Readers’ Reviews

Eagle’s Wing Publications Readers’ Recommendations

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The View Through the Medicine Wheel
The View Through the Medicine Wheel

The View Through the Medicine Wheel

Incredible Book, Incredible Insights

by Frannie Green

I bought this book after attending some shamanic journey workshops with Leo Rutherford at a small festival called Tribal Earth. It is the first book I have read about the subject and the book has blown my mind. Rutherford has a great way of expressing these ancient truths, of relating them to this crazy ‘cock-eyed’ modern culture we live in, and he does it with humour and simplicity. I am interested in psychology and healing and these shamanic maps of how the universe works; of how we work, make such incredible sense. I highly recommend this book.

A guide for my soul

by Jo

A view through the medicine wheel came to me at a critical point in my life when I clearly needed guidance and direction on my own path. I literally called for help and this book arrived in my hands. As I made my way through the chapters I felt a sense of clarity developing within me. After experiencing months of deep confusion and some sorrow, this book truly helped me to find myself; to realise that all I had learned and experienced so far is all good; is all right and that by just being, I am doing enough. I am so very grateful to the Author, Leo Rutherford, for his wisdom in words explaining so much about us as human beings, our emotions, our relation to others and our precious planet, the medicine wheel helping me to see who I truly am and speak my truth. I highly recommend this book for anyone searching for answers to questions about their own existence, direction, dreams, goals and desires and how to ‘be’.

There is a natural flow to life. Sometimes we don’t recognize it. We get so caught up in the chaos of everyday life. We get fixated on impressing others, making more money, and trying to prove we are someone special. It’s hard work and it takes all of our energy.Somewhere along the line, we forget the important things. We spend so much time pushing and proving that we start to believe that life is difficult. In doing so, we actually make life difficult and ensure that it will continue to be so, like a self fulfilled prophecy.Life doesn’t have to be a struggle. The View through the Medicine Wheel shows us how to regain the natural flow of living while essentially finding ourselves. Based upon the Medicine Wheel, the author compares healthy and healthy balances. Using these aspects, we can work through our issues, mistaken beliefs, and unhealthy habits.Based on Shamanic processes, The View through the Medicine Wheel is a very developed book. I resonate with the personal journey aspect of the exercises. I also appreciated that the author explained things from a variety of different

Tami Brady

My husband and I found this book very informative, down to earth and easy to read. The content took a common sense approach and it was easy to identify with the message the book conveyed. I found it went on a bit by the end of the book, but nevertheless I learnt a lot and hope to apply the content very soon.

Mrs. C. Robinson

Thought Provoking

V. Compton-pierce

This book is thought provoking. I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in counselling. In addition to anyone thinking of attending one of Leo’s workshops.

Shamanic Path Workbook

Shamanic Path Workbook
Shamanic Path Workbook

Although there is much ancient wisdom here, Leo believes that, to act effectively and with integrity (as a shaman must), a person must first heal the wounds suffered in the past “so the present and future can be free of ancestral burdens, shame, guilt,” etc.. To this end, his teaching begins with the self. “How we see ourselves is the root of how we experience our world.” Much of this book is about uncovering and putting into perspective key events in life’s great journey – “chaos, catastrophe, magic moments, love and loss, successes and surprises”. Traditional methods such as the vision quest, sweat lodge, trance dance, and of course the shamanic journey are employed to help the student reach inner truth and harmony, and, by so doing, “contact the timeless reality that exists parallel to and just out of sight of the world we so mistakenly call the `real world’. It is here in the everyday that we experience the reflections of who we are, of our actions, our deepest beliefs, our `dreams’, but it is in the non-manifest world of the spirit that the hidden causal interactions take place. Hidden, that is, until we begin to open the doors and `see’. That is the ultimate purpose of the path of shamanism.

by Karen Blair-Imrie

For someone who was new to Shamanism and wasn’t quite sure what to expect, I needn’t have worried. Leo Rutherford has a way of making even the most complex of subjects easy to grasp and understand. I loved this book, I literally couldn’t put it down and read the whole thing in a matter of hours. It is well laid out and a lot of thought has gone into it. His writing style feels as if he is sitting down and chatting to you informally and it’s because of this that I was able to retain the information. It’s not the most comprehensive of volumes but for a beginner or someone at an intermediate stage, it is invaluable and makes an excellent primer to this most fascinating of subjects.

by Proudmom

Another great book on Shamanism from Leo Rutherford

Charles

I’ve participated in many of Leo’s workshops and with the wisdom and insight which he imparts in those I have no hesitation in buying his books. His first book Principles of Shamanism I found an excellent introduction to the subject and feel this is a good follow-on.
Your Shamanic Path covers many shamanic techniques and traditions in an easy to follow manner, the book regularly details exercises for you to follow as you progress through it. Leo also describes the purpose and abilities of a shaman both in the traditional sense and how they still apply today.
If you have an interest in shamanism or developing your shamanic world, you won’t be disappointed in this book.

