Spirit of the Shuar: Wisdom from the Last Unconquered People of the Amazon Paperback - 2001

From the rear cover

INDIGENOUS SPIRITUALITY "John Perkins has carried us effortlessly into a new encounter with an ancient world view. In the Shuar account the wisdom of the Amazonian rain forest prevails, where the spirit life teems as mercilessly and exquisitely as the biology. Spirit of the Shuar is filled with the poetry of authentic vision. It speaks the elemental language of the spirit-mind that journeys through all the levels of existence." --Stephen Larsen, author of Fire in the Mind "This book contains profound wisdom. In our modern age we lack the deep knowing of how to positively transform our culture. The Shuar give hope and direction that will benefit our children's children. Best of all, you'll love reading Spirit of the Shuar." --Stephan Rechtschaffen, M.D., CEO, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies and author of Timeshifting The indomitable Shuar of the Amazon--reputed to be the only tribe in the Americas that has never been conquered--have lived as warriors, hunters, cultivators, and healers for generations. Even in today's acquisitive, often wasteful world they defend their rain forests and sustainable ways of life and offer their philosophy of love, joy, and hope. More than three decades after first befriending members of the Shuar, author and environmentalist John Perkins and his publisher, Ehud Sperling, inspired Shakaim Mariano Chumpi--a young Shuar warrior who has fought in the jungle war between his native Ecuador and Peru--to travel among his people and record their thoughts, history, and customs. The result is Spirit of the Shuar. Here, in their own words, the Shuar share their practices of shapeshifting, "dreaming the world," and ecstatic sex, including the role older women play in teaching uninitiated men how to please. They explain the interdependence of humans and the environment, their formula for peace and balance, and their faith in arutam, the life-giving spirit of nature that allows each of us to transform ourselves. And they describe how their ancient--and current--practice of shrinking heads fits into their cultural philosophy. Whether exploring the mystery of shamanic shapeshifting, delving deeper into the powers of healing herbs and psychotropic plants, or finding new ways to live sustainably and sensitively in the face of encroaching development and environmental destruction, the Shuar have emerged as a strong people determined to preserve their identity and beliefs and share their teachings with a world in dire need of their wisdom. SHAKAIM MARIANO IJISAM CHUMPI, married and the father of four children, lives in the heart of the Amazon, following the traditional ways of the Shuar. JOHN PERKINS, who first lived among the Shuar as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1968, lectures at universities and teaches workshops around the world. He is one of the founding members of Dream Change Coalition. His previous books include Shapeshifting, The World Is As You Dream It, and Psychonavigation.