Tom Cowan is a shamanic practitioner specializing in Celtic visionary and healing techniques. He combines universal core shamanism with traditional European spirit lore to create spiritual practices that can heal and enrich one’s own life and the lives of others. He is an internationally respected teacher, author, lecturer, and tour leader. He has taught training programs in England, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia and Italy. Tom received a doctorate in history from St. Louis University. He has studied extensively with and taught for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies.
Tom is the author of Yearning For The Wind: Celtic Reflections on Nature and the Soul, Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit, Shamanism as a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life, The Pocket Guide to Shamanism, The Book of Seance, The Way of the Saints: Prayers, Practices, and Meditations and Wending Your Way: A New Version of the Old English Rune Poem.
Tom Cowan is a shamanic practitioner specializing in Celtic visionary and healing techniques. He combines universal core shamanism with traditional European spirit lore to create spiritual practices that can heal and enrich one’s own life and the lives of others. He is an internationally respected teacher, author, lecturer, and tour leader. He has taught training programs in England, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia and Italy. Tom received a doctorate in history from St. Louis University. He has studied extensively with and taught for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies.
Tom is the author of Yearning For The Wind: Celtic Reflections on Nature and the Soul, Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit, Shamanism as a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life, The Pocket Guide to Shamanism, The Book of Seance, The Way of the Saints: Prayers, Practices, and Meditations and Wending Your Way: A New Version of the Old English Rune Poem.
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Excellent review, Tom! I’ve often thought that being born into a Catholic family set the stage for my later interest in and practice of Shamanism. Indeed, during a graduate school class on Wicca, when asked how many “recovering Catholics” were present, almost everyone in the room raised their hands. Perhaps it is that combination of faith in one’s connection to the Divine, that sense of protection, and that love of meaningful ritual that connect these two paths.
I have always sensed this connection between Christianity and Shamanism. I have also been a student of the Mystery Schools (Rosicrucian, Theosophy, Edgar Cayce, etc.) Sprinkle that mysticism with Shamanism and Christianity, and you have to submit that there is a omnipresent divine harmony and consciousness in the Cosmos that we can all tap into in a myriad of ways using unique symbol systems as a bridge. Religions that tell us only the elect can tap in and we much listen to them for guidance, have torn us from our birthright. Each of us can hear the still small voice of the Divine one way or another. I look forward to reading this book. Thank you.
Thanks for this beautiful review, dear Tom. I look forward to reading this book when it is available – shamanism is not a separate entity – it is the ‘Sabda’ – sound, its ‘ Akash’ – sky or Ether, its all-pervading spiritual practice which is present in different forms and colours. Congratulations to the writers.
Thank you Tom! We can learn so much from other spiritual traditions, even the ones that claim to be the only truth, the only way, the only light. All roads lead home. I’ve ordered the book. Love and blessings to you.
Absolutely beautiful, thought provoking article Thanks so much for writing!
The article on comparison between Christianity and The Society for Shamanic Practice is very educative and inspiring. I have a clear picture of The Society for Shamanic Practice and Christianity and I’m happy about your good work Tom Cowan. Thanks for your inspiring article and explanation.
To bring some facts to this discussion, Jesus’s Christianity [teachings] to promote the return of the divine feminine died in Israel, and Roman Christianity was created by possibly the most criminal mind in Rome, Constantine 1. He ordered the first conclave of Bishops, and injected fictitious gospels written by paid Hebrew priest, to support Rome’s authority, around 324 CE. The Roman Church was created as a weapon of colonization, a state religion to control the hearts and minds of Romans, their rebellious slaves, and conquered nations. Constantine replaced the Phoenix of resurrection with the Roman cross of death as the Christian symbol [Milvan Bridge]. Roman redcoats then forced everyone to convert to Christianity or die by the sword. By their fruits you will know them, and the fruits of Constantine’s Christianity are genocide which enslavement used to build empires of evil. Christianity’s goal was to destroy all other pagan religions, and it almost destroyed shamanism globally, especially in the British Empire.