Shamanic Guide To Death & Dying [Paperback]

Kristin Madden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 1999

Throughout history and across the globe, societies have called upon their shamans to assist the dying, the dead, and those loved ones remaining in physical life. The shaman, as deathwalker, is responsible for guiding us through our journeys to the next world. This book, written by a modern shamanic deathwalker, offers personal experience and practical examples of the process through life into death and rebirth, along with suggested methods for you to use in your own experience.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kristin Madden is an author and mother, as well as an environmental chemist and wildlife rehabilitator. She is the Director of Ardantane's School of Shamanic Studies. A Druid and tutor in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, Kristin is also a member of the Druid College of Healing and is on the Board of Silver Moon Health Services. She has been a freelance writer and editor since 1995. Her work has appeared in Whole Life Times, PARABOLA, and many other publications. Kristin is the author of five books including Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox and The Book of Shamanic Healing.

Kristin was raised in a shamanic home and has had ongoing experience with Eastern and Western mystic paths since 1972. Over more than a decade, she has offered a variety of shamanic and general metaphysical workshops across the United States. Kristin is active in both pagan parenting and pagan homeschooling communities locally and globally. She also served on a Master's Degree thesis committee for a program on the use of visual imagery and parapsychology in therapy with ADD/ADHD children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; 1st edition (December 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567184944
• ISBN-13: 978-1567184945
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,033,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Obviously, I'm an author but I am also a homeschooling mom and the Dean of Ardantane's School of Shamanic Studies (www.ardantane.org). I'm a Druid and tutor for the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids and a licensed Avatar Master. In my spare time (hahahaha), I rehabilitate wild birds and co-lead a children's peace group.

I was raised in a shamanic home of spiritual explorers. Since 1972, I have been trained in a variety of Eastern and Western mystic paths and New Age technologies. I live with my wonderful family and assorted (and ever-changing) menagerie of creatures in the desert Southwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, March 15, 2000

By 

"catherinewishart" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shamanic Guide To Death & Dying (Paperback)

If you are afraid of dying you've got to read this book If you have recently lost a loved one, you've got to read this book If you know someone who is terminally ill - person or pet - you've got to read this book This book is more than a guide to death and dying it is a guide to living Kristen teaches that death is not an end but a "change of address". Her book is filled with useful meditations on such things as how to contact someone who has died, how to access information about past lives you may have had, how to cope with grief and deal with a society that is at a loss when confronted with others grief and has very little understanding about the spiritual aspects of death. She goes into how to prepare for your own death in a practical, thoughtful way. She even offers suggestions on what to do when your spiritual beliefs differ from those around you. Her writing is concise and easy to follow. Like having a conversation with a friend. Death is something that happens to us all but we are not taught many skills on how to face it in our society. I know there have been times when I have been at a loss on how to talk to someone who is dying or comfort a friend who has just lost a family member. I have always tried to be open in my conversations and talk to the grieving person even if I felt uncomfortable or uncertain of what to say. Having read this book I feel so much more prepared to offer useful comfort instead of clichés. When one of my friends father died suddenly I was able to offer suggestions from Kristen's book as to how my friend could contact his father and make a memorial for him. We talked in depth about how he felt about his father's dying. My friend said he really appreciated being able to talk like that, as most people he had talked to were uncomfortable talking about death and often changed the subject. This book is useful, practical and compassionate.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! is just not enough., July 31, 2000

By 

Christine (Thena) McArthur - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shamanic Guide To Death & Dying (Paperback)

There are other reviews here that give details about how good this book is. I can only tell you that this book was printed and released at a time when I needed it most. As I read each chapter, I found the information was accurate with my experiences. In a culture that fears death and dying so very much, we are looking for comforting words in books, religious texts and personal lectures ... arenas that can be easily abused or imporperly handled. This book is a keeper. Even if you are not 'into' Shamanism, this book will help you better understand the processes of death and dying.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, March 14, 2000

By 

Karin (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shamanic Guide To Death & Dying (Paperback)

Ms. Madden is a wonderful writer, combining scientific and shamanic viewpoints and explaining them in terms that are easy to understand. She doesn't write like a superior expert talking down to us, but as another person on the path that wants to share her extraordinary experience to help others.

This book showed me that I am not alone in my fears and doubts. It also showed me that much of what I thought was communication from the "other side" probably was. I loved reading the stories of Ms. Madden and the other deathwalkers she knows. These were extremely comforting to me.

I have used a number of her exercises and found them to be really powerful,especially the ones on connecting with spirit guides and moving through a fear of death. I have struggled with a fear of death for years. With this book, I feel like I am making some very real progress through that.