NMR ISSUE 19

Astrological Forecast 19
Crystals
Earth, Air, Fire and Water
Editorial
Giraffe
Growing Through Joy
Hermes, Guide of Souls
Letters 19
Magic and the Western Mind
On Distillation
Public Rituals & Children
Solitary Talk
Solstice Song for Summer
The Oldest Magick
The Principles of Magick
The Purpose of Being a Magician
The Significator
The Spirit of Shamanism
The Turning of the Ages
Two to Get You Mad
Understaning Your Dreams

Articles
Authors
Rituals
Book Reviews
NMR Issues
NMR Covers

Reviews

The Spirit of Shamanism

By Roger N. Walsh, M.D., Ph.D

(Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., $10.95)

A beautifully printed and illustrated book which is not worth the bother of reading. While it contains some interesting information, it is written in a style which leaves one longing for the intellectual stimulation of a cereal box. Reading this is like trying to slog one's way through a psychology student's Masters Thesis. While it contains some interesting information, its basic tone is too irritating to make the reading worthwhile. This book proceeds to psychoanalyze shamanism while telling you why you cannot or should not attempt to do exactly that. It dissects various phases of a Shamans life and explains how and why it can and cannot be mental illness and or trickery.

The very short chapter on the Hero's Journey is interesting. But you might do better reading Joseph Campbell, who seems to be the main reference for this chapter. Of the 269 pages the total condensed interesting information would struggle to take up 30 pages.

—Mary Lee