Manual of Psychomagic: The Practice of Shamanic Psychotherapy

What the fork did I just subject my eye holes to?! I bought this book on a recommendation in another book and I think I might need to return the book that recommended this one too, just on insult alone. This psychomumbojumbo is only Shamanic in nature in the mind of the filmmaker author who made it up and has only heard about Shamanism 3rd person through Becky, who once watched a movie about a dog named Shaman. Not only are they not Shamanic and totally made up nonsense, they involve putting things on and inside people in a manner which will most likely cause an infection, if not damage. I think it's probable the author is laughing at the possibility that someone, anyone, would actually buy this book, let alone do these things believing they would cure anything.

I should think a lot of people will think this book is nuts. Good, it's not for you, move on - you aren't ready for this. However, this unapologetic workbook contains some real gems on life, and if it is taken in socio-historical context as a work coming out of Chilean magic practice, the Tarot, and Surrealism, you can begin to see a lot of truth in the ideas. I tried out a couple of the exercises and was amazed that indeed, they worked. Towards the back of the book, the most interesting ideas start to flourish, and if you can get through the intricate and sometimes repetitive work pages, you will be rewarded. A keeper for life insights from a true genius.

Self indulgent and almost useless. I was looking for information that had some insight and depth.

So great! So weird and wonderful but the first ten pages alone are worth it. He has a wonderfully practical way of being very blunt yet optimistic. Most of the book is just different scenarios/problems and a couple "recipes" on how to solve them.

A compendium of workable spells.

Amazingly interesting! Delivered right on time.

Best teachings ever :)

Made no sense whatsoever to me. If it wasnt such a hassle to return i would. I didn't get past a few skims of pages of absurdity to know this was definitely not for me

I only got 10 percent through this and had to stop.This seems very heavily Freudian biased . I facilitate in many sessions for people and would never ever use any of the techniques employed in this book - as reanactment of your desires and urges only feeds energy and reality to a timeline where they have actually generated this outcome. So they may well have shifted the reality from this one ( apparent healing) but have instead reinforced it to occur in another timeline ( pure hell in another )Sorry cannot recommend this book

i tried to like this book, having enjoyed some of Jodo's others (The Spiritual Journey... being a favourite) and some of his films. I also read his Psychomagic book, which is a sort of primer for this one, and was intrigued to see where he took his techniques. However, as another reviewer put it, this book was sadly disappointing and some of his methods laughable. As a shaman, I can see vaguely shamanic principles behind his work but most of the techniques are actually, largely (frequently repetitive) psychobabble. As a therapist, I found little in here that I could use either. The ideas and assumptions behind his practices are way too simplistic and, used in isolation, would cause more harm than good. This might be an example of what I mean: treating a woman for frigidity by suggestion she inserts an ice cube in her vagina and allows it to melt over a pot plant which is then dribbled in honey and sent anonymously to a fish farm could be one of Jodo's suggestions here (they're all a bit like that) - largely nonsense. But they also give no wider context and no client support to deal with traumatic events and outcomes. Suppose she was frigid because her father raped her when she was a child. I suppose Jodo's response might be "Oh, in that case, insert a tadpole instead of an ice cube and allow it to drop out on a photo of your father then send it to him with a leg of lamb". In itself, largely ineffectual as a technique - but imagine the family trauma which might result.Some techniques, as a piece of psychodrama acted out in a therapy setting might be useful in some way, I suppose, as might Jodo's more harmless 'bit-of-fun'-like suggestions - for example, if you find it hard to make money (in Jodo's view because you're unconsciously afraid of wealth) insert 3 gold coins in your vag or glue them to the soles of your feet. It probably does no harm anyway and it might help to unblock a few psychic sticking points but I doubt it'll make you rich in and of itself. Still, it does no harm and puts no-one in (physical or psychological) danger, unlike some of the other techniques in this book might do if practiced alone, unconsciously or without pre-planning and the active consent of others (e.g. going out in public naked or stripping in front of your parents or dressing as someone from a different race by wearing a stereotypical mask and then walking the streets - that sort of thing).There wasn't as much 'poetry' in this book either, only a few real insights (unlike his other books) and it didn't really speak to the soul.My favourite Jodo book remains 'The Spiritual Journey' and I also enjoyed 'Dance of Reality', both of which give more of a useful introduction to Jodo's character and his work. The Manual of Psychomagic, however, is - regretfully - not worth buying unless you want to be amused and stupefied instead of educated.

The symbology and actions that go with it make very clear the changes that you are creating. It's not easy to follow some of the instructions simply because they are so direct. This is powerful stuff. Bought for my husband so this is his review.

masterful

The true meeting point between conscious and unconscious. a must read with a light heart and an open mind.