Psychonavigation: Techniques for Travel Beyond Time

by John Perkins

After 'Hit Man'

The New York Times bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man documents John Perkins’ extraordinary career as a globe-trotting economic hit man. Perkins’ insider’s view leads him to crisis of conscience--to the realization that he must devote himself to work which will foster a world-wide awareness of the sanctity of indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their environments. Perkins’ books demonstrate how the age-old shamanic techniques of some of the world’s most primitive peoples have sparked a revolution in modern concepts about healing, the subconscious, and the powers each of us has to alter individual and communal reality.

This groundbreaking book is John Perkins’s firsthand account of his experiences with the shamanic technique of psychonavigation--a method of traveling outside the body by means of visions and dream wanderings--and his encounters with the Shuar of the Amazon, the Quechua of the Andes, and the Bugis of Indonesia. Shuar shamans psychonavigate for the purposes of hunting and healing, while the Bugis, among the most renowned sailors of the world, use these techniques to navigate without the aid of charts and compasses. Perkins explains how these techniques work and how the people of these indigenous cultures psychonavigate to both distant physical destinations and sources of inner wisdom.

Throughout history, psychonavigation has been practiced by highly creative minds such as Beethoven, Jung, and Einstein. Perkins’s riveting narrative takes us on a journey of personal discovery as he learns the great value of these techniques and their relevance not only to individual well-being, but to the health of the environment and of the world at large. He reveals how by attuning to the positive forces in nature and communicating with our inner guides we all can become psychonavigators, finding our way to wise decisions and developing innovative approaches to the challenges we face as individuals and a world community.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

John Perkins is an activist and author. As a former chief economist at Boston strategic-consulting firm Chas. T. Main, Perkins says that he was an "economic hit man" for 10 years, helping U.S. intelligence agencies and multinational corporations cajole and blackmail foreign leaders into serving U.S. foreign policy and awarding lucrative contracts to American business.

However, after several years struggling internally over the role he was playing in crippling foreign economies, he quit his consulting job. In the 1980s Perkins founded and directed a successful independent energy company, which he subsequently sold. Since then he has been heavily involved with non-profit organizations in Ecuador and around the world. He continues this work today, in addition to his writing.

His new book, Confessions of an Economic Hitman, 3rd Edition: China’s EHM Strategy; Ways to Stop the Global Takeover, a follow-up to international best-seller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, will be released on February 28th, 2023.

Reviews

[May Ling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: More a book about someone who has studied it and is able to do it, and less about how you would actually do it. Might be better titled, some thoughts on psychonavigation as only one chapter gives a description, not techniques.

The book goes through people he's heard about can do it. These people are awesome and are a great influence to him. That said, I'm not sure that he really convinces me that he does it and how it impacts his life.

In Chapter 5, he talks about the steps to doing it. They are similar to meditation, but here, it's kind of quick and go. I think books on meditation give you a better sense for it than this whole section. anywho:
1) Quiet Peaceful Environment
2) Sit comfortably
3) Relax
4) Take a deep breath
5) Relax completely (same as 5)
6) Feel your inner self beginning to move
7) Communicate with your inner pilot
8) Return

There is more description, but seriously, this is not a technique so much as it's a list of stuff.

The Posiguide's chapter is cool. It talks about gratefulness, visualization, what failure actually is, the power of taking control.
The last one is kind of intriguing to me. I know very few people who take responsibility in a real way. I hadn't thought about why that was so relevant to being able to do this sort of thing.

I gave it 3 stars as I was hoping for something more advanced than this. Maybe if you're totally new to this and you are a bit freaked out, this is the right way to describe it, a la stories and small amounts of initial info. It's beautifully written, so I would possibly say yes to reading this if it's you.

[Aeron · Rating 3 out of 5]

What you can expect:
This story is mostly a personal narrative of a man who was educated in the 1960's and then worked through the 1980's, and so experiences the expected confusion between a life connected to nature and a desire to win the game of capitalism. He's not always the most likeable person, and his narrative provides very little detail into psychonavigation, as he calls it. But he does hit on some themes that I often ponder - a question of what we can be as human beings. A question of what connects shamans around the world throughout history. There are very short instructions on the actual process of psychonavigation, but if you are interested in this topic, then you might find it helpful. It's a short read, which is in its favor. That may sound like a slam, but it's not intended to be. Remember, 3 stars means "I liked it."

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

1990. This author describes the process of traveling to other dimensions by techniques from various indigenous groups from different parts of the world. He offers a process that he developed from his experience in several cultures. He found an "Inner Pilot" or spirit guide who helped him with decision-making and knowing what plan of action to follow. He says anyone can do the same.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting experiences of someone trying to share a positive message with the world that I think is valuable; but, it could have been written so much better.

[Arturo Pacheco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating exploration of shamanic techniques for consciousness expansion.