Jaguar in the Body Butterfly in the Heart

‘Shaman’, which means ‘intermediary between spirit and the natural world’, is a much over-used and maligned word. It is not a title one can give oneself; it is a vocation and a student is traditionally given this ‘job title’ by their elders and teachers at a certain point in their journey. This powerful spiritual memoir is the story of Ya’Acov Darling Khan’s 30-year journey with shamanism. This healing journey has taken him to the depths of the Amazon, dance studios in New York, the caves of South Wales and to the far North of the Arctic Circle. In this fascinating and personal book, Ya’Acov shares how he has had to understand and work through the shadows and pitfalls of this ancient practice and find its contemporary expression in a culture that did its best to destroy it. Ya’Acov will share his experiences of studying with an extraordinary range of Native American and South American teachers, and Gabrielle Roth, and working alongside the Achuar and Sappara peoples of the Ecuadorian Amazon. For thousands of years, shamans helped their communities to remain in balance with themselves, each other, the natural world, and the spirit world. The marginalization and near extinction of shamans has coincided with our banishment from the “Garden of Eden”, the results of which have been catastrophic on almost every level. This beautifully written book is not only a powerful memoir, but a guide book to all those wishing to return to their indigenous roots, and especially to the many people around the world who are looking to bring in a new dream and a new world.