tainacavallari

It doesn't matter that the scholarship is suspect at best; Angeles Arrien's take on shamanic paths is a great filter to add to your collection. I use it all the time in my work. Arrien is best-known for her work on tarot and astrology. Her interpretations in those areas are a) always geared toward generative change rather than remediation and b) always well-structured in an overarching system. Her take on Native American shamanism is as well. Unlike her tarot system, however, her shamanic paths form a system easily and usefully applied in relationships, business, and almost any other part of life. The book reduces shamans to four broad roles: Leader/warrior, Visionary, Healer, and Teacher. Obviously, these roles are general enough to apply cross-culturally and cross-contextually. For each role, Arrien derives a core task, core questions, and "shadow sides" that describe what happens when one role is taken to extremes. As a consultant, I've used this model to identify which role is most-lacking in an organization or which is strongest in a candidate. It also defines the ultimate consultant task: to be unattached to outcome, allowing the client to do what is best for them and to fail in their own way if necessary. It's made a huge impact on my work. Other reviews have summarized the paths, but I'll do so as well. Here are the four tasks/challenges of the paths: The Leader chooses to be present. The Visionary speaks the truth, regardless of consequences. The Healer sorts for what has value. The Teacher is unattached to outcome. If this book can help you do those four things, read it. Ignore any woovy-grooviness you don't like (and enjoy any you do like!), don't look for any kind of scholarship, and tolerate the prescriptive symbolism and ritualism that these books seem to require. The content is there.

2023-02-07 06:48