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Way of the Shaman 3RD EDITION
Way of the Shaman 3RD EDITION by Michael J. Harner. HarperSanFrancisco,1990
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About the author
Michael Harner
32 books125 followersThe founder and president of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, Dr. Michael Harner (Michael J. Harner) pioneered the introduction of shamanism and the shamanic drum journey to contemporary life and is recognized as the world leader in this movement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
December 31, 2021
The Way of the Shaman says the practice of shamanism isn't a cultural thing- it's a "human" thing.
Michael Harner gives a brief biography of his own beginner experiences, then a very short history of shamanism, what it is, and how the experiences during the shamanic vision walks compare to ordinary reality.
He goes on to give a few practices for beginners to experience those states of consciousness for themselves as well as methods for contacting your "power animal" and some basic healing techniques.
I valued this book most for its discussions of shamanistic consciousness rather than the practices, but I could see both being of value for the proper audience.
On shamanism across cultural boundaries: "Shamanism represents the most widespread and ancient methodological system of mind-body healing known to humanity. Archaeological and ethnological evidence suggests that shamanic methods are at least twenty or thirty thousand years old... One of the remarkable things about shamanic assumptions and methods is that they are very similar in widely separated and remote parts of the planet, including such regions as aboriginal Australia, native North and South American, Siberia and central Asia, eastern and northernmost Europe, and southern Africa." pg 40-41
One of Harner's reasons for writing this book is to encourage everyone to deeper self knowledge: "...truly significant shamanic knowledge is experienced, and cannot be obtained from me or any other shaman. Shamanism is, after all, basically a strategy for personal learning and acting on that learning." pg xxiv of introduction.
The world could use more self knowledge.
This is how Harner has experienced the ineffable nature of shamanic consciousness: "His experiences are like dreams, but waking ones that feel real and in which he can control his actions and direct his adventures. While in the shaman state of consciousness, he is often amazed by the reality of that which is presented." pgs 21-22
I find it interesting how various religious practices and occult teachings mix, blend, and borrow from each other. Or perhaps, at their base, they're all just the same thing- various ways of experiencing the non-ordinary consciousness from which all humanity springs.
I read a book by practicing shaman, James Endredy, called The Flying Witches of Veracruz back in December 2014 and it seemed to be a total pipe dream. It was filled with amazing creatures and impossible actions, like flying, shape shifting, and jumping higher than humanly possible.
James talked about the magical in the same breath that he talked about what he ate for breakfast.
Harner explains in this book why it reads like that: "The emphasis I make here on drawing a distinction between the experiences one has in (ordinary consciousness) and the (shaman consciousness)...is not a distinction that is usually noted in the conversations of shamans among themselves or even with Westerners. Thus, if you were to listen to a Jivaro shaman talk, you might hear in his everyday conversation accounts of experiences and deeds which could seem to you, as a Westerner, to be patently absurd or impossible..." pg 47-48.
That whole book makes so much more sense to me now.
In the afterword, Harner closes with thoughts about why shamanism works: "Albert Schweitzer reportedly once observed, "The witch doctor succeeds for the same reason all of the rest of us (doctors) succeed. Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing this truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work."
Be a healer by reminding people that they have the power to heal themselves.
If you're looking for more books like The Way of the Shaman, try The Flying Witches of Veracruz: A Shaman's True Story of Indigenous Witchcraft, Devil's Weed, and Trance Healing in Aztec Brujeria or Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom.
Thanks for reading!
Michael Harner gives a brief biography of his own beginner experiences, then a very short history of shamanism, what it is, and how the experiences during the shamanic vision walks compare to ordinary reality.
He goes on to give a few practices for beginners to experience those states of consciousness for themselves as well as methods for contacting your "power animal" and some basic healing techniques.
I valued this book most for its discussions of shamanistic consciousness rather than the practices, but I could see both being of value for the proper audience.
