Book Nook

The latest book sent to me by Hay House for review was Deborah King's Be Your Own Shaman. Intrigued yet skeptical (due to a less than great experience with an energy healer), I began reading immediately to find out what I could learn from the book that promised to 'heal yourself and others with 21st century energy medicine.' Could I really do that just from reading less than 200 pages?  

King takes you on a journey within yourself while sharing pertinent information about her background and experience.  Sharing her personal story of early abuse, striving to be and look perfect (what she terms her 'size 2 period') and her remission from cancer was powerful. Although my own experiences have been quite different, I felt an instant connection to the author.

Emanating from the pages of the book was my own personal coach/guru providing me with valuable information in healing and practical exercises to aid me in the adventure ahead.  Far from being a quick fix or an instant healer, King's sincerity in what is involved in becoming a healer (of self and others) is evident throughout, as she documents both her failures and what she learned from them to create her greatest triumphs.  She even gives valuable warnings of what to avoid when choosing to work with an energy healer (information that I wish I had possessed years ago!).  

If you are intrigued by the idea of energy medicine and fancy delving deeper into your own psyche, I highly recommend picking up a copy Be Your Own Shaman.  I'll certainly be utilizing the information in this book for years to come.

Recently a book arrived on my doorstep that I found so helpful, so honest, and full of amazing tools. This book, Be Your Own Shaman, by Deborah King, brings the reader through some of the most interesting aspects of healing. You will learn how you can utilize healing energy for yourselves and those you love.

Although I have read many books on this topic, I found the approach fresh and exciting. Beginning by discussing what energy medicine is, Deborah comfortably walks the reader through well defined and easily understood mechanisms through which healing may occur and how to understand ones energy field. As we move through the book I enjoyed the depth of history that is brought forward in the stories of healers like that of Mary Baker Eddy, Agnes Sanford & Kathryn Kuhlman, whom all lived in the early 1900’s. Deborah’s truth and personality, as well as her personal stories are woven into the fabric of the chapters bringing a greater understanding to each tool, each idea.

On several occasions I now find myself bringing practices from the book into my daily life, such as the sweeping breath of recapitulation. Often times when we are processing an emotion or event we become so connected to it that its difficult to release it, I found the sweeping breath technique amazingly effective at assisting with the releasing.

Along the shamanic journey there is so much rich information, to try to contain it all in a book is a very large task – one of which I feel is achieved in this 21st century approach. I especially appreciate the chapter on Initiation in which Deborah brings to light some important questions and answers on what happens after a step up into the next level of consciousness. For those one the spiritual journey I am sure you have had moments where you could feel yourself making a big shift, followed by a difficult time where it feels as though your guides and the universe are not as easily accessible. This is part of a natural cycle and rhythm, as are the physical changes that occur after an initiation. I have often felt a surge of heat move through my body as I worked with certain clients. Hearing from an outside source what I knew to be truth, helped me more fully understand how higher levels of healing and energy affect our physical bodies.

When reading Be Your Own Shaman, there are so many truths and wise teachings within the words, I would recommend reading this book through a couple times, your thinking mind will love the rich content and your spirit and soul will enjoy the reemergence of truth and understanding. I feel very blessed to have been able to read this wonderful book and work with Deborah King through her writing.

While looking at books, from Hay House publishing, that I could review next, this book by Deborah King caught my attention. For many years, I've heard the words "energy medicine" and "shaman" and have been curious to know more about them. Because of my curiosity, the title of this book, Be Your Own Shaman: Heal Yourself and Others with 21st Century Energy Medicine, inspired me to want to read it and review it. 

Have you ever wondered what energy medicine is and how it can help people heal? I know I've wondered for some time now and this book was able to answer some of my questions.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the introduction because in it I got a chance to know a little about Deborah King, how she defines what it means to be a shaman, and also how she became interested in energy medicine. Deborah King discovered energy medicine when she was diagnosed with cancer in her 20s. She tells how it helped her and why she decided to become a healer herself.

Deborah King says, "One reason I use the term shaman, which can also be defined as a person who acts as an intermediary between the human world and spirit worlds  — between the natural and supernatural — is that it encapsulates the idea that everything in our universe is connected. We are all linked — to each other, to the physical world of our senses, and to the world beyond that we aren't able to see."

There is a quote from Louise Hay on the book's front cover that also contributed to my decision to review this book:

"Be Your Own Shaman is an excellent book. It will take you deep within yourself and allow you to connect with life in a totally different way. Anyone seeking the path of the healer needs to read this book. I loved it."
— Louise L. Hay

Now that I've read the book, I agree with what Louise Hay says – this book does change how we look at life and healing. It really does take you deep within yourself. You'll see what I mean when you read it.

Reading this book also made me curious to read Deborah King's first book, Truth Heals. After taking a look at it online, I've decided I would like to read it as well.

