Resources for Reclaiming Our Indigenous Soul
I am frequently asked to suggest reading materials related to the topic of reclaiming our indigenous soul. Here is a partial listing of books and individuals whose work has deeply influenced my understanding of this topic over the past years. May they nourish the dry places in your heart.
I had the pleasure of making a connection with Native American author, Linda Hogan. I met her at a day-long workshop with David Abram and Dale Pendell. It was a day filled with animated conversation about nature and art. Linda’s presence was striking and affected me deeply. Since then, we have exchanged a series of emails exploring the work we face as people trying to find our way back to the earth. Linda is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and author of many books dealing with recovering a sense of the sacred. She is also an amazing poet. Check out her work. One of my favorites is Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World. Among her many poetry collections are The Book of Medicines, Savings, and Rounding the Human Corners. Any one of these offerings will surprise and delight your soul.
What A Way To Go. Life at the End of Empire. DVD. 2007. A documentary described as “A disturbing, compassionate, sometimes humorous personal essay about coming to grips with climate change, resource crises, environmental breakdown, and the demise of the American lifestyle.” The film features interviews with many of the minds who have informed the work of WisdomBridge. A powerful and challenging documentary. Contact www.whatawaytogomovie.com for information.
Cultural Survival Quarterly. This is the magazine of Cultural Survival, an organization that for more than 40 years has partnered with indigenous peoples from around the world to protect their lands, languages and cultures. An indispensable resource for those concerned with the rights of traditional people.
Orion Magazine. One of the most elegant and beautiful magazines available today. Filled with writings, poetry and imagery that celebrates the wonders of this world. Go to www.orionmagazine.org for more information.
Abram, David. Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology, Pantheon Books. 2010. A tantalizing, wild and exuberant romp through the experience of remembering our animal selves.
Abram, David. The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World, Pantheon Books, 1996 This is an extraordinary book and I highly recommend it.
Baca, Jimmy Santiago. Healing Earthquakes. If you unfamiliar with Jimmy’s poetry, this is a stunning collection riddled with power, beauty and vulnerability. Highly valued.
Berman, Morris. Coming To Our Senses: Body and Spirit in the Hidden History of the West, Simon and Schuster, 1989
Berry, Wendell. It All Turns on Affection. A small, elegant collection of essays by the renowned poet. Moving, insightful and needed, these essays remind us of what matters most to the soul.
Buhner, Stephen. Ensouling Language: The Art of Nonfiction and the Writer’s Life. Inner Traditions Books. A marvelous read, filled with powerful tools to lead the writer into depths of soul. Highly recommended to anyone seeking ways to illuminate the blank page.
Cowan, James G. Letters From A Wild State: Rediscovering Our True Relationship With Nature, Bell Tower, 1991
Davis, Wade. The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World, House of Anansi Press, 2009. Anthropologist and explorer Wade Davis makes an impassioned plea for the preservation of the remaining indigenous cultures in the world. He shares that the rate of extinction is vaster and more rapid than the loss of any animal or plant species.
Diamond, Stanley. In Search of the Primitive: A Critique of Civilization, Transaction Publishers, 1975
Duncan, David James. My Life as Told by Water: Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-watchings, Fish-stalkings, Visions, Songs and Prayers Refracting Light, From Living Rivers, in the Age of the Industrial Dark. Sierra Club Books. Known more for his fictional work, The River Why and The Brothers K, this collection of essays is worth it just for the subtitle. A powerful and passionate writer in defense of all that is wild.
Felstiner, John. Can Poetry Save the Earth?: A Field Guide to Nature Poems, Yale University Press, 2010. An exquisite collection of reflections on the place of poetry in deepening our bond with the earth. He traces a line of poets that beseech us to reconnect with nature and find our place in the world. Get this book!
Glendinning, Chellis. My Name Is Chellis & I’m in Recovery from Western Civilization, Shambhala Publications, 1994
Hempton, Gordon. One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s Quest to Preserve Quiet, Free Press, 2010. A bold reminder of our need for silence and the sounds of the natural world. Hempton is a pioneer in recording the sounds of the world as they slowly disappear from our lives. Read this and be reminded of our primal need for the songs of the world.
