Follow the Shaman's Call: An Ancient Path for Modern Lives

by Mike Williams

This evocative and experiential guide reveals how you can immediately begin to transform your life by following the path of the shaman. Author Mike Williams, PhD, presents hands-on exercises and engaging true stories from decades of shamanic practice and academic study into ancient European traditions. Once you understand the powerful forces of the unseen world, you'll learn how to apply the tenets of shamanism to your own life in a variety of practical ways: predicting the future and understanding the past, using dreamwork to find answers to problems, and clearing your house of negativity. You'll discover how to find your power animal and meet your spirit guides, journey to the otherworlds for healing and self-empowerment, and live in harmony with the world. Silver Medal Winner, 2010 Independent Publisher Book (IPPY) Awards, New Age category

Genres: Paganism, Spirituality, Religion, Magic

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Mike Williams, Ph.D., is a shamanic practitioner and teacher trained in soul retrieval, spirit extraction, divination, and assisting the dead and dying. An elected Druid and tutor/mentor for the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, Williams studied with indigenous shamanic teachers in Siberia and Lapland and attended teaching sessions with Native American elders. He lives in Wales.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most comprehensive ‘beginner’ books I’ve read on the subject. It’s full of stories and practical exercises for the baby shamanic practitioner. Although having said that, it did also cover some trickier subjects like psychopomp which I would suggest isn’t practiced by someone who has just read a book, and instead should seek training in the more complex shamanic tools.

Still, an excellent, well written book that covers a lot of the subject.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had known very little about shamanism prior to reading this book and I chose it for review expressly for the purpose of learning more. I'm glad I did because I think this could be a book that could help me fill a spiritual void I've had for years.

For as long as I can remember I've had an outsider's view of organized religion. My dad's an atheist and my mom's agnostic. When I was 11-ish I was given a choice to go to CCD (both were raised Roman Catholic in Old Vatican practices). Even at that impressionable age, when all of my friends were going to CCD, I said no because even then I knew it would be a waste of my time. I didn't care for "that type" of religion. Of course I was made fun of. I even had a few kids tell me to my face I was going to hell. It didn't bother me even then.

So ever since I've been trying to seek out some kind of spiritual path and I would find aspects of more pagan religions appealing but I never actively considered joining any of them. I wanted something organic, more natural and pre-historic than anything rumbling around currently. For a while it was mixing around those Pagan religions but nothing really called to me. I have my beliefs but they never really fit into anything specific so I've just been going on with my life as is.

Then I picked up this book to read and all of a sudden it clicked. This is it. Williams does an excellent job of describing just what Shamanism is, how to go about practicing it and just what kind of life you'll lead as a shaman. He doesn't pander, he doesn't pull punches. He just tells it like it is and I really liked that. The way he described journeying to the Otherworlds had me wanting to go buy a drumming CD and try it out for myself, despite how afraid it actually makes me.

It's a religion as natural as you can possibly get without the confines of organization or the baggage that comes along with it. There are no stringent requirements, no elevation or shunning of other people. There's just you and nature and that's pretty much it and that's what I like about it.

I plan on using this book as sort of my beginner's guide to shamanism. It's a good tool if you're just starting out and not sure where to step first. It gives you a little bit of information in a lot of areas of shamanism without being overwhelming or confusing. I found it immensely helpful and I plan on making it wholly dog-eared by the time I'm done with it.

If you're interested in delving into a new (well, really old) and natural religion, Follow the Shaman's Call is definitely a good place to start.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was splendid!!!! The book was a ode to the modern day Shaman/Healer, it was written from a place of graditude.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good, quick read. A basic informational and how-to, without being to simple so as to be a turn-off for someone with more experience.