Shaman Pathways - Elen of the Ways: British Shamanism - Following the Deer Trods

by Elen Sentier

Elen of the Ways is about the ancient shamanism of Britain. Elen Sentier grew up in a long family lineage of following the Deer Trods; in this book she tells of the old, forgotten ways of our ancestors. Through her own experience, stories, practical exercises and journeys with the deer, Elen takes you into the realm of the Boreal Forest, of which Britain is a part, to show how the Deer Goddess is the spirit of this land. To walk the deer trods is to realise how close and connected you are to nature and everything in this beautiful world which we share with our non-human brethren. You learn, too, that our everyday world and otherworld are intertwined. Elen of the Ways is both here and there at the same time. You will find her everywhere.

Genres: Paganism, Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction, Mythology, Magick, History

89 pages, Paperback

First published July 16, 2013

About the author

I write magic, mystery, murder & (sometimes steamy) romance.

All my life I’ve followed the deer trods of Elen of the Ways. My mother's mother was a witch from the Isle of Man and my father was a cunning man from Lancashire. I grew up in an ancient village on the edge of Exmoor where the church is dedicated to the goddess Iwerydd and my aunt owned her sacred well. My parents and the elder folk in the village taught the ways of the awenydd, the old native shamanism of Britain.

I live in the back of beyond with two cats and a host of wildlife where I write novels and I teach the ways of old ways of the awenydd that I grew up with. I read massively and am now converted to Kindle as well as having bookcases full of the lovely old paper stuff. Whenever I can I get out into the wild places.

Reviews

[Deborah Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In preparation for a trip to Great Britain next year, I wanted to learn more about British shamanism and selected this book. My goal was accomplished! The author has a long family lineage of authentic shamanism, and she also learned from the wise women of the village where she grew up. Not only does the author share ancient knowledge, she also ties into the many ways modern civilization has overlooked, and practically destroyed, our connections to nature and Mother Earth. This book has given me a solid introduction to ancient Britain, as well as increased my understanding of the relationship between deer and humans.

[Hannah Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intelligent and informative blend of history, natural history, mythology and spirituality. It documents the discovery and understanding of the sacred spirit of Britain, through the Goddess Elen of the Ways and the God of the Green, via the ancient roads and trackways and the energy currents known as ley lines.
The book shows us how far we have digressed from our roots, both physical and spiritual, and gives a dire warning of how our future may be if this doesn't change. For anyone interested in the natural world, ancient British culture, shamanism or mythology, this is a must read.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely short, but still interesting. I do find the repeated assertion (in this book but in others too) that the notion of “ownership” of land is an unnatural or non-spiritual concept that was completely unknown to our ancient ancestors flawed, because not only have humans had tribes and territories for millennia (even cave dwellers had *their* caves and hunting/gathering areas and other people had other spots), but animals too have distinct territories that they will defend with passion. Maybe they don’t have deeds to the land and no cash has changed hands (hooves), but they know where their patch of ground is and they know who doesn’t belong on it and will keep encroachers away as best they can.

[Luminea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book wasn't what I expected, it was still an enjoyable read. The author recaps the sacredness of deer in both Britain and Europe back through prehistory, and shares many of her own personal experiences growing up with a knowledge of the old ways. It was interesting to hear her stories. However, there wasn't much in the way of hands on exercises or suggestions for forging your own relationship with Elen of the Ways. Perhaps the follow up book will delve more into this.

[Angelique McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! A must read for those who wish to follow Elen of The Ways

[Barbara Wooden Stickle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected Knowledge

Although pleasantly surprised and even inspired and validated: I gave it only 4 stars because I felt incomplete and frustrated at the end.

[Kimberley Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Format: e-book
Genre: Spirituality/Paganism/Magick/Nonfiction

Review: I think I went into this book expecting something entirely different from what the author expected to lay out when she went about writing it. I thought this book would primarily be about Elen of the Ways; about how to find her, connect with her, and bring her into your practice; about how to engage with her once you had formed a connection. And, to a degree, I suppose it was. However, much of what I was searching for was hidden, squeezed between pages filled to the brim with other tidbits the author wanted to drop in. Much of the book felt jumbled and disconnected - at times a history lesson about early humanity, at other times a memoir of the author herself.

Reading the writing itself was an experience. There's something about Elen Sentier's writing that feels very... real? For lack of a better word. You get a sense of information flowing at you uncensored. The book doesn't feel edited. It feels like it grew from the author, slipping between the pages of the book and creeping across them like moss. It left me feeling slightly torn. I enjoy a well edited book - the streamlined paragraphs, properly placed punctuation, carefully organized thoughts. I was an English Literature student, it's in my veins. And yet, I can't say that I didn't enjoy this rough-edged take on writing. It's nice, at times, to draw closer to the writer, and this book feels like it grew out of her.

