Plant Spirit Shamanism - Traditional
Techniques for Healing the Soul
By
(author) Howard G. Charing
By (author) Ross Heaven
Foreword by Pablo Amaringo
ISBN: 1-59477-118-9 Quality Paperback
This book can be ordered from Amazon.com,
Amazon
.co.uk
An in-depth look at the role of plant spirits in shamanic
rituals from around the world
• Shows how shamans heal using their knowledge of plant spirits as well
as the plant’s “medical properties”
• Explores the core methods of plant shamanism--soul retrieval, spirit
extraction, and sin eating--and includes techniques for connecting with plant
spirits
• Includes extensive field interviews with master shamans of all traditions
In Plant Spirit Shamanism, Howard G. Charing and Ross Heaven explore
the use of one of the major allies of shamans for healing, seeing,
dreaming, and empowerment--plant spirits. After observing great
similarities in the use of plants among shamans throughout the
world, they discovered the reason behind these similarities: Rather
than dealing with the “medical properties” of the plants
or specific healing techniques, shamans commune with the spirits
of the plants themselves.
From their years of in-depth shamanic work in the Amazon, Haiti,
and Europe, including extensive field interviews with master shamans,
Charing and Heaven present the core methods of plant shamanism
used in healing rituals the world over: soul retrieval, spirit
extraction, sin eating, and the Amazonian tradition of pusanga
(love medicine). They explain the techniques shamans use to establish
connections to plant spirits and provide practical exercises as
well as a directory of traditional Amazonian and Caribbean healing
plants and their common North American equivalents so readers can
ex-plore the world of plant spirits and make allies of their own.
Conclusion of review by Timothy White,
founding editor of Shaman’s Drum (USA) of Plant Spirit Shamanism.‘Plant
Spirit Shamanism offers a readable melange of information, insights,
and viewpoints on spiritual plant medicines. I feel comfortable
recommending this volume to readers interested in magical herbs,
as well as to those beginning to work shamanically with plant spirits.’
Extract from Foreword of Plant
Spirit Shamanism by Pablo Amaringo
Pablo Amaringo and Howard G Charing, Pucullpa, Peru Feb. 2007
 My visions helped me
understand the value of human beings,
animals, the plants themselves, and many
other things. The plants taught me the
function they play in life, and the holistic
meaning of all life. We all
should give special attention and deference
to Mother Nature. She deserves our love.
And we should also show a healthy respect
for her power!
Plants
are essential in many ways: they give life
to all beings on Earth by producing oxygen,
which we need to be active; they create
the enormous greenhouse that gives board
and lodging to diverse but interrelated
guests; they are teachers who show us the
holistic importance of conserving life
in its due form and necessary conditions.
For me
personally, though, they mean even more
than this. Plants—in the great living
book of nature—have shown me how
to study life as an artist and shaman.
They can help all of us to know the art
of healing and to discover our own creativity,
because the beauty of nature moves people
to show reverence, fascination, and respect
for the extent to which the forests give
shelter to our souls.
The consciousness
of plants is a constant source of information
for medicine, alimentation, and art, and
an example of the intelligence and creative
imagination of nature. Much of my education
I owe to the intelligence of these great
teachers. Thus I consider myself to be
the “representative” of plants,
and for this reason I assert that if they
cut down the trees and burn what’s
left of the rainforests, it is the same
as burning a whole library of books without
ever having read them.
People
who are not so dedicated to the study and
experience of plants may not think this
knowledge is so important to their lives—but
even they should be conscious of the nutritional,
medicinal, and scientific value of the
plants they rely on for life.
My most
sublime desire, though, is that every human
being should begin to put as much attention
as he or she can into the knowledge of
plants, because they are the greatest healers
of all. And all human beings should also
put effort into the preservation and conservation
of the rainforest, and care for it and
the ecosystem, because damage to these
not only prejudices the flora and fauna
but humanity itself.
Even
in the Amazon these days, many see plants
as only a resource for building houses
and to finance large families. People who
have farms and raise animals also clear
the forest to produce foodstuffs. Mestizos
and native Indians log the largest trees
to sell to industrial sawmills for subsistence.
They have never heard of the word ecology!
I, Pablo,
say to everybody who lives in the Amazon
and the other forests of the world, that
they must love the plants of their land,
and everything that is there!
