This is a partial book review of Galdrbok, Practical Heathen Runecraft, Shamanism, & Magic by Nathan J Johnson and Robert J Wallis.

This eloquent book attempts to recover our indigenous European shamanism known as the Northern Tradition, as practiced by our ancestors in the ancient Old North.  It describes an initiatory system inspired by the spiritual legacy of Heathen communities of the Migration Age, dating from around 300 to 700 CE marking the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages.

By mapping the altered conscious states which enable shamanic travel, including scrying (‘to descry’/‘foresee’/ crystal gaze), galdr (‘sung spells’), runic mediation, and other powerful techniques for entering ecstasy, it offers us access to the nine otherworlds of Yggdrasil, the Northwest European shamanic world tree.  Thus we can learn how to walk between the nine worlds in the footsteps of Woden and Freyja, the Northern shamanic deities par excellence.

Galdrbok was recommended to me by one of the people involved in its research due to my interest in shamanism.  After reading the introduction I was attracted to it because I realised that as a woman with a strong English heritage, I had an unmet need to connect with the shamanic practices of my ancient ancestors. School history lessons had led me to believe that the British Isles had been invaded so many times over thousands of years that our ancient cultural practices had been eroded out of existence. To the extent that as a teenager I noticed that contemporary Western culture presented Pagan practices such as crystal ball gazing, witchcraft, spell casting, and the use of herbs etc to the realm of fiction for entertainment purposes only.

Later in my adult life, after using many natural healing methods for my poor state of health, I had an appetite to research the history of shamanism. This led me to the work of Mircea Eliade, John G. Neihardt, Thomas E Mails, Carlos Castaneda, and Michael Harner, who in the twentieth century revealed that there are many indigenous cultures across Mother Earth still managing to hold onto their rich spiritual heritage and natural healing methods. They have done so successfully through direct oral teachings down the generations for thousands of years. As such they have some very well-tested methods for physical and mental healing accessed through altered states of consciousness through the use of psychedelic plant medicines and, more commonly, percussion sounds.

As a Shamanic Practitioner for the past four years I have been healing myself and others through a contemporary method of shamanic healing devised by my shamanic teacher, Scott Silverston who based it on the teachings he received from a Native American Shamaness in Arizona. It is similar to Harner’s Core-Shamanism in that it employs a rapid drumming beat to induce an altered state of consciousness to access Spirit Mind or Shamanic Consciousness to communicate with benevolent spirits for guidance and healing.

It wasn’t a lack of interest in ancient cultural practices from the British Isles that led me on this path, it was an interest in healing myself through spiritual practices that have been uncommon in contemporary Western society.

In their preface, the authors of Galdrbok are very dismissive about Neo-Shamanism, in particular, the work of Michael Harner:

Harner argues that ‘core shamanism’ is based on certain universal principles which can be disassociated from cultural contexts … we argue, in contrast, that Core-Shamanism is a Western ideal version of what is, in all of its examples worldwide, intrinsically culturally embedded.

This quote exhibits a lack of perspective about what Harner’s work has achieved. If we look at Neo-Shamanism as an empowering tool for Westerners to reconnect with Spirit and our Creator for much-needed healing, then the lack of cultural embeddedness is a moot point.  It simply doesn’t matter whether or not the universal principles that form Core-Shamanism are disassociated from cultural contexts if they are effective tools for healing the huge amounts of trauma and abuse that remain unhealed in the West.

Since the Romans took control of Western spirituality through their invention of Christianity, Westerners have lacked any real connection with Father Sky and Mother Earth. Religion brought fear of God and embedded the notion that we are all sinners and intrinsically unworthy of God’s love. By removing the possibility for individuals to directly connect with Spirit in favour of a hierarchical priesthood, the result has been rampant egotism that expresses itself through a culture of consumerism, misuse of sex, competitiveness, greed, lust, and total lack of care about the Earth or her animals.

Harner’s work demonstrates that indigenous tribal cultures continued certain common shamanic practices during that time, ensuring the maintenance of their direct connection to Creator for healing and optimal wellbeing. In turn, Harner brought such teachings to wider awareness in his own country of America, arguably one of the most damaged societies on Earth. In this context, I see him as a modern saint who brought the gift of shamanic healing to the unhealed masses.

The authors of Galdrbok claim:

Many people find shamanism appealing because it is perceived to be a ‘personal’, ‘free’ and ‘eclectic’ spiritual path …. But the notion that it is free and eclectic is largely a Western Stereotype imposted on shamanism as we have universalised it and removed curltural diversity from it.

However, they do not cite any research to back up this claim, which makes it simply a sweeping statement of no value.  In my informed opinion, I would say that the students of Harner and Ingerman are drawn to shamanism not as the authors say, but because it provides empowerment and a simple method of self-healing for those wishing to recover from the abuse and trauma so prevalent in our contemporary age.

Sandra Ingerman was a student of Harner and in her book ‘Soul Retrieval’ she describes how shamanic drumming enabled her to access healing for sexual abuse. I know a man whose wife never sought healing for the sexual abuse she had experienced as a teenager and the trauma caused her to become very narcissistic. Her behaviour towards him was abusive throughout his 20 loyal years with her before she finally drove him from the marriage. Had she been as motivated as Ingerman to heal her trauma it would not have been externalised and passed on to her husband and son.

Ingerman has revealed that she was initially afraid to follow the direction of her spirit guides to start writing her books.  It was by working through her blocks she became empowered to write several as well as recording a drumming CD, deliver lectures, record regular podcasts, and set up several support groups. Through her dedicated work, she has brought the ability to self-heal through simple methods to a much wider audience.

Galdrbok certainly appears to be a well-researched, scholarly record of ancient magic and spirituality, and I’m looking forward to discovering if it can provide access to individual healing to the extent that Neo-Shamanism has over recent years.

I shall make further posts as I better understand what Heathen shamanism is and what the practical use of ancient rune magick can achieve for the contemporary individual.

I have started my journey by making my own set of runes and buying a crystal ball.

I prefer to buy in-print books directly from the author or independent bookshops. Sadly, this book is only available from Amazon online but you may be able to order it from your local independent bookshop:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Galdrbok-Practical-Heathen-Runecraft-Shamanism/dp/0954960955

https://www.shamanism.org/

https://www.sandraingerman.com/

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