Hillman, James. Alchemical Psychology. A tantalizing collection of Hillman’s writings on alchemy. Filled with startling revelations on the ways of the soul.
Hinton, David. Hunger Mountain: A Field Guide to Mind and Landscape. A beautiful book exploring the origins of Chinese script and the ways of the Cosmos. I loved this book.
Hirsch, Edward. The Demon and the Angel: Searching for the Source of Artistic Inspiration. A delightful romp through the territories of duende and the angelic. Hirsch richly explores how and from where our artistic life arises. Full of quotes from artists that we all know and love.
Hogan, Linda. Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World, Simon & Schuster, 1995
Hogan, Linda, Editor. The Inner Journey: Views from Native Traditions, Morning Light Press, 2009. A rich and wideranging collection of essays regarding the inner life as attended to by diverse indigenous traditions on the North American continent.
Hollis, James. What Matters Most: Living a More Considered Life, Gotham, 2009. I read very little psychology these days due to the lack of soul in the writing. Hollis is someone who honors the deep story of the soul. He is not afraid to venture into the dark hallways we all must walk.
House, Freeman. Totem Salmon: Life Lessons From Another Species, Beacon Press, 1999
Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer. Mothers and Others: The Evolutionary Origins of Mutual Understanding, Belknap Press, 2009. An anthropologist’s exploration of our need of one another. A beautifully written book with deep support for our longing for village.
Jensen, Derrick. A Language Older Than Words, Context Books, 2000. Derrick is a wonderful writer with much to say.
Jensen, Derrick. How Shall I Live My Life? On Liberating the Earth From Civilization, PM Press, 2008. A collection of interviews exploring life after civilization. Features dialogues with Thomas Berry, David Abram, Vine Deloria, Kathleen Dean Moore and others. A beautiful and hopeful work.
Jensen, Derrick. Listening to the Land: Conversations about Nature, Culture and Eros, Sierra Club Books, 1995. A potent collection of interviews with many of the leading thinkers in the recovery of our deep story as humans.
Jensen, Derrick. What We Leave Behind, Seven Stories Press, 2009. The latest offering from one of our leading voices for cultural change. This book focuses on a topic we’d rather ignore, how human waste has ceased to be a gift to the soil and has become a toxic material instead. A very powerful read.
Keeney, Bradford. Bushman Shaman, Destiny Books, 2005
Keith, Lierre. The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice and Sustainability, PM Press, 2009. A wonderfully written book of insights and depth. She explores the shadow of agriculture and its devastating impact on the planet. Her proposals are sane and necessary. Derrick Jensen wrote, “This book saved my life.” It just might be that important. A remarkable read.
LaChappelle, Delores. Sacred Land, Sacred Sex: Rapture of the Deep, Kivaki Press, 1988
Lamott, Anne. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Riverhead Trade, 2008. A collection of essays from a wise and thoughtful Bay Area woman. Her honesty and transparency reveal her desire to be an authentic woman in the midst of a very challenging time. I thoroughly enjoyed her writings.
Liedloff, Jean. The Continuum Concept, Addison Wesley, 1977
Mander, Jerry. In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology and the Survival of the Indian Nations, Sierra Club Books, 1991
Moore, Kathleen Dean. Wild Comfort: The Solace of Nature, Trumpeter Press, 2010. One of the most exquisite books I have read in years. Deeply insightful, poetic and reassuring to the soul. Read it and be reminded of our home in the world.
Nelson, Melissa, Editor. Original Instructions: Indigenous Teachings for a Sustainable Future, Bear & Company, 2008. A collection of essays from the Bioneers Conference by Native elders. A rich compilation of indigenous wisdom.
Oliver, Mary. A Thousand Mornings. Penguin Press. The latest offering from our beloved poet. Page after page of astonishment. Don’t miss this gift.
Oliver, Mary. Evidence: Poems, Beacon Press, 2010. What can I say. Taste and enjoy one of our most beloved poets. She continues to stun the heart awake.
Plotkin, Bill. Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World, New World Library, 2007. An original work integrating the world of nature and psyche. Loaded with exercises to increase the intimate connection between the worlds.
Prechtel, Martín. Secrets of the Talking Jaguar, Tarcher, 1998. All of Martin’s books speak eloquently for the indigenous soul.
