Home - Cambridge Scholars Publishing

The Nature of Shamanism and the Shamanic Story
Author: Michael Berman
Date Of Publication: Nov 2007
Isbn13: 9781847183569
Isbn: 1-84718-356-5
The book makes out a case for the introduction of a new genre of tale, the shamanic story, which has either been based on or inspired by a shamanic

journey, or contains a number of the elements that are typical of such a journey.

The stories featured are the Book of Jonah from the Old Testament, two traditional stories from the Republic of Georgia–The Earth will take its

Own and Davit, a contemporary German tale Bundles, and the Korean story of Shimchong, the Blindman’s Daughter.

By making use of textual material from a number of different cultures and times, the intention is to highlight the pervasive influence shamanism has

had and to show how the “new” genre being proposed is a universal one.

The research questions addressed include 1) defining what shamanism is, deciding whether it should be classified as a religion, a methodology or a

way of life 2) considering whether a case can be made out for the introduction of a new genre of tale and, if so, what its characteristics are.

It is hoped the book will be of interest not only to those involved in the study of shamanism but also to those whose interest is in the study of

literary texts. Since the old bearers of shamanic traditions quite often were, and even today are, illiterate, the study of their folklore–epic

songs, laments, narratives–undoubtedly provides a rich source for research.

Michael Berman BA, MPhil, PhD (Alternative Medicines) is a part-time teacher at Oxford House College in London, a writer, and core shamanic counsellor. Publications include A Multiple Intelligences Road to an ELT Classroom and The Power of Metaphor for Crown House Publishing and The Shaman and the Storyteller for Superscript. Michael has been involved in teaching English as a Foreign Language to adults for over thirty years and has given presentations at Conferences in Austria, Azerbaijan, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and the Ukraine.

"Wiccan Rede readers will recognise Michael’s name as the author of a few articles about Azerbaijan and Ossetia. As Shamanic teacher and storyteller Michael has first hand knowledge of the folks of the Caucasus. I enjoyed reading this book because for once this isn’t a book arguing for Shamanism ‘as the next best thing to apple pie’, but a sober look into the roots of Shamanism. The chapter Shamanism – A Religion. A Way of Life, or a Methodology? is particularly interesting. Shamanism – like Wicca – seems to have suffered something of a process of sanitization, as if, for example, using hallucinogenic drugs somehow ‘degenerated’ the whole practice. Michael continues by using a number of stories to illustrate Shamanic journeys to Lower, Middle and Upper World. One is perhaps a surprising choice – the Shamanic Story of Jonah but as Michael writes it is the universality of its appeal. He also uses stories from Georgia, Germany and Korea to illustrate how mythology, sagas and folktales can provide us with inner or Shamanic journeys. In fact he later devotes a chapter on the Parallels between the Shaman and the Storyteller. Many Pagans will recognise the importance of the oral tradition Michael is describing. And how we all need to be adept storytellers."

- Morgana - the International Coordinator of Paga Federation International

Price Uk Gbp: 29.99
Price Us Usd: 44.99

Sample pdf (including Table of Contents)

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