Synopses & Reviews
“Ross Heaven is a loyal initiate son who communicates the Vodou tradition faithfully.”
Bon Mambo Racine, Priestess of Haitian Vodou
“Ross Heaven does for Vodou what Castaneda did for shamanism.”
Prediction magazine
Written by an initiate of Haitian Vodou, this book goes beyond the stereotypes and misunderstandings to reveal Vodou as one of the most powerful shamanic traditions. The author explains why these ancient healing practices are important for the modern world and how secret Vodou techniques can be used by anyone as safe and effective means of spiritual healing and personal development.
Providing practical hands-on exercises drawn from all aspects and stages of the Vodou tradition, Vodou Shaman shows readers how to contact the spirit world and communicate with the loa (the angel-like inhabitants of the Other World), the gede (the spirits of the ancestors), and djabs (Nature spirits) for healing purposes. The author examines soul journeying and warrior-path work in the Vodou tradition and looks at the psychological principles that make them effective. The book also offers exercises in specific spiritual healing techniques, including the use of herbs and magical baths, ways to read and rebalance the energy body, removal of spirit intrusions and unhealthy energies, restoration of Ashe (spiritual Power), and preparation for the advanced technique of soul retrieval.
Ross Heaven is a shamanic teacher and Vodou Houngan. He served for many years as an apprentice in this tradition, including spending the requisite time in solitary vigil and performing the full sequence of rituals necessary to complete his initiation into the Vodou priesthood. He is the author of The Journey to You and Spirit in the City and lives in England.
Review
and#8220;Vodou is a very beautiful and practical spiritual approach to experiencing the power of other worlds. Through andlt;Iandgt;Vodou Shamanandlt;/Iandgt; ordinary people will discover how to empower themselves in the most extraordinary ways.and#8221;
Review
“Ross Heaven is a loyal initiate son who communicates the Vodou tradition faithfully.”
Review
“Ross Heaven does for Vodou what Castaneda did for shamanism.”
Review
andquot;Ross Heaven's new book . . . give(s) us a more complete look into this mysterious tradition.andquot;
Review
andquot;This stands out as one of the most articulated well-intentioned Vodou guidebooks available.andquot;
Review
andquot;andlt;iandgt;Vodou Shamanandlt;/iandgt; presents a very specific guide focusing on haitian healing and power rituals.andquot;
Review
andquot;Here he outlines the tradition's core beliefs and highlights the striking similarities between Vodou and other traditional healing arts.andquot;
Review
"A groundbreaking book that will contribute to the knowledge, diversity, and healing in this world. Ross Heaven writes with heart and wisdom about a true return to the spirit."
Review
"It is so often in the places we least expect it, that we find the deepest spirituality. Vodou, the least well known, most feared and even most ridiculed form of shamanism, is one of those places. In this must-read book we find a pragmatic way of being in spirit; one desperately needed as we face the challenge of living in this time of great change."
Review
andquot;Ross Heaven does for Vodou what Castaneda did for shamanism. With so many sacred ways and cultures dying out, it is wonderful that one of the world's oldest oral traditions is recorded here by an authentic wisdomkeeper.andquot;
Review
and#8220;Ross Heaven is a modern sage. In his book andlt;Iandgt;Vodou Shamanandlt;/Iandgt; we not only learn about Vodou and experience its powers firsthand, we also pass through portals to higher levels of consciousness.and#8221;
Review
andquot;The experience of Vodou is one of joy, dance, drums, and song. It is an experience that enables all of us to connect with our spirits and the infinite power of the universe. This practical book is a valuable guide to how we can all achieve joy in our lives.andquot;
Review
andquot;I am delighted to offer my support for this book, which is in the tradition of Maya Deren and Claude Planson, Caucasians who have discovered infinity in the African spirituality. Ross Heaven is enriching our understanding of the psyche and wisdom of humanity by going into the primeval source of our worldview.andquot;
Review
"Here he outlines the tradition's core beliefs and highlights the striking similarities between Vodou and other traditional healing arts." Jennifer Kuncken, Library Journal, February 2004, Vol.129 No.1
Review
"Ross Heaven's new book . . . give(s) us a more complete look into this mysterious tradition." Prediction, March 2004, Vol.70 No.3
Review
"This stands out as one of the most articulated well-intentioned Vodou guidebooks available." Publishers Weekly, November 2003, Vol.250 No.45
Review
"Vodou Shaman presents a very specific guide focusing on haitian healing and power rituals." < i=""> The Midwest Book Review <> , June 2004
Review
"A groundbreaking book that will contribute to the knowledge, diversity, and healing in this world. Ross Heaven writes with heart and wisdom about a true return to the spirit." < b=""> Kristin Madden <> , author of < i=""> Pagan Parenting <> and < i=""> Shamanic Healing <>
Review
"It is so often in the places we least expect it, that we find the deepest spirituality. Vodou, the least well known, most feared and even most ridiculed form of shamanism, is one of those places. In this must-read book we find a pragmatic way of being in spirit; one desperately needed as we face the challenge of living in this time of great change." < b=""> Dr. Eve Bruce, M.D., F.A.C.S <> ., medical doctor and author of < i=""> Shaman, M.D. <>
Review
"Ross Heaven does for Vodou what Castaneda did for shamanism. With so many sacred ways and cultures dying out, it is wonderful that one of the world's oldest oral traditions is recorded here by an authentic wisdomkeeper." < b=""> Tania Ahsan <> , editor of < i=""> Prediction <> magazine
