The Woman in the Shaman's Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicine

A must read for anyone in the anthropology realm men and woman alike! Really loved reading this! Amazing history of shamanism/healing in general. Very interesting accounts of Barbara Tedlock's experiences. Very well written and enlightening. Very empowering for woman and shifting mentalities that woman are by nature secondary: she breaks false assumptions in the field of anthropology completely overlooked woman's role in the origins of shamanism, leadership and healing, when in fact woman were primary healers and holders of spiritual knowledge and quite often shamanic leaders and tribal leaders as well. She provides evidence and examples from archaeology and also exciting field work with mystical experiences with present day woman shamans in central America and Eur-asia I believe it was Tibet.

This was an excellent, well-researched book about shamanism in general and women's roles in shamanism in particular. Tedlock shows us the lost history of women as spiritual leaders through examples and first-hand accounts. This book covers women shamans' roles and sacred wisdom, including our menses and connections with both the moon and each other, sexual energy, midwifery, sacred herbs, weaving, leading, fighting, and much more. There's also a frank look at gender and gender roles, including the importance of experiencing both genders as a shamanic practitioner. Tedlock herself has a wealth of first-hand knowledge and experience in Mayan shamanism and culture, but she covers a vast area looking at shamanic practices around the globe and throughout history. I really enjoyed this book, and I think it's a must-have for anyone interested in shamanism, women, &/or gender roles. I learned a lot and enjoyed doing so.

I work in healing and practicing it for my own benefeit because I had 2 chronic deseases for over 15 years... through my own experience of being treated by a majority of men, I end up realizing that there were things missing in their approach so I can feel completed... I wasn't sure what... but as it is well documented in this book, women approach healing from a different perspective, a different body... this book was very inspiring for me and still reminded me, in my own practice now, to look at things from my own perspective as a woman and as a person... and from it, I gain some knowledge that I never thought reacheable... thank you again for writhing it Mrs. Tedlock... excuse my english, I am french from Montreal (Quebec)

Loved the read. It helped me get more deeply acquainted with how women shamans have been present and profoundly respected through the ages on all continents. Interesting review of how it came to be that this history has been almost invisible to us. This book will be affirming to any woman interested in developing the side of her nature that is about wisdom, compassion, and healing. She will find there are many who have gone before her; she is not alone in the journey.

I absolutely love this book. At long last, a balanced assessment of the history of shamanism and of women's spiritual power. Every page of this wonderful book has liberated me from cultural blindspots that I didn't even realise I had. As a woman practising in the field of shamanism, Tedlock's well written text has laid before me (and behind me), a historical feminine perspective that is both deeply moving and brimming with possibility. If you have any interest in women's issues, shamanism, spirituality, history or the reinstatement of the feminine in our world, read this!

Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Tedlock is also a shaman, trained by the K'iche' Maya of Guatemala. In this book she traces the roots of humanity's first spiritual and healing practice to women. She also gives firsthand accounts of her own training in the ancient traditions. The reason it is important to retell the story of shamanism is because the anthropologists who did the studies in the 1950s and 60s wrote their reports from a male perspective. In the early societies, women often hunted and were particularly suited to spiritual and medicinal practices. Also there were often male/female shamanic teams. But the men writing the books (including the influential religious historian Mircea Eliade) went out of their way to ignore women or cast them in the role of wife or assistant. In particular they denied shamanic status to women. Another factor is the repression of shamanic practices. In 1999 shamanism was reborn in Mongolia after many years of the imprisonment and killing of shamans by the Communist leaders. Some of the women secretly kept the tradition alive and are passing it on to the twelfth generation. Tedlock tells us: "Shamans are taught not to negate or destroy either their masculine or their feminine side. Instead, by shifting genders and embodying characteristics of each gender, they manipulate the male-female polarity itself. Shamans are able to hold incompatible things together, because each of the apparent opposites is necessary and in some sense `true.'"

I never felt the whole Truth when considering being taught about men Shamans,now I understand why.They,Woman Shamans, were basically the first in probably all the original arts and sciences and they still know what others can only guess at.There are women in my family whom are Shaman,but to this day they still will not open up,even to me.Its a chosen gift and I really feel a lot of pain for those ones whom were murdered for doing the God's work. If you want to be there with them,than this book is probably the best start. JaiMataJi Tony Escalante Jr.

This book is very informative to ones who have little knowledge of Shamans. the Shaman world can be a useful tool for certain. believers.

A beautiful guide for women’s shamanism

Can’t put the book down. Super well written and spurring lots of thoughts

Livro de cabeceira para quem quer aprender sobre o papel e a força das mulheres curadoras em diferentes modelos de xamanismo. Daqueles livros que você chora que só tenha em inglês.

meh. Kind of self-aggrandizing

This book does what so many haven't .... it brings to light the power of the feminine and shaman together. I absolutely loved it and recommend it wholeheartedly.