Book Reviews
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The book that really got me to believe that I could actually learn Shamanism is called "The Shamanic Journey" by Paul Francis. It is Volume 1 in the "Therapeutic Shamanism" series. Paul teaches Core Shamanism which is perfect for the person who has been brought up and indoctrinated into so called "Western Civilisation". It is not attached to any particular shamanic culture or indigenous mythologies and is very "scientific" in its approach and methodology.
"This book, if you let it, will take you on a journey...you will experience first hand the healing power of shamanism and your eyes will be opened to a world of mystery and potential that has been there all along. You do not need any special talents or powers, just an open mind. And you will trust this new way of being, because you will personally experience it. To say that this will change your life for the better is a remarkable understatement."
If you enjoy this book you will be hooked on Shamanism and will want to read all the follow up volumes - there are 3 volumes published as of April 2020. These are - vol 2 - "Rewilding Yourself" and - vol 3 - "Finding Your Deep Soul". All three books are highly recommended but I suggest you read "The Shamanic Journey" first.
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Spirit Paths - The Quest For Authenticity
by Gerry C. Starnes, M.Ed.
(A Shamanic Passages Publication)
This is a truly wonderful book. I am a huge fan of Gerry Starnes, a genuine Shamanic Teacher and Practitioner who lives in Texas. This work is a course book based on Core Shamanism but heavily influenced by the Toltec teachings of Carlos Castaneda and other Toltec teachers.
If you want learn the authentic contemporary shamanism of the American South West then this is the book for you.
Thoroughly recommended, as are Gerry's YouTube videos and his Shamanic Passages online teaching courses.
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"Spirituality versus Religion" by Leo Rutherford (a respected "elder" of the UK shamanic community).
I enjoyed this book, not so much for its shamanic content but for the way it spells out (in extremely hard hitting, no holds barred terms) the difference between religion and genuine spirituality. If anybody reading this thinks that religion and spirituality are one and the same thing and are suffering from the illusion that religion (and Christianity in particular) is a valid "spiritual" practice - then this little book will quickly educate them and will certainly change their mind for ever.
Warning: If you are a devout Christian and deeply attached to the dogma of your tradition - please do NOT read this book. It will upset you, make you angry and probably ruin your life. If, on the other hand you are an open minded individual who just happens to regard him or herself as a "Christian" - then maybe your eyes will be opened and it will enhance your life.
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"The Teachings of Don Juan - a Yaqui Way of Knowledge" by the late, great Carlos Castaneda.
This is the book that first sparked my interest in Shamanism back in the 1970's
Castaneda has become an almost mythical character (both before and after his death) and he is the subject of much discussion and much controversy in both academic and shamanic circles.
One thing is certain - Carlos Castaneda and all his books are unique. As an anthropology student at UCLA he befriended an old Yaqui Indian from Sonora Mexico. It turned out that this old Indian was a powerful sorcerer (shaman) and he eventually accepted young Carlos as his apprentice.
Now whether the whole story is "true" or not is not important in my opinion. What is important is that if you are interested in shamanism and want to actually "feel" the shamanic experience from the point of view of a naive western (modern) student - then you have to read this book. I am sure that once you have, you will be as hooked as I was (and your mind will be blown). And then you will want to read all the following books in the series. This is the order in which to read them:-
1) The Teachings of Don Juan (1968) - I recommend the 1998 edition
2) A Separate Reality (1971)
3) Journey to Ixtlan (1972)
4) Tales of Power (1974)
5) The Second Ring of Power (1977)
6) The Eagles Gift (1981)
7) The Fire From Within (1984)
8) The Power of Silence (1987)
9) The Art of Dreaming (1993)
10) Magical Passes (1998)
11) The Wheel of Time (1998)
12) The Active Side of Infinity (1999)
Warning : These books are NOT about "Core Shamanism". They are about authentic, indigenous shamanism and it's shadow side "sorcery". A lot of what Castaneda experienced was very scary and everything he does with plants is now illegal in all our so called "civilised" countries. Can't have people finding out the "truth" and taking back control of their lives now, can we?
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"Spirituality versus Religion" by Leo Rutherford (a respected "elder" of the UK shamanic community).
I enjoyed this book, not so much for its shamanic content but for the way it spells out (in extremely hard hitting, no holds barred terms) the difference between religion and genuine spirituality. If anybody reading this thinks that religion and spirituality are one and the same thing and are suffering from the illusion that religion (and Christianity in particular) is a valid "spiritual" practice - then this little book will quickly educate them and will certainly change their mind for ever.
Warning: If you are a devout Christian and deeply attached to the dogma of your tradition - please do NOT read this book. It will upset you, make you angry and probably ruin your life. If, on the other hand you are an open minded individual who just happens to regard him or herself as a "Christian" - then maybe your eyes will be opened and it will enhance your life.
........................................................................................................
"The Teachings of Don Juan - a Yaqui Way of Knowledge" by the late, great Carlos Castaneda.