As Deborah King says:
"I'm sure you have something you want to heal. We all do. Your health, your weight, your finances, a relationship – or even the lack of one. And maybe you not only want to heal the parts of your life that are dysfunctional, but you are also intrigued, as I was, by the idea of being able to help others. The fascinating thing is that these two goals, healing yourself and healing others, are inextricably linked: in the process of learning to facilitate healing in others, you yourself become healed. It's actually impossible for you to study energy medicine without experiencing positive change yourself."

Later in the book, Deborah King says:
"In addition to learning healing techniques, becoming your own shaman is dependent upon your clarity. Once you're clear within yourself, you can be a clear channel for others."

To get this kind of clarity, she suggests the following five practices:
1. Journaling
2. Meditation
3. Prayer
4. Forgiveness
5. Being of service

For each of the five practices there are helpful suggestions and ideas for how to do them. For journaling, she had several suggestions for making it work best for you. The suggestions for journaling remind me of doing my "Morning Pages" so I could really relate to that part.

I agree with what Deborah King said about journaling: "In essence to truly be strong and joyful we have to live in truth. Journal writing helps us do that."

In this book, there is a wonderful Hawaiian clearing technique that is said to activate forgiveness. It is like a prayer, or mantra with the words, "I'm sorry. Forgive me. I love you. Thank you."

Just recently I had heard those words during an interview with Joe Vitale by Lisa Garr. Joe Vitale said you can say the words in any order. (He was talking about you saying it to yourself – as well as to others or God.) Because Joe said you could do it in any order, I tried various ways and it seems true to me as well. For example you could say, "I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you." But I think I like it best when I say, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you! Thank you." It seems to me this book can also help us stay healthy by reminding us of the power of forgiveness – for others and ourselves.

It seems to me this book can also help us stay healthy by reminding us of the power of forgiveness – for others and ourselves.

I am glad Hay House sent me a copy of this book to review. I am glad to have read it and have it as part of my personal library.

Whether you know what energy medicine is or not – whether you know what it means to "be a shaman" or not – this book will enlighten you, entertain you, and inspire you. And perhaps it will help you to heal your own life and help people you love as well.

If you're curious about energy medicine – and how to be your own shaman – get a copy of this book!

What a lovely, informative book. This is healer Deborah King’s second book, and in the midst of reading it for review, I hopped onto Amazon to buy her first. Being an energy healer myself, I was fascinated by her story, her healing, and her process.

For those of us who heal with energy “energy is the medicine,” Ms. King affirms, and she’s right. On an energetic level, “[a]ll disease can be healed.” The book takes us through her own healing journey, as well as gives bountiful guidelines for our own.

Integrity is one of the great issues for healers of all kinds, and Ms. King, like the rest of us, gets her various comeuppances, and comes through them with humility and grace. She has trained with Christian healers, an unidentified Mystery School, and shamans all over the world. An attorney by training when she started, she began to own her own shadow, as we all must.

Through journaling, diligent meditation, prayer, forgiveness, and being of service she walks her talk through consistent spiritual practice, Ms. King began to learn to heal herself and others. She works often and adeptly with the human chakra system, an elegant way to organize energy medicine.

Whilst there are some very dramatic stories in the book, I appreciated how much she shared of her own healing journey. No one becomes a healer without first healing herself; that’s a powerful message in this book, and one that all healers need. Toward the end of the book, she mentioned her own 21^st Century Energy Medicine training a little too often for my taste, but I’m willing to bet that it’s the real deal.

The chapter on Psychic Warfare is one of the best I’ve ever read. The Sweeping Breath exercise to recapitulate, I’d say reclaim, lost and rejected pieces of the self works wonders. I tried it immediately and was healed of a lifelong resistance.

“Walking the path of a healer has its ups and downs, as does any path that explores the bright lights and dense shadows of the body and psyche.” We must all deal with our own shadow, and those of others. Learning to trust yourself goes a long way toward both healing and curing with 21^st century energy medicine.

From the beginning of this book Deborah King challenges the reader's boundaries and understandings of what it means to be a shaman and how to be a shaman. "So what does it mean to be a shaman today? Is it someone who wears a feathered headdress, shakes a rattle, and dances around a fire to the beating of drums as he communes with an invisible world of spirits? It could be. But did you know that the sweet little old church lady with blue hair and clothes from the 1950s could be a shaman to?" In Deborah King's context she uses the word "shaman" to mean "a healer." In her words, " someone who expands his or her consciousness and conducts healing energy to help others resolve whatever is ailing them on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual planes."

Her book is the starting point and a guide for understanding this type of healing. We must start with ourselves first. She writes from the belief that "everyone one of us is a natural born self-healer--those abilities are there within us, even if they've been dormant. Our task, then, is to learn how to access and use them." And that is the basis for this book: to provide an understanding and practice in how to access and use energy medicine to heal ourselves. Learning about the chakras, of which most of us are familiar at least with the word, is only the beginning of what she covers in this book. Deborah King takes the reader much deeper into energy medicine and provides exercises to start or continue the reader's personal healing journey. Along with all of this, Deborah King intersperses her own story which makes all the information much more accessible.

