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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 291.144
EAN num: 9780028643649
Format: Illustrated
ISBN number: 002864364X
Label: Alpha
Manufacturer: Alpha
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 336
Printing Date: June 18, 2002
Publishing house: Alpha
Sale Popularity Level: 283441
Studio: Alpha
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Rated by buyers 
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If you could choose only one book to start someone off learning about Shamanism, this should be the one.
Rated by buyers 
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I am no expert on shamanism--which is why I thought this book would be a good one for me to read. But this book was not for me. The author's version of shamanism is totally different than what I have read or experienced. Her idea of a shamanic journey is no different than a guided medititation. And she views shamanic practice in a totally psychological way. She believes that a shaman can heal psychological problems but medical problems should only be taken to a medical doctor. She doesn't seem to understand that the spirit world is real and not a figment of the imagination. She also seems to think that a person chooses their power animal.
Another thing that bothered me was that many of the pictures in the book were of neo-pagan or wiccan rituals but the author never made an effort to explain how these religions are related to shamanism. She also states that the majority of shamans are male--which is totally untrue--it may be true in some places, like south america--but korean shamans are almost exclusively female and in many places the number of male and female shamans are equal.
I wanted to like this book--I generally like the complete idiot's guides--but this one seemed like fluff to me.
Rated by buyers -
Gini Graham Scott has done an excellent job in putting together a 'general introduction' to Shamanism in this book. She takes a number of different topic regarding it and describes them in terms virtually everyone can understand and makes it clear all who read this can benefit from using various "shamanic techniques" in their own lives. She also cautions in a few places in the book about those who claim to be "shamans" but may be using the term to profit from it more than helping people go on shamanic journeys.
Ms Scott devotes a couple chapters to the "history" of shamanism, starting from prehistoric times to the present, as well as describing its forms in various parts of the world. Even if all of these forms of shamanism developed indepedently of each other, it's interesting how they all seem to share some common ideas. I liked how Ms Scott talks a bit about "power animals," I have a handful I work with when doing meditations and have found them to be very helpful. Ms Scott also does a great job describing the various "shamanistic worlds," Upper, Middle & Lower and what you will find in each of them. Ms Scott also describes the process behind going on a shamanistic journey and what to expect and what to watch out for on such journeys.
This is a topic that up until recently most people found to be very mysterious and now that it seems to be gaining in popularity I'm glad to see a book like this out that gives a good overall view of what shamanism is and isn't. I have friends that are shamans and now I have a much better understanding of who they are and what they do.
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