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copperbeech's review
5.0
This book was required reading for a course I took, and I wasn't excited about having to read it. The murky waters of neoshamanism are often challenging to tread and I wasn't sure what to expect. I come from a reconstructionist tradition on several fronts, and most often find that modern shamans who claim a specific lineage, thus cultural slant in their work, really aren't connected with it at all, but to what they interpret it to be. Not the same thing, and a point of contention in how this kind of work is presented to potential clients who are misled.
I was pleasantly surprised that the neoshamans not raised in a shamanic culture or lineage not only pointed out that fact themselves, but distinguished that while they feel connected to a specific culture they do not call themselves discrete shamans of those cultures--others do. Having read the words of these noted modern shamans, such as Geo Trevarthen, Tom Cowan, Rabbi Gershon Winkler, Christina Pratt, and Sandra Ingerman to name a few, I feel affirmed in the modern shamanic movement, specifically that while we do not have a uniting culture of shamanic awareness, we share the roots of timeless responsibility to our ancient and indigenous soul travelers.
Webb, herself, does not give direct commentary on the issues facing modern shamans, though through the course of talking with these dynamic speakers concerns emerge. In these introspective and educational interviews, Webb carries us far forward of the limiting, archaic views of shamanism thrust into the western consciousness by Eliade and even Harner, addressing issues such as where allopathic fits into shamanic work, the role of women in modern shamanism, and how many contemporary soul travelers face balancing the need for income with devotion to spiritual work. Wildly inspiring and deeply profound, this book is a great resource for anyone wanting to understand the path of a modern shaman, and to gain insight into the many ways that path can manifest.
I was pleasantly surprised that the neoshamans not raised in a shamanic culture or lineage not only pointed out that fact themselves, but distinguished that while they feel connected to a specific culture they do not call themselves discrete shamans of those cultures--others do. Having read the words of these noted modern shamans, such as Geo Trevarthen, Tom Cowan, Rabbi Gershon Winkler, Christina Pratt, and Sandra Ingerman to name a few, I feel affirmed in the modern shamanic movement, specifically that while we do not have a uniting culture of shamanic awareness, we share the roots of timeless responsibility to our ancient and indigenous soul travelers.
Webb, herself, does not give direct commentary on the issues facing modern shamans, though through the course of talking with these dynamic speakers concerns emerge. In these introspective and educational interviews, Webb carries us far forward of the limiting, archaic views of shamanism thrust into the western consciousness by Eliade and even Harner, addressing issues such as where allopathic fits into shamanic work, the role of women in modern shamanism, and how many contemporary soul travelers face balancing the need for income with devotion to spiritual work. Wildly inspiring and deeply profound, this book is a great resource for anyone wanting to understand the path of a modern shaman, and to gain insight into the many ways that path can manifest.
lannan's review
2.0
Eh. Only two of the interviewees really seemed genuine to me. The rest seemed bland at best and fraudulent at worst. Cultural appropriation up the wazoo and lots of "love and light" in here. Glad I got it from the library.