WOMAN IN THE SHAMAN'S BODY: Reclaiming The Feminine In Religion & Medicine

A distinguished anthropologistûwho is also an initiated shamanûreveals the long-hidden female roots of the worldÆs oldest form of religion and medicine. Here is a fascinating expedition into this ancient tradition, from its prehistoric beginnings to the work of women shamans across the globe today.Shamanism was not only humankindÆs first spiritual and healing practice, it was originally the domain of women. This is the claim of Barbara TedlockÆs provocative and myth-shattering book. Reinterpreting generations of scholarship, Tedlockûherself an expert in dreamwork, divination, and healingûexplains how and why the role of women in shamanism was misinterpreted and suppressed, and offers a dazzling array of evidence, from prehistoric African rock art to modern Mongolian ceremonies, for womenÆs shamanic powers.Tedlock combines firsthand accounts of her own training among the Maya of Guatemala with the rich record of women warriors and hunters, spiritual guides, and prophets from many cultures and times. Probing the practices that distinguish female shamanism from the much better known male traditions, she reveals:ò The key role of body wisdom and womenÆs eroticism in shamanic trance and ecstasyò The female forms of dream witnessing, vision questing, and use of hallucinogenic drugsò Shamanic midwifery and the spiritual powers released in childbirth and monthly female cyclesò Shamanic symbolism in weaving and other feminine artsò Gender shifting and male-female partnership in shamanic practiceFilled with illuminating stories and illustrations, The Woman in the ShamanÆs Body restores women to their essential place in the history of spirituality and celebrates their continuing role in the worldwide resurgence of shamanism today.From the Hardcover edition.