The Shamanism Bible ─ The definitive guide to Shamanic thought and practice

The ancient healing traditions based on spiritual connections.

New to Firefly's Bible series (Ayurveda Bible, Secret Societies Bible) this guide to shamanism is an evocative and detailed journey from its animistic origins in Europe, North America, Siberia and the Arctic 70,000 years ago, to the contemporary rituals practiced today. Illustrated with cultural images, totems and practicing shamans from all cultural settings, The Shamanism Bible reveals the past and explains how this ancient spirituality can empower modern life.

Shaman John Matthews shares his incomparable breadth of knowledge of shamanism and the significance of power animals:

• Shapeshifting -- moving into different states of being
• Healing with spirit guides
• Vision questing -- finding guidance in meditation and dream experience
• Working with totems
• Shamanic drumming and trance.

The book opens with a survey of the roots of shamanism among the Celtic, Siberian, Norse, Sami and Inuit cultures, as well as in Africa, the Americas, the Far East and the Antipodes. The second chapter, The Shaman's Tools, describes the tools a shaman uses:

• Soul Flights and Journeys (Trances, Dance and Drumming, Singing, Hallucinogens)
• Allies and Helpers (Inner Helpers, Plant Medicine, Totems)
• Magical Costume
• Ritual (Rites of Passage, Healing Work, Medicine, Dreaming).

Part three describes the modern practice of shamanism:

• Making and Keeping a Shrine
• Greeting the Day
• Casting away Sorrows
• Leaves of Divination
• Making a Shaman's Power Bundle
• Kinship with the Web of Life.

Millions find the ancient origins and visceral spirituality of shamanism empowering. The Shamanism Bible reveals the history of this intricate belief system and explains how to incorporate it into modern life.

John Matthews is the bestselling author of over 100 titles on alternative spirituality, history and mythology as well as children's books. He is recognized as one of the foremost teachers of shamanism in the world. He is a co-founder of FIOS, the Fellowship for Inspirational and Oracular Studies.