Customer Reviews

Courageous Dreaming: How Shamans Dream the World into Being

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A wonderful book that teaches us how to rethink and become whole in mind, body, soul & spirit. It is very well written and gives exercises that causes your brain to lay the neural pathways for you to achieve success in your life. It sets us free from old thought patterns that play out drama in our lives. This book helps teach us to recreate our life and our world, but we have to be willing to do the work. I also suggest Dr. Villoldo's book Shaman,Healer,Sage- how to heal yourself with energy medicine of the America's. I highly respect this man's body of work.

S.A./ Arkansas

This book is about become lucid dreamers in our waking life.

"Moreover, by dreaming courageously - that is, living a life that's in sync with your soul's desire for peace, meaning, and happiness - you'll find yourself starting to feel joyous and fulfilled no matter what is going on around you. You'll stop feeling trapped in that nightmare." From the book - page 23.

So many of us get into a rut, and we don't even know we are in one. Maybe we get the impressive house, and the beautiful car and have successful careers - but find we are still unhappy. This makes no sense because society tells us that we should be happy because we have society's ideal of what the perfect life is.

But when we are not paying attention to our soul's desires, we will always be unhappy and unfulfilled. We will always feel lost.

I loved this book, because it tackles all those problems, and guides us back to the path of true, heart centered living. He talks about the four levels of consciousness (also the four archetypal animal forces of the earthkeeper shamans): Eagle, Hummingbird, Jaguar and Serpent. He also speaks of the importance of connecting in to humanity, living with intent, truth and integrity, clearing out negative thoughts patterns (judgment, fear, and other disempowering beliefs), and the importance of letting go of our old negative stories and traumas.

I've read many a book on dreaming and consciously creating, and some of the information in this book was not knew to me. However, I still found it to be insightful, inspiring, and filled with new and helpful information. I think it's really important to tap into this aspect of ourselves, and consciously live our lives. When our soul is happy, fulfilled and peaceful, we are too!

I really like Alberto. Of all the metaphysical authors out there he seems more genuine than most. You don't get the sense Alberto is playing games with you or is acting like an absolute know it all. For anyone new to the metaphysical path I recommend that you read at least one of Alberto's books to get an idea of his concepts. I would say after reading most of Alberto's books you come to know what to expect. You hear the same concepts about levels of consciousness (Snake, Jaguar, Hummingbird, Eagle) (aka Andean Medicine Wheel), Luminuous Energy Body, the EarthKeepers, etc. That is both perhaps comforting and limiting.

In this book Alberto attempts to show you the power of dreaming, how some cultures use it, how to use different levels of consciousness to live a more intent-full life. That's all good. And for the major part most of the book content is true to this and delivers.

But if you look deeper you begin to see some holes in his presentation and limits in his theories. As an example I wonder who exactly he means when he uses the label EarthKeepers? Everyone is an EarthKeeper (most are slacking off the job). And the use of this term is a bit distracting because it is used as a label of authority and implies that it is not you. Other reviewers have also pointed out that Alberto's use of the 4 animals as the 'Andean Medicine Wheel' is largely of his own creation and not a traditional concept. It was the North Americans who were really into the medicine wheel. The South Americans had many other symbols with the closest being the Chakana which is ubiquitous throughout. So this association with these animals to the directions and/or levels of consciousness is really his schtick and he should say so clearly. In the book when he says there are only four levels of consciousness he is partly using these animals and partly using brainwave theory. But in reality there are limitless types or levels of consciousness. As Terrence McKenna would rant a double cappuccino will give you a really specific type of consciousness.

The other aspect that Alberto is pawning, indeed as part of the title of this book, is the concept of these shamans who taught him about the dreamtime. Others have pointed out that Shaman is a mongolian term. In the Amazon there are healers, curanderos, ayauascaros, etc. Besides the technical inaccuracies Alberto again cites these unnamed sources and say that 'they' told him this. So I caution the reader again that when anyone inadequately cites an authority, or better yet try to guide you in any way beyond your own inner knowing, take note and be very careful. It's not that there is anything wrong with the theories in this book. But I think the author should take more credit and responsibility for the teachings. Otherwise he risks sounding like Drunvalo Melchizedek in Serpent of Light: Beyond 2012 who has all these outrageous experiences being acknowledged by the elders of nearly the entire planet (exaggerated for effect).

