Dreamtime and Inner Space

Rating:
Summary: THE Book on Shamanism
Review: I cannot emphasize it enough, this is one of the most definitive books on shamanism available to the public at large. This book goes into extensive details about the practices and rites of Shamanism. The author writes about the indigenous religions of societies from North and South America, Africa, Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Siberia, Polynesia and Nepal. I strongly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: The new classic text on shamanism?
Review: Kalweit traces in great detail and with admirable sympathy the rich textures of the shamanic tradition, across the globe and throughout recorded ethnological histories. Particularly interesting and useful is the comparsion with contemporary near-death experiences (no doubt due to Kubler-Ross' influence) and more importantly, his development of a new, apolitical, model of human consciousness, within which the ecstatic state is given equal consideration alongside rational, affective, and other socially construed 'normative' states of awareness. In my opinion, Kalweit's work is both more interesting and relevant than Elidae's now outdated period piece, and I can only hope that it will become the new standard in shamanic studies.

Rating:
Summary: Delves into Shamanism and doesn't get swamped in New Age
Review: Really wonderful book. I happened across it in my college library. It isn't a story and he isn't selling an idea. It brings to light how a person comes to be recognized as a shaman. He explores how the individual is transformed from a normal person into a shaman through a traumatic event or illness. Once the transformation is complete that person can never return to her former self or know her former and 'normal' consciousness again. Fascinating stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Good - but dry
Review: This book is filled with wonderful facts and good information. Unfortunately, it's so dryly written you you have to practice focus just to read it. The ideals expressed go right along with basic shamanic principles, but the language is hard to escape without falling into a "dream state" if you know what I mean. So if you have the stamina and don't mind text-book dullness it's a good book for a basic undrestanding.

Rating:
Summary: Still the best
Review: To my mind, this is still the best book on the topic. I found it much more thorough and much deeper than Harner, and Kalweit makes no pretentions about being able to make YOU a shaman.