Ray, Reginald. Touching Enlightenment: Finding Realization in the Body. Sounds True, 2008. One of the most profound works honoring the body as the core of our connection to the sacred.
Shepard, Paul. Coming Home to the Pleistocene, Island Press, 1998
Shepard, Paul. Nature and Madness, Sierra Club Books, 1982
Shepard, Paul. Traces of an Omnivore, Island Press, 1996
Simms, Laura. Our Secret Territory: The Essence of Storytelling, An enchanting book reminding us of the value of storytelling. She weaves her personal story alongside a wonderful tale throughout the book. Read it and be reminded of the power of stories.
Snyder, Gary. The Practice of the Wild, The Gary Snyder Reader has bits and pieces of everything from him.
Somé, Malidoma. Of Water and the Spirit, Tarcher, 1994. I recommend all of Malidoma’s books, especially his autobiography.
Swimme, Brian and Tucker, Mary Evelyn. Journey of the Universe. This book places us back in the greater story that is unfolding all around us. Read it and be reunited with the grandeur that we dwell within.
Turner, Jack. The Abstract Wild, The University of Arizona Press, 1996. A powerful rant against the loss of the wild.
Van der Post, Laurens. The Heart of the Hunter: Customs and Myths of the African Bushman, Harcourt Brace, 1961
White, Curtis. The Barbaric Heart: Faith, Money, and the Crisis of Nature, Polipoint Press, 2009. This is an article in the May|June issue of Orion Magazine. I seldom suggest running out and buying an issue of a magazine, but this is an important article. It reflects many of the perspectives that WisdomBridge is trying to support.
Williams, Terry Tempest. Finding Beauty in a Broken World, Vintage, 2009. Her new book is poignant and painful. A work of courage.
Williams, Terry Tempest. When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice, Terry, once again, offers a lyrical tale of reclaiming her voice following the death of her mother. It is of great value in these times when all our voices are needed to address the wrongs being done in our world.
Zerzan, John. Against Civilization: Readings and Reflections, Feral House Books, 2005. A must read collection.
I am frequently asked to suggest reading materials related to the topic of reclaiming our indigenous soul. Here is a partial listing of books and individuals whose work has deeply influenced my understanding of this topic over the past years. May they nourish the dry places in your heart.
I had the pleasure of making a connection with Native American author, Linda Hogan. I met her at a day-long workshop with David Abram and Dale Pendell. It was a day filled with animated conversation about nature and art. Linda’s presence was striking and affected me deeply. Since then, we have exchanged a series of emails exploring the work we face as people trying to find our way back to the earth. Linda is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and author of many books dealing with recovering a sense of the sacred. She is also an amazing poet. Check out her work. One of my favorites is Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World. Among her many poetry collections are The Book of Medicines, Savings, and Rounding the Human Corners. Any one of these offerings will surprise and delight your soul.
What A Way To Go. Life at the End of Empire. DVD. 2007. A documentary described as “A disturbing, compassionate, sometimes humorous personal essay about coming to grips with climate change, resource crises, environmental breakdown, and the demise of the American lifestyle.” The film features interviews with many of the minds who have informed the work of WisdomBridge. A powerful and challenging documentary. Contact www.whatawaytogomovie.com for information.
Cultural Survival Quarterly. This is the magazine of Cultural Survival, an organization that for more than 40 years has partnered with indigenous peoples from around the world to protect their lands, languages and cultures. An indispensable resource for those concerned with the rights of traditional people.
Orion Magazine. One of the most elegant and beautiful magazines available today. Filled with writings, poetry and imagery that celebrates the wonders of this world. Go to www.orionmagazine.org for more information.
Abram, David. Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology, Pantheon Books. 2010. A tantalizing, wild and exuberant romp through the experience of remembering our animal selves.
Abram, David. The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World, Pantheon Books, 1996 This is an extraordinary book and I highly recommend it.
Baca, Jimmy Santiago. Healing Earthquakes. If you unfamiliar with Jimmy’s poetry, this is a stunning collection riddled with power, beauty and vulnerability. Highly valued.
