The SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW

Book Description

In April 1982, ethnobotanist Wade Davis arrived in Haiti to investigate two documented cases of zombis -- people who had reappeared in Haitian society years after they had been officially declared dead and had been buried. Drawn into a netherworld of rituals and celebrations, Davis penetrated the vodoun mystique deeply enough to place zombification in its proper context within vodoun culture. In the course of his investigation, Davis came to realize that the story of vodoun is the history of Haiti -- from the African origins of its people to the successful Haitian independence movement, down to the present day, where vodoun culture is, in effect, the government of Haiti's countryside.

The Serpent and the Rainbow combines anthropological investigation with a remarkable personal adventure to illuminate and finally explain a phenomenon that has long fascinated Americans.

Customer Reviews:

The Destruction Of Eurocentric Myths And Lies.......2007-02-08

An international best-seller that was published in 10 languages, Harvard ethnobiologist Wade Davis destroys the Eurocentric preconceptions and lies about the nature of zombies and voodoo practices in Haitian culture.

Davis weaves his journey with history, customs and beliefs as he seeks to discover the drug compounds and folk preparations for the zombie-making voodoo practices. He befriends a Voudon and the chemicals he finds prove to be of value to the field of anesthesiology.

Zombiefication, Davis writes, condemns a law-breaker to eternal slavery and is administered as part of a complex, local judicial system. It is truly eternal damnation.

The story is compelling and Davis is successful in making the reader better comprehend and appreciate the rich Haitian heritage and traditions. The book is one of the best I ever read.

Skip the movie, please.......2006-09-07

Dr. Davis did a great job scientifically speaking about the book. The book is NOTHING like the silly movie in the 1990's. Davis talked vividly about how a "zombie" may be "created". The book also mentions Papa Max Beauvoir who used have the Temple of Yahwe in Washington, D.C. Boy do I miss him (Beauvoir)

LAD

Nothing like the movie..two entirely different stories!.......2006-07-28

After seeing the movie "Serpent and the Rainbow", I sought out the novel to gain a deeper appreciation for what happened to Wade Davis in Haiti. To my surprise, the movie had only about 2% in common with what happened in the book. To my surprise, Wade's actual encounters with the Haitians was mostly friendly and congenial. His life was never threated, he never was interrogated or tortured by the government there. He never had a metal spike nailed into his leg. He was never zombified and resurrected. In fact, he is treated exceptionally well despite the fact that he is there to try to uncover medical secrets of which, if successful, the Haitians would probably never see one penny of reward from. The movie had a lot of suspense, mystery and supernatural occurences. Aside from Wade seeing some ceremonial "possessions",the book does not. Wade is after the Zombi medicine, he is shown how to make it, he returns with a sample and it is verified. End of story, or it should have been. The book should have stopped there. After Wade returns to Haiti to try to see a Zombi resurrected, the text just bogs down in a slow history lesson of Haiti and its secret societies and lacks a climax of any kind.
In closing, the book and the movie are two completely different stories, and should be treated as such. I can certainly understand if Wade Davis was upset over his story was taken by Hollywood and made so sensational and untrue!

The book has no pictures or even line drawings. It makes extensive use of Haitian vocabulary, but thankfully has a small glossary in the back for reference. It has quite a few scientific terms and medical terminology to describe the actions and chemistry of the Zombi powder. Many of these terms are also in the glossary. It redefines a Zombi as a person who, under the influence of this powder, now lacks the ability to form a thought or initiative. They are used as slaves to work the land. They dont kill or do the evil bidding of some dark master, nor do they eat flesh. People aren't really scared of the Zombis that wander around, they are more afraid of being turned into one.

I would really like to know what became of the research that was done of the Zombi powders that Wade brought back for analysis-are their components being used by medicine today? was it a breakthrough? who is profiting from it all? a little follow-up is needed here!

Journey into another land!.......2005-09-13

I am halfway through this book and I have to stop reading it for a while. Not because it is bad, but because it is so much better than I thought it would be! I can honestly say that I will be sad once I finish this book. Wade Davis writes with such a poetic vigor that I find myself falling in love with his words. His descriptions of Haiti and the people that inhabit the strange world of Haiti are so beautiful that I have found myself in awe several times while reading this book.

