Star Woman: We Are Made from Stars and to the Stars We Must Return

by Lynn V. Andrews, David Tamura (Illustrator)

Join Lynn Andrews on her personal vision quest as she searches for an ancient knowledge to bridge the gap between the primal mind and white consciousness, guided by a white stallion which she rides into a world of illuminating visions--even to the dark side of her own spirit.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Native American, Indigenous, Biography, Womens Studies, Religion

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Lynn Andrews is the author of the Medicine Woman Series, which chronicles her three decades of study and work with shaman healers on four continents.

Reviews

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely give up on a book once I have started, but I quit after reading the introduction to this one. I felt like I had been attacked by over a hundred Hare Krishna's at the airport of hell. I am a logical person, I have always been a logical person. This stuff was just nonsense. Recommended only as punishment to the worst offenders of crime.

[Deena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm really embarressed that I read this. I think it's really brave of me to admit it publicly.

[Patricia Herlevi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am rediscovering Lynn V. Andrews Medicine Women series. I read her books in the late 1980s and early 1990s after finding her books through synchronicity at a Seattle library. I was drawn to the woman empowerment and shamanic themes and at the time I first discovered Lynn's books, I was exploring Native American cultures.

Now, at the age of 51, I'm seeing different themes in Lynn's book, still focusing on woman empowerment, but from a different perspective. Revisiting these books is bringing immense healing to me now as I go through a life transition and remember my true purpose on this planet.

Star Woman in particular brings in horses, Canadian wilderness, the Sisters of the Shield and our connection to the star people/cosmos. The book reads like a fantasy, but is a memoir. It's ironic that people are more likely to believe the books of Carlos Castaneda who revealed that they weren't true, decades ago, than the memoirs of Lynn V. Andrews. What does that say about a society that gives more credibility to the stories of men than women?

[Tulara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Andrews wrote a series of books on her experiences with shaman and their associates in the world. Good read, but belief is suspended. Andrews sells artifacts and after each adventure she returns to Beverly Hills or some such high-end society. I was turned off by her willingness to use Native American lore and secret societies to further her own career. I think the shamans have a sense of humor thought in some the spots they put her in.

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I like the book so far. It has horses in it. Horses represent the instinctual wild side of woman.

[Yaaresse · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't even remember why I picked this up, but she was kinda hot sh-t back in the 80s. Now it just seems ridiculous.

[Alana Cash · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got this book at a garage sale thinking it would be interesting.

I read only a few pages before I came to believe that while Lynn Andrews claimed these as her experiences, the book reads like a fantasy romance novel with "gasping" and being "frightened." For me, if something is frightening, I want the writing cause me to feel frightened as well. I had no interest in this book after reading the introduction and first 6 pages..

The writing is not well edited and is contradictory. For example, in the first 6 pages of the story:
Andrews meets a "full-blooded Indian" named Agnes Whistling Elk and Andrews says that Agnes "had trouble formulating the simplest of thoughts in English..." then later Andrews writes that Agnes said Andrews had journeyed to her "inner landscape." Inner landscape? Also, Andrews and her daughter take an impromptu trip to a horse show. Andrews tells her daughter, "It's three hours till your jumping CLASS." [are there classes at horse shows? I don't really know]. Her daughter goes to register. [Later, her daughter has a horse-jumping performance for which her daughter wins a trophy. Do you win a trophy for a class??? I don't know] At another point Andrews claims she faints because of a vision and writes, "I slipped and fell backward against the door just as Vanessa opened it." If she fell against the door, her daughter could not open it unless she weighs as much as a bag of feathers. Sloppy writing. Mind you, this is just the first 6 pages. I stopped reading. It just didn't ring true.

As for the "secrets," I didn't get that far. But keeping secrets is what makes them secret. The word "secret" comes from the same Latin root as "sacred." Publicizing real secrets serves to trivialize them instead of honoring them. And, given what white people have done to Native cultures, it seems unlikely that any medicine woman would give out secret knowledge willy nilly to Andrews who flew to Canada to buy an artifact.

Anyway, given the way it's written, I cannot recommend this book.

[Carolyn Tragasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strange book. Whether or not you believe Lynn's narrative of traveling with Indigenous medicine women and her experiences while apprenticing with them to be more fiction or reality is up to the reader. She writes as if everything that happened was just a factual travel narrative, but some of what she describes is pretty other worldly (and not just the parts she makes clear were dreams).

I found the writing style a little simplistic at times, and it feels like a product of the 80s cause it is. Lynn definitely went through a hero's journey arc as the plot progressed and while it was more story driven vs intentionally written to be "wisdom literature" there were profound lessons and wisdom in this book that resonated with me and aligned with my beliefs. I especially appreciated the description of achieving enlightenment as "melting", romantic relationships as navigating points on a medicine wheel, and Lynn's transcendent experience at the end (probably a Kundalini awakening?).

