Customer Reviews

Celtic Shaman

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 28-years, I have not encounter a more easily read, used and real world book. Truly, this book WILL take an individual from determined, but raw, to adept.

Buy this book to safely step from one to infinity; a new Shaman wanna-be, towards a SHAMAN. You will understand EVERYTHING that you are doing, and the order of the practices are placed perfectly.

If I could give this book a 25 out of a 5-highest possible, I would!

I bought this book with high hopes about learning genuine Celtic shamanism. However, I quickly realized that the Celtic connection was tenuous at best. The author pulls out bits of Celtic myth and draws parallels with what we know of different types of shamanism or shamanistic experience, but for actual practice the author pulls from other sources such as Michael Harner and then gives the practices a Celtic gloss to create "Celtic shamanism."

I still give the book 4 stars out of respect for the authors effort at synthesizing Celtic mythology and shamanistic practice into a workable system that may inspire or aid spiritual seekers on their quest.

By reading this text you will not become an adept at Celtic Shamanism. This text will provide you with decent information if you feel pulled to this path, as will texts by McKeowen, Cowan and Harner. Let us all remember that the word "shamanism" was unknown among the Celts. This word does describe in general terms some of the spiritual practises of the Celtic/Gaelic peoples. I am also including the present Gaelic peoples as well, for the tradtions of the file and senachie live on.

One of my Shaman students presented this book to me and as I read it, I became very excited to find a book that can help those students studying to become Celtic Shamans. The meditation techniuqes are a big help.This book is on the top of my list of guides to Celtic Shamanism.

The one problem with any work that wishes to address the beliefs, religious and magical practices of the Celts is lack of written records and unbroken oral traditions from the Brythonic Celts. Yes many of the Goidelic myth cycles remain, but are coloured by the beliefs of the christian monks who recorded them in writing .This book acknowledges this fact and does it's best to present a working system of shamanic technique that relies upon a past of twilight and dream that has been, thanks to the 'Bloody Romans' Monty Python's Life Of Brian - The Immaculate Editionforever lost to us. Thankfully, the author's knowledge of Native British mysticism helps to fill in the (considerable) blanks, leaving us with a work that is refreshingly free of sugary 'new age' sensiblities unlke certain other publications Faeriecraft. The end result is a practical guide to shamanism, that at the time of it's first publication managed to free the practice from the cliche of Native American trappngs.

There are very few books that really delve into Celtic Shamanism. Celtic Shamanism is different from Core Shamanism or other Shamanism. I recommend first reading Fire in the Head by Tom Cowan for a great introduction to Celtic Shamanism. Then this is a great book for more information. There are specific rituals on Celtic 'Wheel' if someone wants detailed structure and rituals on something to learn and revolve their rituals around.

The things that I found to be the best from this book that I have not seen in any other shamanism books were the 12 stages of the Shaman's Ladder in Chapter 5. I also loved the Meditations suggested for finding your Totem Beast, your Inner Shaman, your Inner Teacher, and other various beings that can bring you great knowledge and insight that is unique to Celtic Shamanism. I have seen similar meditations/journeys listed in other books but the way they are written here were easier for me to relate to.

I believe that the hardest part in studying shamanism in our modern times is to find a way to incorporate shamanism into our daily lives that fits into how we need to live today. Most of us have a full time job, a family, other responsibilities that keep us from isolating ourselves, creating elaborate altars or outdoor Wheels. I found the meditations/journeys suggested in this book to be helpful in bringing Celtic Shamanism into my daily life without all the material trappings (some that are even suggested within this book).

Some books say that you are a shaman when your community declares that you are a shaman. In our modern world Shamans do not have the role and respect that earlier communities gave. Most people view shamans as unnecessary or even as crazy people. This does not mean that the spirits are not claiming Shamans without the community's recognition. And books like this are helpful in letting us communicate with our spirit teachers to learn when there are no teachers available around us.