One of my favorite parts of this book is her chapter on "Healing Through the Ages." I love history but it was both surprising and fascinating to learn the roots of energy healing. Deborah King has also included an index which I find invaluable.

I have started a second reading of this book because there was so much material that I found fascinating. This book is a "keeper." I zoomed through the first reading of this book because of the way Deborah King writes. It is personal, accessible and informative: an unusual combination. This book would be a good read for those in the beginning stages of understanding energy medicine but I believe it would also be useful for people who have already delved deeply into energy medicine. Thank you to Hay House Publishing for sending me this book at no charge. It is another great tool on my journey.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of Deborah King’s new book “Be Your Own Shaman”.  Coming from a fundamentalist Christian upbringing a word like “Shaman” made me wonder “is this some strange occult book?”  And while I now have a much more liberal spiritual orientation my first impression was that King’s book could be on the fringe side.

My impressions changed in the first few pages.  “So what does it mean to be a shaman today?” King writes in the introduction.   “Is it someone who wears a feathered headdress, shakes a rattle, and dances around a fire to the beating of drums as he communes with an invisible world of spirits?  It could be.  But did you know that the sweet little old church lady with blue hair and clothes from the 1950's could be a shaman, too?”

King goes on to define a shaman to mean “a healer – someone who expands his or her consciousness and conducts healing energy to help others resolve whatever is ailing them on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual planes … a person who acts as an intermediary between the human world and spirit worlds – between the natural and supernatural.”

By that definition I’ve encountered many “shamans” in my life – the minister in the church down the street, the therapist, the inspirational author, and others.  Far from being an exotic practice, shamanism is another term for something very commonplace.  I now take the term “shaman” to mean a healer who brings spirituality into his or her work.

“Real healing power is inside you,” King writes,  “it just needs to be awakened, nurtured, and practiced.  You can be your own shaman, and this book will start you on your way.”  She goes on to describe the many healing practices she has experienced in her life.  Her background is varied; she spent time with both Christian and New Age healers.  I never thought I’d see charismatic faith healer Kathryn Kuhlman and Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy mentioned in the same sentence. King describes how she studied both women extensively and saw similarities.

While I found the theological insights interesting, “Be Your Own Shaman” is primarily a practical book.  King shares various healing techniques with readers.  One forgiveness approach she describes, the Hawaiian ho pi’no pi’no, I tried myself.  An internal process where you think of a person who has wronged you in the past and apply this method, I felt lighter and freer after practicing it a few times.  It worked!

The author’s words about meditation also spoke to me.  Earlier this month I wrote about how I kept reading about the value of this practice, and how that motivated me to start meditating daily myself.  King gave me more encouragement.  She writes “the surest way to heightened consciousness is meditation” describing it as “the single greatest thing I’ve ever done for myself.  Meditation puts us in the present, completely relaxes the body and mind, and takes away stress.”

Other techniques King describes I wasn’t as open to – such as observing the movement of a pendulum as you hold it over the different chakra points of your body.  But she writes “You will always know when something does or doesn’t feel right for you, as healing is simply a natural extension of being in right relationship with yourself and the natural world.”   The reader can pick and choose from the many spiritual practices King described in the book based on his or her own intuition.

In the concluding pages King writes “The path of the healer is not clear-cut;  there are no memos to tell you what to do and no course laid out in stone to follow.  There are simply hints and glimmers of what lies ahead, whispers in the night, a voice in the wind as it calls your name.”

“Be Your Own Shaman” gives us some “hints and glimpses” into the ways of the Spirit.  The book opened my awareness to many new approaches; some felt strange but others resonated with me immediately.  King does excellent job in making an esoteric topic understandable to the reader.  It’s a book worth reading for spiritual seekers looking for new ways to heal themselves and others.

This is a well written book in which the author, Deborah King, takes the readier through her journey as a 21st century energy master healer.

The book begins by explaining Energy Medicine and gives informative tips and exercises to educate the reader how they may participate in being their own healer. It discusses how illness sometimes occurs via toxic emotions and repressed incidents through out life. The book gives practical steps to explore areas of your life in an educational and inspirational way.

This informative masterpiece even delves into the history of those that have used energy healing through out time. Jesus being mentioned at the master healer is first discussed but the list is long and intriguing with a majority of them being women.

Deborah King takes you on a journey through her life by beginning as a sexually abused child through becoming a lawyer diagnosed with cancer which began a thirst and desire for her search for her higher self in the role of an Energy Healer.

The author studies several different styles of healing from all types of sects from Christian practice to the depths of Brazil with John of God the renowned spiritual healer. The list is long of her experiences with different techniques and the reader realizes her expertise and knowledge she has gained from them.

This is a great book and is not only entertaining and easy to read but is a valuable resource for everyone in order to better themselves and open their heart and mind to learning to heal through the power of God and becoming his instrument of love and healer.

I will continue to read this book over and over and no doubt will keep finding wonderful treasures to apply to my life to learn about my motivations and to heal myself of contaminated emotion and negative energy.

I’ve learned there is also a work book that accompanies this book and I will be ordering that so I can use it with my daily meditation and study.