Wizard of the Four Winds: A Shaman's Story

by Douglas Sharon

This book is a modern story of the centuries-old practice of curanderismo, or folk healing, and a fascinating portrait of a unique individual, Eduardo Calderon Palomino. Eduardo is a literate and worldly man, a sculptor and a teacher, a practicing Catholic -and a Peruvian shaman. More than a biography, this is an insightful analysis of a contemporary folk healer's view of the world, his curing art, his struggles as a man, and his personal search for meaning. "Wizard of the Four Winds" blends personal experiences and objective analysis to provide a rare glimpse into the life and world view of a modern shaman. It is an uncommon work of anthropological, religious, and psychological significance.

Hardcover

First published December 1, 1978

Reviews

[Shawn Garbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true to life encounter with a wizard, it blew me away as a young adult that such existed in the world. That glimpse of a very different life changed my perspective forever. The vast majority of the text is an anthropologists academic recording of culture and life of Calderon, a peruvian mestizo curandero. What really shines through, is Sharon's writing and descriptions of his encounters. Calderon, an overweight large man, cooks down Datura and San Pedro in an cut and rusty oil can before his altar and consumes it during a street ceremony. It is shortly thereafter he sights demons in the crowd, and grabs an old sword and begins jumping up and down and fighting swinging the sword wildly around the crowd to run off the demon, the atmosphere is charged to say the least. If I have some time, I'll find the quote on this to share.

[Megumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on Shamanic San Pedro use in Peru