Mending the Past and Healing the Future with Soul Retrieval

When I want Christianity I know where to go. That is not what I am searching for at the moment. If you are on a journey to searching strictly authentic teachings from ancestors knowledge this is not it. When he centers his focus on ancient knowledge it is enlightening, however, hoodwinking with further indoctrination of biblical heretic while peddling so-called higher spiritual wisdom is offensive.

The mystery of shamans are explored and honored in this book by Alberto Villoldo, a seasoned medical anthropologist who has studied with native healers in South America for over 20 years. Beyond the distorted visions of shamans being witch doctors ... the book brings to light ancient beliefs and practices that were once the knowledge of the chosen few. Not only does it reveal new paradigms of intense healing but also a cultural renewal of aboriginal tribes whose survival and wisdom has been threatened by modern culture. Dr. Villoldo contributes both a healing perspective as well as a preservation of an ancient society.

I have been on my own personal journey for a few years now, searching for answers to a few key problems I had been experiencing for much of my life. Certainly I had been working diligently to work through my beliefs, thoughts and attitudes etc that I believed were holding me back. But after quite some time, I became frustrated that I had been unable to make a break through in areas related to my health and direction in life. Just when I was about to give up, this book came along.... If you have taken part in visualisation exercises as I had, you might think you know what is going to happen when you follow the instructions in this book. However, it is likely that you will have an experience quite unlike anything you have had before! The instructions in the book guide you through certain exercises which take you to various parts of yourself that cannot usually be accessed except via the shamanic journeying technique. Thankfully, the experience is described in an easy to understand manner and the concepts are further described by way of storey-telling to reinforce understanding. The effects of working with this book are almost immediate. Health problems I have had for years evaporated within days of doing the exercises in this book. Other areas of my life cleared up almost as quickly. After wondering for 20 years what I was supposed to do with my life, I finally got my answer! So if you have some big challenges and are looking for a way to really make some inroads, try this book and see if it doesn't make a difference!

Villoldo provides an artful synthesis of various spiritual views which will be familiar to readers of Brian Weiss's work, as well as to qi gong practitioners, shamanic studies types, bodyworkers of various stripes and many types of therapists. It is precisely formulated, with step by step instructions - it is also exceptionally well written, and follows from chapter to chapter with ease, fluidity and depth. It is personal, but not self indulgent - this is not a book which is all about the author's self aggrandizement as a mystical guru figure. It seems very much written in a spirit of service, and is rendered with care and attention to details throughout. Bottom line: This book is quite terrific, and really lifted a weight off of me just by reading it, although I certainly do look forward to putting the information it contains into actual practice and action. I am glad I read the whole thing through first, as there is a lot of valuable information packed into here, some of it beyond the immediate task at hand. I will be participating in a soul retrieval workshop soon, and picked this up as some useful background material, but I think many people would get genuine benefit from it, regardless of their immediate soul retrieval plans per se. I really recommend it!

Alberto fills his pages with adventures and new possibilities. I've dabbledbefore, reading extensively about different kinds of Eastern philosophy and spirituality. But this is the closest I've come to finding a scholar or mystic who can put ALL of the pieces together. Things are much clearer, and I'm really greatful for this book!

This is Dr. Villoldo's best book by far. He interweaves mythology, psychology, quantum physics, and indigenous medicine to help us re-think old paradigms that are keeping us from living abundantly and without doubt. But beyond being a black belt scholar, Villoldo is a vivid storyteller. He's produced a very readable book that I had trouble putting down! And his scientific explainations were easy to absorb- even for a C+ physics student like myself! I've already called his office to sign up for a 5 day Soul Retrieval class on the beach in Mexico this winter and may register for his expedition to work with Peruvian shamans next summer.