On shamanism across cultural boundaries: "Shamanism represents the most widespread and ancient methodological system of mind-body healing known to humanity. Archaeological and ethnological evidence suggests that shamanic methods are at least twenty or thirty thousand years old... One of the remarkable things about shamanic assumptions and methods is that they are very similar in widely separated and remote parts of the planet, including such regions as aboriginal Australia, native North and South American, Siberia and central Asia, eastern and northernmost Europe, and southern Africa." pg 40-41
One of Harner's reasons for writing this book is to encourage everyone to deeper self knowledge: "...truly significant shamanic knowledge is experienced, and cannot be obtained from me or any other shaman. Shamanism is, after all, basically a strategy for personal learning and acting on that learning." pg xxiv of introduction.
The world could use more self knowledge.
This is how Harner has experienced the ineffable nature of shamanic consciousness: "His experiences are like dreams, but waking ones that feel real and in which he can control his actions and direct his adventures. While in the shaman state of consciousness, he is often amazed by the reality of that which is presented." pgs 21-22
I find it interesting how various religious practices and occult teachings mix, blend, and borrow from each other. Or perhaps, at their base, they're all just the same thing- various ways of experiencing the non-ordinary consciousness from which all humanity springs.
I read a book by practicing shaman, James Endredy, called The Flying Witches of Veracruz back in December 2014 and it seemed to be a total pipe dream. It was filled with amazing creatures and impossible actions, like flying, shape shifting, and jumping higher than humanly possible.
James talked about the magical in the same breath that he talked about what he ate for breakfast.
Harner explains in this book why it reads like that: "The emphasis I make here on drawing a distinction between the experiences one has in (ordinary consciousness) and the (shaman consciousness)...is not a distinction that is usually noted in the conversations of shamans among themselves or even with Westerners. Thus, if you were to listen to a Jivaro shaman talk, you might hear in his everyday conversation accounts of experiences and deeds which could seem to you, as a Westerner, to be patently absurd or impossible..." pg 47-48.
That whole book makes so much more sense to me now.
In the afterword, Harner closes with thoughts about why shamanism works: "Albert Schweitzer reportedly once observed, "The witch doctor succeeds for the same reason all of the rest of us (doctors) succeed. Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing this truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work."
Be a healer by reminding people that they have the power to heal themselves.
If you're looking for more books like The Way of the Shaman, try The Flying Witches of Veracruz: A Shaman's True Story of Indigenous Witchcraft, Devil's Weed, and Trance Healing in Aztec Brujeria or Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom.
Thanks for reading!
December 8, 2010
Harner is the creator of what is called "Core Shamanism" (the ‘shamanism’ and practices of Sandra Ingerman, and Caitlín and John Matthews also fall under the Core Shamanism umbrella). Like Daniel C. Noel and Robert J. Wallis, I believe Harner's teachings are based on cultural appropriation and Western fantasies. Harner, despite being an anthropologist, exploits and rapes the indigenous cultures he talks about in this book by tearing them apart, taking what pieces of a specific tradition will suit his practice/agenda/romanticism nicely and disregarding the rest.
The Way of the Shaman is his beliefs (UPG) regarding shamanism, and indeed are not how things really are. If you really want to learn about shamanism, skip this New Age drivel and go to the history books.
As Graham Harvey said: “The approaches of both Harner and Eliade are problematic in their universalizing of diverse and discrete, culturally situated shamanisms into a monolithic category to be palatable to Western audiences.” — (The Historical Dictionary of Shamanism, page 60)
The Way of the Shaman is his beliefs (UPG) regarding shamanism, and indeed are not how things really are. If you really want to learn about shamanism, skip this New Age drivel and go to the history books.
As Graham Harvey said: “The approaches of both Harner and Eliade are problematic in their universalizing of diverse and discrete, culturally situated shamanisms into a monolithic category to be palatable to Western audiences.” — (The Historical Dictionary of Shamanism, page 60)
January 6, 2013
When I picked this book I expected to get a bit more research on the subject, not the author's interpretation of what shamanism is to him. I didn't really buy how he kept preaching that hallucinogens weren't needed for successful shamanic practices yet he said over and over again that he does use them on himself.
