Conference hydra::dejavu

    
          I read her three previous books and saw her speak last
          summer. The books and she are excellent. I haven't read Star
          Woman yet but I've been looking forward to it. I second your
          recommendation of her books, she starts out as a very
          secular California art dealer and ends up...well, going a
          very far way indeed. 
          
          For those who may raise the fiction/non-fiction question
          regarding her books as with Castenada, as I said, I saw
          her speak last summer and she's a shamaness not a fiction
          writer. The to-be-continued feeling is because she's
          living what she's writing.  
          
          BTW, it's The Sisterhood of the Shields. Each member
          of the Sisterhood makes several for herself. For the
          how's and why's of that, check out the books.
          
          Also BTW, her books may be tucked away in the 'Woman's
          Studies' section of your local bookstore, that's where
          I found them.  
                        
          
          				Lance
           

    What are the titles of her previous books?  And is Shamanism as
    in witchcraft?
    
    AE

    Re: .2

    The titles of her previous books are:
                  
    	Medicine Woman
	Flight of the Seventh Moon
	    	and   
	Jaguar Woman
              
    published in that order.  I don't know how different Shamanism is
    from witchcraft, perhaps someone else can answer that for you.
              
    	- Bill

          Lynn Andrews' three previous books are Medicine Woman,
          Flight of the Seventh Moon, and Jaguar Woman. 
          
          Lynn Andrews started out as an art dealer in California.
          In the first book, she finds herself becoming strangely
          obsessed with the acquisition of a particular piece
          of Native American art. 
          
          In search of this object she eventually travels to a
          remote region of Canada where she meets two Indian
          Shamanesses. It turns out that the object on which she has
          become fixated is one of great power and ancient history
          which has been stolen by an evil sorcerer named Red Dog. 
          
          The two elderly Shamanesses undertake to train Lynn in the
          skills which she will need to reclaim the power object
          from Red Dog. This is the beginning of her ongoing
          instruction in the arts of Shamanism. 

          In the second book, Lynn continues her apprenticeship,
          and the book culminates in her acceptance into an
          international order of Shamanesses known as the Sisterhood
          of the Shields. 
          
          In the third book Lynn travels to South America, meets new
          teachers, and has even more intense experiences in other
          realities (other aspects of reality?...well, something like
          that). 

          As for .2, is Shamanism witchcraft, or like witchcraft?
          Well, that would depend on your definitions for each of
          those terms. I would say that they are at least 'kissing
          cousins'. Michael Harner, Shamanic teacher and author of
          The Way of the Shaman defines it something like
          deliberately altering one's state of consciousness in order
          to gather information, heal, or perform some other
          beneficial service for ones 'tribe' or oneself. There are
          of course always those who abuse any sort of power. Red
          Dog mentioned above is a cold-blooded killer. 
          
          A common thread of shamans from north of the Artic Circle
          to South America is 'journeys' into 'other worlds' to
          communicate with entities there. Shamans usually enter
          these journeys aided by either hallucinogenic drugs or drums.
          (Never *both* Michael Harner said, "your skull would pop"!) 


					Lance 
                                                               
          
          
          
          
    

    Lynn is a powerful woman (so I'm told from people who have met her)
    and certainly a powerful writer.  I've found her books insightful,
    and expressing a strong feminist sentiment.  I also have a tape
    of hers, which is really a summary of her experiences and thoughts.
    
    Andrea

    Those who have been following Lynn will be interested in her latest
    book just out in September titled "Crystal Woman". Her medicine
    path takes her to Australia for new teachings and insights.
    
    	- Bill

    What is a Shaman???....Any pointers please...
    
    Kevin

Re .7 (Kevin):

See notes 50.*, 839.*, and 50.*

Steve Kallis, Jr.

And don't forget notes 839.*, 50.* and 839.*

John D. ;-)

    Thankyou for the pointers.
    
    Kevin