Primal Awareness: A True Story of Survival, Transformation, and Awakening with the Rarámuri Shamans of Mexico

Although some articles have been written about what is happening to my people regarding the drugs, lumbering and violence, only Don Jacobs has captured the spiritual understandings that have allowed us to live in balance for thousands of years. As a recipient of the Goldman Environmental Award, as the Directorof the Sierra Madre Alliance and as a half-Raramuri Indian, I can say without reservation that Primal Awareness will help make the world a better place if enough people read it. I agree with Dan Millman's review of the book when he said it is a 'suspsne story that embraces realms of psychology,anthropology and magic.'

Forget all of those bogus, would-be "shamans" and read this book if you want to viscerally understand what primal people have to teach a civilization too far from its roots to heal itself. Don Jacobs is the most courageous human being I can imagine - from his daring "horse-whispering" exploits with wild mustangs and his death-defying vision quests in the land of the Raramuri to his theories and propositions which boldly challenge all of our assumptions. He reminds us that we are literally "this close" to being fully- realized. even psychic, humans, our main impediment to our greatness being those comforts we cherish. Having read this book, I know that I will never be the same.

At times I was saddened to tears, other moments I was inspired. This is truly a unique book, combining a remarkable true life story with a more "scholarly" analysis of the thinking processes that differentiate between indigenous thinking and traditional wetsern thinking and how we can all regain our amazing "primal awareness' to help us live a full and balanced life.

Primal Awareness tells the story of Don Trent Jacobs's remarkable vision of the human mind and heart and the compelling spiritual quest that brought him to it. Sam Keen calls the book "A philosophical quest for the lost ark, filled with adventure." Eagleman Ed McGaa says it "reveals" the psychology that underlies holistic Native American thinking." Dan Millman says that Primal Awareness is "a suspense story and a spritiual quest that embraces realms of psychology, anthropology and magic." Through his initiatic experiences with the Raramuri shamans of Mexico, Jacobs shows how we can rediscover our primoridal mandate that unites all things and helps us find ourown inner strength and harmony.