Cave and Cosmos: Shamanic Encounters with Another Reality Kindle Edition

I found this book to be somewhat disappointing. Mr. Garner's aversion to Underworld travel speaks more of his own personal prejudices against the Dark Mother than it does about the nature of the Underworld itself. His early encounter with a female Spirit named Elieth (whom he potentially equates with Lilith) only serves to encourage his "Western" worldview of good vs. evil. The ancient, shamanic worldview was not always so straightforward. Pele, Hawaiian goddess of the volcano was both destroyer and creator. Kali-Ma, fearsome with her garland of severed heads, often blessed those on the fringe of Indian society: lepers, women, and old people. Ereshkigal, Sumerian Queen of the Great Below, only showed her wrath to those who would disrespect her.And yet Mr. Harner encourages a rather one-sided brand of Shamanism, filled only with fluffy white clouds and bright blue skies. He chooses only to explore the Higher Realms, not seeming to realize that only by delving into the shadowy depths of the Underworld, can a shaman actually become a shaman. There is a reason they are known as the"wounded healer" This is dangerous, as She will continue appearing to him in more terrifying form until he acknowledges and respects her. "What we resist, persists."

Good book for beginning students of shamanism and a nice followup to Harner's "The Way of the Shaman," (1980) The two books together provide an easy beginning study and practice of what he terms "core" shamanism, a universal form of shamanism that floats free of culture. His books are essentially descriptions of techniques and reports of the visionary results..As one who learned about shamanism from Harner 27 years ago, enjoyed his teaching immensely, completing all the courses from his FSS, became a certified shamanic counselor, taught in many small shamanic circles and worked as a shamanic healer, I, along with others have waited for this book for decades. Now I have read it with some pleasure, nostalgia and surprise that the author restricted himself to the same methods, student accounts of "journeys", a bit of personal experience and more stories of the upper world.Harner is an important central figure in returning some popular attention to shamanism as a spiritual practice so it is surprising that "Cave and Cosmos" stays so narrow in its focus while there are so many questions to discuss if shamanism is to have any chance to gain more understanding, contemporary support, and any chance of making the world a better place. To be fair, Harner has no obligation to write more broadly about the nature and place of a shamanic spiritual path in contemporary society, or the possible ways in which such a practice could engage the practitioner in contemporary concerns, but one would hope that the ordinary middle world destruction would illicit something along those lines from him.His repetitive accounts of his early experiences and the reports of "journeys" from students are interesting for those readers new to shamanism, but reports about what people do with their visionary experience are far more important and they are missing here. Do students go on to establish long term, disciplined practices? How does their introduction to shamanism change their engagement in the world? What are the obligations and responsibilities of students who successfully acquire shamanic abilities through relationships with the helping spirits? What percentage of workshop attendees get those skills and keep them? Is there an actual contemporary shamanic community beyond the next FSS workshop? Why is core shamanism so easily subsumed into the pop psych of the new age community?So definitely read Harner's two popular books. Then if you find the methods successful and wish to continue, begin a more broad, serious study and practice, then engage; do something with it. Mother earth needs our attention.

Just an amazing book that is very easy to read. Michael Harner has walked the walk for decades. Straight forward information to be utilized by anyone who desires to explore themselves and the next world.My favorite part of this book is Appendix A, Ascending to the Upper World to Compare Experiences. This section provides easy to understand and follow steps to accomplish a journey to the upper world. I succeeded on my first attempt.Buy this book as a tool to help you on your own journey. The author has done us all a great service by ferreting out the esoteric information needed to succeed.

Anthropologist Michael Harner has brought us thirty years of experience in the understanding and practice of "core shamanism". This pioneering work through the Foundation for Shamanic Studies cannot be underestimated as to its impact on our understanding of spiritual cosmology, spiritual healing, and ways of knowing. As a Christian ordained minister I find the experience of being a shamanic practitioner fascinating, challenging some of my assumptions, and stretching my capacity to be of help beyond my imagining. I find Harner and the other authors on core shamanism opening up an expanded spiritual cosmology based on practices that are simple, compassionate, and do not rely on any drugs/plant medicine. The spiritual "mapping" that is described in this book, testimonies of many of the practitioners who have gone through training, along with the appended information on healing for physicians and health professionals, is new material that we do not see in his initial book, The Way of the Shaman, (which is still important). He is not afraid to mention that some approaches and methods have changed over the years, giving us the sense that we have a clear framework but there is plenty of room for evolving practices.

Harner provides a study of interest to both the anthropologist and the theologian. The development of initiatory rites has a profound reflection upon the development of the human mind. There is sufficient evidence here to suggest a direct link between the adrenal surge which accompanies such initiatory experiences of native Americans with those that suggest a death and rebirth in the Khemetic mysteries. Read this in conjunction with the work of Leary, Hancock and of Strassman on DMT and the potential for a link between such experience and the surge of DMT in the mind to alter consciousness is tangible.Harner's style is informative and entertaining. A great work and significant too.

This is a very important book, required reading for any student of consciousness. Harner is the shaman's shaman who is responsible for the revival and rediscovery of these taproots into spirit. This book has broad sweep and extraordinary stories, ranging from plant medicine in the Amazon basin when he was a young anthropologist to his mapping of the upper world through sonic driving with his students. This book is fruit of a lifelong exploration.

Western society with it emphasis on materialism has all but lost its connection with spirit. Our planetary home is no longer regarded as sacred, merely a resource to be exploited. Modern humanity needs to rediscover the lost wisdom of its past and integrate that with the genuine advances we have made. Michael has made the wisdom and practices of indigenous people once again available to twenty first century westerners. Well done, a great and enthralling read.

very good

Outstanding book - offers much more than indicated on the cover note!