I was shaking my head every time the author went and implied that shamanic procedures were better than psychoanalysis. There's a moment when he explains a kind of divination technique that's basically staring into a rock and finding images in it. The Rorschach test immediately popped into my head. The author did go and say it was kind of the same procedure but not the same. I would stick to Rorschach anyway, of course, but I guess it's way cheaper staring into some random rock instead of paying an expert to have you tested.
One other thing I didn't agree with was the subject of dreams. The author states they should be taken literally. How crazy is that? He completely disregards symbolism, which doesn't sound much in tune with the nature of "non-ordinary reality".
To me it sounds like the whole thin is a crazy collage of beliefs whose components were handpicked to suit the author's needs so he could set up his new-age shaman workshop and make some easy bucks.
I was shaking my head every time the author went and implied that shamanic procedures were better than psychoanalysis. There's a moment when he explains a kind of divination technique that's basically staring into a rock and finding images in it. The Rorschach test immediately popped into my head. The author did go and say it was kind of the same procedure but not the same. I would stick to Rorschach anyway, of course, but I guess it's way cheaper staring into some random rock instead of paying an expert to have you tested.
One other thing I didn't agree with was the subject of dreams. The author states they should be taken literally. How crazy is that? He completely disregards symbolism, which doesn't sound much in tune with the nature of "non-ordinary reality".
To me it sounds like the whole thin is a crazy collage of beliefs whose components were handpicked to suit the author's needs so he could set up his new-age shaman workshop and make some easy bucks.
January 28, 2019
While I truly appreciate the information and insight Harner has brought to the west, his writing is amazingly academic and cerebral. It's the opposite of experiential or immersive. While it warrants a mention alongside other academic publications on shamanism, for me it falls on the list of what not to do. I don't recommend this book because Harner stepped on a lot of cultural toes to present something he calls "cultureless," something that's not even possible. Despite that assertion, the cosmology presented in his core shamanism is very Abrahamic and most definitely culturally influenced. For an academic understanding of shamanism, this is a good primer. If you are seeking an experiential glimpse of shamanism or a more instructional text, this book is not it. If you want insight into the many cultures of shamanism, how to tread respectfully on your broken path, or the understanding of how we are all hardwired to experience awe, read the work of Karen Vogel, Roma Morris, and Robert Wallis.
January 27, 2014
The book is both eminently practical and very thought-provoking,. The cross-cultural similarities between shamanic experiences seem to undeniably imply that these techniques of archaic ecstasy are enabling the practitioner to enter the racial subconscious mind.
January 3, 2015
During my lifetime in some wide ranging travels through SE Asia I have come across shaman in various cultures in Bali, Malaya, Thailand Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. I have seen quite a bit that cannot be explained in the normal terms of the material world. I started to explore the subject when I began to experience small "flirts" at the edge of my own consciousness and a sense of a dimension other than the one I have always lived in, seemingly parallel to my usual experience of life. Sometimes it seems to break through with some revelation or another or I manage somehow to penetrate the veil for a second or two. This was a really interesting book for me, it provides the basics for shamanistic "journeying" and a lot of description of the experience of others. Given my own experience with meditation and dreams I thought it would be quite easy for me to crack into this realm, it has not proven to be so. It still interests me greatly as a way to process perception and to deal with life. It seems to me that it is another paradigm through which to view my life and if only that it has value for what it can reveal. I would like to see more. The open mind required and movement beyond the constraints of my conditioning are the issues. Practice, practice, practice!
