Recommended Readings on Shamanism

• Harner, Michael. The Way of the Shaman. Harper SanFrancisco. 1990.
  The "classic" work by Harner which may have brought the contemporary world to consciousness about the message and power of shamanism for today's inhabitants more than any other book. Discusses how Harner came to shamanism experientially through fieldwork as an anthropolgist in the Upper Amazon and then gives practical how-to methods for us westerners.

• Ingerman, Sandra. Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self. Harper SanFrancisco. 1991.
  Ingerman is considered the world's leading practitioner of soul retrieval. This very readable book outlines the basic approaches to and methodology of soul retrieval as practiced today and taught by Ingerman through the Foundation for Shamanic Studies of which she is the educational director.

• Ingerman, Sandra. Welcome Home: Following Your Soul's Journey Home.. Harper SanFrancisco. 1994.
  In this, her second book, Ingerman goes further, posing and answering the question: "Once we are healed, then what?" She gives very practical exercises to aid people in "life after healing."

• Eliade, Mircea. Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. Princeton: Bollingen Foundation. 1964. ISBN#:0-691-01779-4.
  First published in 1951, this seminal work by well-known religious scholar, Eliade is the first comprehensive work that proved shamanism to be a world-wide phenonmen, not just in Siberia and Central Asia. This book is dense and nearly 600 pages long, but for anyone dedicated to learning about shamanism and its roots, it is a must read.

• Walsh, Roger. The Spirit of Shamanism. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc. 1990. ISBN#:0-87477-580-9
  This book is written by an MD/PhD and focuses quite a bit on a psychological approach to examining shamanism in traditional and contemporary cultures. Interesting discussions of shamanic techniques and shamanic states of mind.

• Cowan, Eliot. Plant Spirit Medicine. Newburg, Oregon: Swan, Raven and Co. 1995. ISBN#: 0-926524-09-7. Cowan, a former student of Harner's who has done extensive study with Huichol shamans (Mexico), discusses the use of the spirits of plants to heal clients. He is not giving the plants to people physically, but using instead the spirits of certain plants to cure certain aliments. Cowan teaches workshops in his methods.

• Halifax, Joan. The Wounded Healer. London: Thames and Hudson. 1982. ISBN# 0-500-81029-X
  A beautiful book with over a hundred illustrations and photographs of shamans or shamanic themes.

• Halifax, Joan. Shamanic Voices: A Survey of Visionary Narratives. Arkana (Penguin): New York. 1979. ISBN#:0-14-019-348-0
  A collection of narratives told by shamans from a variety of cultures. Organized into chapters of themes such as "Journeys to Other Worlds," "The Quest for Vision" and "Seeing in a Sacred Way," these are accounts by the shamans themselves, in their own words. Excellent.

• Vitebsky, Piers. The Shaman: Voyages of the Soul, Trance, Ecstasy, and Healing from Siberia to the Amazon. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1995. ISBN#:0-316-90304-3
  The greatest strength of this beautiful little book is not its discussion of shamanism, which is in some places just cursory, but its gorgeous, glossy photographs and illustrations. It's a small book; part of the "Living Wisdom" series, but definitely coffee-table quality.

• Doore, Gary. Ed. Shaman's Path: Healing, Personal Growth and Empowerment. Boston and London: Shambhala. 1988. ISBN: 0-87773-432-1
  An excellent anthology of articles by authorities in the field of shamanism including Michael Harner, Serge King, Stansilav Grof, Larry Dossey, and Joan Halifax.

• Nicholson, Shirley. Ed. Shamanism. Wheaton, Illinois. 1987. ISBN#: 0-8356-0617-1.
  Another very useful anthology including articles on alternate realities, shamanic states of consciousness, and shamanic traditions. Contributors include: Harner, Mircea Eliade, Jeanne Acherberg, Brooke Medicine Eagle, and Stanley Krippner, to name a few.

• Kalweit, Holger. Shamans, Healers, and Medicine Men. Boston and London: Shambhala. 1992. ISBN#: 0-87773-659-6.
  Kalweit is an ethnologist from Germany. He explores the role of the shaman in traditional cultures and also includes a "call to action" saying we need to heed and learn from shamanic beliefs in order to move forward in this pivotal time on the planet. "We need shamanic schools, medicine socieites, intiation paths, transtherapeutic methods. . ." (252).

• Andrews, Ted. Animal-Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications. 1995. ISBN#: 0-87542-028-1.
  Although this book is not directly about shamanism, it has very comprehensive "dictionaries" of bird, animal, and insect totems making it an excellent reference book for discovering more about one's power animals.

• Achterberg, Jeanne. Imagery in Healing: Shamanism and Modern Medicine. Boston and London: Shambhala. 1985. ISBN#: 0-87773-307-4.
  In this book, Actherberg marries ancient shamanic practices and modern medicine to show how imagery can help patients through pain and help heal diseases such as cancer.
  

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  *For a comprehensive listing of shamanism books categorized by culture, go to the shamanism FAQ by Dean Edwards.

  *Shaman's Drum Magazine comes out quarterly and has in-depth articles on both tribal and "neo-shamanism." You can contact them at:

  
  Shaman's Drum
  A Journal of Experiential Shamanism
  PO Box 97
  Ashland, OR 97520
  (541) 552-0839

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