Wade Davis takes the readers on a journey through the deep secret society of the Voudon culture, which unfortunately has been ravaged by Hollywood's typical cliché voodoo movies. I was surprised to learn that voodoo is nothing like it is made out to be in the movies. Davis paints a moving and interesting portrait of the history of Haiti, as well as the history of the Voudon culture, which accounts for much of the country even though the national religion is Roman Catholic.

When Davis begins getting into the pharmacological and ethnobotany aspects of the book, he does so in a way that is not confusing. All the while, he provides historical information and stories that tie into the explanations of the different plants and especially the puffer fish, which I will be staying away from thanks to Wade Davis! I have learned so many interesting facts and gathered so much historical information, and the book is really worth the price just for those lessons alone.

The only thing that I do not like so far is the descriptions of the animal testing that they performed on rats and rhesus monkeys. I had to force myself to read those pages and that is because I have personal convictions regarding animal testing. Even Mr. Davis admitted to feeling some discomfort while seeing what the effects of the "zombi poison" would do to them. This does not take away from the overall feel of the book, and is the only reason why I gave it four stars.

The Ends Justify the Means?.......2003-12-08

The author takes us on his own macho trip to find the truth about Haitian zombies, prying his way into the ceremonial temples called "hounfours" where dancers in trance hold fire to their lips and are not harmed. Financed by academic money, Davis made a number of trips to the island and managed to uncover much information about the practice of what we call "voodoo" and specifically about the making of zombies. Yes, there really are zombies, people supposedly dead and buried, but who emerge from the grave to become mindless slaves. How is this accomplished?

By buying his way into the favor of various "houngans," the author appears to have found the answer. As an ethnobotanist, the author has the knowledge and skills to determine if the various wierd ingredients (ground human bones, lizards and toads, various plants, etc) actually have any pharmacological basis for causing a simulation of death and/or subsequent "resurrection." While he watched as the houngans prepared the powder, he noted there were different formulas used, but each contained some of the same ingredients, and those could produce a death-like effect.

As I read this book, by the middle of it I found I did not like the author's methods nor much like the author; he blithely lied to people numerous times to get what he wanted, and the preparations he brought back were used on hapless rhesus monkeys to test their potency. In order to get at the methods and reasons for creating zombies, the author had to finally adopt a Haitian mind-set that brought conflicts with his Harvard Sophisticated background. It turns out that people are not snatched at random to be turned into zombies, but rather the practice is part of the fabric of Haitian culture, which, reflecting the African origins of its people, is actually governed by interlocking secret societies. The legal government could not exist without the consent of these societies, which are generally headed by houngans. The zombie "poison" is used on people who break what appear to be perfectly reasonable rules, and only after a judgment by their peers in which they have a chance to defend themselves.

The author ultimately finds that it is the beliefs -- the "magic" -- that makes the zombifiction possible. The powders he brings back to his civilized laboratories are crucial to the process, but it is the web of cultural beliefs that allow it to happen. As I got further into the book, I was glad the author finally saw that the best thing he could do is back off and recognize that he is not Haitian and he cannot penetrate the ultimate secrets of Haitian culture. I thought he went too far in buying his way into knowledge best left for those who can understand it. Some of his travels around the island were for tasks that were not well explained. Was he on a personal quest, a scientific mission, or just a traveler soaking up the local color?

The book provides much information on how Haiti came to be. I was surprised by the information that for 100 years Haiti was the only black-led nation. The history of the slave uprising is fascinating. Haitian culture is essentially African because the slave turnover was so great and many who participated in the final revolt had been born in Africa.

This book, while worthwhile for what it reveals about Haiti, made me think about the excesses of science in pursuit of knowledge. The Haitian people, through their interaction with the author, have proven that not all knowledge comes from logical discovery. The dancers who gyrate to the drums in trance and serve the loas do not need an explanation of why the fire does not burn them. Perhaps we do not need an explanation either.

