Customer Reviews

Navaho Symbols of Healing: A Jungian Exploration of Ritual, Image, and Medicine

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Being interested in Native American History and Culture, a while ago I had purchased the book "In the Beginning, The Navajo Genesis," which attempted to explain the Navajo Belief System through comparative analysis with regard to Christianity and Judiasm. The book written in academic terms was well written but failed to totally explain (as I said in my review) the entire system in plain English (sans fancy academia terminology). Much of the book I did understand but it made me hunt for a clearer more thorough explanation to make sure I did not misinterpet anything through translation.
"Navaho Symbols of Healing: A Jungian Exploration of Ritual, Image, and Medice" by Donald Sanders, MD does just that. With a BS in Psychology, I now had a book that explored the Culture/Belief System in terminology that made sense. After reading this book, the reader gains a better understanding of the Navaho system, and culture. As a result, the reader cannot help but admire them for their tremendous psychic abilities, strong physical constitution, and tremendous contribution they have given humanity through homeopathic medicine. This book explains why and how they feel so connected to the earth. It reveals some of the ceremonies, songs and prayers said by Natsani Tso, Medicine Man which are truly enlightening. It does also refer back to information given in "In the Beginning, A Navajo Genesis" which was helpful. What surprises me most is how closely connected their belief system is to Plato's philosophies. If anyone reads Plato's Symposium, they will see (by substituting symbols of Navaho for his or your own) how similiar the systems are, and how connected all of us are in our beliefs.
Reading Navaho Symbols of Healing enables the reader to gain a new perspective on and command a tremendous respect for the Native American

I practice as a psychotherapist in a community that serve people of diverse origins. I find often there are unsaid differences that make a difference.Navaho Symbols of Healing highlights some of the ways of thinking and being that underlie many cultures. Any practitioner coming from a Family Systems, Ecological, or Recovery Model approach or who simply wants to be more culturally aware in dealing with a diverse clientele would benefit from the insights in this book

An important text for anyone trying to integrate and understand the power of symbols within the psyche. Beginning with Susanne Langer's Philosophy in a New Key late San Franciscan Native Donald Sandner, Jungian Analyst, explores the sacred imagery of the Navajo in a way that can be integrated to anyone interested in understanding more about symbolic healing.