An intimate account of an ancient shamanic ritual of Siberia • Illustrated with vivid; full-color photographs throughout • Details the many preparations and ritual objects as well as the struggles of the shamans to complete the ceremony successfully Near the radiant blue waters of Lake Baikal; in the lands where Mongolia; Siberia; and China meet; live the Buryats; an indigenous people little known to the Western world. After seventy years of religious persecution by the Soviet government; they can now pursue their traditional spiritual practices; a unique blend of Tibetan Buddhism and shamanism. There are two distinct shamanic paths in the Buryat tradition: Black shamanism; which draws power from the earth; and White shamanism; which draws power from the sky. In the Buryat Aga region; Black and White shamans conduct rituals together; for the Buryats believe that they are the children of the Swan Mother; descendants of heaven who can unite both sides in harmony. Providing an intimate account of one of the Buryats’ most important shamanic rituals; this book documents a complete Shanar; the ceremony in which a new shaman first contacts his ancestral spirits and receives his power. Through dozens of full-color photographs; the authors detail the preparations of the sacred grounds; ritual objects; and colorful costumes; including the orgay; or shaman’s horns; and vividly illustrate the dynamic motions of the shamans as the spirits enter them. Readers experience the intensity of ancient ritual as the initiate struggles through the rites; encountering unexpected resistance from the spirit world; and the elder shamans uncover ancient grievances that must be addressed before the Shanar can be completed successfully. Interwoven with beautiful translations of Buryat ceremonial songs and chants; this unprecedented view of one of the world’s oldest shamanic traditions allows readers to witness extraordinary forces at work in a ritual that culminates in a cleansing blessing from the heavens themselves.
#832419 in Books Alpha 2011-03-01 2011-03-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.12 x .83 x 7.37l; 1.34 #File Name: 1615640789400 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Where do you begin to study the Civil War?By AnonymousRight here you can begin to study the Civil War AND you will have a thorough reference book for everything else you read about the Civil War era including novels; historical novels; and history books. This is probably my most used Complete Idiot's Guide and I have a lot of them. I love learning about a variety of subjects and was surprised that I didn't really know much about the Civil War. I watched Dr. Gary Gallagher's "Teaching Company" lectures on the Civil War and used this book as a reference for more background biographies of the main characters of the time. The "Voices" and "Words of War" sidebars are useful and add even more interest. Appendix A is a Who's Who of the Civil War which is helpful to remember north or south affiliations. Appendix B is Major Civil War Sites and Appendix D is further reading. Now I am reading Grant's diary (fascinating) and a three book series by Bruce Catton. This book is SO worth the price!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Highly recommend.By AllanExcellent; well researched book. Very readable and enjoyable.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. One of the best for an introduction to the American Civil WarBy Meredith FolsomWhat a great writer! Very clear; concise and catches all the important parts. Fast read; easy reading for students; but not stupid or childish.
