Deerdancer

Book excerpt: For centuries, shamanic men and women have engaged in shapeshifting rituals - the powerful process of taking on the physical or psychological aspect of an animal to access its strength and perceptions. The imagery of shifting between human and nonhuman form has strongly pervaded folklore, myth, legend, and superstition - from the selkie (or seal shifter) of Celtic myth to bear-human love matches in Native American folklore. In chapters on the buffalo, cat, bird, bear, dragon, frog, and more, Michele Jamal explores the qualities associated with various shapeshifter forms. In her own lyrical style, she retells myths from around the world, and ends each chapter with a poetic and sensual visualization that takes the reader into the heart of each animal's power. Deerdancer shows how to use shapeshifting ritual to find direction, strength, and insight - it will forever transform the way one views other living creatures and the self.