Berman, Morris. Coming To Our Senses: Body and Spirit in the Hidden History of the West, Simon and Schuster, 1989
Berry, Wendell. It All Turns on Affection. A small, elegant collection of essays by the renowned poet. Moving, insightful and needed, these essays remind us of what matters most to the soul.
Buhner, Stephen. Ensouling Language: The Art of Nonfiction and the Writer’s Life. Inner Traditions Books. A marvelous read, filled with powerful tools to lead the writer into depths of soul. Highly recommended to anyone seeking ways to illuminate the blank page.
Cowan, James G. Letters From A Wild State: Rediscovering Our True Relationship With Nature, Bell Tower, 1991
Davis, Wade. The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World, House of Anansi Press, 2009. Anthropologist and explorer Wade Davis makes an impassioned plea for the preservation of the remaining indigenous cultures in the world. He shares that the rate of extinction is vaster and more rapid than the loss of any animal or plant species.
Diamond, Stanley. In Search of the Primitive: A Critique of Civilization, Transaction Publishers, 1975
Duncan, David James. My Life as Told by Water: Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-watchings, Fish-stalkings, Visions, Songs and Prayers Refracting Light, From Living Rivers, in the Age of the Industrial Dark. Sierra Club Books. Known more for his fictional work, The River Why and The Brothers K, this collection of essays is worth it just for the subtitle. A powerful and passionate writer in defense of all that is wild.
Felstiner, John. Can Poetry Save the Earth?: A Field Guide to Nature Poems, Yale University Press, 2010. An exquisite collection of reflections on the place of poetry in deepening our bond with the earth. He traces a line of poets that beseech us to reconnect with nature and find our place in the world. Get this book!
Glendinning, Chellis. My Name Is Chellis & I’m in Recovery from Western Civilization, Shambhala Publications, 1994
Hempton, Gordon. One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s Quest to Preserve Quiet, Free Press, 2010. A bold reminder of our need for silence and the sounds of the natural world. Hempton is a pioneer in recording the sounds of the world as they slowly disappear from our lives. Read this and be reminded of our primal need for the songs of the world.
Hillman, James. Alchemical Psychology. A tantalizing collection of Hillman’s writings on alchemy. Filled with startling revelations on the ways of the soul.
Hinton, David. Hunger Mountain: A Field Guide to Mind and Landscape. A beautiful book exploring the origins of Chinese script and the ways of the Cosmos. I loved this book.
Hirsch, Edward. The Demon and the Angel: Searching for the Source of Artistic Inspiration. A delightful romp through the territories of duende and the angelic. Hirsch richly explores how and from where our artistic life arises. Full of quotes from artists that we all know and love.
Hogan, Linda. Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World, Simon & Schuster, 1995
Hogan, Linda, Editor. The Inner Journey: Views from Native Traditions, Morning Light Press, 2009. A rich and wideranging collection of essays regarding the inner life as attended to by diverse indigenous traditions on the North American continent.
Hollis, James. What Matters Most: Living a More Considered Life, Gotham, 2009. I read very little psychology these days due to the lack of soul in the writing. Hollis is someone who honors the deep story of the soul. He is not afraid to venture into the dark hallways we all must walk.
House, Freeman. Totem Salmon: Life Lessons From Another Species, Beacon Press, 1999
Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer. Mothers and Others: The Evolutionary Origins of Mutual Understanding, Belknap Press, 2009. An anthropologist’s exploration of our need of one another. A beautifully written book with deep support for our longing for village.
Jensen, Derrick. A Language Older Than Words, Context Books, 2000. Derrick is a wonderful writer with much to say.
Jensen, Derrick. How Shall I Live My Life? On Liberating the Earth From Civilization, PM Press, 2008. A collection of interviews exploring life after civilization. Features dialogues with Thomas Berry, David Abram, Vine Deloria, Kathleen Dean Moore and others. A beautiful and hopeful work.
Jensen, Derrick. Listening to the Land: Conversations about Nature, Culture and Eros, Sierra Club Books, 1995. A potent collection of interviews with many of the leading thinkers in the recovery of our deep story as humans.
