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Rating: 
Summary: Nonfiction or imagination - still a great read!
Review: -
I read this volume after hearing an interview Hank had given.
Although many of the individuals providing a review of this are Shamans or Shaman-apprentices, I am not. I have the amount of experience that Hank had at the mid point of his story. I am gathering from this story that it might be that neither Nainoa or Hank were in control of the experiences.
I truly valued the mystical aspect of the story in which Pele, the Leopardman, and the guardians provide lessons and assistance. The interactions between the various spirits and Hank or Nainoa is enlightening. Hawaii is truly a place which inspires the mystical experience.
I truly enjoyed the story. I am not here to debate the actual reality of this story. Regardless of the classification of fiction or non-fiction, this book is extremely entertaining and is a very good read. My only complaint is that the version I read was published in 8 pt font so it was straining to read such tiny print. If the print of this volume is as depicted in the Amazon preview, then it is a different edition that the edition that I read. Amazon's version appears to have at least a 10 pt font.
On a personal note, I enjoyed it since I have had random occurrences such as visions of the Leopardman (and of a stern owl), the pulsing when transitioning, the buzzing, the paralysis, some of the geometric visions, etc. I have never tried to control or expand on these. This story comforted me in that I know that I do not have an illness or disorder. It was very enlightening to know that this is a common spiritual occurrence that has been happening throughout the millenia.
I highly recommend this book and I must say that it has inspired me to read additional books written by Hank Wesselman.
Rating: 
Summary: Humbled with gratitude
Review: All I can give is praise and deep thanks. Had it been written as a science fiction novel (as the author once considered doing), it would have been one of the best I ever read. But having the author's own thoughts and insights and feelings about it interspersed was breathtaking. It verified everything I have known "intuitively" about the meaning of life. And I am so happy about the picture given of this wonderful Earth's future. I look forward to reincarnation at that time; it sounds like heaven to me (the cheerful, peace-loving, nomadic hunter-gather tribes anyway ... not so sure about the Hawaiian chiefdoms). I look forward with great anticipation to reading the next two books in this trilogy.
Rating: 
Summary: Ho hum. ;-(
Review: Here I go again. ;-(Many people knowing of my interested in assorted forms of Shamanism recommended this book as an autoritive book on the subject. Not in my opinion. ;-( First; Dr. Wesselman is unable to decide whether to write about HUNA (as espoused by Serge Kahili King (not much regard for this author when it comes to HUNA).), or to write about Core Shamanism as espoused by Michael Harner. I have a high amount of respect for Michael Harner, and the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Second; These experiences happened to Dr. Wesselman, and he had no control over the experiences. The Shaman MUST have control over the experience (either by his/her conscious will, or by getting help from his/her totem (power)animal that protects and guides the Shaman on journeys into the Otherworld. Sometimes the Shaman has to be the 800 pound gorilla and tell the spirits where to get off. A shaman without the inner strength and will to do what must be done is a worthless Shaman. Third. Every visionary experience was to visit Nainoa living about 5000 years in the future. To me this is very suspect. When I began seeing and hearing the spirits 40 years ago, I encountered many different spirits. Some were friendly, and many were not. fourth; The largest portion of the book occurs 5000 years in the future (after the fall of western civilization) with elephants, spotted tigers, and many other animals today only found in circuses and zoos. It is improbable if not impossible for those animals to be the decendents of the animals in circuses and zoos. I say that for two reasons. a. the gene pool would not be sufficient to sustain the colony. b. If western civilization falls, and people get hungry, you will see the people killing animals for food, and decimating the forests for wood to use as fuel to keep warm in cold weather, and use for cooking the food they can get, and animals in cages would be food the hunter gatherers could get much easier than wild animals in the forests. I encourage questions and comments about reviews; Two Bears. Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)
Rating:
Summary: thoughts from one of Dr. Wesselman's students
Review: I'm no expert in shamanism, but I can tell from reading this book that this man isn't writing about shamanism. First, it amazes me how his writings start about the time in his life when he's an unemployed, struggling anthropologist with time to kill. Second, he has a "following" of believers and starts his own teachings in HAWAII...the place he longs to live. How convenient. Just another New Age push for cash? I wish more authors who write this kind of stuff ("this really happened to me!") would be honest with their readers about how they struggled with these types of experiences and show their real human side. Instead they make it look like they were "chosen" and all flows with perfect coincidence. Don't we all wish! They infatuate their readers with unrealistic information. Enough of criticism, on to content. His story is farfetched. He contacts his decendant 5000 years into the future (read Mass Dreams of the Future, by Dr. Chet Snow...documented and honest...and