A spiritual crisis sent Orthodox rabbi Gershon Winkler to remote regions of the Southwest, where he studied with Native American healers. From them he began to recover the long-lost wisdom of what he calls "Aboriginal Judaism": the religion's tribal roots. This book tracks his personal journey and draws from a dazzling mix of sources to detail the surprising connections between two seemingly unrelated religions.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Roots of my Roots of my Roots:
I've been a student of shamanism for almost 20 years, and have recently been integrating the shamanic way of being and healing into my work as a massage therapist, and in my human relationships. In shamanic practice we've got to get our ancestors and helping spirits on board with our work in the world. My ancestors were Christian, and were highly critical of shamanic methods. Christianity is deeply rooted in Judaism, and Judaism has a rich tradition of shamanic practice which grew out of even older cultures... more info
Crazy-Wise:
This book can best be described as crazy-wise. Completely defying the historic trends within Judaism for the past several hundred years, trends toward more philosophical, rational modes of thinking, Winkler plunges back into Jewish tribal origins. While his re-reading of Jewish sources may seem eccentric at times, he is not making this stuff up, merely viewing them with an archly-shamanistic POV. His refusal to embrace Christian-derived "spirituality" that, overtly or covertly, devalues earthly physicality... more info
Judaism...the next 2000 years.:
Rabbi Winkler is doing an amazing thing for Judaism. If it weren't for his writings on what the "Hebrews" really were/are/could be, I think I would have simply left my Judaism behind. But I am so thankful that this scholar and spirit has done the work he has done. In this book, he shows how Judaism is full of rituals, ideas, practices, and teachings that fit under the category "shamanic." He talks about how Judaism is a path very much in touch with the natural world around us, all creatures, the heavenly... more info
Excellent!:
First of all, I will say I am not Jewish. My background is Baptist. I enjoy reading books which give me a more thorough understanding of scripture, and this one does. Reading this book feels like a remembering of information I have known in my deepest heart. Winkler's explanation of scripture passages, interspersed with story and quotes from ancient rabbis is masterful and intriguing. My copy is now heavily underlined for study, and I recommend it heartily.