This is the book that first sparked my interest in Shamanism back in the 1970's
Castaneda has become an almost mythical character (both before and after his death) and he is the subject of much discussion and much controversy in both academic and shamanic circles.
One thing is certain - Carlos Castaneda and all his books are unique. As an anthropology student at UCLA he befriended an old Yaqui Indian from Sonora Mexico. It turned out that this old Indian was a powerful sorcerer (shaman) and he eventually accepted young Carlos as his apprentice.
Now whether the whole story is "true" or not is not important in my opinion. What is important is that if you are interested in shamanism and want to actually "feel" the shamanic experience from the point of view of a naive western (modern) student - then you have to read this book. I am sure that once you have, you will be as hooked as I was (and your mind will be blown). And then you will want to read all the following books in the series. This is the order in which to read them:-
1) The Teachings of Don Juan (1968) - I recommend the 1998 edition
2) A Separate Reality (1971)
3) Journey to Ixtlan (1972)
4) Tales of Power (1974)
5) The Second Ring of Power (1977)
6) The Eagles Gift (1981)
7) The Fire From Within (1984)
8) The Power of Silence (1987)
9) The Art of Dreaming (1993)
10) Magical Passes (1998)
11) The Wheel of Time (1998)
12) The Active Side of Infinity (1999)
Warning : These books are NOT about "Core Shamanism". They are about authentic, indigenous shamanism and it's shadow side "sorcery". A lot of what Castaneda experienced was very scary and everything he does with plants is now illegal in all our so called "civilised" countries. Can't have people finding out the "truth" and taking back control of their lives now, can we?
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The Teachings of Don Carlos (Practical Applications of the work of Carlos Castaneda)
by Victor Sanchez
I did get a bit excited when I discovered this book. It has been described as "The Rosetta Stone" for fans of Carlos Castaneda and do Juan Matus and I had been searching for something like this for some years.
Sadly, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it is a great book and extremely useful IF you are young enough, strong enough, dedicated enough and have plenty of time and energy. The only one of these attributes I have is plenty of time. This book made me wake up to the fact that I was never going to master Toltec shamanism (sorcery).
I wouldn't put any fan of Castaneda off reading this book but be warned - it is a serious work manual and the work involved is deep and hard. I wish you luck on your path.
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The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (1997)
This is essential reading for anybody who has been captivated by the works of Carlos Castaneda. It is a practical modern training manual that allows you to begin to understand the Toltec way of knowledge.
It would appear to be very simple, and it is - but - and it is a big BUT - it is not an easy path.
The Four Agreements are :-
1) Be Impeccable With Your Word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2) Don't Take Anything Personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3) Don't Make Assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4) Always Do Your Best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment, it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self judgement, self abuse and regret.
See also - The Fifth Agreement - A Practical Guide To Self Mastery by Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz with Janet Mills (2010). This is a continuation from The Four Agreements.
The fifth agreement is Be Sceptical, but Learn to Listen. Don't believe yourself or anybody else. Use the power of doubt to question everything you hear: is it really the truth? Listen to the intent behind words and you will understand the real message.
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The Medicine Bag by don Jose Ruiz
The Medicine Bag is a small bag that a Shaman would traditionally wear around his or her neck. It is traditionally made from deer skin (though nowadays people use cotton or felt instead if they have strong views about using animal skin). The Shaman keeps small "sacred" objects in the Medicine Bag for many different reasons - ritual, ceremony and omen walking to name a few.
The Medicine Bag is also a new book by don Jose Ruiz. Don Jose is the second of don Miguel Ruiz' (The Four Agreements) three sons, he was raised to be a Shaman in the Toltec tradition and has remarkable wisdom for such a young man. Don Jose is a very flamboyant character (you can find him talking on YouTube) with his long hair and his love of art and music. I feel that he is a very loving person and he has a kind of feline femininity about him.
The book is an easy read and a veritable treasure trove of information for the novice shamanic person or the more experienced practitioner who wants to learn more about the Toltec tradition. Don Jose explains how to go about creating your Medicine Bag and how to set up a shamanic "altar". He also goes into good detail on how to perform various shamanic rituals and ceremonies and journeys in his tradition.
I enjoyed this little book as I have enjoyed all the work presented by the Ruiz family and I definitely feel a deep affinity to the Toltec tradition - maybe because my first encounter with shamanism was through Carlos Castaneda and his teacher don Juan Matus (a sorcerer from the Toltec tradition).
Recommended.
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The Shaman Within by Claude Poncelet, PhD
The Shaman Within - A Physicist's Guide to the Deeper Dimensions of Your Life, the Universe, and Everything by Claude Poncelet, PhD who is a Belgian physicist living and working in the USA. He is also a shamanic practitioner and teacher who appears to have an amazing talent for "shape shifting".
I would say that this is not a book for the absolute novice. It is based around Core Shamanism and he does quote a few famous teachers of Core Shamanism but he has also done some ground work with indigenous peoples. The style can be a little dry and academic in places but the content is pretty mind blowing. Recommended if you have some knowledge of Core Shamanism and are prepared to knuckle down to some serious reading.
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