neither blame your current problems on things that may or may not have happened in a previous existence, nor can you simply postpone dealing with current problems in the hope that next time around things will be better. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, one thing is certain: you will only get one chance at this life and it is up to you to make the best of it. This is something which needs to be borne in mind should you feel the temptation to explore your past lives, whether through meditation or any other technique. Whilst there are often many interesting or useful things that can be learned from past-life recall, a few people do find the subject so fascinating that they neglect to make the most of their current life. As with all things, balance should be sought.