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Title: The Way of the Shaman : Tenth Anniversary Edition by Michael Harner ISBN: 0-06-250373-1 Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco Pub. Date: 12 October, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (25 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: aseptic
Comment: In this book one gets a series of exercises which guide one to accomplish such tasks as "finding one's power animal", "spirit extraction" and so on. TWS has a lot to recommend it and since the good stuff has been pointed out in other reviews, i myself will ignore it here. Harner has, almost single handedly, ushered in the era of "neo-shamanism". As i understand it, the basic idea behind neoshamism is to find a way to enter the "altered state of consciousness (ASC)" without having to use medicine plants. These plants are illegal, may be diffult to prepare correctly and are altogether too unpleasant to deal with. So, in comes the drum. And the rattle. The premise is that, somehow, using the same utensils as, say, Siberian shamans, one is going to enter the same ASC. Nothing could be further from truth. In the absence of the mythological and spiritual context, the neoshamanic drums and rattles are toys for children.
The "shamanic" methods described in TWS were developed by Harner 30 years ago and have not changed one iota since then. All his imagination, creativity and inspiration seems to have vanished into thin air once he left UC Berkeley and now this guy keeps selling the same old stuff decade after decade. Academically! Seriously! Businesslike! TWS is Harner's Nicean Council - it has frozen his tracks.
The Way of Shaman gives us an aseptic, soul-less and (for me) ultimately boring way into the spirit world. Well, what *is* a shaman anyway? Is the mestizo in Iquitous peddling his ayahuasca a shaman? Is someone who finished her coursework at "The Foundation for Shamanic Studies" a shaman? For me, a shaman is someone whose task is to care for Life and whose role is to connect individual strands of consciousness to the large, universal and delicious Life consciousness. A good shaman is aware of the great Mystery and of the fact, that we are just players in it and why not go for the ride for the beauty of it. The (traditional) shaman is also plugged into the spiritual and mythic universe of his/her society and therefore connected to this mystery. We have lost this connection and are looking for it - (neo)shamanism, if it is to survive, will have to provide it somehow, somewhere. Right now, i think it is failing - one traditional Lakota lodge is worth ten courses taken at the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. In order to find one's power animal in the traditional society one does not just lie on the floo and daydream with the drum. Usually, much legwork is done and a lot of sweat/tears are shed; it can be dangereous and it takes a lot of patience, courage and ingenuity - all qualities necessary for serious work in ASC. One brings in the ancestors and the spirit world with reverence and respect. Harner ignores all this (most important stuff) and this is why this book is ultimately unsatisfying.
Rating: 4
Summary: I'm Divided On This Book
Comment: It really would be more fair of me to give this book three and a half stars, but it doesn't work that way so I'll leave it at four. Anyway, I must admit that I am of two different mind concerning this book. Harner, who has indeed studied Shamanism amongst various indigenous peoples such as the Jivaro of Ecuador, certainly does know his stuff. I will grant him that. However, in this book he strips it down to it's core, removing many of the cultural trappings, in order to take the reader into the world of the Shaman. This is not a book about Siberian, Native American, Aboriginal, African, Voudon or any other form of Shamanism. Instead, it focuses on Harner's "Core Shamanism" and even attempts to instruct the reader on how to become a Shaman. This presents some serious questions for us. First of all, is this cultural piracy? Shamanism is an old tradition, and can be found among many traditions. No one people, however, have a monopoly on Shamanism. After all, the Shamanic traditions of, say, the Yakuts, Chuckchi and Buryat are just as ancient and valid of those of the Pygmies, Bushmen or Yanomami. Harner seems to be very aware of this and tries not to attach his Shamanic tradition to that of any one particular culture. And certainly more recent traditions do draw from Shamanic background. Voudon and Santeria, as well as certain movements amongst the Native Americans and Australian Aborigines illustrate this. Why shouldn't westerners find a tradition that is acceptable to them? In the end, the reader needs to come to his own conclusions on these issues before he reads through this book. After all, it is a book instructing the reader in Harner's Core Shamanism. I certainly would recommend it to people with an interest in Shamanism and/or Neo-Shamanism, whether from an anthropologic perspective or from a "New Age" perspective. Others, however, might be disappointed or even offended in this book. It all depends on your views I suppose. The best I can say is buyer beware.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Classic in all Respects
Comment: I just can't say enough good things about Way of the Shaman, it is simply the best book of shamanism I have read. Harner dared to venture into territory which other main stream academics in the United States were too afraid to touch. This is a great book in all respects, though I wish Harner had mentioned a little more about the potential negative effects of Shamanism -- its not all positive. But, I still say unequivicably if you want to learn about real shamanism this is the place to go. Buy this one.
Recently I finished another shamanic book entitled 'Memetic Magic' by Kirk Packwood. While comparable to Harner's text, it actually breaks new ground and discusses shamanic techniques which no one has yet dared to discuss. MM is another good one to check out if you are not afraid of the darker aspects of shamanism.
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Title: Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self Through Shamanic Practice by Sandra Ingerman ISBN: 0062504061 Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco Pub. Date: 27 September, 1991 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Shamanism: As a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life by Thomas Dale Cowan, Tom Cowan ISBN: 0895948389 Publisher: Genealogical Services Pub. Date: 01 September, 1996 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title:Shamanic Journey Drumming ASIN: B00005MOH2 List Price(USD): $14.99 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99 |
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Title: Modern Shamanic Living: New Explorations of an Ancient Path by Evelyn C. Rysdyk ISBN: 1578631254 Publisher: Weiser Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Secrets of Shamanism : Tapping the Spirit Power Within You by Jose Stevens, Lena S. Stevens ISBN: 0380756072 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 August, 1988 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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