The Way of the Seabhean

Book excerpt: "The seabhean (pronounced 'sha-van') is the Irish female shaman, healer and seer, the woman who walks between the worlds." What if we didn't have to look to other traditions for our spiritual practice? What if we could connect to the roots of our own ancestors' rituals? Amantha Murphy was schooled in the ancient and hidden lore of wise women and healers, rooted in the Irish landscape and guarded over the years by her female forebears. In The Way of the Seabhean, she brings to life shamanic practices from the Irish tradition, combining story, ritual, energy teaching and the insights gathered from her own shamanic journeying. At its core lies the pre-Celtic understanding of the Tree of Life and the Wheel of the Year, containing the seasonal turning points such as Samhain and Imbolc, their attendant festivals and the role and powers of long-suppressed Irish goddesses. Along with the better-known goddesses, Medb, Brigid, Áine and the Cailleach, we also meet a pantheon that includes Tailtiú, Boann, Macha, Tlachtga. These goddesses are archetypes, aspects of ourselves, which can help us to understand and embrace our many facets. Amantha's shamanic teaching in Ireland, the US and Canada has already opened the Way of the Seabhean to an eager audience.