Slavic Sorcery: Shamanic Journey of Initiation [Paperback]

Ken Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 1997

Until recently, few scholars were even aware that a Slavic Magickal tradition still existed. Kenneth Johnson's book presents his true-life experiences in Russia with the living practitioners of this ancient magickal discipline. It also serves as a course in authentic shamanic practices. Readers can learn about the mythology and lore of the Slavic peoples, and there is material on festivals, cosmology, the gods, Otherworld spirits, and ancestor beliefs.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Kenneth Johnson's nearly seamless integration of history with story, and his ability to shift effortlessly from concise factual reporting to Byzantine descriptions of his adventures in and around Saint Petersburg make Slavic Sorcery read like a novel. Explore the history and folklore of Eastern Europe and European Russia as Johnson delves into the superstitions and wives' tales that helped earth-magic beliefs, such as dowsing, survive the religious and political turmoil of the region. At the same time, add secrets of the Slavic magical tradition to your own repertoire through Johnson's experiences with Slavic spells, sacred places of power, tree magic, and spirits of the otherworld. You'll also find a delightful recounting of Johnson's learning experiences under the tutelage of Vladimir Antonov, a colorful and well-known practitioner of this ancient earth magic.

From Booklist

Recent social changes in Russia spell opportunity for more than just burger burghers and computer czarinas. Johnson took advantage of Russia's new openness to search for what remains of ancient Slavic religious beliefs and rituals. Despite nearly a century of atheistic communism, he found evidence aplenty, from folk rituals to icons, from healing recipes to divination charms. Most interesting, he found practitioners who have gone public as psychic or shamanic healers. But Johnson does not merely share a travelogue of his adventures in shamanic Russia, though that would have been enough to make a fascinating book. He also provides an extraordinarily good review of the literature in English on Slavic religion. Moreover, he describes deities, old calendar beliefs, and ancient rituals in a lucid and appealing way. An excellent treatment of an unusual subject. Patricia Monaghan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (December 8, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567183743
• ISBN-13: 978-1567183740
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,393,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I wish I could give this book less than 1 star!, January 8, 2007

By 

Larissa Boiwka - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Slavic Sorcery: Shamanic Journey of Initiation (Paperback)

I was really excited to come across a copy of this book after searching at length for information on this subject. Unfortunately it was a great disappointment! It is a glorified travelog masquerading as in depth scholarship. One gets the sense that Johnson simply didn't spend enough time in the field to acquire adequate information to speak authoritatively on the subject. Perhaps a more accurate title would be " My New-Age Russian Vacation" because it has little to do with any Slavic country besides Russia and even less to do with ancient practices. I realize that this book was published by Llewellyn and so I didn't expect it to be strictly anthropological but I did hope to find SOME substance within it's pages (or atleast a decent bibliography). I've honestly found more information on ancient Slavic spiritual practices in books about folk art like pysanky or embroidery. Goddess Embroideries of Eastern Europe by Mary B. Kelly is a good place to start. Where is a reader-friendly book about our ancestors religion, gods, and lifeways?!? Unfortunately I think I may have to write it myself.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One Man's Journey, September 19, 2000

By 

Pagan Vixen (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slavic Sorcery: Shamanic Journey of Initiation (Paperback)

This book was indeed, excellent. However, it wasn't exactly what I had been hoping for. I had been hoping for a book detailing Slavic Sorcery, its uses and practices. Instead, this book chronicles the author's efforts to be accepted into the vestigal groups of slavic shamans; and his experiences among them.

I had been hoping more for a history followed by some recipes and practical applications of Slavic paganism. While this wasn't exactly what I had hoped for it was still an excellent book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars mythology, January 16, 2011

By 

Rowan (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Slavic Sorcery: Shamanic Journey of Initiation (Paperback)

Most of the reviewers have said it all. The author didn't accomplish what he goes to find out, the dregs of sorcery left over in the villages, instead he sticks in the city and follows around a Russian who seems to be heavily influenced by neopaganism, using Russianized Hindi terms like prana-va and yoga etc. The mythology was pretty spot on, but shamanism? none. sorcery? well, there were a few spells, nothing much.
I wanted to scream at him as an educated person he kept spouting Marija Gimbutas and some silly ideas he has about the Neolithic, of which it's obvious that he knows nothing, really, don't write a book about something you know nothing, at least read more than Marija Gimbutas! There is absolutely NO evidence of any Neolithic Goddess culture, it's just a fantasy, and really, study up on the subject before you write about it!
Another thing that really was irritating was that when he was told something about Russian spirits, he self-righteously calls them deities, like "pshaw, they call them spirits, but we westerners know they're really deities" I wanted to slap him. If they call them spirits, then shut your western mouth and let them be called spirits!
Also I got tired of the neopagan "archetype" stuff...
I should have been warned because Llewellyn published it, but I was hoping that it was old enough that maybe it was pre Llewellyn the Ultra Fluffy.
If you're a neo pagan interested in feminized, all love and positivity, making sure the negativity is white washed or left out entirely, this is the book for you.