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Kuna Art and Shamanism: An Ethnographic Approach
By Paolo Fortis. 2012
Known for their beautiful textile art, the Kuna of Panama have been scrutinized by anthropologists for decades. Perhaps surprisingly, this…
scrutiny has overlooked the magnificent Kuna craft of nuchukana—wooden anthropomorphic carvings—which play vital roles in curing and other Kuna rituals. Drawing on long-term fieldwork, Paolo Fortis at last brings to light this crucial cultural facet, illuminating not only Kuna aesthetics and art production but also their relation to wider social and cosmological concerns. Exploring an art form that informs birth and death, personhood, the dream world, the natural world, religion, gender roles, and ecology, Kuna Art and Shamanism provides a rich understanding of this society’s visual system, and the ways in which these groundbreaking ethnographic findings can enhance Amerindian scholarship overall. Fortis also explores the fact that to ask what it means for the Kuna people to carve the figure of a person is to pose a riddle about the culture’s complete concept of knowing. Also incorporating notions of landscape (islands, gardens, and ancient trees) as well as cycles of life, including the influence of illness, Fortis places the statues at the center of a network of social relationships that entangle people with nonhuman entities. As an activity carried out by skilled elderly men, who possess embodied knowledge of lifelong transformations, the carving process is one that mediates mortal worlds with those of immortal primordial spirits. Kuna Art and Shamanism immerses readers in this sense of unity and opposition between soul and body, internal forms and external appearances, and image and design.Change Your Story, Change Your Life
By Carl Greer. 2014
Change Your Story, Change Your Life is a practical self-help guide to personal transformation using traditional shamanic techniques combined with…
journaling and Carl Greer's method for dialoguing that draws upon Jungian active imagination. The exercises inspire readers to work with insights and energies derived during the use of modalities that tap into the unconscious so that they may consciously choose the changes they would like to make in their lives and begin implementing them.Talking Story
By Marie-Rose Phan-Le. 2014
A fascinating adventure into the world of healing, shamanism, plant medicine, and divination, Talking Story documents author Marie-Rose Phan-Lê's worldwide…
journey to find healing and truth from authentic mystics and shamans, while recording their disappearing traditions and discovering her own gift as a healer. Facing a crisis of faith after a profound betrayal by her New Age spiritual teacher, Phan-Lê is set on a path toward the exploration of the Old World. Learning that many indigenous cultures were on the verge of losing their medicinal plants, healing traditions, and spiritual knowledge as a result of habitat destruction, cultural assimilation, and globalization, she travels the globe, meeting with healers and shamans and documenting their practices. Describing each exciting leg of her journey, Phan-Lê embarks on a life-changing odyssey that takes her to remote corners of the globe including Eastern Peru, Hawaii, Nepal, India, Vietnam, and China. In the midst of her exploration, she begins to connect with her own healing roots, following in the footsteps of her aunt who in Vietnam had been a healer. Once back in the U.S., Phan-Lê's spiritual development continues and she decides to use media as medicine and to be a medium for healing. This book is part of a greater cross-platform of spiritual media that includes Phan-Lê's accompanying award-winning feature-length documentary film Talking Story and her nonprofit organization Healing Planet Project that is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of healing and spiritual traditions through media.The Jaguar Within
By Rebecca R. Stone. 2011
Shamanism-the practice of entering a trance state to experience visions of a reality beyond the ordinary and to gain esoteric…
knowledge-has been an important part of life for indigenous societies throughout the Americas from prehistoric times until the present. Much has been written about shamanism in both scholarly and popular literature, but few authors have linked it to another significant visual realm-art. In this pioneering study, Rebecca R. Stone considers how deep familiarity with, and profound respect for, the extra-ordinary visionary experiences of shamanism profoundly affected the artistic output of indigenous cultures in Central and South America before the European invasions of the sixteenth century. Using ethnographic accounts of shamanic trance experiences, Stone defines a core set of trance vision characteristics, including enhanced senses, ego dissolution, bodily distortions, flying, spinning and undulating sensations, synaesthesia, and physical transformation from the human self into animal and other states of being. Stone then traces these visionary characteristics in ancient artworks from Costa Rica and Peru. She makes a convincing case that these works, especially those of the Moche, depict shamans in a trance state or else convey the perceptual experience of visions by creating deliberately chaotic and distorted conglomerations of partial, inverted, and incoherent images.Witch's Halloween: A Complete Guide to the Magick, Incantations, Recipes, Spells, and Lore
