Zuni Fetishes: Using Native American Sacred Objects for Meditation, Reflection, and Insight (Paperback)

by Hal Zina Bennett (Author) "IN THE SOUTHWEST, where they still live, Zunis are respected and sought out by other peoples in the area for their artistry in making fetishes..." (more)
Key Phrases: prey fetishes, fetish readings, fetish jar, White Wolf, Red Deer, Mother Earth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Zuni have traditionally used small stone carvings of animal figures as power objects and mediators between themselves and the spirit world. Any object that has special meaning can be used as a fetish. In this fascinating, informative, and beautifully illustrated guide to the fetishes of the Zuni people of New Mexico, Hal Zina Bennett explores key principles of Native American spirituality and how early Zuni teachings can benefit us all today. He provides an excellent guide to Zuni traditions and an intriguing picture of their early life, along with detailed instructions for using fetishes for mediation, reflection, and insight in modern life. He describes key fetish figures, including the Guardian of the Six Regions, their legendary meanings, and the personal qualities each figure can support and help its owner develop.

In explaining the nature of fetishes and the psychological and spiritual benefits that we can gain from their use, Bennett provides illuminating cross-cultural comparisons, stimulating exercises, and journaling opportunities.

About the Author
Hal Zina Bennett, Ph.D., is a lecturer, consultant, and the author or co-author of twenty-seven books, including The Lens of Perception, The Well Body Book (with Mike Samuels, M.D.), The Holotropic Mind (with Stanislav Grof, M.D.), and Follow Your Bliss (with Susan J. Sparrow). He is also a contributing editor to Shaman's Drum magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; Book Club (BCE/BOMC) edition (April 9, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062500694
• ISBN-13: 978-0062500694
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #318,612 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good info for meditating with your fetish, May 27, 2001

By	Cat (Overgaard, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews

Hal Zina Bennett has written a very interesting book about using fetishes for meditation and guidance, accessing inner knowing. My only real objection to his book is that it purports to explain how the Zunis use fetishes and what the Zunis believe about animals. There is no evidence to support those claims, in my opinion and my 14 years of working with Zuni fetish carvers. The ideas are his own and seem sound and useful. If only he had not claimed to interpret what Zunis believe, a common failing of non-Zunis when writing about the religious, social, and spiritual beliefs of these wonderful people.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched Yet Useful In Everyday Life, March 5, 2004

By	Blue Lakes Susan (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews

I found this book both fascinating and useful. The author offers a way to bring the ancient tools of animal fetishes into our modern lives, with thorough research and stories from the people who were his teachers. Several anecdotes from his contacts with modern Zunis tell how they continue to use these traditions in their lives--even when living modern lives in the cities. He also draws from anthropological research of Frank Hamilton Cushing, a rather amazing character in his own right, who made his home with the Zunis back in the 1800s. There's a dramatic story, told by a Zuni hunter, about early hunts when the hunter prayed for the spirit of the animal he was hunting, and upon the animal's death shared its last breaths with it. There's a tender story about a Zuni mother, still living by the old ways on the Zuni reservation, who uses her festishes to help her daughter, a nurse in the city, deal with the death of a friend. This well done and respectful book is nicely illustrated with the line drawings of Timothy White, publisher of Shaman's Drum magazine. Its greatest contribution may be that it teaches us ways to honor our sacred relationships with all creatures. This is particularly important today when we need to take much better care of the diverse creatures who help to foster the wellbeing of our planet.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for those seeking knowledge of fetishes!, September 26, 2000

By	Susan D. Le Blanc "White Bear Creations" (Thonotosassa, FL... "Land of Flint") - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is well written and helps fetish collectors to understand the history behind fetishes as well as explaining the meanings of each "animal". The reader learns how to put these powerful pieces to good use for him/herself. The information is usable for everyday life and today's society. Even those without fetishes can gather useful information to assist in gaining control over one's thoughts, actions and meditations. Highly recommend this book to all!