Thank you Sounds True Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I was intrigued to read this book to learn more about Shamanic traditions and practices.
This is a wonderful book to teach the reader how to bring different ceremonies into their life.

I was so grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn more about ceremonies and the importance of creating opportunities in life for honouring special moments amd places.
Thank you for this ARC.

Although I do not follow a Shamanic path, I have long been a fan of Sandra Ingerman’s work and fold much of her teachings into the practice and teachings I offer to my coven mates and students. I particularly enjoyed this book as a reader friendly and generic template for incorporating ceremony into any practice.

The Book of Ceremony by Sandra Ingerman reminds us that our focus is often distracted as we attempt to recreate or analyze ancient teachings and wisdom and that the most important piece in ceremony is our intention and desire to affect change. The approach to ceremony that Sandra uses guides the reader towards healthy expressions of emotions that could otherwise become more negative energy feeding situations in which we feel helpless.

The book is divided into four parts beginning with the basics of what is considered a “ceremony”; moving to specific types of ceremony; work to create balance within ourselves and the energy that moves through us and concluding with practical application of ceremony and creating your own definition of what these actions enable within your practice.

One of the key points brought to light early in the book is the difference between the terms of “Ritual” and “Ceremony”. The author uses her perspective of ritual being more repetitive in nature, whereas a ceremony is designed for specific outcome and at a specific time. I don’t fully agree with this definition as I believe that the two overlap in a myriad of ways, however, I believe this to be a good starting point for those exploring the use of “sacred action” filled with intention and hoping to create something new from what is acted upon.

The sections throughout the book, cover all of the information anyone would need to begin crafting ceremony and weaving it into their specific practice. Altars, tools, music, preparation of yourself, seeking Spirit guides, ancestors and more are presented in a useable way and offer both background and reasoning behind the selection offered.

I especially liked reading the section, “Turning Points and Rites of Passage”. It is richly illustrated with actual ceremonies that have been created and executed that were powerful examples of what can be accomplished in sharing the gifts of ceremony as a working tool.

All in all, this is an excellent book to begin the process of aligning yourself more deeply with your inner wisdom and intention-filled practice in honoring the sacred in the work you undertake. To quote Sandra…

“In shamanic teachings, every spiritual and sacred act we perform is a ceremony. When we recognize the sacredness of each moment, miracles happen.”

http://paganpages.org/content/2018/11/book-review-the-book-of-ceremony-shamanic-wisdom-by-sandra-ingerman/

An important book from a respected shamanic teacher and author. It is beautifully written and applicable to modern life. Todays world is all about speed, and rushing through our busy lives. Just the thought of a sacred ceremony encourages you to slow down, prepare, think and honour the process you are about to follow. It adds meaning and space to important transitions and markers in life. The book is beautiful and can be used by anyone regardless of religion or beliefs. The ceremonies add magic to life and the author overs a variety of different processes dependent on what you want to honour. I loved this book, just reading it brought a sense of peacefulness and respect to the important markers of our lives. Thank you

I found this book very helpful, with lots and lots of excellent ideas for bringing ceremony into our lives both as individuals and with any communities that we are part of. Her style is clear and I nderstandable. I particularly liked the specific suggestions along with examples of how people she knows have carried them out. Particularly invaluable to me was her idea about the “virtual prayer tree.” I will use this often in my own inner work.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher and the author for the chance to preview this book in exchange for my honest review.