The Nature of Shamanism: Substance and Function of a Religious Metaphor - Tapa dura

"This book is provocative! It is a 'thinking book;' the reader cannot remain passive. It makes one realize that truths are constantly being rediscovered in all cultures throughout all time--how we create culture and how culture in turn creates us--the circle of truths, ancient and modern. I was sometimes awestruck by the comprehension of the author. A profound and powerful work, I enjoyed it to the last sentence." -- Lana Clark

Drawing on examples from traditional and prehistoric cultures in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Egypt, presents an integrated discussion of shamanism as a functional aspect of religion. Looks at the ritual, mythology, symbolism, and the dynamics of its cultural process; and considers the shaman's experience of personal crisis, the effect on the rest of the community, cosmology, and the use of hallucinogens. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.