August 27, 2010
Michael Harner can be legitimately credited with launching the Western neo-shaman movement. This book describes in great detail what it is like to undertake a shamanic journey, and what can be expected. Harner begins with his own experiences as an anthropologist, describing field work he did in the late 1950's with the Jivaro Indians of the Ecuadorian Andes. He writes of his own first journey quite movingly. He then goes on to provide a basic definition of shamanism, describe altered states of consciousness, journeys in detail, how to obtain a power animal, how to practice shamanism, and what it is like to extract harmful intrusions. I found all of this a fascinating read. Harner still offers workshops in shamanism. If one is at all curious about shamanism, this is a great place to get started.
April 11, 2012
This was the first book on Shamanism that I have read that is not a fiction book. I really enjoyed it and it was an easy read. Harner gives background and history as well as techniques to begin your journey into becoming a shaman. He also says that everyone has the ability to become a shaman, just with varying degrees of skill and power. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in Shamanism, beginners or masters alike.
February 20, 2010
First, a little about Michael Harner. He has resurrected Shamanism with his research, writing, and workshops. He has a non-profit dedicated to protecting Shamanism in indigenous cultures, and spreading Shamanism throughout the Western world. His view is that Shamanism was a once universal practice, with different and very separate cultures discovering the same things about a great spirit world that exists beyond the material world.
Okay, so now about this particular book. This is Harner's "how to" book, intended to introduce Westerners to Shamanic exploration. His focus is very much on using Shamanism for healing purposes. If you're interested in learning about Shamanism from an experiential perspective as well as an anthropological one, this is where to start. It provides historical and cultural information, as well as the details on how to conduct your own spirit journeys.
Okay, so now about this particular book. This is Harner's "how to" book, intended to introduce Westerners to Shamanic exploration. His focus is very much on using Shamanism for healing purposes. If you're interested in learning about Shamanism from an experiential perspective as well as an anthropological one, this is where to start. It provides historical and cultural information, as well as the details on how to conduct your own spirit journeys.
Read
June 19, 2022I really liked the beginning of the book when he was talking about his own experiences with the Jívaro. The rest of the book was structured like a school book making it hard to relate to and remember. I'm not sure how to rate the book because it was good work and interesting, but quite boring at times.
July 30, 2024
This book is a basic overview of shamanism and shaman practices. The purpose of this book is to help contemporary Westerners, for the first time, to benefit from shamanic knowledge in their quest to supplement the approaches of modern technological.
The author reflects on his experiences with ayahuasca and his initiation into shamanism. He includes a brief historical account of shamanism and examines the customs of numerous shamanic tribes across the globe. Ultimately, the writer provides insights into several shamanic practices that individuals can adopt.
The book was decent for an overview of the subject. Perhaps what I found the most beneficial if the entire book was his visualization and meditation through the tunnel and into the Lowerworld.
The author reflects on his experiences with ayahuasca and his initiation into shamanism. He includes a brief historical account of shamanism and examines the customs of numerous shamanic tribes across the globe. Ultimately, the writer provides insights into several shamanic practices that individuals can adopt.
The book was decent for an overview of the subject. Perhaps what I found the most beneficial if the entire book was his visualization and meditation through the tunnel and into the Lowerworld.
December 8, 2009
I found The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner on Amazon. I don't remember how I found it, but I do know that I didn't go looking for it in particular or the subject in general. Anyway, most of the first chapter was available as a sample. It described how the author, doing fieldwork as an anthropologist, had an intense and frightening hallucinogenic experience under the influence of ayahuasca. I thought his account was fascinating, so I bought the book.
Unfortunately, I found the rest of the book not so interesting. Chapters two and beyond were aimed at teaching people how to become shamans and do shamanic healing. My skeptical nature tells me that such persons are engaged in exercises of imagination and visualization. I suspect that what they do might have some placebo effects but that it is no more effective than that. I admit that my assessment could be wrong, and I would enjoy seeing the results of controlled tests.
To the author's credit, he appears to be sincere and to have truly studied with and researched shamans. I judge that he believes what he says. To the author's further credit, he encourages people to make full use of modern medicine, with shamanic healing being an addition rather than a replacement. It is unlikely, therefore, that following Harner's techniques will kill anyone.
