Shamans, Mystics and Doctors: A Psychological Inquiry Into India and Its Healing Traditions

If you are considering this book or others, such as The Shortest Journey (Unwin Paperbacks. ISBN 0-04-291018-8) / Kakar, Sudhir M.D. 1982, then please ignore the majority of the reviews here. Most are written by current members of the Quasi-Religious Group / Cult and as such as completely biased. Whilst you could argue that their intentions are good, I would definitely recommend reading up on the organisation before taking part or `experiencing' it's practices. There is a lot of information available on the web supporting and praising the group as the salvation of mankind, with it's leader Shri Mataji the second coming of Jesus or even as God. You should also be aware that also many accuse the Cult of many well publicised / documented scandals e.g. the child abuse, tax evasion etc. While members of the group would have you believe that those who criticise it are bitter, failed members, I am sure that you will have the common sense to realise that there always are at least two sides to every story. There is a lot of smoke billowing around this group and it's self proclaimed God. Where is the fire then?

Kakar is an American-trained psychoanalyst who returns to India to explore shamanism and mysticism. Thus, he has the dual perspective of both an insider and and outsider. He has written an engrossing book which tells indepth stories of the lives and practices of Indian shamans, mystics and therapists. His fascinating narrative includes case studies of individual patients. For example, his discussion of Tantric and Kundalini yoga gives details beyond my wildest imagination. I found myself both disgusted at some of the descriptions and laughing at his own experience! I couldn't put the book down. The only drawback is his psychoanalytic perspective. He is a Freudian, and his own analysis of the healers and patients gets mighty boring and repetitive. One guru critiqued him for his perspective, and I tended to agree with her. I learned to skip these sections. Otherwise, this is a riveting book, although not one for people looking for New Age techniques. It is an accessible look at shamanism for those with a more serious interest in the subject.