Customer Reviews

The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book starts out very nicely. Good background on the authors life as it relates to the subject. Nice writing style overall in the beginning. Along with the meeting of the bee master and wisdom flowing like honey. The novice undergoes the 23 day hibernation/initiation transported by visions of transformation into the mind of the bee and the hive.

Then the story falls apart.

After the initiation the initiate meets the bee mistress and her enchanting apprentices. At this point the writing becomes chaotic and you end up with people smearing our heros naked body with honey so he can have some kind of ritualized sexathon with one (or more) of the bee mistresses.

This story had great promise but literally fell apart half way through. I consider it either a misguided set of sex fiction or a really weird sex cult. Too bad.

If you are looking for a book on genuine Shamanic experience then try Jungle Medicine by Connie/Constance Grauds. That is a potent, powerful, and poetic prose.

This is my second book on shamanism I have read and I was prodded to read this book by bees. I was in a book shop about to put it back on the shelf when a large bee sound in my ear shocked me so much I had to look around the book store looking for the bee. So I followed this nudge from the bee and bought the book. I have not been dissapointed not only has it been beatifully written it has enlightened me on some other things that have been happening in my spiritual pathway so far, so much so I was astonished at how amazing inspired reading can be. If you are interested in shamanism, interested in shamanism within the UK and interested in bee magic this book is for you. I look forward to his new book coming out this year on the serpent flight of the honey bee.

[...]

As both a beekeeper and a shamanic practitioner I was amazed and delighted by this book, as it confirmed so much that I had intuitively realised through my shamanic practice and my work with bees over many years.

Other than Martin Prechtel (author of Teachings of the Talking Jaguar) I can't think of any other author of shamanism who writes so eloquently on the subject, and the intelligence, poetry and wisdom of the `Path of Pollen' that Buxton writes about radiates from every page.

Whilst this book is shamanically accurate in aspects of presentation, ritual and belief it is in many ways more about the authors teacher - a Welsh `Bee Master' - than the author himself, and furthermore is the most exquisite eulogy to the honeybee I've ever come across. The book is almost scriptural in its resonance's whilst at the same time is as gripping as a thriller, to the point that I read it in a single sitting, which is unusual for me. I'm now going over it more slowly and am uncovering some of its many layers. My only criticism? It wasn't long enough!

I also notice that an earlier review comments on the use of smoke within bee-keeping, careful readers of this book will note that Simon Buxton's teacher never uses smoke with the hives.

This book was pretty disappointing. The first half was somewhat interesting, but never nearly as interesting as I'd hoped based on the subject.

I read more than half of this book and then stopped. That's not a good sign! (I did scan the remaining pages before writing this review, though.)

The last straw was this:

The author says that as part of his initiation, he was required to catch and kill a stag by hand - in a particularly deplorable way I will not describe. That quickly destroyed any interest I had in this alleged tradition of The Way of the Bee.

I do not buy what this author is selling. I have no problem accepting the idea of going into a trance and seeing through the eyes of a bee, etc. Some found the sex excessive, but I think it was pretty standard for this type of story and not a big deal. However, my instinct tells me this book is full of lies and is more a fantasy than any kind of true account. You'd have to read it yourself to find your own reaction - but I just can't recommend it.

As others have said, you will learn very little about bees, bee shamanism, shamanism, or anything other than the story of the author's initiation here.

I have no doubt that there is a lot to be learned from bees, that people who live closely with them are deeply touched by them, and I know that they have been considered sacred and magickal by many people. As to the ancient lineage this author is claiming...I have major doubts.

And with that, I roll my eyes and toss this one on the outgoing pile.

This is an enjoyable exercise in fantasy, but there is no path here for would-be "shamans". Anyone who can communicate with bees, as Mr. Buxton suggests his teacher, "Bridge" can do, would not use smoke when working around hives.

Smoke disturbs the hive and forces the bees to go into emergency mode, and I don't believe that any right thinking bee would ever fail to communicate the disruptive effect of this to a beekeeper, much less a "master". I certainly figured this out early in my beekeeping experience. It is easy to work around hives without smoke, and I have never found the need to use it.

I am not a shaman (see Mircea Eliade's work if you want to know what real shamans have to go through to achieve this status), but I am pretty sure that disrupting the hive in this way is contrary to how real shamans would conduct themselves.

I have extensive experience with honey and propolis clinically, and recommend that anyone with an interest consider their value. (I have a review of the therapeutic uses of honey at my website, www.drgrotte.com).

Honey bee venom is also of value for certain disorders, though I never used it until I could manage a method to prevent the bee's loss of its stinger, and thus her death. Those who are interested in this subject will find a wealth of resources at Mihaly Simics' www.beevenom.com.

I also recommend that those with an interest become beekeepers. This will provide you with a wealth of connection to nature and some small understanding of the complexity and wonder of bee behavior. An essay on this subject can also be found at my website, entitled, "Offerings to the Earth".