Other the first chapter, the part of the book I find most intriguing is Appendix B. It describes the "hand game" practiced by several American Indian tribes. It looks like it could be a fun, and possibly enlightening, game of psychology for a moderate-size group.
Unfortunately, I found the rest of the book not so interesting. Chapters two and beyond were aimed at teaching people how to become shamans and do shamanic healing. My skeptical nature tells me that such persons are engaged in exercises of imagination and visualization. I suspect that what they do might have some placebo effects but that it is no more effective than that. I admit that my assessment could be wrong, and I would enjoy seeing the results of controlled tests.
To the author's credit, he appears to be sincere and to have truly studied with and researched shamans. I judge that he believes what he says. To the author's further credit, he encourages people to make full use of modern medicine, with shamanic healing being an addition rather than a replacement. It is unlikely, therefore, that following Harner's techniques will kill anyone.
Other the first chapter, the part of the book I find most intriguing is Appendix B. It describes the "hand game" practiced by several American Indian tribes. It looks like it could be a fun, and possibly enlightening, game of psychology for a moderate-size group.
May 4, 2018
the road to longevity and health is an adventure that everyone on this planet has the responsibility to go through.
there is no magic pill, no magic doctor. well actually, there is one, and he resides inside of you. your life's purpose is to awaken him as this.will.serve as the foundation for.anything else in your life.
go out there and search the way, the way your own intuition dictates it. Create your own ways and methods, those that work for you.
Take advantage of your inner healer.
the best part is, apart from the time and devotion you'll have to invest to wake him up, he comes free of charge! he or she is part of you...
listen to you inner voice and free him, no matter the changes you feel you have to implement. your entire life's happiness depends on it.
Thanks MR. Harner. RIP.
there is no magic pill, no magic doctor. well actually, there is one, and he resides inside of you. your life's purpose is to awaken him as this.will.serve as the foundation for.anything else in your life.
go out there and search the way, the way your own intuition dictates it. Create your own ways and methods, those that work for you.
Take advantage of your inner healer.
the best part is, apart from the time and devotion you'll have to invest to wake him up, he comes free of charge! he or she is part of you...
listen to you inner voice and free him, no matter the changes you feel you have to implement. your entire life's happiness depends on it.
Thanks MR. Harner. RIP.
December 1, 2022
There's something... odd about this book?
Because of my interest in shamanism, I was excited to learn that there is an anthropologist who studied similarities between different traditions of shamanism! And I'm sure there are a lot. Yet, this book gave me an icky feeling of reading a sales pitch for Harner's seminars, starting from the depth of his experiences (which of course were more in-depth at his first attempt than those of other people, right?) to only sparingly mentioning differences between traditions.
It's like there is a richness of culture that went unaddressed, to give the Western audience a dumbed down entry guide to experience "some shamanism".
Because of my interest in shamanism, I was excited to learn that there is an anthropologist who studied similarities between different traditions of shamanism! And I'm sure there are a lot. Yet, this book gave me an icky feeling of reading a sales pitch for Harner's seminars, starting from the depth of his experiences (which of course were more in-depth at his first attempt than those of other people, right?) to only sparingly mentioning differences between traditions.
It's like there is a richness of culture that went unaddressed, to give the Western audience a dumbed down entry guide to experience "some shamanism".
March 24, 2014
Good research but sometimes crammed into too little space without context. The direct quotations from traditional shamans are the best parts. Harner attempts to distill the essence of shamanism into a kind of how-to book for modern neo-shamanists. I will not give my opinion on that . This reading was research for a work of fiction featuring a neo-shamanist character (who is not based on Harner) not for my personal use.
July 29, 2016
I did the exercises and went to the Underworld and found out that my power animal was a seagull. Then I redid the exercises and found out that my other power animal was a toad. Clearly, Shamanism will not help me at all. Recommended for fans of Wade Davis and Graham Hancock.
