Where the Spirits Ride the Wind: Trance Journeys and Other Ecstatic Experiences — Dreams Astral

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Where the Spirits Ride the Wind: Trance Journeys and Other Ecstatic Experiences

Name: Where the Spirits Ride the Wind: Trance Journeys and Other Ecstatic Experiences
Price: 19.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780253205667

✍️ Felicitas D Goodman, Gerhard Binder

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$19.95

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Felicitas D. Goodman's seminal work invites readers to explore the profound world of ecstatic trance, revealing how specific ancient ritual postures can unlock altered states of consciousness. Blending personal narrative, anthropological insights, and archaeological findings, she presents a compelling argument for the universality of shamanic experiences. This book serves as both a scholarly examination and a practical gateway, offering guidance for those seeking to understand and engage with these powerful, non-ordinary realities. It challenges conventional perceptions, proposing that ancient myths and spiritual journeys are accessible through direct, embodied experience, bridging the gap between historical practices and modern spiritual seeking.

🌠

Dreams & Astral

🏛 Indiana University Press (Ips) 📅 1990 📖 256 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780253205667

Fun Fact

Felicitas Goodman delivers a truly unique and transformative work, masterfully blending rigorous anthropological research with a deeply personal, experiential approach. This book excels in providing both theoretical understanding and practical guidance for exploring ecstatic trance states. While academic purists might find its experiential leanings unconventional, and those seeking instant gratification might be challenged by its depth, "Where the Spirits Ride the Wind" remains an essential, pioneering text for anyone serious about unlocking ancient wisdom through embodied spiritual practice. It's a cornerstone for the modern shamanic movement.

📝 Description: Where the Spirits Ride the Wind: Trance Journeys and Other Ecstatic Experiences

"The book is clearly written for the general reader and includes many descriptions of trance experiences. It may serve as a good introduction to the nature and appeal of the shamanic revival in modern Western cultures." --Theological Book Review " . . . a case study in experiential anthropology that offers a unique mix of autobiography, mythology, experiential research, and archaeological data to support a challenging thesis--that certain body postures may help induce specific trance states." --Shaman's Drum "This is a spellbinding and exceptionally readable book by an extraordinary woman." --Yoga Journal "And suddenly the understanding of my own vision washed over me like a mighty wave . . . For life or for death, I was committed to that mighty realm of which I was shown a brief reminder, the world where all was forever motion and emergence, that realm where the spirits ride the wind." --from the Prologue Goodman reexamines our notions of the nature of reality by studying the ritual postures of native art assumed by her subjects during trance states. For readers desiring to discover this world of ancient myths, she has included a practical guide on how to achieve such ecstatic experiences.

📑 What's inside

Prologue
I. The Search for the SpiritsOne: The Call of the Old PeopleTwo: Getting in Touch with the Spirits: The First DiscoveriesThree: The Old Ones RememberFour: A New Path OpensFive: The Way of the Spirits
III. Myths of the Eternal Present
IntroductionThe Emergence StoryCoyote Comes CallingThe Man of CuautlaA Maya WhistleThe Story of Kats and His Bear WifeThe Spirits and the Wounded Tree of LifeIn the Land of Centaurs and Mermaids
Conclusion: THe Twlight of the Spirits
Appendix: Some Practical PointsNotesBibliographyIndex

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This volume serves as both a scholarly examination and a practical guide, offering unique insights into shamanic experiences through archaeological findings and personal narrative. However, readers seeking purely theoretical or detached academic analysis may find the blend of autobiography and methodology distracting. It is not suited for those who prefer strictly empirical scientific explanations without spiritual context. The book’s strength lies in its holistic approach, but it demands an openness to experiential knowledge that might alienate rigidly rationalist audiences looking for conventional historical texts.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the intersection of anthropology, history, and personal spiritual practice will find this book deeply rewarding. It is ideal for those seeking to understand the mechanics of altered states of consciousness beyond mere theory. By combining scholarly rigor with accessible narrative, Goodman offers a practical gateway for modern seekers who wish to engage with ancient wisdom. The text appeals to individuals curious about how embodied experiences can unlock non-ordinary realities, making it essential for anyone wanting to bridge historical myths with direct, contemporary spiritual inquiry.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the mysteries of consciousness, seeking a practical path to altered states, or curious about the resurgence of shamanic wisdom in modern life, this book offers a unique blend of insight and actionable guidance for exploring the world where spirits truly ride the wind.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This volume serves as both a scholarly examination and a practical guide, offering unique insights into shamanic experiences through archaeological findings and personal narrative. However, readers seeking purely theoretical or detached academic analysis may find the blend of autobiography and methodology distracting. It is not suited for those who prefer strictly empirical scientific explanations without spiritual context. The book’s strength lies in its holistic approach, but it demands an openness to experiential knowledge that might alienate rigidly rationalist audiences looking for conventional historical texts.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While rooted in anthropological research, Goodman's writing is exceptionally accessible, incorporating personal narrative and practical instructions. It bridges academic rigor with an approachable tone for the general reader interested in direct experience.

Absolutely. The book includes a practical guide detailing how to achieve ecstatic experiences through specific ritual postures, making it a hands-on resource for those wishing to explore these states themselves.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Ritual Postures & Ecstatic States

Goodman meticulously investigates the direct link between specific body postures, often depicted in ancient art, and the induction of profound trance states. She demonstrates how these physical positions act as a physiological key, allowing individuals to access altered consciousness and experience what she terms "ecstatic journeys."

Modern Shamanic Awakening

The book contextualizes the resurgence of interest in shamanic practices within contemporary Western culture. It explores the enduring appeal of these ancient spiritual paths, suggesting that Goodman's research offers a tangible and accessible framework for understanding and participating in a global movement towards experiential spirituality and connection with ancestral wisdom.

Embodied Anthropological Research

Goodman pioneers a unique blend of personal experience, rigorous anthropological study, and archaeological evidence. Her approach emphasizes direct, embodied engagement with the subject matter, moving beyond purely academic observation to incorporate subjective experience as a vital component of understanding and validating non-ordinary states of consciousness.

📜 Historical context

Goodman's work emerges from a tradition of anthropological inquiry into altered states and religious experience, yet it boldly bridges the academic with the experiential. It contributes significantly to the understanding of global shamanic traditions and their relevance, offering a counter-narrative to purely psychological or pathological interpretations of ecstatic phenomena, firmly grounding them in cultural and physiological practices.

📚 Glossary

Ecstatic Experience
Ritual Posture
Shamanic Revival

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might exploring ancient ritual postures change your perception of reality or spiritual connection?
Consider a time when you felt a profound sense of "motion and emergence." How does this relate to the concept of ecstatic experience?
What contemporary practices or beliefs do you see as echoes of the "shamanic revival" Goodman describes?