Awakening to the Spirit World: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation Hot

This book is a much needed 21st century synthesis of shamanism and the transformative role it can play in our lives. Shamanism, the world’s first spiritual practice, guides us through the experience of direct revelation, to the wisdom within each of us. The practice of shamanism opens doorways into other realms of reality where helping spirits reside who share their guidance, wisdom, and healing for ourselves and the world we live in. Shamanism reveals to us, through this mystical experience, that we are an integral part of Nature and one with all life.

Ingerman, Wesselman and their collaborators, who together embody more than 100 person years of shamanic teaching, writing, and healing, weave together the ancient roots and past wisdom, and provide instruction for bringing shamanic practice into the Western world. They quote aboriginal shamans who say that it is time for us in the west to adopt this practice to help ourselves and others to restore a sense of meaning and mystery into our frenetic lives.

The authors describe the history of shamanism, how it shaped the world’s spiritual traditions, and why it is still relevant today. The art of the shamanic journey—the jewel of shamanism, which helps us to connect with the spiritual world—is explained and the CDs that accompany the book provide drumming and guidance to begin to journey. The major topics of shamanic practice are explored, from the art of the shamanic journey itself, working with ceremony and ritual, life transitions, including death, transforming communities, and working with children.

This book will play a seminal role in grounding shamanism in the 21st century. By brining several contributors together, the authors are able to explore several shamanic cultural traditions in one book. Thus, the reader learns something about the universal nature of the core of this spiritual and healing tradition. The authors transmit an appreciation of the cultural differences and individual approaches that are so central to its vitality and why it had endured so long.

I teach and practice shamanism myself, and have many books on shamanism on my shelf. This is the book that I now recommend to my students who want to understand the scope of this beautiful practice, and the important role it can have in their own personal transformation.

Two CDs accompany the book: one contains drumming for journeys and the other instructions for beginning to journey. There are suggested practices throughout the book and a list of references at the end.

Review by Analouise Williams