August 19, 2017
In my quest to learn about many different types of healing, I picked up this recommended book as a starting point on the study of shamanism. It was a good choice. Examples of students’ first shamanic journeys, coupled with some basic exercises for beginners and background information on shamanistic practices in other parts of the world, provided an interesting and informative introduction.
As healing is fundamental to shamans, I would have liked to have learned more about the lives and experiences of well-known North American healers, however only one was mentioned in any detail. Still, there’s plenty of good information for those who are interested in learning about shamanism.
As healing is fundamental to shamans, I would have liked to have learned more about the lives and experiences of well-known North American healers, however only one was mentioned in any detail. Still, there’s plenty of good information for those who are interested in learning about shamanism.
Read
May 5, 2022Meni je ovo bila najdosadnija knjiga ikada, i posto ne volim da ostavljam knjige nedovršene ipak je pročitah. Nekome ko ima interesovanja za samanizam moze biti interesantna jer ima puno toga da se nauči. Ali meni je pojam samanizma potpuno stran pa sam stoga verovatno bila tako skeptična čitajući o tome.
May 29, 2025
short but good
December 21, 2019
I took out several books on Shamanism, but there's a reason this is considered a classic. Definitely felt the most approachable and practical, and kept my attention.
March 21, 2021
Wonderful book with directions of taking your first “journey” independent of drugs or any outside influences. I am onto something here, I know it ❤️
From the book:
“The enlightenment of the shaman is the ability to light up what others perceive as darkness, and thereby to see and to journey on behalf of a humanity that is perilously close to losing its spiritual connectedness with all its relatives, the plants and animals of this good Earth.”
From the book:
“The enlightenment of the shaman is the ability to light up what others perceive as darkness, and thereby to see and to journey on behalf of a humanity that is perilously close to losing its spiritual connectedness with all its relatives, the plants and animals of this good Earth.”
February 1, 2018
From tripping on ayuhuasca in Peru to sucking the evil spirits out of patients, Harner offers an overview of shamanic methods and practices. While it would seem like such an undertaking would be a thick tome given the wide variety of cultures in which Shaman are a fixture, Harner suggest that there is a remarkable similarity of methods used by these “medicine men” be they in the Americas, Central Asia, or the South Pacific. Of course, at a tight level of granularity there are differences, and Harner gives examples of such differences here and there – usually using examples of the Shamanic practices he has studied in South and Central America. However, this book is more the high altitude over pass of the landscape.
There are seven chapters. The first couple of chapters both set up the book and hook the reader with a detailed discussion of Harner’s ayuhuasca -- and other mind / mood altering substance – experience. It should be pointed out that not all Shaman use psychedelics and Harner describes in detail alternative approaches to achieve altered states of conscious that involve a combination of drumming and meditative practices.
Chapter three discusses altered states of consciousness, and what Harner calls the “Shamanic State of Consciousness” (SSC) which is the altered state that is pursued by medicine men in their practice. Chapter four describes the concept of power animals and the role that they have in health and illness. (i.e. from the Shaman’s view, an illness might be seen as the result of lacking such a “spirit animal.”) The final three chapters discuss practices such as how the Shaman can acquire a power animal for the patient or how he / she might extract a malevolent influence.
I found an interesting corner being turned in this book. In the opening chapters it reads much like an anthropologist’s scholarly account. Even talking about tripping on psychedelic substances, it’s all with the grounded feel of a scientific mind. However, in the latter half of the book, it reads as though Harner truly believes that the altered state of consciousness is actually a sort of parallel dimension with an intrinsic reality unto itself. I don’t know whether this is a tactic to feather it in for skeptical readers or if it reflects Harner’s own internal journey. (It’s definitely a hard line to walk when writing a book that one hopes to be read by both scientific rational skeptics and religious true believers.) At any rate, the book gets a bit wilder as it goes along. In the beginning, the reader might think the book a discussion of how a powerful placebo effect is achieved, but by the latter chapters it seems one is considering how malevolent spirits can be trapped or extracted from a patient.
