Shamanism

By Piers Vitebsky

Book Overview

The shaman occupies a key role as a healer mediating between the world of the living and the world of spirits and is a potent figure in alternative medicine. Shamanism , a richly illustrated guide, looks at both historic and present-day manifestations, from the snowscaps of Siberia to the jungles of the Amazon. The book discusses visions, initiation rites, shamanic chants, shamanism and mental health, the shamanic use of plants, and the political and social background to the shaman's work. Also covered are the links between the shaman's sense of unity in nature and the recent growth of ecological consciousness in Western societies. * Includes more than 250 color illustrations that present a unique pictorial record of shamanism in practice and as represented in art and artifacts * Includes a detailed region-by-region survey of shamanism with full-color maps * Explores both spiritual and psychological aspects of the subject, as well as the relevance of shamanism to contemporary Western culture

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806133287
• ISBN13: 9780806133287
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable, Edifying, Electric

There are three reasons to like this book: [1] It deals with the mystical and magical. As Western culture adults there is far too little (if any) to believe in that isn't dry, processed, empirically proven, and documented to death. The shaman, aliens, voo doo, and crop circles represent the mercurial possibilities that deserve space in our thinking. [2] The author, Piers Vitebsky, appears to have exhaustively researched the topic and presents all angles including worldview, traditions, becoming a shaman, their clients, and understanding how their practices fit into a culture. Vitebsky covers practitioners from all continents and corners of the planet. [3] The independent publisher, Duncan Baird Publishers in London, did a great job with the book production, making it enjoyable to hold, page through, and read. They claim to be "...committed to innovation, design, editorial excellence and imagination, creating unique books for today's readership." And with The Shaman, they fulfilled the promise. The book is richly illustrated with photos and graphics, and there are tons of sidebars filled with anecdotes, explanations, historical incidents, and definitions. The page paperstock is heavy, which is great for the illustrations and provides the tactile sensation of an art book.

The Best Book!

I just got this book along with another on Native Americans very cheap at B & N on sale, and looked through them before buying them. So I bought them, and found this book to be very informitive and enjoy the stories and photos in it. This book is high quality, easy to follow and remeber, full of colorful photos and pages the help following a long easy, and tells all what one needs to know about shamans and their practice. I found this book to be highly informitive, and best so far I read. It tells about many shamans all over the world, their beliefs and pratice. One does not need to have to buy so many books to understand and know about shamans, much is right here in this book.