The Medicine Bag

One of the main tenets of shamanism is a belief in the power of ceremony to manifest change in the physical world. Virtually all shamanic traditions use a variety of ritual practices as tools for personal transformation, healing, and celebration. Now, in this exciting and practical book, Toltec shaman and New York Times best-selling author don Jose Ruiz introduces and explains a wealth of these shamanic rituals and ceremonies, and provides a detailed and accessible guide to performing them on your own. This book will teach you how to::: Choose and create power objects Build a personal altar and medicine wheel Align your life with the cycles of nature Find and work with your spirit animals Honor your ancestors, undertake power journeys, and much more Like the medicine bag itself, this book is a potent tool kit of spiritual practices meant to open you to a world of beauty, exploration, and transformation. By offering step-by-step instructions in each chapter, don Jose Ruiz has made these rituals and ceremonies accessible to everyone who feels called to travel the shamanic path.

Born of encounters between Indigenous women and Euro-American men in the first decades of the nineteenth century, the Plains Metis people occupied contentious geographic and cultural spaces. Living in a disputed area of the northern Plains inhabited by various Indigenous nations and claimed by both the United States and Great Britain, the Metis emerged as a people with distinctive styles of speech, dress, and religious practice, and occupational identities forged in the intense rivalries of the fur and provisions trade. Michel Hogue explores how, as fur trade societies waned and as state officials looked to establish clear lines separating the United States from Canada and Indians from non-Indians, these communities of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry were profoundly affected by the efforts of nation-states to divide and absorb the North American West. Grounded in extensive research in U.S. and Canadian archives, Hogue's account recenters historical discussions that have typically been confined within national boundaries and illuminates how Plains Indigenous peoples like the Metis were at the center of both the unexpected accommodations and the hidden history of violence that made the "world's longest undefended border."

For generation after generation, Toltec shamans have passed down their wisdom through teaching stories. The purpose of these stories is to implant a seed of knowledge in the mind of the listener, where it can ultimately sprout and blossom into a new and better way of life. In The Wisdom of the Shamans: What the Ancient Masters Can Teach Us About Love and Life, Toltec shaman and master storyteller don Jose Ruiz shares some of the most popular stories from his family's oral tradition and offers corresponding lessons that illustrate the larger ideas within each story. Ruiz begins by explaining that contrary to the stereotypical image of "witch doctor," the ancient shamans were men and women who fulfilled several roles within their communities: philosopher, spiritual guide, medical doctor, psychologist, and friend. According to Ruiz, their teachings are not primitive or reserved for a chosen few initiates but are instead a powerful series of lessons on love and life that are available to us all. To that aim, he has included exercises, meditations, and shamanic rituals to help you experience the personal transformation these stories offer. The shamans taught that the truth you seek is inside of you. Let these stories, lessons, and tools be your guide to finding the innate wisdom that lives within.

"'Grandpa,' I quietly asked, 'how come when you talk about the past, you say you were a cowboy and an Indian?' I sensed the regret in his short laugh when he answered, 'Cause I was both and both ways are gone forever.'? With greatøimagination and vigor, award-winning Lakota storyteller Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve treats readers to a collection of her best stories. She first spins tales of Lakota and Dakota generations today, of what the youngest can learn from their elders, if they choose to listen. The second group of stories, set in the turbulent and tragic years of the nineteenth century, teaches the need for understanding across cultures. The collection ends with spellbinding ancient Sioux tales about the birth of the universe, the deeds of legendary beings, and an unforgettable story about Old Woman, whose quill work maps out the end of the world.

"The more we meditate on the Medicine Wheel and on the Cosmic Wheel above, relating these to the circles, spheres, and mandalas of other traditions, the deeper our realization grows of the oneness of the many paths leading to the Center." Although Evelyn Eaton walked principally the Native Indian path, this book reflects her belief in the strength and beauty of all religious traditions. This is the personal account of her triumph over cancer through Native American healing rituals. Of white and Native American ancestry, Eaton was a Metis Medicine Woman.

"The Medicine Wheel is a springboard of power that will allow you to link up to all the energies of the universe." —Sun Bear Millions of people around the world have incorporated Native American philosophy into their everyday lives. Now, with this special 25th anniversary edition of the late Sun Bear's classic bestseller, readers old and new can benefit from the teachings and techniques of the Medicine Wheel. In The Medicine Wheel, Sun Bear and Wabun put forth a whole new system of earth astrology to help guide people not only in their daily living but also in their life paths. In the authors' own words, this book was written to "help all people relate better to our Earth Mother...and find a kinship with the universe." The Medicine Wheel is a beautiful and inspiring approach to graceful, holistic living in trying modern times. The Medicine Wheel's philosophy is derived from a basic principle known by all people who live close to the earth: Once you fully embrace the elemental forces of nature, you become a part of the whole. Let this book be your first step toward finding peace and prosperity—and your own special place in the circle of life.

An invitation to live consciously connected to one's truth and follow the guidance of the presence within.