Average customer rating:

Genuine Book with Meaty Content

Don't waste your money

Rejuvenating and Empowering Sexual Practice

This book empowers women

Extremely Valuable Collection of Spiritual Practices

Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy: The Rainbow Serpent of the Toltecs
Merilyn Tunneshende
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sex Instruction | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Shamanism | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Twilight Language of the Nagual: The Spiritual Power of Shamanic Dreaming

Don Juan and the Power of Medicine Dreaming: A Nagual Woman's Journey of Healing

The Art of Stalking Parallel Perception: The Living Tapestry of Lujan Matus

The Sorcerer's Crossing: A Woman's Journey (Arkana)

The Witch's Dream: A Healer's Way of Knowledge (Arkana)

ASIN: 1879181630
Release Date: 2001-04-01

Amazon.com

A title such as Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy can be misleading. Those expecting a smooth manual that reads like a Joy to Toltec Sex will be sorely disappointed. On the other hand, those hoping for an ambitious discussion of the shape shifting, trances, energy scanning, and archetypal imagery that characterize Toltec sexuality will be deeply gratified. Like the famous writer Carlos Castaneda, who introduced Toltec teachings to the greater world, Merilyn Tunneshende often shifts into dream-like narratives. For example, in a passage where she discusses the sensual power of nature, Tunneshende recounts a trance under the guidance of her shaman and teacher. Lying beneath a mesquite tree, she has a vision that she is "moving through the interior of the plant, much like a whole egg moves through the body of a snake when swallowed." When she arrived at the base of the plant, "a trumpeting white flower sprouted from my head and my ovaries turned in on themselves...." Fortunately, the closing of every chapter is grounded with concise, easy-to-follow exercises, such as how to draw upon and release sexual energy in nature or how to perform "fire breath" to raise sexual energy in the body. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

â€¢ The secret sexual energy practices of Toltec-Mayan shamans revealed at last.

â€¢ The author studied with don Juan Matus and the same circle of Nagual sorcerers who taught Carlos Castenada.

â€¢ Offers specific step-by-step instructions for mastering the ancient sexual techniques that lead to spiritual transformation.

Readers of Carlos Casteneda have often complained that his work in ancient Meso-american shamanism never covered sexual practices beyond celibacy. With his death in 1998 it seemed that these practices might never be revealed, but fortunately Merilyn Tunneshende has stepped in. Set against the backdrop of the golden deserts of Sonora, Mexico, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy recounts Tunneshende's initiation into the ancient sexual energy practices of the Toltec-Mayan tradition. Under the tutelage of don Juan Matus, Chon Yakil (whom Castenada referred to as Don Genaro), and dona Celestina de la Soledad, she learns to reclaim her feminine power and balance the masculine and feminine forces within herself.

At the heart of the book is the mythical Rainbow Serpent: the phallic energy within women, the creative power within men. Each chapter focuses on a particular technique for awakening the serpent and connecting with its energy. Twenty-two sequential practices are covered, providing a powerful program for serious spiritual transformation.

Customer Reviews:

Genuine Book with Meaty Content.......2007-04-27

First and foremost, yes she uses many names from the Castaneda series and some termonology. I have read on websites about her claims against Castaneda. I am not sure what to make of it. The characters are very inconsistent with the characters from the Castaneda series.

Yet I have to point out that when one stalks and is inaccessible. Each person that encounters them could indeed see a completely different personality. If Don Juan Matus is an open book and concrete in behavior then that is incredibly accessible. A Man of Knowledge doesn't aim to shroud himself in mystery. By being inaccessible this happens on its own.

I myself do believe Castaneda became incredibly unbalanced in his latter years. In the book he seems more like an educated idiot, a mouthpeice for Don Juan rather than the next Nagual.

This book's content, besides who the words actually came from, is extremely real and valuable. Nothing in it is fluff bunny if the reader knows what they are reading. Although it comes across as a novice book, it is not. She talks about the true mechanics of dreaming and the double.
Her energy is very balanced. She does not try to make herself look 'gifted'. She is exceptional for the simple fact she accepts and is smart about it.

The book does cover alot about sexual energy. I learned more from the dreaming topics. It has helped me drastically with dreaming. I have even developed a Not Doing to blur the barrier between dreaming and the waking. I suggest this book and her two other books. They are great followups to Castaneda.

Look over the oddness of her using names. I am not sure why she did it. The fact is what content is in the book despite who did or didn't say it. That is mundane political soap opera.

Don't waste your money.......2004-04-04

This book was an utter waste of money and time, that is unless you enjoy writing that is both wordy and obtuse. It clarifies nothing, and you have to suspend an enormous amount of disbelief to not only digest what she is saying, but also to practice the exercises she suggests. This seems more like a novel about female empowerment than anything else. She has some nerve using Don Juan's name, as a feeble effort in name dropping to show she has some connection to the fantastic Castaneda series.