Leo Rutherford is one of the U.K.’s leading shamans and has personally transformed the lives of many through his work for the Eagle’s Wing Centre. Here he describes various shamanic practices in more detail than his previous book (The Principles of Shamanism). The complex medicine wheel teachings are explained clearly, step by step, and there is a fascinating chapter on the power of the trance dance to which this reviewer can personally testify. These teachings are badly needed in today’s angry and isolating world, and Leo’s gifts as teacher are much in evidence – his modesty, sincerity, compassion, wisdom, integrity, and enormous respect for the power of this path. Allow your self access to his words and they may well affect your life. Essential reading for anyone interested in this amazing subject.

by anonymous
Spirituality Versus Religion
Spirituality Versus Religion

Spirituality vs. Religion

For all who seek the truth beyond church/bible babble.

By Michael Bohoskey

I don’t think we can hear enough about the deeply imbedded religious beliefs that pollute our minds and direct our lives toward pain/punishment choices that in turn create painful, unfulfilled lives. I enjoyed this book immensely. I honour Leo for his dedicated researching of the lies sacramentally laced through our Judeo-Christian myth, all the fear/punishment based beliefs we are taught to gloss over in our eternal defence of a man-made Deity that we continue to hope will save us from our own creations. I love Leo’s humour, his English wit, bringing balance and relief to his work in “slaying the dragon” of these old, unconscious voices of disempowerment and abuse. I view it as the warrior’s journey to reclaim his soul from the tyranny of religious dogma. For all who seek the truth beyond church/bible babble.

Principles of shamanism.

Truth and Common Sense revealed here.

by Judy Jade

I have found this book very enlightening. I was brought up through a Convent; Sunday School; singing in the choir; a Church school – some i enjoyed but always ‘niggly’ queries of things that didn’t ‘add up’. So this wonderful book by Leo Rutherford feels like a breath of fresh air. I have not found it a difficult book to read; but it does make you think, whilst you are reading it – and also laugh! My partner initially bought the book – and found it very good. He passed the book on to my parents as they were interested to read it. My Dad has bought his own copy now. Have you come through strict Religion? if so this is for you…Have you come through Boarding Schools; Church schools; compulsory regular church attendance? If so…begin or continue your journey of enlightenment…

Informative and easy to follow. A gold nugget of a book

by Jo

I found that this book covered all of the topics that i wanted to know about in an easy to assimilate language. Where the author is appreciative that there are new learners out there who want to know in a phrasing that is simple to understand and yet covers the topic with enough content for you to get that first point of ‘understanding’, from which one can then move onto other books, authors. For me personally I now look out for Leo Rutherford books as I very much like the way he writes – simple and straight to the point, no academic type waffle, he knows his stuff and is gifted enough to be able to convey his knowledge to others in a format that assists learning and understanding. Def a book to purchase.

Excellent starting point

April Wallis

A concise read, and easy to get through. A great book for those who are interested in shamanic practices, but don’t know too much about it. Covers lots of aspects quickly, the ancient origins and cultures that use shamanic practices, the shamanic world view and attitudes, practical applications and techniques, such as the medicine wheel, ceremony, crafting, journeying, trance dance, healing, therapeutic value, medicine plants, vision quests. A good starting point. Full of stories and anecdotes of the experiences of individuals who have participated in the above.

Clear, informative and easy to follow. From the Master.

Poodle42

A very impressive insight into the first spiritual path.

a customer

I have read many books relating to early spirituality but as a beginner’s guide I feel that Leo Rutherford’s approach is perhaps one of the most accessible. It gives a very clear and logical introduction to the way of shamanism going on from there to explore methodologies in a very helpful manner. As an introduction to this vast subject you could do far worse than to read this guide. It will lead you naturally to explore further. The resources section at the back is also worthwhile and gives a guide to uk workshops. Buy it – you won’t regret it!      

Also by Leo Rutherford 

The Book of Games and Warm-ups for Group Leaders. 2nd edition

Feed the soul and unleash a limitless amount of natural creativity through the art of play, regardless of your age or the situation: this is the central aim of this book.Group leaders, whether teachers of younger people or someone taking charge of business leaders at a workshop can use play as a means of building a cohesive group. There are different games and activities based on the type of activity, such as a warm up, a desire to improvise, a desire to bond and as a means of bringing closure to an event.This is quite a technical book, going into depth about the science and whole business behind play. It is not a book you’d probably buy as something to entertain your child. It mixes many disciplines together to provide a fairly interesting, mixed book and in many ways if you are prepared to read it with a broad, open mind you may get a lot more out of it than the author possibly ever intended.This is a lot more than a collection of “silly games” for children, even if they are orientated towards this demographic. You could see many of the games being possibly played by senior businesspeople within a creative workshop, brainstorming session or conference. Maybe they might consider themselves a bit silly at the start, but the book carefully gives reasons and thinking behind the games and these “silly things” could be tasked to great effect.In the right hands, this book has the capability of being a goldmine, packed full of useful, helpful advice and information that could be transformative. It is not an obvious book for the business executive (it is aimed at a different reader group) but it can be a very good, powerful secret weapon!

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