Long before temples, churches, mosques and pyramids, the shamans sang sacred songs and beat drums as their spirits journeyed down the world tree into the inner realms of Mother Earth. He or she communed with the spirits, healed the sick and retrieved the lost souls of his kinsmen.
     Then, as organised religion swept the planet, the shaman’s songs grew quiet, and except in the far outreaches of the world, the drum beat echoed no more. People began to forget the ancient wisdom and embraced scriptures and the second-hand information of the priest, pope and imam.
     Yet in the far reaches of Mongolia, North and South America, as well as the hidden deserts of Australia, the shaman still walks between the worlds to commune with the wise ones in spirit. They bring back wisdom, practical advice and dire warnings about the Western world’s lack of harmony and respect for nature.
     In traditional Mongolian-Buryat culture, shamans play a vital role in maintaining a balance, what they call the tegsh in their community. They, like all shamans worldwide, counsel a path of moderation and a reverence for the natural world, which they view as a mother to humanity and to all life.
     Riding Windhorses is the first book written about Mongolian and Siberian shamanism by a shaman trained in that tradition. It is a brilliant introduction to Mongolian and Siberian beliefs and practices and includes outlines of the basic rituals, healing and divination techniques still employed by the shamans today. Many of these rituals and beliefs have never been published before.
     It is written by Sarangerel (1963-2006), which means moonlight in Buryat. She was trained in the traditional shamanic traditions by native teachers. The collapse of the Soviet Union ensured the lifting of bans on shamanic expression and shamans are now free to practice openly what was once pushed underground.
     Any student of shamanism will not be in the least bit surprised by the many parallels between Mongolian/Siberian shamanism and the practices of shamans in North and South America. It is perhaps comforting to know that although shamans were separated by huge distances in ancient times, their traditions align perfectly.
     Having trained with Cree and Blackfoot people in Canada, I recognise many of the traditional ceremonies expressed by Sarangerel.
     As with other traditions, the Mongolian shaman tells us that heavenly bodies contain power. One planet is Venus which is often painted on drums to evoke its power. To the Native American Venus is the dawn star, and is also often painted on drums. The Big Dipper is called Doloon Obgon (the Seven Old Men) and it points to the location of the pole star (Altan Hadaas) which holds up the sky. The rotation of this star led to the creation of the Has Temdeg, a swastika symbol. This symbol is also used by the Hopi and Anasazi Native Americans and is well known in Hindu and Buddhist societies.
     What is absolutely fascinating is the belief by the Mongolian shamans that humans have three souls, and that these souls fall in and out of seven holes within the physical body. These “holes” correspond with the seven major chakras or energy centres of the body. Just as Native Americans believe that energy flows down from Father Sky and up from Mother Earth, the Mongolian shaman likewise believes that this energy flows both up and down from these points.
     Of course we could not discuss shamanism without looking at spirit travel or the shaman’s journey. The shaman sees a very different world to most people. He or she usually trains from an early age with an older shaman who teaches them to step between worlds. A shaman can often shape shift, usually into his or her “totem” animal spirit.
     The Mongolian shaman calls spirit walking or the shaman’s journey “riding windhorses,” hence the name of this book. The author trained with the shamans to learn this technique. In essence shamanic training entails learning to go into trance at will. They employ hypnotic drum beats, special breathing techniques, and of course, certain plant or mushroom based hallucinogens.
     The key is to train the spirit to leave the body and be willed into action. This action is never for the self, but for a member of the tribe who needs healing or guidance. A shaman learns to align him or herself with their “windhorse” so they can ride the sky and the earth into other realms.
     Sarangerel includes many photographs and illustrations of the rituals and accoutrements used in ceremonies. There are many meditation techniques and mind training ceremonies included.
     I highly recommend Riding Windhorses to any student of shamanic studies and would-be shamans. There is practical information, which if followed carefully will allow you to awaken your own inner shaman.