Customer Reviews

Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It has been nearly ten years now since Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit was released. Ten years. That is a very long time for readers to encounter a number of other books on Celtic traditions, shamanism, and Celtic spirituality in general. However, if we track back to 1993 when this book was first released we will quickly see that at that time there really had not been any sort of exhaustive study of the shamanic archetype within the Celtic traditions--which Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit clearly is.

Others who have reviewed this book and offered a less than gleaming assessment of the book are undoubtedly people who are seeking either more of a hands-on, experiential, or practical book on shamanic techniques (see Cowan's Shamanism As A Spiritual Practice for Daily Life), or something with a more classical scholarly 'feel' to it (see F. Marian McNeill's, The Silver Bough, W.Y.Evans-Wentz' The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries, or Celtic Heritage by the Rees'). However, for an overall introduction to the numinous power and energy of the shamanic archetype within the primal Celtic traditions Fire in the Head, even after ten years, is still the best introduction. It is a wide-sweeping flight into the themes and topics, devoid of the particularities of personal cosmology one sees in so many other Celtic books. Cowan gets out of the way so that readers can have their own experience and make their own assumptions. Certainly, once a person has read this it is time to read such works as Jean Markele's The Druids, Caitlin and John Matthews' The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Wisdom, etc., but, again, for an introduction to the core elements of primal Irish, Welsh, and Scottish animisitic spirituality this is still the best.

Regarding the exploration of witchcraft within Fire in the Head: All too often people assume that witchcraft and Wicca are synonymous. They are not. Wicca, largely, was invented in the 1950's. However, witchcraft (both black and white)is well documented as having been practiced in different parts of the Celtic world, as well as the Anglo-Saxon world. I think Tom's exploration of witchcraft is in keeping with the premise of the book--to peel back the layers of European animism in general and see where the shamanic energies may exist.

On my shelf of shamanist titles, this one sits prominently figured. Cowan presents the traditional fantastic experiences of the shaman in an amazingly receivable framework. His experience of archetypes in well-known myths and legends opens one to the ability to read all things symbolically, thus, as the dynamic spiritual presences that they are. To that end I regard Cowan as a shapeshifter of symbols, not an interpreter of them. His telling of olde tales connects their spirit with a modern audience.

In this book his love and connection to the Celtic path is evident, though it is not necessarily rooted in what we know of Celtic history, itself. I feel it is important to make that distinction, as Cowan is cultivating the opening of the shamanic experience of metaphor in a Celtic context. He is not a Reconstructionist, thus this work offers, rather, an experiential opportunity in a Celtic framework.

A very enjoyable and readable book on modern, Celt-inspired shamanism. It's not, however, a reliable guide to Pagan Celtic beliefs. The research quality is extremely erratic. Much of it is okay/good, though Cowan has a tendency to re-write the myths and present his re-workings as original texts. However parts of the book are abysmal. The chapter on the "shamanic" aspects of witchcraft, for instance, is completely inaccurate, showing a near total ignorance of historical witchcraft. So if you're looking for history, look elsewhere. However if you want a "Celtic" brand of Neo-Paganism, this is a very beautiful, evocative vision.

I first became interested in shamanism after reading books by core-shamanic practioners Michael Harner and Sandra Ingerman. While these books described a way of relating to and healing with the natural world that I have always longed for, my heart yearned for a practice more connected with my long-forgotten European ancestry. Soon I found this book, which addresses the issues of recovering native European Celtic traditions. I agree that it's a wonderful introduction to Celtic mysticism and spirituality. Cowan covers a wide variety of topics to "pull" from and trigger remembrance. Regarding the witchcraft issue, black and white magic has been a part of every native tradition since the beginning of time. Certainly the inappropriate use of magic figures prominently in our collective soul wounds, and needs to be considered.

This book does a very good job in outlining the Shamanic experience and where this mindset intersects (quite strongly) with Celtic ways. The parallels are brought out strongly and the progression of the book is nearly flawless. The book does an execellent job is emphasizing that the demystification we are suffering from is addressed nicely by aspects of both Shamanism and Celtic spirituality. If the book was consistent in its approach it would have deserved five stars.
The main problem I have with this book is that the author spends too much time on being an apologist (or promoter) for witchcraft and magic. (Check the authors other books and you will see why this is the case.) Certainly aspects of wicca and witchcraft in general are etched into Celtic myth and history. But the authors own biases bring this area up to a level not fitting with the subject of this book. Most of the chapter on 'The Soul of Nature' brings out details of witchcraft generally not supportive of the main thesis. More than occasional references to the tarot, magic, and other mystical/occult topics off subject leave the reader wondering why so much time is spent on things outside the universal/traditional shamanic experience.
A worthwhile and almost required reading for anyone interested in Shamanism and Celtic spirituality. The noted flaws keep the book from being an indispensable and serious academic contribution to the subject.

Tom Cowan is lauded in shamanic circles for this book. It is well documented and integrates shamanism with the practices of the "old folk". He makes the old tales and techniques accessible once again. A great storyteller. Goes one step further to provide ways for modern shamanic practitioners to reconnect to their heritage. Definitely fills a place of longing for us Celtic folk in North America.

Despite debate, if one approaches this book with an open mind, one finds alot of evidence supporting the idea of Celtic Shamanism. This is a remarkable cross cultural survey as well of shamanism. It's well researched and presented. I love it so much, I am on my third copy. It's a classic of this admittedly narrow field.

This book goes a long way to bridging the gap between modern shamanism and the pre-Christian Celts. The ONLY thing about this book that disappointed me was that there were no techniques given on the practice of Celtic shamansim. I do realize, however, that there really is no surviving material that outlines how it was practiced long ago, except the modern techniques of Wicca, which has been influenced a bit by other forms of occultism over the centuries. Anyone who believes that the religious beliefs of the Celts were not shamanistic in origin simply have not studied either Wicca, the Celts, and/or shamanism enough to know. Tom Cowan HAS captured the Celtic spirit and the shamanistic threads that run through the Irish legends. He presents each aspect that he covers very clearly and concisely. Although not a book for beginners, this is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Celtic Shamanism and the spirit, feelings and attitudes contained therein.

This is a thought-provoking book which stands apart from all others dealing with Celtic shamanism. Cowan offers detailed analyses on many different aspects of the Celtic brand of mysticism; he clears up the "clowdiness" that is often present when dealing with this complex system of symbology and myth. A wealth of subjects are covered, from the traces of shamanistic practice we find in the lives of Celtic heroes to the deeper significance of the Arthuran legends. The most interesting part of the book for me was the section on the Sacred Wound, a vital but mysterious part of shamanic initiation. This witty, energetic exploration of the Celtic mystical experience is definitely a must have for all interested in this genre.

Lots of good solid information here. I must admit I like his writing style as well. Excellent material, well presented!