Evelyn C. Rysdyk - Spirit Walking: A Course in Shamanic Power

Evelyn Rysdyk brings the reader face to face with the bones of realityhow it works in this Middle Worldand how the practice of shamanism helps us to live in good relationship with All That Is. Embracing the venerable worldview of shamanism, she compassionately guides readers on their own journey of discovery and empowerment within the reality of an ensouled Universe. Spirit Walking is comprehensive and inspiringEvelyn's outstanding artistry is evocatively expressed through her writings as well as images. A most worthy read!

Nan Moss and David Corbin, authors of Weather Shamanism:
Harmonizing Our Connection with the Elements

What I love about reading Evelyn Rysdyk is her ability to combine ancient lore with modern science so seamlessly that you would swear you can't have one without the other. With the lyrical voice of an artist she taps into our memories of old, forgotten ways and helps us understand them in terms of the latest findings in physics, psychology, and ecology. She is a wonderful guide for spirit walking between the worlds. Walk with her.

Tom Cowan, author of Fire in the Head and Yearning
for the Wind

In our ever-changing world many people feel lost and isolated within their lives. Through Spirit Walking Evelyn Rysdyk uses her grace and gifts to help shift our connection to the earth, each other and ourselves, building the foundation for life in a new and different world. She is an exceptional writer, artist, healer and human being.

Joan Emmons, publisher of Inner Tapestry

Life is a sacred work... How easy it is to forget that in the rush of daily life! And how wonderful it is when a book like this comes along, not only reminding us of our deepest sense of connection and purpose, but offering wise guidance to help us get back to it.

Hillary S. Webb, author of Traveling between the Worlds:
Conversations with Contemporary Shamans

An inspiring and critically important work, this book helps you use all of the spiritual tools and connections you were born with, but most likely forgot. Spirit Walking clearly explains what shamanism is and does, while teaching in a concise, step-by-step, fashion how to bring this way of being into your everyday life. I loved that I could feel the profound wisdom of many years of experience flow through Evelyn's writing in such a personal way. It feels like she is teaching you directly, with all her deeply rooted energy and spirit guided words. Whether you are new to shamanism, or are living this way of life already, you will find this book a valuable resource. At a time when life can seem so crazy, we need to become Spirit Walkers now, more than ever!

Colleen Deatsman, author of The Hollow Bone: A Field
Guide to Shamanism and Seeing in the Dark: Claim Your Own
Shamanic Power Now and in the Coming Age

Evelyn Rysdyk has written an invaluable shamanic resource that is at once expansive and concise. She shares her deep wisdom with humility and great generosity of spirit.

Mama Donna Henes, urban shaman, author and spirituality
columnist for the Huffington Post, Beliefnet, and UPI

First published in 2013 by Weiser Books

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

With offices at:

665 Third Street, Suite 400

San Francisco, CA 94107

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 2013 by Evelyn Rysdyk

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

All illustrations, photographs and text Evelyn Rysdyk unless otherwise noted.

ISBN: 978-1-57863-541-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data available upon request

Cover design by Jim Warner

Cover image: Drumming at the Edge of the Cosmos, digital art Evelyn Rysdyk, with special thanks to Sven Geier, www.sgeier.net, for his Kappa Space fractal Interior by Dutton & Sherman

Typeset in Sabon and Frutiger text and Nueva display

Printed in the United States of America

MAL

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1992 (R1997).

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I n the Western world we try to think our way out of problems; we attempt to come up with a plan. The trouble is, the problems we have created in this worldwar, greed, inequality of resources, feelings of scarcity, and fearare often beyond a rational plan of action. We need to look both deeper and further for answers.

When we take time to reflect deeply on our lives, we notice that often an invisible hand, the divine, the spiritual forces of the universe have brought us out of a dark place into a place of healing or one where good things start to manifest. Those spiritual forces know how to create the transformation we are seeking. The more we can call in spirit and let it move in ways that are beyond our rational comprehension, the more we open the doorway for this to happen, both on a personal and planetary level. This is the way of the shaman.

In Spirit Walking: A Course in Shamanic Power, Evelyn Rysdyk brilliantly shares with us a means of practicing shamanism and tapping into this powerful ancient tradition for guidance and healing. Rather than focusing our thoughts and our imaginations on our challenges and troubles, which only ends up feeding them, we must practice using our imaginations to dream about a world that embraces love, peace, light, abundance, and equality for all. We must dream it into being. In Spirit Walking, Evelyn teaches you how to do just that.

Spirit Walking addresses how when we step into the imaginal world of the shaman we discover a true richness of life. We learn how to once again regain the depth of senses, to hear our inner music, and to remember the preciousness of life. We start to wake up from the collective trance that keeps us from experiencing our deep inner world. And as we strengthen our connection to spirit and begin to create a new fabric of reality in the invisible realms, we begin to see it manifest into the physical world to replace all that is unraveling.

In this book Evelyn walks you through many practices that will connect you with the world of spirit and give you ways to call on the spirits for help. She brings a fresh perspective to the work by showing how the latest findings in quantum physics are verifying what the shamans have always known, namely that all matter is energy, that all matter has consciousness, and that we are all connected in a far more intricate web of energy and spirit than we have been led to believe. She shares powerful stories of shamans from a variety of cultures such as Nepalese, Tuvan, the Ulchi from Siberia, and from Peru. She helps us see how we can learn from indigenous teachers and integrate shamanic practices into our own lives. What I especially appreciate about Evelyn is that she is not a voyeur. It's easy to think we can simply copy what indigenous shamans do and get the same results. But of course that's not the way things work. Evelyn knows that deeply. She has delved into the practices herself and has made them her own, and she will show you how to walk a path that is enriched by the ways of the shaman and still authentic to your life and experience.