But into the heart of the material. I did not feel that Alberto really deeply connected with the concept of how intention can change the world. He also did not emphasize clearly enough that the outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Yes, he does talk about doing inner work, breaking old patterns. But somehow his delivery here was disconnected from how it fits into dreaming. Like if you have this block then when you vision you could produce an aberration or something. I also felt that he either glossed over or left out many approaches to modifying consciousness and producing vision such as drumming, fasting, dancing, toning, even psychedelics. And the most transformational changes occur when we realize something deeply and most powerfully when it comes from vision. We are very visual creatures and visions carry layers of meaning in the Jungian and metaphoric senses.

I was disappointed that even as good as the best part of the book are that overall it is still a self-help book and not a manual for transformation of self and the world which it could have been. The book could have focused more on how we affect the planet by healing ourselves. There was some of this in a few places such as in the section 'Practice Beauty' in the chapter 'Clean up your river'. In fact it is gratitude and thankfulness that are amoung the most powerful emotions to align us with the larger universe.

So in the end I felt that the author did not describe his ideas about the process of intention to dreaming to reality clearly enough. There were opportunities to makes ties to Huna which would have been helpful. What he did present was framed in his familiar structure of the four animals, the luminous energy field, quantum physics, etc. These are his themes and have been for a while and it feels like he needs a referesh.

If you are interested in this topic then I would go to a few sources. First is Joseph Rael as in Sound: Native Teachings and Visionary Art of Joseph Rael. Joseph is a master who knows about vibration and how the universe is put together. Even his language is very deep, grades above most other writers. Second would be Hazrat Inayat Khan as in The Heart of Sufism. Next to or perhaps in hand with the Native approaches, Sufism is one of the deepest paths that exists. Third, if you want to understand some of the deep changes going on in the world today, and especially if you have some interest in either the Mayan Calendar or 2012 then the best book on the subject hands down is by John Major Jenkins The 2012 Story: The Myths, Fallacies, and Truth Behind the Most Intriguing Date in History

As with his other books, I'm enjoying this creative dreaming book by Alberto. I know that he understands so much more about life and death than I do and I continuously strive to learn from him. I'm only about half through the book and have completed the exercises he suggests along the way. One has to believe in the divine and the light energy field around and through the body in order to understand and participate in the creation Alberto describes. Hopefully, more and more of us will begin to do this. It has the power to change the world as we know it!

Courageous Dreaming: How Shamans Dream the World into Being

This is the sixth of Alberto Villoldo's books I've read - in this instance am still reading - and as with the prior five, I am ever challenged to 'get out of my self' and just 'live or be' with his experiences and thoughts.

"Courageous Dreaming" offers a 'blueprint' as to how we might alter our(my and yours) thoughts and beliefs so we each can live and become 'who we are.!!!'

Make no mistake - it is not "'easy fix stuff'" he presents.

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I recommend that anyone seeking to 'connect' with our 'roots' as both physical and spritual beings read Villoldo's works.

Alberto Villoldo is a wonderful writer, and a humble healer. I love the
gentle way that he shares information. This was the first book that I have read by Alberto and now I want to read all of his work. He inspires
you to be your true authentic self...

Truly the most inspirational and informative book that I have ever read. It is full of knowledge that is useful to you every day of your life, changing your idea of what life is forever.

I enjoyed this book so much. I have been intriqued with dreams for years but this books steps back and sees life as a larger dream and helps us understand how we can creaate our hearts desires from that perspective.

Great gift for somebody you love.

Of the 3 books I've read of Alberto's I found this my least favorite. The book has many lessons that one can learn but it is very repetitive. I had a difficult time keeping my interest with this book which isn't how my past experience has been with Dr. Villoldo's books.

This book seemed to resonate with where I have been at. Villoldo makes it clear that we spend so much time in our victim roles and that by staying in victim or bully roles prevents us from creating new dreams. The books points out that it is about dropping old scripts and re writing our stories and stepping into these with courage. The book does not suggest you fix your stuff but to simply drop old patterns of thinking and move on. As part of this it is important to get real with yourself and accept your weaknesses and faults and yet still create a remarkable life for yourself and so you can serve the world in a more empowered space.If you are ready to drop your old scripts or stories and begin to create something compelling in your life then consider this book as a companion to that process.