The shaman is an enigmatic figure – a healer, magician and visionary who moves between the everyday world and the realm of gods and spirits. "The Shamans Quest" describes the spiritual journeys of four shamans from different corners of the world – the arctic snows of Canada, the central Australian desert, the sacred mountains of Japan, and the forests of north-western South America. From the North comes a tale of the Inuit shaman Enoyuk and his magical adventures with different gods and spirit-helpers. In the South we enter the world of the Aboriginal elder Kalu, with his sacred desert Dreamings, and in the East we meet Saimei, a Japanese shamaness who lives in a world of kami spirits. And in the West we encounter Baiya, a shaman from the Amazonian forest who undertakes visionary journeys so he may perform tasks of spiritual healing. In "The Shamans Quest" these four shamans finally come together at the mythic centre of the world, and it is a very special purpose which has brought them here – for they have come to witness the healing of the Earth. Exploring universal themes of spiritual renewal, "The Shamans Quest" shows us how we can find the Great Song of Life and learn to value the sacred qualities of Nature and the Universe. ,

Two unlikely friends, a golden monkey prince with magical powers, and an orphan boy who could communicate with animals. The two friends, along with very unusual magical creatures, went on to save an enchanted forest in the Middle Sphere, and an animal kingdom in the Outside World. But after years of relative peace, both their worlds are again, on the brink of total annihilation. Once again, the two unlikely friends joined together to stop the dark forces from usurping both their realms. Little did they know, that, there was more to it than they bargained for. Join them in their quest, and their exciting adventures, back into the hidden world of the Middle Sphere - and the mysterious realm of shamans.

Robert Torrance's wide-ranging, innovative study argues that the spiritual quest is rooted in our biological, psychological, linguistic, and social nature. The quest is not, as most have believed, a rare mystical experience, but a frequent expression of our most basic human impulses. Shaman and scientist, medium and poet, prophet and philosopher, all venture forth in quest of visionary truths to transform and renew the world. Yet Torrance is not trying to reduce the quest to an "archetype" or "monomyth." Instead, he presents the full diversity of the quest in the myths and religious practices of tribal peoples throughout the world, from Oceania to India, Africa, Siberia, and especially the Americas. In theorizing about the quest, Torrance draws on thinkers as diverse as Bergson and Piaget, van Gennep and Turner, Pierce and Popper, Freud, Darwin, and Chomsky. This is a book that will expand our knowledge—and awareness—of a fundamental human activity in all its fascinating complexity.

A physicist finds scientific truth at the heart of the Shamanic world.

This examination of the heroic journey in world mythology casts the protagonist as a personification of nature--a "botanical hero" one might say--who begins the quest in a metaphorical seed-like state, then sprouts into a period of verdant strength. But the hero must face a mythic underworld where he or she contends with mortality and sacrifice--embracing death as a part of life. For centuries, humans have sought superiority over nature, yet the botanical hero finds nothing is lost by recognizing that one is merely a part of nature. Instead, a cyclical promise of continuous life is realized, in which no element fully disappears, and the hero's message is not to dwell on death.

This unique full-color field guide is essential for anyone who seeks to understand why shamans in the Far West created rock art and what they sought to depict. Whitley is on the cutting edge of dating and interpreting the images as well as describing the

A fascinating journey for anyone who wants to learn more about the search we humans share: the search for an almighty universal presence in our lives.

The human spirit seems incapable of being stagnant, ever pushing the boundaries of knowledge and experience. We try to understand life through questions regarding our own existence, the nature of the universe, and the nature of God. The question of our collective heart is the external manifestation of an internal longing--a quest, if you will. This thirst to understand reality can be seen in superstructures that are scientific, social, political, and especially religious. When considering the doctrines, institutions, and rituals of religions, we observe certain core aspirations expressed by the people of these communities. These aspirations generate from an underlying quest which seeks a way out of our perceived predicament: a salvific quest. Regardless of whether we view ourselves as religious, pre-religious, post-religious, or non-religious, we find ourselves involved in such a quest; it seems to be an integral part of our human personhood. Using a unique framework of analysis, this book explores Christ's relevance to the quest expressed by the communities of eight major living religions--a relevance that neither degrades Christ nor demeans other "saviors." Christ is not part of the human quest, but is well equipped to satisfy that quest.

RIDMARK ARBAN was once an honored Swordbearer. Now he is a disgraced exile, outcast and alone. To redeem himself, he seeks the secret of the return of the Frostborn, and the sinister Elder Shamans of the bone orcs might know the truth. But the Elder Shamans do not part with their secrets willingly. And their most dangerous secret might mean Ridmark's death... Originally published as the novellas THE BONE ORCS, THE SKULL TREES, THE DAGGER JAWS, THE GHOST HALFLING, THE RUIN GATE, and THE ELDER SHAMANS.

In Cultural and Theological Reflections on the Japanese Quest for Divinity, John J. Keane offers an explanation of Japanese divinity (kami 神) using sociology, anthropology, linguistics, literature and history. He presents an overview of how the Japanese have sought to love and serve their kami - a quest that rivals the interest that the West gives to God. The principles of interreligious dialogue are applied to the meaning of kami and a plea is made for a dialogue that respectfully accepts differences between the cultures and the theologies of Eastern and Western thought. Important cultural themes are discussed as a part of this quest, such as the emperors of Japan and the Japanese Tea Ceremony. The work also challenges the understanding of kami as highlighted by Akutagawa Ryunosuke and Endo Shusaku.