The Shaman's Body: A New Shamanism for Transforming Health, Relationships, and the Community

by Arnold Mindell

Book Overview

From the author of Dreambody - a pioneering method of using crisis as a dynamic opportunity for accessing our inner world, confronting our fears, and catalyzing self-discovery. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062506552
• ISBN13: 9780062506559
• Release Date: November 1993
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Superb Treatment of Secondary Attention & Shamanic Awareness

Arnold Mindell is truly a master, and The Shaman's Body is a superb treatment of a phenomenon known as Second Attention, or Secondary Awareness. The premise: flowing as an undercurrent beneath our consensual, obvious and ordinary reality is a compelling dimension of energy that we might called non-ordinary reality, non-obvious reality, or the dreambody. This book investigates this dimension of energy and awareness, not as some new-fangled New Age powder puff concept never brought into an embodied state, but precisely as a potent somatic way of knowing. Drawing upon his experiences with shamans from Native America, Asia, India, and Africa, as well as drawing out parallel themes from such contemporary exponents of shamanic awareness such as Carlos Castaneda, The Shaman's Body is a shamanic presentation of Arnold and Amy Mindell's core work, Dreambody Work--which is truly a powerful and transformative way of being. One section in particular, Dreaming in the City, I found to be truly cutting edge, namely, where shamanism has to go as a practice and tradition if it, and we, are to survive. The healing applications, the concentric empowerment potential, and the transformative implications for our society found within this book are immense. Whether you are a shamanic practitioner, a therapist, an artist, or just a human being seeking to know all the parts of yourself, I recommend this book. I personally have read it a number of times, including one cycle where I would read a section and then enter the city at night while listening to a CD on my headphones called Suspended Memories, Forgotten Gods--a MesoAmerican shamanic trance recording by Steve Roach, Jorge Reyes, and Suso Said. The recording felt almost like the soundtrack to Mindell's wonderful book, and in "dropping in" in this way the insights of The Shaman's Body practically began hopping out of the pavement at me. Track your ally.

A powerful book, even for non-shamanic readers

The sub-title, which contains the phrase "new shamanism" may throw off many readers, but Mindell is definitely not another "shake'n'bake shaman teacher;" _The Shaman's Body_ is an insightful, no-nonsense book which can teach nearly everyone something new about themselves. At the risk of sounding cliche, I'll also say that Mindell brings the mystical into everyday life. His training has been through personal experience with African, Native American, Australian aboriginal, and Hindu teachers, which rounds out his perspective nicely.Unlike many other authors writing on the subject of shamanism, Mindell doesn't feel like he's commercializing this spirituality - rather, he's simply demystifying it, and bringing it down to a more practical level with the really great exercises he includes. The exercises are, perhaps, the most valuable part of the book, because they allow the reader to take the book's lessons and immediately apply them to his or her own life. The exercises are at once simple and profound, and easily done simply by closing one's eyes and following the easy directions. I found that they lead to powerful insights about myself, body and spirit, and many of them remain in my conscious mind, even though it has been quite awhile since I've performed them.Mindell also talks about perhaps the most important aspect of shamanism, and that is helping others; after helping you teach yourself *about* yourself, he then beings teaching you how to assist others; "After you have learned to hunt and think about yourself, you study your behavior and dreams and begin to comprehend others. The next step is to leave the banks of the river fromwhich you have been observing and get into the stream."Always, Mindell insists upon compassion, both for reader, and for others. He does not try to force anything upon the reader, and is only making offerings, suggestions. If an exercise does not feel "right" for some reason, he reminds the reader that it is of course ok not to perform it.Unlike some other published authors who write about shamanism, I feel Mindell really has his heart in the right place, and has a lot to offer anyone seeking insight into themselves or the world in general.

Shamanism in the Western World

A very good book. In the past I have had to switch between books on shamanism/indigenous wisdom and the best of Western Psychology(mostly Jungian). Arnold Mindell embraces both traditions as successfully as anyone I've read. He has lived both worlds and it comes across in the book. He speaks eloquently of his experiences with indigenous peoples without falling too far into the "grass is greener on the other side" approach. More anecdotal than "Dreambody." This is refreshing, but I was glad to have read "Dreambody," which goes into his theories in more depth. In The Shaman's Body there are experiences described which I personally related to. He gets it! He writes from the frontlines of change and his urgency is encouraging, though sometimes I feel he slips just a bit into pessimism. However, I will definitely buy more of his books.

If I could take one book with me as a desert island castaway

This is the most important book I have ever read, and definitely the most challenging to incorporate into daily living. If you are looking for a way to fully live an integrated and spiritual life, this book is the one to read, absorb and live by. Thank you Arnie for having the courage to write what we all need to hear. May I have the strength to fully explore the terrain you hint at....