"Shamanism was always a word that scared me. It evoked images of animal spirits entering a person's body-inevitably in a poorly lit tent deep in the jungle. But the word is increasingly becoming part of the general spiritual vocabulary in America. And this book was the perfect way to demystify a word (and set of practices) that is still poorly understood. Deatsman is the perfect person to write this beginner's guide to Shamanism. A practicing Sha-woman and an experienced non-fiction writer, she writes with clarity and authority. You can tell that she possesses a deep understanding of Shamanism because she can distill even the most esoteric practices into concepts that anyone can understand. Each chapter addresses a vital aspect of understanding Shamanism-the history, the practices, Shamanism and healing, and so forth.

The most profound chapter is the final one-in which she guides the reader to cultivate their own healing power and insight into their individual spirits. I would recommend this book for literally anyone who is interested in healing and spirituality. Even if Shamanism isn't your calling, it's vital to understand how different cultures (especially indigenous communities) practice healing-since so much of our current understanding of personal and collective healing stems from Shamanism. Besides, it's a fun read and provides lots of interesting facts to share with friends and family." - Taz Tagore , Beliefnet September 2011.