Loren Cruden

Coyotes Council Fire : Contemporary Shamans on Race, Gender and Community Loren Cruden

Shamanism is a spiritual path that emphasizes close connections with the immediate environment. As environments change, so too must shamanism change, but how can one distinguish between healthy innovation and corruptions of tradition? Coyote's Council Fire focuses on these and other controversial issues that have ignited the shamanic community. Drawing on her decades of involvement in that community, Loren Cruden brings calm wisdom and common sense to these subjects. Along with her perspective are the words of contributors such as Brooke Medicine Eagle, Grey Wolf, Jamie Sams, and Ed “Eagle Man” McGaa, reflecting the diversity of opinion within the Native American community, while the contributions of Nina Wolf, Axis, and Sandra Ingerman suggest the variety of ways in which non-Natives have incorporated shamanism into their lives. Throughout the book are meditations and exercises that help the reader explore his or her own attitudes and assumptions toward matters of race, gender, and community. For anyone interested in shamanism, Native American affairs, or the role of spirituality in a changing society, Coyote's Council Fire offers a provocative opportunity to examine one's own beliefs and compare them with those of leading members of the shamanic community.