Where there's smoke....

Sophia suggests that I am mistaken to suggest that Bridge uses smoke with the hives. More careful readers will find that on page 40, while being "smoked" himself, Buxton indeed confirms that Bridge uses smoke with the hives. He even, on page 41, lists the ingredients that Bridge uses to smoke bees. He "would often burn herbs and resins..."Among those he used included Scotch pine resin, verbena, mugwort, mistletoe...,and hops...".

I stand by my review but allow that others may find value in this fantasy.

This book is a mystical journey and eloquently written. I was enthralled with it, and purposely read it slowly, so as to savor this small gem. I would caution that it is for those who are born to love magic. As a novice beekeeper, I picked up this book to enhance my understanding beyond practical matters -and was perfectly gifted with many insights. Buxton's book blew open my perspectives, and it has brought a great deal of texture to my relationship with my fuzzy little honey makers.

If you are interested in bee shamanism, this book is NOT for you.

The books tells almost nothing about the way of the bee the Buxton proposes in the title. It is mostly about Buxton's experiences with other human beings. But there is no real story of Buxton's communing with the bees proper (unless he is inside someone's home -- AWAY from the hive and bees -- and drunk), and no real healing powers anything. None of that. Actually, for a book that has the word BEES on the title, there is very little actual bees in it.

If you are interested in learning some about the spiritual relationship between humans and bees, I recommend Letters from the Hive: An Intimate History of Bees, Honey, and Humankind, by Stephen Buchmann. I am still working my way through it, but I am very pleased with it. It looks at bee shamanism from an anthropological perspective. Yet Buchmann provides more insights about the relationship with actual bees that Buxton does.

The Buxton tells an interesting story, and tells it well (that is the only reason why the book gets 2 stars). But I found the title very misleading. If you are into an interesting story, maybe this book is for you. If you are really interested in Shamanism, pass it on.

If the author cares as much about bees as he claims to, and enjoys the mystical closeness with them as he claims, there would have been a number of anecdotes on how he stumbled, and eventually made their acquaintances and the profound relationship he enjoys with them- in his journey towards 'mastery'. This fundamental aspect is missing in the book.

The book is essentially about an initiation. We only have the author's words that such an event took place. One can receive many initiations, thats just being prepped to start on 'the way'. IT IS NOT THE WAY. How can the author fail to make the distinction!

What I notice also is that contrary to the practice of true masters, who NEVER use words to seduce, and elevate themselves, this book does. Moreover, real master keep secret whats sacred, to preserve their potency, and make light of things. Their shamanic effort and powers, however is evident in their writing, with words that seek to enliven the reader, shaking things up with humor so that whoever reads their books can live life more fully which is the END goal of shamanic healing. There is no evidence of that in this book, and little evidence that the author is sufficiently evolved to be aware of this fact.

Treated as a work of fiction, the first half of the book is a good read. I was sufficiently intrigued to attend the author's workshops, thinking perhaps there I would witness firsthand the shamanic way of the bee, and the conclusion i came away with is:
I can't wait for the current craze for plastic shaman to pass, ie using a hyped up book as hook and advert, to sell industrialised, dangerously watered down technique to unwitting idol worshippers for a day or a weekend. And for a larger fee, you even get a certificate to practice.

I came away with a better understanding why genuine medicine man and shaman with authentic powers do not accept money, for teaching or healing, for good reason because they know the gift is never their possession, and moreover they do not pass on their secrets lightly, they guard it because the knowledge is both precious and sacred, and in the wrong hands, power can be a dangerous thing.

Plastic shamans, on the other hand, does exactly the opposite. And they take plastic too.

This is an impressive book. For one thing, it is very well written, with a lyrical style that is quite captivating. And, although a true story, it has an extraordinary mythic quality to it--a true heroic journey of a shamanic initiate through the honeycombed passages of an ancient European tradition--which refreshed the soul of this particular reader. What struck me the most, perhaps, is a timeless quality of Simon Buxton's experience which left me mystified, enchanted, uplifted and, at some times, downright astounded! The nutritional advice is very important. I have been ingesting honey and bee pollen for a few weeks now, and find the results to be wonderful. I feel healthy, mentally alert and full of energy. I hope the author continues providing more in-depth information about the Path of the Pollen--for those of us hungry for the wisdom of this well-kept secret shamanic path.

For the past two years I have been making a documentary on the disappearance of the bees; early on in my research i came across Simon Buxton's book and was completely taken in by the story. I found the writing to be eloquent and poetic. And the content to be informative and metaphorical. I was looking for the spiritual aspect of the bee and I found it. I thank Simon for introducing me to the magic behind the bees. I was taken in by his journey and transformed by it as well. I learned about the sacred femine in relation to the bees, the sacred geometry of the hive and the oracal shamanic tradition known as The Path of Pollen. I hightly recommend this bee-utiful