In any case. The book wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but the writer was certainly invested in what she wrote. I do have her second book, Following the Deer Trods: A Practical Guide to Working with Elen of the Ways, in my Kindle App. I hope to get to it soon. Perhaps it will reach more to the core of what I was searching for in this book.

[Karon Phoenix-hollis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very slim book and of that perhaps 5 pages are about Elen of the Ways . The rest of the book is the authors personal history , a travelogue of a trip with a friend and perhaps most oddly instructions on Bushcraft .

An extremely easy read but tbh if you want information on Elen of the Ways better and more informative articles are available for free on the internet .

[Alora · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW 📚

Elen found me years ago, when I had a dream where a woman appeared to me in the woods. She had antlers on her head. She then morphed into a deer and asked me to follow her. The dream unfolded and I knew that the first image I had seen of her had to be tattooed on me in some way. Now, today, Elen sits on my left leg, the feminine side. A daily reminder to walk the deer path.

Since that dream I have looked for anything I could find to help me understand who she is and how to work with her. The challenge is, there is not a lot of information relating to her out there. So, when Sarah @mysticmoons_books came across some books relating to her. She quickly snatched them up for me and contacted me right away. This was many years ago. The books have sat on my shelf until now. It's time to deepen my understanding of Elen.

This was a very short read and while it didn't fully give me a greater understanding of Elen, It did provide me with a beautiful understanding of the history behind those that follow the deer path and how history has unfolded as it pertains to our connection with Earth. Some interesting points in the book that I want to share. Relate to how we connect with Earth today and how we don't think about our daily lives as being in connection to the earth. Once we begin to understand how we're all interconnected this is how we begin to walk the deer path. When we start to look for signs of other life being here on this planet other than our own, and how we are connected to that life, this is how we reconnect with Elen. "The art of letting go, of not knowing best, of being full of expectancy but without expectations ... this is walking the deer trods."

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#elenoftheways
#booksaremylife
#readingtime📖
#bookphotography
#reader
#ilovetoread

[Cynthia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was incredibly disappointed with this book for several different reasons. Not only did this book feel unorganized and hard to follow but there were also several grammatical errors, which I don’t hold the author personally responsible for, but do find exceptionally irritating.

Sentienr makes her opinion about farming known within the first several pages and continues to make it known throughout the majority of the book causing me to wonder if she shouldn’t have written a blog post to get it of her system as seeing it time and again caused severe redundancy when she appeared to have half-attempted to move onto different topics. This collection of pages felt as though it was treated more for various journal entries rather than the actual subject of the book, and when she did discuss the history of the forest, it once again felt disorganized without enough supporting information for outside sources.

By the time she actually gets around to talking about Elen of the Ways, I was so ready to be done that the extra effort it took to find the passages about Elen was almost a wasted effort.

To say the title is misleading is being generous - don’t waste your money on it.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book and it’s sequel ‘Following the deer trods’ to be wonderfully informative and immersive reads. I first discovered Elen of the Ways when I was just a child, although at the time I didn’t know that this was who I was meeting repeatedly in my dreams. These books truly helped to connect all of the dots in a wonderfully comprehensive and atmospheric way and expanded my knowledge on a subject and people who I find to be fascinating. I own both of these books in kindle format but intend to buy the paper copy as well in the near future as they are definitely books you will want to take notes on.

[Peter Avellone · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elen, like all 'gawdesses' is just another culturally-specific emanation of the dark earth goddess who eats her young. My experience with 'her' revealed the being 'C'Hala', an emanation of 'dark isis/dark madonna' which ultimately leads to the 'bee goddess'. I slaughtered this 'Elen' creature for what she took from me, and I despise these insectile entities who prey on human suffering. Don't fool yourself. 'Divinity' is a lie. We are stronger, smarter, and so much better looking than these predators. Once the 'root' of one of their 'mysteries' is revealed, all of them fall as the vile inhuman predatory scum that they truly are- false beyond measure and murderers of joy.

[Rhiannon Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a delightful book which mixes just a few things odd enough to make me cry "woo!" with plenty that is sensible and some which is inspirational. The best parts are Sentier's descriptions of her personal experience of Spirit in the wild and the ways she connects this with the real landscape - especially the chapter about the Orkneys.

[Heidi Lamoreaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to British Shamanism. I also recommend Following the Deer Trods if you want practical exercises to accompany the understanding gained from reading Elen of the Ways. These books have changed my life and how I view the world.