Jensen, Derrick. What We Leave Behind, Seven Stories Press, 2009. The latest offering from one of our leading voices for cultural change. This book focuses on a topic we’d rather ignore, how human waste has ceased to be a gift to the soil and has become a toxic material instead. A very powerful read.
Keeney, Bradford. Bushman Shaman, Destiny Books, 2005
Keith, Lierre. The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice and Sustainability, PM Press, 2009. A wonderfully written book of insights and depth. She explores the shadow of agriculture and its devastating impact on the planet. Her proposals are sane and necessary. Derrick Jensen wrote, “This book saved my life.” It just might be that important. A remarkable read.
LaChappelle, Delores. Sacred Land, Sacred Sex: Rapture of the Deep, Kivaki Press, 1988
Lamott, Anne. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Riverhead Trade, 2008. A collection of essays from a wise and thoughtful Bay Area woman. Her honesty and transparency reveal her desire to be an authentic woman in the midst of a very challenging time. I thoroughly enjoyed her writings.
Liedloff, Jean. The Continuum Concept, Addison Wesley, 1977
Mander, Jerry. In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology and the Survival of the Indian Nations, Sierra Club Books, 1991
Moore, Kathleen Dean. Wild Comfort: The Solace of Nature, Trumpeter Press, 2010. One of the most exquisite books I have read in years. Deeply insightful, poetic and reassuring to the soul. Read it and be reminded of our home in the world.
Nelson, Melissa, Editor. Original Instructions: Indigenous Teachings for a Sustainable Future, Bear & Company, 2008. A collection of essays from the Bioneers Conference by Native elders. A rich compilation of indigenous wisdom.
Oliver, Mary. A Thousand Mornings. Penguin Press. The latest offering from our beloved poet. Page after page of astonishment. Don’t miss this gift.
Oliver, Mary. Evidence: Poems, Beacon Press, 2010. What can I say. Taste and enjoy one of our most beloved poets. She continues to stun the heart awake.
Plotkin, Bill. Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World, New World Library, 2007. An original work integrating the world of nature and psyche. Loaded with exercises to increase the intimate connection between the worlds.
Prechtel, Martín. Secrets of the Talking Jaguar, Tarcher, 1998. All of Martin’s books speak eloquently for the indigenous soul.
Ray, Reginald. Touching Enlightenment: Finding Realization in the Body. Sounds True, 2008. One of the most profound works honoring the body as the core of our connection to the sacred.
Shepard, Paul. Coming Home to the Pleistocene, Island Press, 1998
Shepard, Paul. Nature and Madness, Sierra Club Books, 1982
Shepard, Paul. Traces of an Omnivore, Island Press, 1996
Simms, Laura. Our Secret Territory: The Essence of Storytelling, An enchanting book reminding us of the value of storytelling. She weaves her personal story alongside a wonderful tale throughout the book. Read it and be reminded of the power of stories.
Snyder, Gary. The Practice of the Wild, The Gary Snyder Reader has bits and pieces of everything from him.
Somé, Malidoma. Of Water and the Spirit, Tarcher, 1994. I recommend all of Malidoma’s books, especially his autobiography.
Swimme, Brian and Tucker, Mary Evelyn. Journey of the Universe. This book places us back in the greater story that is unfolding all around us. Read it and be reunited with the grandeur that we dwell within.
Turner, Jack. The Abstract Wild, The University of Arizona Press, 1996. A powerful rant against the loss of the wild.
Van der Post, Laurens. The Heart of the Hunter: Customs and Myths of the African Bushman, Harcourt Brace, 1961
White, Curtis. The Barbaric Heart: Faith, Money, and the Crisis of Nature, Polipoint Press, 2009. This is an article in the May|June issue of Orion Magazine. I seldom suggest running out and buying an issue of a magazine, but this is an important article. It reflects many of the perspectives that WisdomBridge is trying to support.
Williams, Terry Tempest. Finding Beauty in a Broken World, Vintage, 2009. Her new book is poignant and painful. A work of courage.
Williams, Terry Tempest. When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice, Terry, once again, offers a lyrical tale of reclaiming her voice following the death of her mother. It is of great value in these times when all our voices are needed to address the wrongs being done in our world.
Zerzan, John. Against Civilization: Readings and Reflections, Feral House Books, 2005. A must read collection.