Shamanic Spirit: A Practical Guide to Personal Fulfillment [Paperback]

Kenneth Meadows (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1591430313 | ISBN-13: 978-1591430315 | Publication Date: April 9, 2004

A guide to self-realization and reattunement with nature that utilizes the ancient shamanic wisdom of cultures from around the world

• Focuses on the development of grounded spirituality based on the connections indigenous traditions have with nature

• Contains 33 hands-on experiential exercises and 50 shamanic meditations

• Includes a 60-minute CD of shamanic drumming to induce meditative states of deeper awareness

• Written by the author of Earth Medicine and Shamanic Experience

Those of us who live in the so-called “advanced” modern world have been educated to use our minds and encouraged to satisfy our physical needs. But in so doing, we have become isolated from the very essence of our existence as individuals--our own spirit. In Shamanic Spirit Kenneth Meadows introduces Shamanics, his spiritual science of living, which recognizes the primacy of the spirit and acknowledges that spirit is inherent in all living beings and life forms. Shamanics is a practical way of becoming aware of our multi-dimensional reality and using that awareness to cultivate and refine the spirit within.

Using the symbolic structure of the Medicine Wheel--which helps us establish a sense of direction, extend perception, and examine relationships--Meadows presents 33 hands-on experiential exercises that help readers discover the truth about themselves. His approach also draws upon and integrates universal shamanic concepts from such regions as the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India, China, and Polynesia to show readers how to release their dormant potentials, generate creativity, and meet the challenges of their lives with confidence and self-assurance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Shamanics approach helps seekers find spiritual truth through their own experiences. . . . evokes a sense of strength and freedom."
(Kathy Heckler, New Age Retailer, Spring 2005 )

From the Back Cover

SHAMANISM / SELF-HELP

Includes 60-minute Shamanic Drumming CD

Shamanic Spirit is a unique guide to self-realization and reattunement with nature using shamanic wisdom drawn from cultures around the world. Kenneth Meadows introduces Shamanics, his spiritual science of living, which is a practical way of becoming aware of our multi-dimensional reality in order to cultivate and refine the Spirit within.

Using the symbolic structure of the Medicine Wheel--which helps us establish a sense of direction, extend perception, and examine relationships--Meadows presents thirty-three hands-on experiential exercises that help readers discover the truth about themselves. His approach also integrates universal shamanic concepts from such regions as the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India, China, and Polynesia to show readers how to release their latent potentials, generate creativity, and meet the challenges of their lives with confidence and self-assurance.

KENNETH MEADOWS (1925-2002) is internationally respected for his work in adapting shamanic wisdom to the contemporary world. He was the author of a number of bestselling books, including Earth Medicine, The Medicine Way, Rune Power, and Shamanic Experience, and was founder of the Faculty of Shamanics in England.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bear & Company (April 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591430313
• ISBN-13: 978-1591430315
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #831,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting take on shamanism, July 4, 2009

By 

W "Neko-san" (CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shamanic Spirit: A Practical Guide to Personal Fulfillment (Paperback)

What makes this book interesting is the universal treatment that Meadows gives to shamanism. In this book, you get glimpses to a diversity of concepts and traditions such as Chakras (Buddhism), Earth Medicine Wheel (Native American), Chi (Taoism), and Mana (Kahuna Shamans) among others. These are discussed with a level of detail not found in other books of shamanism.

In the introduction, the author defines Shamanics as "a way to extend your awareness to new and exciting levels of perception and enhance your life in many ways". Shamanics, like core shamanism, attempts to identify the common essence among shamanic traditions, stripping out all religious and philosophical connotations.

Afterwards, the book is divided into twelve chapters.

1. Wonderful You - The Physical Body, The Mind, The Soul and The Spirit.
2. The Energic Body - The Chakras, and Working with the Energic Body.
3. Different Realities - Awareness, and Perception of Reality.
4. The Reality of The Mind - The Mind, The Ego, and The Shaman's Cosmos
5. Your Earth Personality - The Medicine Wheel, and Totems.
6. Cosmic Influences - Self-knowledge through the Medicine Wheel, The Four Directions, Yang and Yin, The Four Elements, and The Five Elements.
7. 'That without which nothing can exist' - Mana, Chi Dynamics, and Shamanic Tools.
8. Working with The Elements - Working with the Medicine Wheel, and Connecting with the Four Elements.
9. The Reality of The Soul - The Soul Body, and Soul Retrieval.
10. The Reality of The Spirit
11. Your Different 'Selves' - The Ego-self, The Hidden Self, The Body Self, and The Greatest Self.
12. The Path of Love and Harmony - The Ego and Conditioning, Dimensions of Existence, and The Way of The Heart.

There are 33 exercises thought the book, converting knowledge into practice. The book even includes a 60-minute Shamanic Drumming CD to help with the shamanic experience. The CD contains two tracks:

1.Explains How To Experience Shamanic Consciousness
2.Provides Shamanic Drumming for 25 Minutes

At times, Shamanics seems akin to Hermetics, but with a focus on the spirit. In all, Shamanic Spirit may be another book that succeeds in reframing shamanism for the modern man.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not focused enough, January 28, 2005

By 

riverman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shamanic Spirit: A Practical Guide to Personal Fulfillment (Paperback)

this book seems to be drawing from many different traditions in something of a surface manner when it comes to energy - the meridians, the chakras, some chi kung, even the taoist inner smile popularized by master mantak chia, runes, the I ching...what else can be thrown in? Seriously speaking, this is a good book. It is just not a very shamanic-focused book. It actually seems to be concerned with presenting some basic chi kung concepts and related practices from around the world, and identifying anything related to these as shamanism. If this is the case, why not try out the root of chinese chi kung by yang jwing-ming, and get the undiluted real deal? Or energetic anatomy by mark rich, or the book of changes and the unchanging truth by hua-ching ni? I have not read the earlier books by meadows, but I bet they are more shamanism than this later book.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, October 18, 2004

By 

shamanics student (Apex, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shamanic Spirit: A Practical Guide to Personal Fulfillment (Paperback)

As one who has been apprenticed to a shamanic path with heart, I can see in Meadows book, although it is just the beginning of a shamanics education, a depth of understanding that shows true "knowing." This is important stuff for the West.

Unfortunately, there is no bridge to shamanics from the popular teachings of Christianity, or Judaism, or any of the other mainstream spiritual paths. Someone who comes from one of these other spiritual traditions into "shamanics" will have to discover the obstacles to understanding implanted by their conditioned views of Reality and themselves. It would be very helpful to many from these traditions to have an early bridge chapter which prepares a reader for the assumptions and beliefs that he is going to have to challenge as he undertakes the shamanics teachings. That chapter is not here. But this doesn't lessen the excellence of what is here. It just means we've got to be prepared to leap from a high place into a deep pool without knowing how chilled the water or deep the bottom. Such is life! The Unknown is the only place to be to feel alive.

Reflecting on Ken's book, it saddens me what Mankind in the West has already lost in embracing religious traditions which turn away from the Earth and the Sacredness of All That Is for a mechanical and deadened view of Life Itself. It often takes a great deal of courage for someone from those other traditions to take a step into the Unknown of the material in this book. For those who need a challenge, hear mine! This book will open your mind and heart.

Good work, Ken! And thanks for all your other works as well. These works are a real Giveaway of Love by both you and the Medicine to the people of the World.

Namaste