For a thousand generations, desert shamans of the far West sought order in the stars and in the mysteries and wonder of their grand, if unforgiving landscape. When summoned, they doctored the stricken, be they stoic elders or frightened little … Continue reading →
Demystifying Hmong Shamanism is the first book to provide a comprehensive discussion of shamanism as practiced and experienced by Hmong Americans. A broad range of case examples are discussed that not only represent the initiation and maintenance of the shaman’s … Continue reading →
Traveling Spirit Masters: Moroccan Gnawa Trance and Music in the Global Marketplace (Music Culture) A group of ritual musicians and former slaves brought from sub-Saharan Africa to Morocco, the Gnawa heal those they believe to be possessed, using incense, music, … Continue reading →
The World of Shamanism: New Views of an Ancient Tradition Fascinating, comprehensive, and eminently readable, this guide explores shamanism—the world’s most enduring healing and religious tradition—in the light of modern medicine, psychology, neuroscience, consciousness disciplines, and religious studies. “…Unquestionably the … Continue reading →
Where the Spirits Ride the Wind: Trance Journeys and Other Ecstatic Experiences Goodman reexamines our notions of the nature of reality by studying the ritual postures of native art assumed by her subjects during trance states. For readers desiring to … Continue reading →
Shamanism: An Encyclopedia of World Beliefs, Practices, and Culture (2 Volume Set) This two-volume reference is the first international survey of shamanistic beliefs from prehistory to the present day. In nearly 200 detailed, readable entries, leading ethnographers, psychologists, archaeologists, historians, … Continue reading →
For anyone who’s ever had the desire to look at the world through the eyes of our indigenous ancestors, here is a unique opportunity. Traveling between the Worlds is a treasure trove of insight and exploration into the ancient spiritual … Continue reading →
The Woman in the Shaman’s Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicine A distinguished anthropologist–who is also an initiated shaman–reveals the long-hidden female roots of the world’s oldest form of religion and medicine. Here is a fascinating expedition into … Continue reading →
The Nature of Shamanism: Substance and Function of a Religious Metaphor [The author] explores the core and essence of shamanism by looking at its ritual, mythology, symbolism, and the dynamics of its cultural process. In dealing with the basic elements … Continue reading →
What does the brain do during “soul journeys”? How do shamans alter consciousness and why is this important for healing? Are shamans different from other kinds of healers? Is there a connection between the rituals performed by chimpanzees and traditional … Continue reading →
Nine Worlds of Seid-Magic: Ecstasy and Neo-Shamanism in North European Paganism This accessible study of Northern European shamanistic practice, or seidr, explores the way in which the ancient Norse belief systems evoked in the Icelandic Sagas and Eddas have been … Continue reading →
First published in 1951, Shamanism soon became the standard work in the study of this mysterious and fascinating phenomenon. Writing as the founder of the modern study of the history of religion, Romanian émigré–scholar Mircea Eliade (1907-1986) surveys the practice … Continue reading →
