Rosalyn Greene - The Magic of Shapeshifting: An Astrology Book For Beginners

First published in 2000 by

SAMUEL WEISER, INC.

P. O. Box 612

York Beach, ME 03910-0612

www.weiserbooks.com

Copyright 2000 Rosalyn Greene

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 Samuel Weiser, Inc.

Reviewers may quote brief passages.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Greene, Rosalyn.

The magic of shapeshifting / Rosalyn Greene.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-57863-171-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. MetamorphosisMiscellanea. 2. AnimalsMiscellanea. 3. Magic. I. Title: Magic of shapeshifting. II. Title.

BF1623.M47 G74 2000

133dc21

00026121

EB

Typeset in 11/15 Adobe Garamond

Cover and text design by Kathryn Sky-Peck

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

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).

Moria, Brownie, Laura, Becky, Chris, and all the others I wish I could thank here. To those who've taught me everything, and labored, questioned, and wondered along with me at the strange and wondrous things life brings us. Thank you, for without all of you, there could be no book.

T his book is about people who possess animal medicinepeople who can draw on animal power. Certain animal people are often called shifters because of their ability to shift into their power animal or totem, astrally, mentally, or in some other way. This ranges from those shifters who practice shifting spirit journeys and those who work with familiars and animal spirit guides, to berserkers, mental shifters, and even, some say, physical shifters. All of these types of animal-people would probably have been called werewolves or something comparable if they had lived in more primitive times. In fact, the phenomena associated with them is probably what started many of these legends.

In this sense, werewolves, as well as werebears, werecats, werefoxes, and many other were-species do still exist in modern times. They are certainly not the type of werewolves depicted in modern novels and movies. In fact, they are not quite the kind of werewolves depicted in most folklore either, because the folklore is warped by misunderstandings of the basic phenomena.

I have had the good fortune to know quite a number of shifters in this life. I, myself, am a mental and astral shifter, and I believe that I was a physical shifter in a former life. By drawing on these sources of information, as well as on studies of the paranormal and of shapeshifting folklore, I have produced this book. I cannot guarantee that it is accurate in every particular, but it certainly presents an accurate view both of what shifters believe about themselves and of modern shifter culture.

I have done my best to present the evidence for every type of shifting, and to explain why shifters themselves believe it. The curious reader can easily research many of the same sources that I have used, for I've made an effort to show how all shifting phenomena is rather closely related to other esoteric phenomena, phenomena that is well-documented, and that is believed by many people.

In this book, I have described different kinds of shifters, where they come from, how ordinary people can become shifters, and how weak shapeshifters can become stronger, more regular shapeshifters. I show how to get in touch with your own animal side and your animal spirit guide, and how to produce shifts. I show what magic and techniques are related to shapeshifting, how to choose and train a familiar, and what your familiar can do for you. I tell you what to expect if you do become a shifter, the most common problems you may encounter, and their solutions. I show you how to find a pack, or organize one yourself, and tell you about modern shifting society. I also show you how to distinguish powerful visions, anxiety attacks, and your own imagination from real shifting and the warning signs of an immanent shift.

There are very few comprehensive and reliable sources of information on shapeshifting, although there are many people in need of this information. With the back-to-nature movement and other trends, more and more people are discovering their dormant animal side awakening, but don't know what is happening to them or what to do about it. I hope that this book is a guide and a blessing for shifters everywhere, helping them to understand themselves and helping the world to better understand shifters.

This book is meant to be a compilation of the beliefs and practices of modern shifters. It goes into detail on these beliefs and practices, but it should not be viewed as a source of expert advice for those who wish to follow such practices. It should only be viewed as a source of information and as a collection of rough introductory guidelines, insights, and questions for those who follow such practices.

There are dangers and risks, both mundane and psychic, associated with some of these practices, especially with salves or poisonous herbs. Those who intend to follow the path of a shifter, or who are already on it and wish to go farther, should assess these risks wisely and know that, if they choose to take these risks, they themselves are responsible for any bad effects. At no point in this book do I advise anyone to undertake any practice that may be risky. I merely compile information on these practices and introduce guidelines for those who already intend to pursue these practices.

Concerning those practices that are risky, I have done my best to outline the dangers involved, but the reader should keep in mind that my primary purpose has been to record the beliefs and practices of the shifter movement. There may easily be risks of which I am not aware. Those who decide to follow any of the practices outlined in this book, whether I warn of risks or not, are themselves responsible for any trouble in which they might find themselves.

If you are of unstable physical or mental health, you should not engage in these practices. Again and again throughout this book, I have emphasized that strong physical health is a baseline requirement for following the path of a shifter, and that strong mental health is necessary to successfully navigate the depths of your animal self and subconscious, and of integrating these with your conscious self. Only certain people are ready to follow the path of the shifter, and even these have no guarantee that they will not find themselves in trouble.

ROSALYN GREENE

CHAPTER

D id werewolves ever exist? If so, were they anything like what we know about them from the main source of the modern werewolf stereotype: movies and novels? The answer, I believe, is yes to the first question, and not exactly, but sort of to the second.

Consider these events: In the recent past, a young anthropologist named Carlos Castaneda agreed to become apprenticed to an American Indian shaman. In the course of his apprenticeship, he experienced many impossible things, including transforming into a crow.How many others have experienced transformations like Castaneda's? How many similar events have occurred about which no books were written? Judging from the similarity of Carlos' account to the shapeshifting folklore of the region, I would say that quite a few people may have had similar experiences.