A ground-breaking and stand-out book on shamanism, written for both complete beginners and for anyone already with experience. At once both practical and deeply thought-provoking, this book examines how to make shamanic practice relevant and central to our modern-day lives.
For those new to the subject, the book is a grounded, easy-to-read and yet comprehensive introduction to the ancient knowledge, wisdom and practices of shamanism. In addition, it provides an easy-to-follow guide, with clearly-explained, practical exercises and suggestions about how to get started on the shamanic path.
Far more than just a beginner's guide though, the book can be eye-opening to any open-minded shamanic practitioner. As a highly practical form of spirituality, our ancestors always adapted shamanism to the times and environment in which they lived. The book explores how, as we turned away from hunter-gathering, and with the rise of agriculture, domestication and 'civilisation', we largely lost our connection with shamanism. This profoundly changed us emotionally, psychologically and spiritually, and radically altered the environment around us. Facing the challenges of our times, the book discusses how we can reclaim shamanism and, most importantly, how to make it relevant to the changed times in which we now live, and how doing this may be crucial to our very survival and return to sanity.
In 'The Shamanic Journey' Paul Francis draws on his wealth of knowledge and experience in shamanism, anthropology and psychotherapy. Well researched, and yet written in an accessible and conversational style, he combines these three elements into a shamanic practice that is spirit-led, down-to-earth, psychologically-aware, ethical and compassionate. What emerges is a spiritual practice that is both deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, and one that we can use to heal not only ourselves, but society, and the planet. If you let them, the knowledge and practices in this book can positively change your life, and the way in which you see and experience the world around you.
The book is the first in the 'Therapeutic Shamanism' series. The series is a thorough, step-by-step guide to shamanic practice, the first of its kind to go into such detail and depth. An apprenticeship for modern times.
The next books in the series will include: Rewilding Your Soul; The Medicine Wheel; Soul Loss and Soul Retrieval; Healing the Mother and Father Wounds; Healing Ancestral and Family Wounds; The Inner Totem Pole; Plant-Spirit Shamanism; Shamanic Counselling and Psychotherapy.