By Gerina Dunwich. 2007
A Witch's 10 Commandments
By Marian Singer. 2006
While the art of witchcraft is uniquely personal, an underlying code of ethics and principles binds its serious practitioners together.…
For the first time, this code is defined in terms everyone can understand. In A Witch's 10 Commandments, renowned Wiccan author Marian Singer uses the ubiquitous biblical rules to frame the 10 tenets witches should live by. These tenets incorporate aphorisms common to the New Age, Neo-Pagan movement, such as: Thou art God/Goddess As Above, so Below; as Within, so Without Spirit abides in all things; Names have power; Maintain an attitude of gratitude; Honor the ancestors, your elders, teachers, and leaders; All life is sacred; All acts of love and pleasure are sacred; Whatever you send out, returns three fold; Love is the law Love under will Work for the greatest good; and harm none. Accompanying each commandment are practical spiritual exercises for everyday issues, such as controlling an over-heated temper, supporting elders and teachers, giving back to the earth, and more. With A Witch's 10 Commandments in your library, you have a solid blueprint for ethical practice, allowing you to walk the ancient path of the witch in today's world.Passages Handfasting: A Pagan Guide to Commitment Rituals
By Kendra Vauhan Hovey. 2008
The Magical Year
By Danu Forest. 2016
The Celtic seasonal wheel is based on eight festivals - Winter Solstice, Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Beltane, Summer Solstice, Lughnasadh, Autumn…
Equinox and Samhain. Together, these lead usthrough the cycle of the year, aligning our awareness with the seasonal pattern of the earth beneath our feet.In this book on the solstices, equinoxes and other festivals within the sacred cycle, Danu Forest reveals the secrets of each festival in turn and skilfully revives ancient traditions, encouraging us to reconnect with nature, and ourselves, with a host of practical ideas and rituals. Decorate your home with beautiful seasonal crafts and altars to manifest sacred space. Make gifts to give to friends, cast spells for creativity, fertility and blessing, and use the abundance of nature in recipes that can be enjoyed as part of your seasonal celebrations or for self-healing and empowerment. Meditate on the changing heavens throughout the year with Celtic star lore. Deepen your experience of the turning seasons, from the rest and renewal of winter through the revels of spring and summer to the soul or spirit nights of autumn with magical guided visualizations. This cycle of conscious celebration helps us, year on year, to align with nature's rhythms with greater wonder and insight.Based on sound extensive research, as well as many years of practical experience through both personal practice and teaching, the book will act as a guide for weaving a new, more soulful way of living into readers' everyday existence.Kitchen Witchery
By Marilyn F. Daniel. 2002
Psychic Soap: 4 parts Lemongrass + 3 parts Bay + 1 part Cinnamon Come and See Me Oil 5 drops…
Patchouli oil + 2 drops Cinnamon oil + Olive oil base Over the years, Wiccan High Priestess Marilyn Daniel has collected hundreds of recipes for her craft. Responding to repeated requests for her secrets, she has compiled them here for the first time in this comprehensive reference of more than 400 magical tips and recipes - covering everything from beauty treatments to healing salves to tasty treats. In addition to advice for buying, storing, and blending essential oils (always stir clockwise), Marilyn reveals her secrets for making incense, bath salts, soaps, ointments, potpourri, ink, and more. Readers will learn how to make a Tuberose Bouquet for attracting love and Air Oil for clear thinking and overcoming addiction, as well as how to incorporate their pets into spellcraft. Kitchen Witchery includes a wide variety of cookies, breads, wines, and other magical foods, and Marilyn serves up her famous recipes for goodies like Sabbat Cakes and Wiccan Handfasting Cake, and drinks such as Nettle Ale and the Milk of Isis. And should a witch find herself in the middle of a recipe with a missing ingredient, she can find a worthy substitute in the extensive list provided. Kitchen Witchery also includes a helpful reference list of magical correspondences and a glossary of herbs and their folk names.Evolutionary Witchcraft
By T. Thorn Coyle. 2004
The Enemy Within
By John Demos. 2008
With the vision of a historian and the voice of a novelist, prize?winning author John Demos explores the social, cultural,…
and psychological roots of the scourge that is witch-hunting, both in the remote past and today. The Enemy Within chronicles the most prominent witch-hunts of the Western world?women and men who were targeted by suspicious neighbors and accused of committing horrific crimes by supernatural means?and shows how the fear of witchcraft has fueled recurrent cycles of accusation, persecution, and purging. A unique and fascinating book, it illumines the dark side of communities driven to rid themselves of perceived evil, no matter what the human cost. .A Shaman's Tale