This
expression of love must be a sincere and
altruistic interest in the lasting well-being
of others. We are not here simply to exist,
but to enjoy life together with plants,
animals, and loved ones, and to delight
in contemplation of the beauty of nature.
A shaman has in his mind and heart the
attitude of conserving nature because he
knows that life is for enjoying the company
of this world’s countless delights.
Any painting,
or book, or piece of art that spreads this
message is to be respected, and every reader
who picks up a book on this subject is
to be honored.
I invite
you to read on, and to learn from the greatest
teachers of all—the plants, our sacred
brothers and sisters.
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ADAM & EVIL - Leo's
other book
Leo's 'other' book
(published under a pseudonym) is now available:
'ADAM & EVIL: THE GOD WHO HATES SEX, WOMEN AND HUMAN
BODIES' by The Heyeokah Guru.
A shamanic take on religion,
patriarchy, mind control and the greatest conspiracy of the last
1700 years! Goes further than 'The God Delusion'.
Full of amazing information! Did you know that:
Christian women did not have souls until 450 years ago! Sex 'is
the punishment of Adam'. According to Saint Augustine, to procreate
'you must descend to it against your will'! The human body was
considered by the religious to be 'mere dung' / 'made of mud' /
'nothing but mud and filth both inside and outside'. Whatever
happened to 'temple of the holy spirit'?
Learn how our ancestors were forcibly brainwashed and liberate
yourself from toxic be -LIE-f's.
Click
here to visit weblog for more details
Available from Leo Rutherford, BCM Box 7475, London WC1N 3XX (or
via home address) @ £9.00 incl P&P. Or from bookshops
- RRP £9.95.
Reviews of ADAM & EVIL
J. Quiddington "Song
of the Mountain" (Dorset Uk) writes: Heyeokah Guru
I bless you for writing this fantastic, well researched book and
having the courage to publish your findings. Now, as a misguided
people, we can read about the words that have fashioned our cultures
and attitudes to women and what should be beautiful experiences
with our bodies.
As you show us in this book, the words to be found in the Bible
are terrifying and to think that these attitudes are still lying
active in our unconscious, fuelling perhaps the present day conflicts
and giving permission for them to exist.I cried when i read the
chapter that made me realise how many years the persecution of
'witches', gay men and animals had continued and still continue
to this day.
Please read the last chapter with an open mind as it offers a reasonable
alternative to the deeply destructive religious beliefs that have
been held for thousands of years. I have personal experience of
the benefit of this perspective as i have used the Guru's wisdom
to evolve and recover from a life deeply afflicted by the god who
hates women, sex and human bodies. *****
*****Eye Opening - November 22,
2007. Brick
(Florida) - Mr. Guru's (chuckle) little book reads
like a rant laced with palpable British humor. From his soapbox,
he demonstrates an incredible amount of information obviously well
researched. In spite of a few technical errors and typos in the
text, his credibility is not disturbed.
While I have read other books along the same lines, in no way does
this book read like a doctoral dissertation on Western Theology.
It is in plain "English," entertaining, and right to the point.
The only thing wrong with this book is the premise he addresses.
Mr. Guru is absolutely right on the money. Having grown up in a
religious environment, I was enlightened in reading how he openly
tackles all those questions about religion which we all thought
about growing up, but were afraid to ask of our church leaders.
This book really does expose the fallacies crammed down people's
throats through blind faith in the name of God. Organized religion
has done more to destroy civilization and wreck our beloved planet
Earth. Adam & Evil exposes the real evil and the damage it
has done, and is still doing.
If you've ever had the slightest
doubt about your religious teachings, by all means, read this book.
This book also demonstrates that it is possible to have a very
close relationship with God, that has nothing to do with religion.
Somebody needed to tell the Emperor he is not wearing any clothes.
Thank you Mr. Guru
WOW !, By JJ. 24 Jan
2008 ***** This book is a real thought generator ! Just
the preface smacks of life for many of us and the whole book
is an amazing gritty wealth and collection of thoughts and provocations.
This really is a masterpiece to get you aware of the total mumbo
jumbo many of us have been fed right from childhood and through
our lives.
If you’ve ever felt brain
washed, confused or there is stuff out there that just doesn’t
seem to make sense, this book is well worth a read. It’s
the truth told quite frankly "how it is". Excellent !
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