Bottom line = this book is utter garbage and offers nothing to the reader except a headache

Rejuvenating and Empowering Sexual Practice.......2004-01-02

Yes, I liked this book. I particularly appreciate that after each chapter there is an explanation of appropriate exercises for practice.

As I was reading this book, the sexual exercises in this book have very much reminded me of the Taoist Practices which I have been doing for years and those who are interested in more in-depth explanation than could fit into this book, may be interested to check out books (Healing Love Through Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy and Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy) and videos (Healing Love: Taoist Sexual Energy Cultivation) by Mantak Chia.

This book empowers women.......2003-09-10

I found this book to be greatly empowering for women. Reading it was like finding an oasis in the mists of life in a very male dominated culture. It was refreshing to read about sexuality in terms that weren't specifically about sex but rather about how to use your sexual energy for positive things in your life. Too often a woman's sexuality is used in a negative way such as solely to please men. The author, Merilyn, discusses very concrete ways to enhance your sexual energy and channel it toward the positive. It should also be noted that while the book has a very feminine slant it also has tips for men as well and she talks about balancing the male and female sexual energy that both men and women have. She mentions that many men have lost their feminine energy and many women have lost their masculine energy and she discusses ways to get back in balance. It is a beautifully written book with many humorous stories intertwined within it. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an open mind and a willingness to explore their sensuality.

Extremely Valuable Collection of Spiritual Practices.......2002-04-24

This excellent book weaves together a description of basic Mesoamerican spiritual practices with the highlights of MT's training. The story also gives pointers to women on why and how not to become prey to the sexual desires of male gurus--a topic too long ignored.

Although we are no longer associated, I worked with her in the past and I promise you that whether or not you believe her teacher's were Don Juan and Don Genaro from the Castenada books (I personally believe she is Carol Tiggs from his books), MT is definitely a trained sorceress in that tradition. Although she can pin you to the wall with vicious rantings, she gave me the most valuable practice I have ever received from my 25 years experience in multiple mystical traditions. I can't express how thankful I am for receiving the gift of the method to create "the pearl" from MT. This high level women's practice "worked" for me in about two weeks of practice and I continue to carry the precious beauty of that energy which has opened the door to a much more magical world for me.

Product Description

DANCE OF THE RAINBOW SERPENT is a three-volume journey through th three decades of the music of Carlos Santana. It includes full-color photo sections, music transcribed in standard notation and tab, and complete solos. Titles in this 35-song album-matching box set include: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen * Evil Ways * In a Silent Way * Oye Como Va * Blues for Salvador * I Love You Too Much * Move On * Brightest Star * Hannibal * Mudbone and more. ?

Average customer rating:

Fascinating
WHAT DO WE KNOW? BUGGER ALL UNTIL YOU'VE READ THIS!

The Serpent and the Rainbow
Wade Davis
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Tribal & Ethnic | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671502476

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2003-08-19

This book details the adventures of an ethnobotanist as he tries to uncover the mystery behind zombies in Haiti. In the beginning of the book, Davis describes how a New York psychologist named Nate Klein described to him the odd story of Clairvius Narcisse, who was pronounced dead and buried, yet showed up 18 years later back in the market place of his hometown claiming that he had been made a zombi and made to work as a slave until he escaped with some other zombies. Klein was completely convinced of the veracity of Narcisse's story, and wanted Davis to travel to Haiti to discover which herbs and other toxins were used to "kill" Narcisse and then bring him back to life again. Davis accepts the mission, and then travels to Haiti to investigate zombies and Haitian Voodoo. But in order to discover how people are changed into zombies, he has to first gain the confidence and respect of the Voodoo leaders. Davis eventually accomplishes most of what he set out to do, along the way relating much about Haitian history and culture as well as Voodoo beliefs. The book is very compelling and well documented, including an extensive annotated bibliography, as well as a glossary and index.

