Journey to the Ancestral Self

"For the deer and the grasses I have written this book, so that we may again be At One with them." Thus writes Tamarack Song, in this extraordinary, practical guide to native lifeways- the essential wisdom connecting all native peoples. The book speaks to readers of every background who seek a connection with their essential self- that person, deep within each of us "who dances to the Drum around the ritual Fire, who knows healing lore from times when plants spoke, who yearns for the peace and Blessings of walking again in the Balance of Our Earth." In clear but evocative language, the author shares his unique message: that the lifeways of all Native peoples are essentially one, sharing not just the same ceremonies and life transitions, but the same spirit and reverence for life; and that all of us, regardless of ethnic background or religious upbringing, are essentially Native people. The book begins by demonstrating how native lifeways- the ways of the Guardian Warrior, the caretaking of children, the reverence for elders ("Keepers of the Ancestral Voice")- are intrinsic to the human experience. Drawing on a series of native traditions, from fasting and feasting- to dreams and the receiving of visions, the book shows the reader how to bring to life intuitive, sensory, and spiritual powers long-hidden.