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a mix of history, travel log and diary of an awenydd - and not very well brought together. Through the different essays I did learn a bit about this religion, which I found interesting, but I would like to have either one or the other style with more depth.

[Kenneth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too far into the UPG for me. Also felt very unfocused.

[Terra Rafael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A traditional shaman of Britain tells her story

[(Alice) Aley Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great info on this Celtic Goddess

[Anna B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read this 80-pager because I ordered the 2nd book as well. Loved it then, loved it know. A lot of wisdom in this compact booklet and if you are drawn to Elen of he Ways I'd say it's a must read

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an amazing book everything has clicked into place for me. Every part totally resonates for me, my thoughts and feelings exactly. Superbly written. Highly recommended

[Laura Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shamanism - that's the strange thing that people used to do a long time ago in Siberia, right? It doesn't exist any more, right? Wrong.

If you're interested in shamanism, there are multiple ways to approach the practice, and books are more accessible for many folks than workshops and classes. If you're like me and your heart calls to a particular part of the world, perhaps one of the places your ancestors came from, then you might want to investigate the shamanic practice that is native to that region.

What place calls to me? Britain (among others). What book would I recommend to anyone who wants to learn about British shamanism and test those waters? Elen of the Ways by Elen Sentier.

Yes, that's a reindeer on the cover. Long ago, when the ice sheets covered much of Europe and the shamans worked their magic in caves and small settlements, there were reindeer in Britain (and there are once again, in the Cairngorms in Scotland!). Though Elen appears to people these days in the guise of other types of deer as well as reindeer, her memory goes back to those frozen times. Your memory does, too, if you listen closely enough - we're all descended from people who lived back then.

When many people hear the term shamanism they think of women and men in fancy costumes, dancing around in circles, shaking rattles and pounding drums in elaborate ceremonies. But ultimately, shamanism is not about ritual and show. It is about what's inside - inside you, inside Nature, inside the whole universe. It is a path of discovery and brutal but beautiful honesty.

Elen Sentier, the author of this book, is heir to a tradition that goes back to the time of the last Ice Age in Europe. In addition to providing loads of fascinating information about spiritual life (and daily live) over the generations since then, she leads the reader on a path to meet Elen, the goddess/ancestral spirit, and find their own way into the shamanic world. This is not a step-by-step, paint-by-numbers ceremonial activity. It involves delving into your own depths and learning to really listen.

Throughout the book Ms. Sentier guides the reader through journeys of discovery and she does so with grace and insight. But here's the thing...all she can do is point the direction. You have to do the work.

So if shamanism interests you, I'm sure you'll find the book to be a pleasant read. But if you think shamanism might be your spiritual path, you'll find the book to be a valuable tool and a map of the territory you need to discover.

[Dorothy Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elen of the Ways by Elen Sentier is a valuable addition to my shamanic library. Sentier is an awenydd, that is a spirit keeper and tale weaver in British native shamanism. What's that? You didn't know the native shamanic tradition still existed in the UK? That's why you need to read this book. It is the one I have been seeking for years.

Elen of the Ways, for whom the author is named no doubt, is the reindeer goddess of the northern forests that circle the world. She is the Antlered Goddess, a reindeer or caribou, predominant at a time when people belonged to the Land, practiced gift economics and worked cooperatively. Her forests have diminished but in the north they still exist. The hunter gatherer societies are fewer and fewer but they still exist.

Critics will say Sentier paints an unrealistic vision of what life in a pre-agricultural society was like. Her women and men shared tasks; both hunted; they worked fewer hours a week; they had fewer diseases. Certainly what she describes belies the images we have been taught, but she has some facts at hand. In Numibia women track for the men hunting big game. In the Phillipine back country the Aeta women and men hunt the same animals. Could the modern view of our ancestors be skewed by our own egotistic belief we have created a good thing with our farming and technology? About our technical age Sentier says "We have lost our way...we no longer follow the deer trods." (page 9).

You might regain the deer trods with this book. It is good stuff!

[Rachel Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elen Sentier's book is well researched and a thoroughly interesting read, drawing on her own experiences and history this book brings together a huge amount of information about this amazing but elusive Goddess.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will re-read often, I'm sure. Learnt so much!!

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

More insightful Celtic history & traditions. What should be human instinct is reintroduced, allowing the reader to re-examine their time with nature.

[Rhian Dennis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found this book really difficult to get into. Some parts did make me think differently about things.

[Rosamond Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book fascinating, I couldn't put it down in fact I read it in just two sitting.