Pathworking with the Egyptian Gods by Judith Page and Jan A. Malique

Published 2010.

Let your imagination unfold, glimpse a land shrouded in mystery, and become enlightened through the profound spiritual truths of an ancient land. This dynamic book enables you to work with the Egyptian gods and goddesses - and gain deep insight into your nature while experiencing a full awakening of your consciousness.

PATHWORKING WITH THE EGYPTIAN GODS takes you deep into the Egyptian Mysteries, bringing eighteen major deities to life through guided pathworkings. After a soul-level initiation, you will tour this ancient land through astral travel techniques, commune with the gods, and bear witness to ancient Egypt's history, mythology, daily life, and spiritual practices. Discover the enduring legends behind the deities and connect to their potent energies with rituals, meditations, blessings, consecrations, hymns, and their sacred names. (book back blurb)

DNF. What really turned me off was that at the very beginning, it chastised other pathworking books for being nothing more than glorified short stories. When I started reading, most of what I found was . . . short stories. Maybe they would mean a lot more if I was actually experienced with pathworking but the way they were told, I couldn't help but feeling this is exactly what I would experience if I did it, as if my own experience wouldn't differ at all.

If you don't know what pathworking is, it's basically a form of meditation used to heighten to your own awareness of yourself. It's a means for seeking meaning in your life. It takes meditation a few steps further and actually puts you into a transitive state where it's intoned that you will witness what it is you're seeking to witness.

I'm not casting doubt on any of this. I got the book because I thought it was interesting. But it's not for beginners in the slightest. The introduction is short and then it jumps right into the pathworking. I wasn't comfortable with it so that was something I didn't like. And the other issue I had with it was its own insistence that it wasn't just a collection of short stories but something more when all I saw was a collection of short stories.

Like I said, if I was more familiar with pathworking I probably would have a greater appreciation for it but since I'm about as noob as they come, I was kind of turned off by what this book offered. I would have liked to know from the back blurb that it wasn't for beginners. If I would have known, I wouldn't have taken the time initially.

Follow the Shaman's Call: An Ancient Path for Modern Lives by Mike Williams, Ph.D

Published January, 2010.

This evocative experiential guide reveals how you can immediately begin to transform your life by following the path of the shaman. Author Mike Williams, Ph.D., presents hands-on exercises and engaging true stories from decades of shamanic practice and academic study into ancient European traditions.

Once you understand the powerful forces of the unseen world, you'll learn how to apply the knowledge to your own life in a variety of practical ways: predicting the future and understanding the past, using dreamwork to find answers to problems, and clearing your house of negativity. You'll discover how to find your power animal and meet your spirit guides, journey to the otherworlds for healing and self-empowerment, and live in harmony with the world. (book back blurb)

I had known very little about shamanism prior to reading this book and I chose it for review expressly for the purpose of learning more. I'm glad I did because I think this could be a book that could help me fill a spiritual void I've had for years.

For as long as I can remember I've had an outsider's view of organized religion. My dad's an atheist and my mom's agnostic. When I was 11-ish I was given a choice to go to CCD (both were raised Roman Catholic in Old Vatican practices). Even at that impressionable age, when all of my friends were going to CCD, I said no because even then I knew it would be a waste of my time. I didn't care for "that type" of religion. Of course I was made fun of. I even had a few kids tell me to my face I was going to hell. It didn't bother me even then.

So ever since I've been trying to seek out some kind of spiritual path and I would find aspects of more pagan religions appealing but I never actively considered joining any of them. I wanted something organic, more natural and pre-historic than anything rumbling around currently. For a while it was mixing around those Pagan religions but nothing really called to me. I have my beliefs but they never really fit into anything specific so I've just been going on with my life as is.

Then I picked up this book to read and all of a sudden it clicked. This is it. Williams does an excellent job of describing just what Shamanism is, how to go about practicing it and just what kind of life you'll lead as a shaman. He doesn't pander, he doesn't pull punches. He just tells it like it is and I really liked that. The way he described journeying to the Otherworlds had me wanting to go buy a drumming CD and try it out for myself, despite how afraid it actually makes me.

It's a religion as natural as you can possibly get without the confines of organization or the baggage that comes along with it. There are no stringent requirements, no elevation or shunning of other people. There's just you and nature and that's pretty much it and that's what I like about it.

I plan on using this book as sort of my beginner's guide to shamanism. It's a good tool if you're just starting out and not sure where to step first. It gives you a little bit of information in a lot of areas of shamanism without being overwhelming or confusing. I found it immensely helpful and I plan on making it wholly dog-eared by the time I'm done with it.

If you're interested in delving into a new (well, really old) and natural religion, Follow the Shaman's Call is definitely a good place to start.