Elemental Shaman: One Man's Journey Into the Heart of Humanity, Spirituality & Ecology [Paperback]

Omar W. Rosales (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 2009

"Beautifully written, intriguing and mysterious, a
work both of adventure and of serious research."
—Graham Hancock, international bestselling
author of Fingerprints of the Gods

"Omar's adventures in Elemental Shaman are
inspiring and lively, with a lot of useful insight and inspiration." —Robert A. F. Thurman, professor of Buddhist studies at Columbia University and author of Why the Dalai Lama Matters

This fascinating true story chronicles one man's journey into the mysteries of spiritual consciousness and the indigenous healing practices of four shamanistic traditions: Toltec, Cherokee, Maya, and Buddhist.

In his travels around the globe, Rosales witnesses the powerful channeled spirit Niño Fidencio, receives messages and healing from a Toltec shaman, and experiences a dramatic soul retrieval from a Cherokee spiritwalker. Rosales travels to Guatemala, where he meets a Mayan high priestess, or a'j' r'ij, and the secret brotherhoods called cofradias, whose mission is to guard Maximón, the last living Mayan god. Rosales's last journey is to Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, where he spends time with a holy lama.

"Superb. A real thriller!"
—Carmen Harra, Ph.D., author of Everyday Karma

 

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Omar W. Rosales (Vancouver) is a world traveler who writes extensively on the topic of archaeology, culture, and spiritual matters. He holds degrees in anthropology, economics, and law.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; First Edition edition (April 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738715018
• ISBN-13: 978-0738715018
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,165,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Omar W. Rosales, J.D., is an American Writer, Anthropologist, Expedition Leader, and Television Host best known for his book, "Elemental Shaman". Rosales travels the World to profile Spiritual Masters and transmit their messages for humanity. Famous interviewees include His Holiness, the 17th Karmapa and His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama.

A student of noted Mayanists William R. Fowler, Arthur Demarest, and Edward Fischer, Rosales graduated with an Honors degree in Anthropology and Economics from Vanderbilt University in the late 1990s. After college, he served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. His assignments included two overseas tours in Japan. Rosales subsequently graduated from The University of Texas School of Law in 2005.

An experienced hiker and expedition leader, Rosales currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. A member of the American Alpine Club and the Royal Geographical Society, Omar holds a doctorate in Law. For more info about Elemental Shaman, please visit http://www.elementalshaman.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A top recommendation, October 14, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elemental Shaman: One Man's Journey Into the Heart of Humanity, Spirituality & Ecology (Paperback)

People will travel thousands of miles just to gain a greater understanding of the universe. "Elemental Shaman: One Man's Journey into the Heart of Humanity, Spirituality, & Ecology" is a delve into the Shamanistic traditions of four cultures and how author Omar W. Rosales embraced them for a greater understanding of the spiritual world as a whole. A worthwhile read for anyone seeking to experience spirituality through the scopes of multiple religions, "Elemental Shaman" is a top recommendation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true blessing, October 3, 2009

By 

Andrea E. Fobbs "drea1227" (mount vernon, ny) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elemental Shaman: One Man's Journey Into the Heart of Humanity, Spirituality & Ecology (Paperback)

Omar Rosales starts this journey with a humble heart, strong spiritual guidance and adventure of a lifetime . Amazing in detailed locations and spiritual channeling,this is a book for everyone seeking peace and love .A must read. Experience the healings , the messages and the pure joy that we all must confront ourselves and just flow , Nature is calling and calling in a very big way .Let this book inspire you to start your own destiny walk .Beautiful read .Yes I said it , loved the book !!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars informative and revealing, July 31, 2009

By 

bookmagic418 (NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Elemental Shaman: One Man's Journey Into the Heart of Humanity, Spirituality & Ecology (Paperback)

I received an offer from the author for a review copy of this book. Normally, I don't read a lot of non-fiction but I have always been interested in non-Western religions and spirituality. I look for books that open my mind and help me discover my own spirituality. I have read books about paganism and Buddhism but nothing specifically about Shamans, who are spiritual healers. I found this book not only to be informative but to be an inspirational story of the author's own personal journey. He travels to the southwest, Guatemala and Bhutan to meet , study and experience the work of various shamans. He first looks into shamanism to help his mother, who has become ill as the result of interactions with a co-worker. The Shaman was able to redirect the dark energy away from his mother and back to the co-worker, the original source. After law school, Rosales finds himself at loose ends and begins his quest.
I liked that Rosales provided the historical context of each place that he visited as well as his own revelations. I found some of the concepts to be quite interesting.
Native Americans shamans believe in soul retrieval, the idea that our souls and identities are comprised of of a dozen or more pieces. These pieces represent different stages i our development and our lives...In other words, our identities are comprised of the sum of our past, present, and future experiences, both good and bad.
For the shaman, the ceremony to retrieve a soul piece is an effort to bring back something that was lost, to reintegrate that part of a person's soul and make the person whole again.
This appealed to me as sometimes I feel lost and that something is missing.
Part of the problem with my own quest for spirituality is that I want to believe but the practical part of my brain won't always let me. That was how I felt about some of the stories in this book. That doesn't mean they didn't happen, but that I was not able to suspend belief enough to fully absorb some of the more supernatural aspects of the various ceremonies. But on days when my mind is more open and I am feeling lost, I will re-read parts of this book, searching for answers.
my rating 4 stars because the book was well written and informative and I can't rate what I might and might not believe of another's spiritual experience.
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