even he couldn't get beyond the 21st century). This is not to say that isn't possible, just a bit shakey given the info he comes up with. One where they understand eachother's language, know about the other, and the why's and wherefore's of this sort of contact when having no prior knowledge of this kind of experience - and he's okay with it from the onset, but he was "chosen" so that explains everything. His decendant is living in what he concludes to be North America which has changed dramatically to a tropical climate. Using this idea, he implies a pole shift or global warming. He may be an anthropologist but knows very little about environmental subjects. He integrates his light knowledge of Hawaiian spirital culture and anthropology background (gotta do something with all the money he spent on college) enough to write a fictional book, just for fun, and maybe we can open a center for teaching in the future if I get enough gulible, bored housewives, honey. If you want a good read on anthropology and beginning of humans, some good sex, and a Laura Ingalls type description of how to make a dress from sack cloth kind of info, read Jean Auel's series. She's done her homework - and claims it's fiction...not channeled from her distant past. Who knows, maybe his 4th book will be the one his future decendant writes and somehow Hank manages to find it by his magic stone. If you want a guide book on HUNA, search elsewhere. Another disappointment was the fact that everytime he had an uncontrollable encounter with his future descendant, was only after having sex with his wife. Spare me. So is sex the answer to our greater spiritual experiences? Or is it shamanism? Either way, there's not enough information for anyone to glean from it. He totally misses the point of enlightenment in this book. Smile Hank, someone loves you. He just may be a nice person, and to him this may all be true, but I'm not convinced of this being anything but fiction. Fortunately I borrowed it from the library, but have enjoyed reading it as a let's-escape-reality type book. Buy it at your own risk. Don't expect it to guide you to your greater truth or get in touch with yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Spiritwalker: an Introduction to Shamanism
Review: Spiritwalker caught me by pleasant surprise. I purchased it because the back cover sounded like it would involve shamanism and life mysteries. Wesselman provides an entertaining account of the uncharted personal awakening of his spirit to levels of reality and cross-dimensional connections that even he did not believe at first. The story comes across as autobiographical and it provides a map by which others could understand their personal insights and bizarre connections in life. If taken as truth, the story is amazing and mind-opening. I rank the book 4/5 stars because it is, at points, long-winded and boring. Wesselman seems to be making meaning of the story as he writes it, which takes the reader through the process (good), but sometimes makes you wish he'd packaged it better (bad). Over-all, glad I read it, would recommend to anyone interested in ancestor-spirit connections and hawaiian shamanism. I couldn't wait for the sequel to be published.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book is one of the rare, few "new age" novels that lends both personal credibility to the story and detailed insight into shamanic journeying as experienced firsthand by Dr. Wesselman. He travels well into the future unexpectedly and returns with a wealth of knowledge pertinent to our planetary survival and to our higher capabilities as humans. Along with the rest of the trilogy, this is a must-read. Fantastic!
Rating: 
Summary: Another New Age Fundamentalist?
Review: This book is one of the rare, few "new age" novels that lends both personal credibility to the story and detailed insight into shamanic journeying as experienced firsthand by Dr. Wesselman. He travels well into the future unexpectedly and returns with a wealth of knowledge pertinent to our planetary survival and to our higher capabilities as humans. Along with the rest of the trilogy, this is a must-read. Fantastic!
Rating:
Summary: A mystical story by a visionary scientist.
Review: This book opened up a new window in my mind, yet, I felt familiar with some of the phenomena as the magic was gradually revealed. It opened a window in my mind into the future of humanity, because, as a visionary, humanist and scientist, Mr. Wesselman is warning us about the wrong decisions and practices we have been making or tolerating in both physical and non-physical planes. On the other hand, It felt as if I knew some of the truths when the experiences relating to the spirit world of living and non-living entities were revealed: For example, having been in Hawaii only once, I was spellbound... When asked, I could only say it was a beautiful and spiritual place. People understood the beautiful part but did not relate to spiritual part. Mr. Wesselman articulated the fact that the ocean, the air and the earth as well as every stone, tree, mountain,... have a spirit and if you are willing to listen, they whisper. Coming from a mystic, this book is a gift to cherish and learn from.
Rating:
Summary: A mystical story by a visionary scientist.
Review: This is a book not just about altered states, nor is the focus on how he does what he does. It is a story about a very possible future, one that although frightening, plants seeds in our consciousness about our future, and more importantly, about our present. How thru our lifestyles (consumerism, greed, apathy,etc.) we have disrespected our planet and may be losing something that is not only sacred, but necessary to life.
Happy reading!
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