Review
“Ross Heaven is a modern sage. In his book Vodou Shaman we not only learn about Vodou and experience its powers firsthand, we also pass through portals to higher levels of consciousness.” John Perkins, author of The Spirit of the Shuar
Review
“Vodou is a very beautiful and practical spiritual approach to experiencing the power of other worlds. Through Vodou Shaman ordinary people will discover how to empower themselves in the most extraordinary ways.” Howard G. Charing, director of the Eagles Wing Centre for Contemporary Shamanism and author of Medicine for the Soul
Review
"The experience of Vodou is one of joy, dance, drums, and song. It is an experience that enables all of us to connect with our spirits and the infinite power of the universe. This practical book is a valuable guide to how we can all achieve joy in our lives." < b=""> Amoda <> , author of < i=""> Moving into Ecstacy <>
Synopsis
Goes beyond the stereotypes to restore Vodou to its proper place as a powerful shamanic traditionandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Provides practical exercises and techniques from the Vodou tradition that can be used as safe and effective means of spiritual healing and personal transformationandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Shows how to remove evil spirits and negative energies sent by othersandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Written by a fully initiated Houngan (Vodou shaman)andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Providing practical exercises drawn from all aspects and stages of the Vodou tradition, andlt;iandgt;Vodou Shamanandlt;/iandgt; shows readers how to contact the spirit world and communicate with the andlt;Iandgt;loaandlt;/Iandgt; (the angel-like inhabitants of the Other World), the andlt;iandgt;ghedeandlt;/iandgt; (the spirits of the ancestors), and andlt;iandgt;djabsandlt;/iandgt; (nature spirits for healing purposes). The author examines soul journeying and warrior-path work in the Vodou tradition and looks at the psychological principles that make them effective. The book also includes exercises to protect the spiritual self by empowering the soul, with techniques of soul retrieval, removing evil spirits and negative energies, overcoming curses, and using the powers of herbs and magical baths.
About the Author
Ross Heaven is a shamanic teacher and Vodou Houngan who spent years as an initiate in this tradition, including spending the requisite time in solitary vigil and performing the other necessary rituals to complete his apprenticeship. He is also the author of andlt;Iandgt;The Journey to You andlt;/Iandgt;and andlt;Iandgt; Spirit in the City. andlt;/Iandgt;He lives in England.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Forewardandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;Iandgt;and#160;and#160; 'Do You Vodou'andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Introductionand#160; andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;Iandgt;and#160;Feel the Fear and Read it Anywayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1 - BETWEEN TWO WORLDSandlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Dreaming the Road of Gineandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;The Vodou Lessons: 1andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#160;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;Opening to the Sacredandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;Bandgt;2 - THE QUEST FOR POWERandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Becoming Bon Hounganandlt;BRandgt;The Vodou Lessons: 2andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;Connecting to the Energies of the Universeandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;3 - ACTS OF FAITH andamp; POWERandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Spiritual Strength Versus Material Gainandlt;BRandgt;The Vodou Lessons: 3andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;Journey for Ecstatic Communionandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#160;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;4 - BECOMING GOD'S FOOLSandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Journeying for Asheandlt;BRandgt;The Vodou Lessons: 4andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;The Affirmation of Selfandlt;/Iandgt;and#160;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt; 5 - THE POWER TO HEALandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Creating New Realities of Health and Well-beingandlt;BRandgt;The Vodou Lessons: 5andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;Conducting a Vodou Healing: Removing Unhealthy Energy and Restoring Asheandlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;6 - THE TREE OF WEEPING SOULSandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Soul loss and Retrieval--Advanced Techniques of Power Returnandlt;BRandgt;The Vodou Lesson: 6andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;Making Yourself Wholeandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;7 - DREAMING THE NEW WORLDandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Changing Your Faith, Healing Your Worldandlt;BRandgt;The Vodou Lessons: 7andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#160;and#160; andlt;Iandgt;Creating the Way Aheadandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Appendixand#160;and#160; andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The Marketplaceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Workshops, Tapes, and Books by Ross Heavenandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Notesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Glossaryandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Indexandlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Iandgt;