By Richard L. Alaniz. 2013
According to a 2009 Harris Poll, 42% of American adults believe in ghosts and paranormal activities. Through candid and powerful…
anecdotes, meditation teacher and spiritual counselor Richard Alaniz guides his readers to an understanding of the purpose of spirit manifestations and multi-dimensional beings. A Shaman's Tale provides answers to questions about the paranormal, mysticism, and the mysteries of life and death. It is also an autobiographical narrative about one man's journey to spiritual awareness - a journey that is not a religious or political one, but one that transcends dimension, space, and time. Based on his experience as a shaman and his encounters with the paranormal, Richard Alaniz shows how paranormal experiences can illuminate a spirit world to those who are in search of higher consciousness.Shinto the Kami Way
By Sokyo Ono, William Woodard. 1962
Shinto, the indigenous faith of the Japanese people, continues to fascinate and mystify both the casual visitor to Japan and…
the long-time resident. This introduction unveils Shinto's spiritual characteristics and discusses the architecture and function of Shinto shrines. Further examination of Shinto's lively festivals, worship, music, and sacred regalia illustrates Shinto's influence on all levels of Japanese life.Fifteen photographs, numerous drawings and Dr. Ono's text introduce the reader to two millenia of indigenous Japanese belief in the Kami - the sacred spirits worshipped in Shinto - and in communal life, the way of the Kami.Discovering Your Spirit Animal: The Wisdom of the Shamans
By Pip Waller, Lucy Harmer. 2009
In Discovering Your Spirit Animal, shamanic healer Lucy Harmer presents a practical approach to understanding spirit animals and applying their…
power to specific situations in daily life. Written in clear, simple language and featuring compelling stories and anecdotes, the book explains what a spirit animal is, describes its purpose, and shows that understanding the “medicine” of one’s spirit animal—assimilating its qualities and characteristics—allows one to apply the lessons and messages they convey and use them for personal transformation. Lucy Harmer notes that particular animals that cross one’s path or appear repeatedly nearby probably want us to share in their medicine, their teaching, their energy, and their spirit.Discovering Your Spirit Animal provides guidance for meeting and getting to know one’s spirit animal through easy exercises and shamanic techniques. Lucy Harmer explains how to discover the strengths, qualities, and skills one shares with one’s personal spirit animal, enabling one to learn how to reinforce this connection and access innate wisdom and inner power, overcome fears, increase natural healing capacity, and improve relationships.Mesoamerican Healers
By Brad R. Huber, Alan R. Sandstrom. 2001
Healing practices in Mesoamerica span a wide range, from traditional folk medicine with roots reaching back into the prehispanic era…
to westernized biomedicine. These sometimes cooperating, sometimes competing practices have attracted attention from researchers and the public alike, as interest in alternative medicine and holistic healing continues to grow.Responding to this interest, the essays in this book offer a comprehensive, state-of-the-art survey of Mesoamerican healers and medical practices in Mexico and Guatemala. The first two essays describe the work of prehispanic and colonial healers and show how their roles changed over time. The remaining essays look at contemporary healers, including bonesetters, curers, midwives, nurses, physicians, social workers, and spiritualists. Using a variety of theoretical approaches, the authors examine such topics as the intersection of gender and curing, the recruitment of healers and their training, healers' compensation and workload, types of illnesses treated and recommended treatments, conceptual models used in diagnosis and treatment, and the relationships among healers and between indigenous healers and medical and political authorities.Cosmos, Self, and History in Baniwa Religion: For Those Unborn
By Wright, Robin M.. 1998
In this ethnography of Baniwa religion, Robin M. Wright explores the myths of creation and how they have been embodied…
in religious movements and social action—particularly in a widespread conversion to evangelical Christianity. He opens with a discussion of cosmogony, cosmology, and shamanism, and then goes on to explain how Baniwa origin myths have played an active role in shaping both personal and community identity and history. He also explores the concepts of death and eschatology and shows how the mythology of destruction and renewal in Baniwa religion has made the Baniwa people receptive to both Catholic and Protestant missionaries.The Untold History of Healing: Plant Lore and Medicinal Magic from the Stone Age to Present
By Wolf D. Storl. 2017
The Untold History of Healing takes the reader on a exciting, expansive journey of the history of medicine from the…