WHAT DO WE KNOW? BUGGER ALL UNTIL YOU'VE READ THIS!.......2001-05-22

YOU COULD GO TO THE TRAVEL AGENTS AND BOOK YOURSELF ON A FLIGHT TO SOME MICKEY MOUSE STYLE FUN PARK THATS ALREADY GETTING OUTDATED AND RUSTY AFTER 15 YEARS, HOWEVER IF YOU TRAVEL BY 'WADE DAVIS AIR' YOU WILL FIND LOCATIONS, SETTINGS, AND STORIES THAT YOU WOULD SAY ARE DEFINTELY NOT OF THIS WORLD. I HAD NEVER READ ANYTHING LINKED WITH THE VOODOUN RELIGION BEFORE, OR GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT OTHER THAN ITS SOME FARSICAL STAGESHOW, PUT ON BY CLEVER ILLUSIONISTS OF THE UNCIVILISED WORLD. WADE DAVIES TOOK ME BY THE HAND AND INTRODUCED ME TO THESE PEOPLE, AND THEIR WAYS. HIS BLEND OF ANALYSIS AND STORY TELLING LEFT ME WITH LITTLE DOUBT THAT WHAT THIS MAN HAS SEEN IS A DIFFERENT REALITY, A REALITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN CONVINCED TO OVERLOOK, AND DISMISS AS RUBBISH. ITS TIME TO OPEN OUR EYES, AND THIS BOOK HAS INSTILLED ME WITH THAT BELIEF.THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS THAT IT ENDS!

The Rainbow Serpent: Bridge to Consciousness (Studies in Jungian Psychology.)

Average customer rating:

A Jung opinion

The Rainbow Serpent: Bridge to Consciousness (Studies in Jungian Psychology.)
Robert L. Gardner , and Robert L. Garnder
Manufacturer: Inner City Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Personality | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Psychoanalysis | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0919123465

Customer Reviews:

A Jung opinion.......2004-02-07

Indigenous peoples make jokes about the European invaders - they always carry "too much baggage". When that baggage is mental instead of physical, the jokes become sad irony. This book took the writer to Australia's Outback to study Aborigine myths. From the results he published, it would appear Gardener took in more than he brought out. Although articulated well and graced by some intriguing graphics, this book is a wealth of outmoded and/or wrong-headed ideas. It's debatable whether Aborigines reading this book would be doubled over in hilarity or twisted with rage. On one thing they would all agree - the book misses the meaning of their mythology. The reason for the mistake is Gardner's insistence on plugging European-based philosophy into the Aborigine milieu.

Gardner relates the myth of Wawilak Women, twins whose activities led to today's world by casting away an earlier earthly paradise. Although this particular origins myth is restricted to a small corner of Australia's Arnhem Land, Gardner would have us accept it as a universal. Even extending far beyond Australia. In the story, the twins "polluted" a sacred spring inhabited by Yurrlungur, the "Big Father". Yes, the relationship with the Judeo-Christian deity is explicit. Christian allusions fill the remainder of the book as Gardener tries to relate Aborigines' mythology to modern ones through supporting the idea of extended consciousness across all humanity. He argues that early Aborigine society was female-dominated until divine wrath elevated male domains and overcame the matriarchal hegemony. This concept follows the neo-pagan and "wiccan" movements active today. Regrettably, like the wiccans, Gardner is better at imaginative interpreting than he is at simply observing evidence.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-24

An illustrated retelling of the aboriginal myth of the Rainbow Serpent. A very nice, suitable style and palette of color is used, as well. A very interesting story and an easy introduction to some aboriginal mythology, especially for younger readers. Quite well done, indeed.

Classic.......2000-05-01

Out of print? Try somewhere else! Still available in Australia.

This was a winner of the Australian Picture Book of the Year award in 1976 and has probably founs a place in many school and public libraries. deservedly so.

It is a Dreaming story - an Aboriginal Creation story. It should be as available, particularly in Australia, as stories of Noah's Ark, and The Garden of Eden might be.

Book Description

This volume brings a fresh perspective to the multicolored Coclé ceramic wares excavated at Sitio Conte in central Panama during the 1930s. The Coclé culture was a hierarchical and centralized society that flourished about a thousand years ago. Many of these ceramic wares were unearthed in caches and burials of elite figures. Coclé artists decorated their ceramics with a combination of geometrical forms and lively, graphic depictions of curious birds and beasts. Helms sees in these polychromes a semiotic code expressing sociological and cosmological concepts of the Coclé culture. Individual chapters explore chromatics, serpents, mammals, birds and fowl, body parts and processes, the tree of life, and other themes. This volume is handsomely illustrated with black-and-white and color plates and dozens of line drawings.

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