[Terry Monk · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read book that drops gems along the way for the seeker to pick up. Having been raised in Canada on the prairies I find myself stepping back into my childhood with my first friend a First Nations girl.
Now a grown woman I find myself time and again meeting women on the west coast that are healers and spirit dancers. Time and again they each have said, that at one time I was once a red woman too. Because of this I tend to pick up books like these to try and remember or understand why ?
As I found this book by chance and out of order, I’ve gone back and found the others to start from the beginning.

[loeilecoute · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third time rereading this series which I always enjoy so much. For those who are not initiated into shamanic traditions, the story will seem far fetched and fictional, but it is, in fact, a true story. Lynn as a younger woman is initiated into the Sisterhood of the Shields, a mystical organization of women shamans who are working to bring balance into our out-of-balance world. The story takes her through frightening magical tests whose purpose is to teach her to become one with her ancient instinctual self.

Well written, well paced, I recommend it to anyone who is interested in exploring the world of shamanism.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting about Native American Canadian
Medicine Woman initiations. Supposed to be a real story, but it's hard not to see it as exaggerations. Well written and descriptive action story, but more on a teen level than older adult.

[Mwenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking with some excellent themes. Whether your beliefs trend towards the mystical or the scientific, the core messages here apply — seeking balance, self empowerment, facing your greatest fears and sorrows, letting go to be able to grow.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

subtitle makes me smile...that is what Naomi tells me based on the books about the stars and the universe =)

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book I read in the 90s. I enjoyed it.

[Liana Lopez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book in second hand book store, thinking it'd be really inspiring in my spiritual path. It stood out like it was something I had to read.

I didn't really believe in the writing and felt like it dragged on in some parts.

The only take away I got was maybe 1 part when Agnes spoke of us humans always trying search for an answer whether it's in religion, yoga etc etc, when we should know that love is the answer and will always guide us. Lead a life with love in your heart and you will always have the answer.

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cultural appropriation. Racist. Steer clear.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turns out I've discovered I don't like books this allegorical in nature.

[Christie Banow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynn's writing helped me escape some hard times in my teens and provided a safe haven of magic, inspiration, female empowerment and hope. Much gratitude.

[Wildstar 🌈💜✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

so when i originally picked up this book 2 years ago i was kinda hungover on a long car ride when i tried to start it... and i remember being quite skeptical about it.. and now that ive finally restarted it and now finished it, i did end up liking it a lot more than i thought i would. it gets kinda cheezy at times, and it gets pretty woo, but not in that annoying newagey yuppie sort of way. there is a lot of wisdom behind what is on the page. cultural appropriation? perhaps. but the disadvantages of being native in the usa were addressed on a few occasions in the book atleast. i feel like lynn andrews is being pretty straight up about what she has learned, and this is her honest attempt at trying to share it with the world. she does not glorify herself, but you gotta wonder how a true 'shamaness' can afford to live in LA and travel all over the damn country learning from native american elders. oh yeah, shes a white author writing about those native american elders.
but who am i to judge? i know of many people who walk the true path who want to share their ways with the world to bridge the gaps between the rainbows of skin colour in this human world. i dunno, over all, i liked the book more for the introspection and reflection the words of lynn's elders caused, much more than the actual story. i mean, some of it really made me think about the parts of my being that i do not like to think too much about, and explore my weaknesses and strengths as a human. and i think that is the huge driving purpose of this book. being a strong, independent female was also a steady theme. okay and there might have been a 'magick' horse or two in there as well, so what :P***

[etherealfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Words are a sacred tool and must be honored as such. When used carefully, words have magical healing properties. When used to judge, to hate, or to separate, words are deadly. The words you will be using in this workbook are your basic tools for healing on this journey. Treat them with respect. Honor your words." ~ Lynn V. Andrews

Books completed:

--- Medicine Woman, 1981
--- Jaguar Woman and the Wisdom of the Butterfly Tree, 1985
--- Star Woman, 1986
--- Crystal Woman, 1987
--- Windhorse Woman, 1989
--- The Woman of Wyrrd, 1990
--- Shakkai, 1992
--- Woman at the Edge of Two Worlds, 1993

Loved the books - every one of them. Treat them as mythology or as absolute truth. It makes no difference, the larger truth is as real to me as the Cosmic Christ. And to me, that is real! Beautifully written, loved her relationships with her spiritual teachers. For me, these books were real medicine, true spiritual healing.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing, great plot in the ongoing drama. I never could figure out if most of the experiences Lynn writes about are fictional or not! Like most writers, I guess, truth is mixed with imagination.

[Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book on a Cole's discount table. It was okay, but... too "far out" for me. Will probably try it again. I did buy the next in the series, which says something, although I don't know what.)"

[Laura Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

typical Lynn Andrews...

[Tristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in this series, but still a good read. Lynn shares her spiritual, mystical world in a powerful and entertaining way.

[Lourdes Cambridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY GOD...I.T. IS FULL OF STARS ID KP E...I REMEMBER DAVE BOW MAN...SOMETHING WONDERFUL!

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I want a little old medicine woman. :)

[David Rainey · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review of Medicine Woman. I think it applies to all of her writings.

[Awenydd Orchantra Faeryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars at least