As for ancillary material, there are line drawn illustrations, annotations, a bibliography, and two appendices. The first appendix is about drumming and gives details about what kind of drums and rattles the would-be Shaman should seek. (Drumming plays a major role in achieving the proper state of mind.) The second is a detailed description of a game played by the Flathead Indians. I should note that I read the 3rd edition of this book. The original was published in 1980.
I found the book intriguing as one interested in how people of various cultures achieve altered states of consciousness, how they experience such states, and why they pursue them in the first place. I’d recommend it for a reader who is curious about Shamanic practices – even one who, like me, is a complete neophyte to the subject.
There are seven chapters. The first couple of chapters both set up the book and hook the reader with a detailed discussion of Harner’s ayuhuasca -- and other mind / mood altering substance – experience. It should be pointed out that not all Shaman use psychedelics and Harner describes in detail alternative approaches to achieve altered states of conscious that involve a combination of drumming and meditative practices.
Chapter three discusses altered states of consciousness, and what Harner calls the “Shamanic State of Consciousness” (SSC) which is the altered state that is pursued by medicine men in their practice. Chapter four describes the concept of power animals and the role that they have in health and illness. (i.e. from the Shaman’s view, an illness might be seen as the result of lacking such a “spirit animal.”) The final three chapters discuss practices such as how the Shaman can acquire a power animal for the patient or how he / she might extract a malevolent influence.
I found an interesting corner being turned in this book. In the opening chapters it reads much like an anthropologist’s scholarly account. Even talking about tripping on psychedelic substances, it’s all with the grounded feel of a scientific mind. However, in the latter half of the book, it reads as though Harner truly believes that the altered state of consciousness is actually a sort of parallel dimension with an intrinsic reality unto itself. I don’t know whether this is a tactic to feather it in for skeptical readers or if it reflects Harner’s own internal journey. (It’s definitely a hard line to walk when writing a book that one hopes to be read by both scientific rational skeptics and religious true believers.) At any rate, the book gets a bit wilder as it goes along. In the beginning, the reader might think the book a discussion of how a powerful placebo effect is achieved, but by the latter chapters it seems one is considering how malevolent spirits can be trapped or extracted from a patient.
As for ancillary material, there are line drawn illustrations, annotations, a bibliography, and two appendices. The first appendix is about drumming and gives details about what kind of drums and rattles the would-be Shaman should seek. (Drumming plays a major role in achieving the proper state of mind.) The second is a detailed description of a game played by the Flathead Indians. I should note that I read the 3rd edition of this book. The original was published in 1980.
I found the book intriguing as one interested in how people of various cultures achieve altered states of consciousness, how they experience such states, and why they pursue them in the first place. I’d recommend it for a reader who is curious about Shamanic practices – even one who, like me, is a complete neophyte to the subject.
January 16, 2013
I'm reading the Third Edition of the book, so it's a bit old and outdated (1990). There's a lot of good information, but I feel that it's a better resource for an intermediate or experienced shamanic practitioner. There are a lot of cautions that newbies should not attempt some of the more advanced exercises until they master the basics. So, if I'd stopped reading where he implied I should stop, I would still be stuck exploring the tunnel to the lower world. As much fun as that sounds, I'm just not patient enough to limit myself to that.
I'm not sure what the purpose of The Bone Game is or why so many pages were devoted to it. It assumes that there are other practitioners to work with, which is just not a resource available to me.
This book has been used as a resource for newer books (i.e. Reiki Shamanism), so there are a lot of parallels to the information presented. I particularly enjoyed the information on drum beat frequencies (pp. 51-52) and quartz crystals (pp. 108-112), which corroborate what I've learned about why music and crystals work so well in holistic healing practices.