Stone Age to modern times, explaining that Western medicine has its true origins in the healing lore of Paleolithic hunters and gatherers, herding nomads, and the early sedentary farmers rather than in the academic tradition of doctors and pharmacists. This absorbing history of medicine takes the reader on a sweeping journey from the Stone Age to modern times, showing that Western medicine has its origins not only in the academic tradition of doctors and pharmacists, but in the healing lore of Paleolithic hunters and gatherers, herding nomads, and the early sedentary farmers. Anthropologist and ethnobotanist Wolf D. Storl vividly describes the many ways that ancient peoples have used the plants in their immediate environment, along with handed-down knowledge and traditions, to treat the variety of ailments they encountered in daily life.Dark Shamans: Kanaimà and the Poetics of Violent Death
By Neil L. Whitehead. 2002
On the little-known and darker side of shamanism there exists an ancient form of sorcery called kanaimà, a practice still…
observed among the Amerindians of the highlands of Guyana, Venezuela, and Brazil that involves the ritual stalking, mutilation, lingering death, and consumption of human victims. At once a memoir of cultural encounter and an ethnographic and historical investigation, this book offers a sustained, intimate look at kanaimà, its practitioners, their victims, and the reasons they give for their actions. Neil L. Whitehead tells of his own involvement with kanaimà--including an attempt to kill him with poison--and relates the personal testimonies of kanaimà shamans, their potential victims, and the victims' families. He then goes on to discuss the historical emergence of kanaimà, describing how, in the face of successive modern colonizing forces--missionaries, rubber gatherers, miners, and development agencies--the practice has become an assertion of native autonomy. His analysis explores the ways in which kanaimà mediates both national and international impacts on native peoples in the region and considers the significance of kanaimà for current accounts of shamanism and religious belief and for theories of war and violence. Kanaimà appears here as part of the wider lexicon of rebellious terror and exotic horror--alongside the cannibal, vampire, and zombie--that haunts the western imagination. Dark Shamans broadens discussions of violence and of the representation of primitive savagery by recasting both in the light of current debates on modernity and globalization.The Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients
By Lexa Rosean. 2005
Bringing the art and magick of casting spells to the masses, Lexa Rosean is the new face of Wicca. In…
The Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients she provides beginner and experienced practitioners of spellcasting with a quick, easy, and accurate guide to the magickal powers and properties of herbs, spices, flowers, vegetables, fruits, metals, and colors -- more than 500 ingredients in all. With this info at your fingertips, you can craft spells for specific desires or needs -- whether it's love, luck, fertility, or even next month's rent! Written with passion for the craft and a deep understanding of the needs of modern-day Wiccans, The Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients is an indispensable addition to every occult library and an essential reference for all with the gift of magick.The Ecstatic Experience: Healing Postures for Spirit Journeys
By Belinda Gore. 2009
Trance-inducing postures for shamanic journeying, initiation, healing, divination, and transformation of the soul • Provides practices from Mayan, Egyptian, African,…
Native American, Sumerian, and other ancient and indigenous traditions • Shows how these practices can detoxify the energy body The human need for ecstasy--the ability to be free of the limitations of ordinary consciousness--is as imperative as the need for food. Renowned anthropologist Felicitas Goodman claimed that being deprived of ecstasy was the fundamental cause of all forms of addiction. Indigenous cultures and the civilizations of antiquity were aware of this and developed specific rituals to induce and channel trance energies to detoxify and nourish the subtle body in order to experience the ecstatic reality that gives life to matter. The body postures seen in ancient art from Mayan, Egyptian, African, Native American, Sumerian, and other ancient and indigenous traditions are a doorway to inducing this kind of ecstatic trance. People who assume these postures in a ritual context are able to experience expanded and transformative states of consciousness. Following up on the groundbreaking introduction of this practice in her first book, Ecstatic Body Postures, Belinda Gore provides a new series of 20 sacred postures and exercises that allow for a deeper understanding and utilization of these shamanic practices. She shows how to use the energy awakened by these practices for healing, shapeshifting, initiations into the mysteries of death and rebirth, divination, spirit journeying, and restoring balance to the cosmic patterns disrupted by destructive human activity.