Shakers of St. Vincent

Overview

Shamans and medicine people heard unfettered by Euro-American explanations and theories

A relatively unknown shamanic culture, the Shakers of the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, are illustrated through personal profiles, stories, and color photographs. A unique blend of West African spirituality and Protestant Christianity, this culture has a strong tradition of seeking personal instruction and spiritual training that is brought forth through a ritual called “mourning.” The details of this ritual are examined in this book, along with personal testimonies of visionary journeys. Accompanied by an audio CD of their ecstatic gatherings and healing encounters, this book is a vibrant expression of spiritual healing and is a unique contribution to ethnographic literature.

Reviews

“Draws the reader in through an audiovisual experience of their spiritual healing process.” —ForeWord magazine

“The time is ripe for this series . . . soul-stirring quotations, personal narratives . . . luxurious photographs, and compact discs of prayers, sacred songs, ceremonies, and teachings.” —Spirituality & Health magazine

“Outstanding.” —Library Journal

“One of the most exquisite collections of pictures and prose in print.” —Body & Soul Magazine

“Wisdom and practices to help restore the world's spiritual health.” —Black Issues Book Review

“Each book stands alone, but [the series] provides a whole larger than the sum of the parts . . . Breathtaking.” —Milton Erickson Foundation Newsletter

Author Biography

Bradford Keeney, PhD, is the editor of the previous Profiles in Healing books and the author of Shaking Out the Spirits, Aesthetics of Change, and Mind in Therapy.