VODOU SHAMAN: The Haitian Way of Healing and Power

When Heaven began studying native spiritual traditions in the 1980s, he quickly figured out that Vodou was the "black sheep" in the family—permanently tainted with a bad reputation. Being a self-proclaimed punk, the "renegade reputation" of Vodou instantly appealed to him. In his early days of Vodou research, Heaven "felt sure that I would encounter zombies and animal (and perhaps even human) sacrifice and have to deal with black magic rituals and pacts with the devil," he writes. "Let me reassure—or maybe disappoint—you that none of that appears in this book, for the very good reason that most of those subjects are the stuff of mythology rather than fact." What Heaven discovered instead was an Afro-Caribbean, healing-based tradition that's been unfairly marred by misunderstandings and Hollywood stereotypes. Heaven was so impressed with Vodou that he was initiated as a "white priest" and became a renowned shamanic teacher. This book is his attempt to demystify a mystical religion while also teaching Westerners how to integrate its healing rituals into modern life. Each chapter opens with a vivid description of a transcendental Vodou ritual that Heaven has witnessed—such as a crippled man suddenly becoming cured. He uses these scenes to offer a well-paced and concise lesson on Vodou ideology and possibilities. Every chapter also includes "Vodou Lessons"—for instance, how to move into a trance or create an altar. This stands out as one of the most articulate and well-intentioned Vodou guidebooks available. (Jan.)