The goddesses of classical Greek mythology represent powerful psychic forces which are active in women today. Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D., author of The Tao of Psychology and Goddesses in Every Woman, points out that understanding these archetypes enables us to appreciate the mythological dimensions...

ane Caputi, professor of American Studies at the University of New Mexico, is author of Gossips, Gorgons and Crones. She notes that, over the centuries, powerful female, mythological figures have been superceded by patriarchal symbols. This also correlates with the rise of the warrior mentality. ...

The native shaman learns to interact with the spirits of the underworld and the higher worlds in order to intercede in behalf of humans in the "middle world." Michael Harner, Ph.D., has authored The Jivaro, Hallucinogens and Shamanism and The Way of the Shaman. He is currently actively involved i...

As we encounter the archetypal world within us, a partnership is formed whereby we grow as do the gods and goddesses within us. Jean Houston, Ph.D., suggests that the wanderings of Odysseus represent the deepening of the warrior male ego into the feminine mysteries.

Jean Houston, Ph.D., is foun...

Shamanistic practices may be of value for individuals seeking personal growth and self-realization. The late Ruth-Inge Heinze, Ph.D., was author of Trance and Healing in Southeast Asia Today and Shamans of the Twentieth Century. Here she describes shamans as experts in the use of altered states o...

Can the methods and ideas of native spiritual healers be incorporated into modern psychological and medical practice? Psychologist Stanley Kripper, Ph.D., tells of his experiences with native shamans and healers in the Americas and Asia. Dr. Krippner, director of the Center for Consciousness Stud...

Ancient cultures cultivated a sensitivity to the environment, to the body and to the inner workings of the mind which is often lost in modern life. Gay Gaer Luce, Ph.D., is author of Body Time and founder/ director of the Nine Gates Mystery School. Today, she says, we have an unparalleled opportu...

Hallucinogenic substances have been instrumental in the foundation of many aspects of our cultural heritage. In this challenging program, McKenna suggests ways in which hallucinogenic plants have been associated with spiritual traditions in ancient India, in the Amazon and in medieval Europe.

Th...

One of the most widely read writers in the field of philosophy and religion, Huston Smith's classic book The Religions of Man has sold over two million copies. In this stimulating program Dr. Smith discusses the relation between psychedelic experience and religious practice, the god within and th...

Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, discusses the Tibetan view of mind as a clear space encompassing the entire universe. He describes how the experience of deep compassion is cultivated in Tibetan Buddhism. Then he presents the Tibetan view of rebirth and the afterli...

Charlene Spretnak is a scholar who has contributed to the framing of woman's spirituality, eco-feminism and green politics. Author of States of Grace, here she discusses Buddhism, native American spirituality, contemporary goddess spirituality and the Abrahamic traditions -- Judaism, Christianity...

Our connection with nature is expressed in our dreams, in psychic and paranormal experiences, and in our ancestral heritage. James A. Swan, Ph.D. is author of The Power of Place, Sacred Places, and Nature As Teacher and Healer. Here he suggests that we will not be fully able to address the enviro...

The shaman is more interested in treating the spiritual causes of an illness than the symptoms. Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D., director of The Four Winds Foundation, is co-author of Realms of Healing and Healing States. Here he describes the path of shamanism as one of facing one's fears, particularly ...

Shamans who have healed themselves then function at a higher than normal level. Roger Walsh, M.D., is professor of psychiatry, philosophy and anthropology at the University of California at Irvine. He discusses shamanism in the light of modern science and scholarship, questioning claims that sham...