So, it's good. I'd like to check out the newer edition to see how it compares. Is it THE shamanism book? Not for me. I'm still looking.
I'm not sure what the purpose of The Bone Game is or why so many pages were devoted to it. It assumes that there are other practitioners to work with, which is just not a resource available to me.
This book has been used as a resource for newer books (i.e. Reiki Shamanism), so there are a lot of parallels to the information presented. I particularly enjoyed the information on drum beat frequencies (pp. 51-52) and quartz crystals (pp. 108-112), which corroborate what I've learned about why music and crystals work so well in holistic healing practices.
So, it's good. I'd like to check out the newer edition to see how it compares. Is it THE shamanism book? Not for me. I'm still looking.
March 6, 2025
What I enjoyed most about this book was the various rituals he described. It made me realize that maybe we underutilize the power of imagination because we don’t understand it or appreciate its potential role in healing. What I mean by this is that maybe when we do focuses meditations where we explore our own bodies from within using the power of visualization we might naturally anthropomorphize different aspects of ourselves in order to interact with that part. Meaning, maybe if we’re sick or have a pain in our body we can actually talk to that pain or sickness by the power of meditation and imagination. This then allows us to ask it what it wants and it respond and maybe then we can work on it. I don’t fully understand it myself but I think there’s something there where we completely undervalue and underestimate this technique and how it could aid us in our own healing.
April 20, 2014
I haven't been reading lately, its really taken a disappointing hit to my 'Goodreads 2014 Book Challenge' Time to suit back up and hit those books hard!
Also, how do I review this book? Look, I have an interest in healing, and cross-cultural natural methods. This is about as natural as one gets. Yes, as stated before, I do believe in Shamans. I think more than Antonio Villado, this book give VERY SPECIFIC practices that one can try at home. Sadly, I did not, but like any good book, it opened my mind to new ways of thinking and healing.
Also, how do I review this book? Look, I have an interest in healing, and cross-cultural natural methods. This is about as natural as one gets. Yes, as stated before, I do believe in Shamans. I think more than Antonio Villado, this book give VERY SPECIFIC practices that one can try at home. Sadly, I did not, but like any good book, it opened my mind to new ways of thinking and healing.
January 19, 2019
Very good book, wish I had read it sooner. I have been practicing shamanism for several years now and it has some additional tools and practices that would be useful. As for sucking the sickness out of someone, I am not attracted to that procedure, but as a Reiki master I do psychic surgery which works just as well.
Next time I teach shamanic journeying I will make sure that I make this a recommended book to read.
Next time I teach shamanic journeying I will make sure that I make this a recommended book to read.
October 25, 2025
For those who have no idea what shamanism is, this book is a great introductory material. The author has successfully relayed an important factor of what traditional shamanism is in a way that doesn't overwhelm the beginners or anyone who has no know-how or whatsoever about this topic.
There are also practical tools and acts to follow and imitate, in case you'd like to try your hidden shamanism prowess.
There are also practical tools and acts to follow and imitate, in case you'd like to try your hidden shamanism prowess.
October 13, 2013
Fascinating....I particularly liked the comment regarding Western assumptions that primitive people and shamanic practices are lacking logic and are irrational: "...the limitations are not those of primitive peoples, but our own in understanding the two-tiered nature of their experiences and the respect they accord them."
December 10, 2018
A scooch appropriative, but interesting. It starts to unravel as the book goes on. It's strong in the beginning, but ends as a disjointed, psychedelic mess. Sort of like The Naked Lunch, if it had started strong. More like anything Jung wrote about alchemy.
Graphic and descriptive, though. The imagery is phenomenal for as long as it stays coherent.
Graphic and descriptive, though. The imagery is phenomenal for as long as it stays coherent.
October 20, 2020
Okay, this book is flipping mind blowing. It is beautiful. It gave me some chills. It is beyond eye opening. There is so much more than what we see right now. Amazing book!
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