New York: Rosen Publishing 2007.  Volume 1, 304 pp; Volume 2, 368 pp   8 1/2 x 11  HB $325  PB $150

Christina Pratt, director of the Last Mask Center for Shamanic Healing in Portland, OR, brings us an outstanding reference on Shamanism. An introductory section orients the reader to various aspects of shamanism, distinguishing shamanism from healing and psychic practices. Pratt writes clearly and succinctly, and has obviously invested enormous efforts in producing this very detailed information.

For the shaman the authority is the helping spirit(s) – not belief, tradition, dogma, or the particular way a healing worked yesterday. The shaman is not involved in maintaining the status quo. The shaman’s task is twofold – first, the accurate diagnosis of the seen and unseen energies at the root of the problem, and second, carrying out the specific choreography of energies needed to resolve the problem. The shaman knows that similar symptoms do not necessarily imply the same root problem. Therefore, the shaman consults the spirit realm first and proceeds as directed by his or her helping spirits. What works is all that matters. Shamans work in omplete trust that the helping spirits know what will work and what won’t. through their practice, shamans bridge the perceived gap between the physical and spiritual realms in order to restore harmony within the individual, between the individual and the community, and between the community and the spirit world. (p. xxviii)

Numerous cross-referenced entries in this Encyclopedia are indicated by bolded words, making any exploration a lovely journey of discovery, as one link leads to another. Many entries are followed by relevant references. The index is detailed and likewise helpful.

The focus is on the academic end of the spectrum of the study of shamanism. Overlaps with healing are discussed clearly but very briefly. Practitioners of various other clinical forms of healing may not find this reference as relevant to their interests as those in academia.

I would have liked to see a separate and more extensive list of references for further reading. Failing to include Stanley Krippner’s work on shamanism seems a serious omission here. The index, likewise, could be improved by inclusion of authors cited.

This is a reference that will be appreciated by any serious student of shamanism and anyone wanting clarifications about the history and practice of shamanism. The price is likely to make this a library reference for the most part.

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