Publisher's Description:

Everything shifts in the Caucasus, blown by some of the strongest winds on earth. Even the ground moves, splintered by fault lines. In early Georgian myths, it is said that when the mountains were young, they had legs – could walk from the edges of the oceans to the deserts, flirting with the low hills, shrouding them with soft clouds of love. (Griffin, 2001, p.2). But what about those aspects of life which remain relatively constant – the traditional practices of the mountain people, the practices that are reflected in their folktales and their folklore? It is these constants that this study concentrates on, in particular those that relate to shamanism.

Editor's Thoughts:

If you are interested in ancient Shamanism, this is a must read. It is fascinating in its journey through the tales of Shamans and magic through Armenia, Chechnya, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Publisher's Description:

A shamanic journey is one that generally takes place in a trance state to the sound of a drumbeat, through dancing, or by ingesting psychoactive drugs, in which aid is sought from beings in other realities, generally for healing purposes or for divination. A shamanic story has either been based on or inspired by a shamanic journey, or one that contains a number of the elements typical of such a journey. In this collection of fascinating journeys and stories, Michael Berman reveals the healing nature of shamanic practice.

Editor's Thoughts:

As I said in another review, I love story-tellers. Michael Berman has captured a treasure-house of shamanic magic. The stories are discussed and illustrated to dig beneath the surface. This is a glimpse into a timeless civilization and culture.

Everything we see and believe about our world, all that we consider to be true and real, depends on two factors: perception and interpretation. I offer ways to “apprehend,” or detect and comprehend, the nature of reality in expanding your healing practice through techniques combining the modalities of Reiki and shamanism to “see” the world as it really is, composed of infinite realities.

You may ask: How can “seeing” shamanically help me “see” the world? I can answer this best by offering an example:

Some years ago, I had a vision in Dreamtime that the sun was weeping. In this vision, seen while journeying, I was in space, and I could feel the power of the sun’s rays, the heat, the exciting energy of golden beams coming from the sun. But then, I felt a colder energy that was even more compelling. I saw blue energy, water, flowing from the face of the sun at the same time it was bathing me in golden light. The blue rays felt as if they were scraping away built-up angers and resentments, actually pulling out old hurts from deep within and washing them away.

Publisher’s Description: Based on more than a decade of the author’s successful workshops, this resource expands and refines the unique combination of the hands-on healing modality of Reiki with the life-changing shamanic journey. The resulting knowledge is presented clearly and concisely, making it possible for those with no previous background in Reiki or shamanism to understand, appreciate, and enjoy the teachings while those more experienced can glean new insight for their own healing work. Providing generous examples of shamanic journeying beyond ordinary reality and citing hundreds of case studies from the author’s own private practice, this reference also lists internet references for further research.

Editor’s Notes: This is the 4^th in a series of books by this author. I have not had the honor of reviewing the first three but this is an exceptionally good book. At first my reaction was “Oh Groan. Another Reiki book? How many does the world need.” I’m glad I went past my first impression and read this one. It is unique in that it combines genuine shamanism with Reiki. This is a deeper look at the world of energy. He explains things in easy to understand, practical ways and offers exercises and examples.