When a writer uses the word 'I' over and over it becomes clear what the book is about. If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Fruitful Darkness? She made the content even less appealing although I think her voice captured the writers grandiosity. Would you be willing to try another one of Judith West’s performances? What do you think your next listen will be? I never have this come up when I listen to thich nhat Hahn or jack kornfield. Reggie Ray, Robert Thurman, Shenzhen young are a few others I've purchased recently who have the same long winded rambling and incredibly dull lacking in depth, self glorifying style. This seems to be a pattern by middle aged white/western writers who think themselves so fascinating they must share every thought with us rather than some actual insight. Just endless ramblings about life that are completely personal and of no value to the listener and absent of any wisdom or even objective reality. Unfortunately too many of them have little to no content. I keep buying books with interesting titles. What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you? Grove Press is proud to reissue this important work by one of Buddhism's leading contemporary teachers. Halifax believes that deep ecology (which attempts to fuse environmental awareness with spiritual values) works in tandem with Buddhism and shamanism to discover the interconnectedness of all life', and to regain life's sacredness. In rapt prose, she recounts her explorations from Japanese Zen meditation to hallucinogenic plants, from the Dogon people of Mali to the Mayan rain forest, all the while creating 'an adventure of the spirit and a feast of wisdom old and new' (Peter Matthiessen). In this highly personal and insightful odyssey of the heart and mind, she encounters Tibetan Buddhist meditators, Mexican shamans, and Native American elders, among others. In this masterwork of an authentic spirit person (Thomas Berry), Buddhist teacher and anthropologist Joan Halifax Roshi delves into the fruitful darkness - the shadow side of being, found in the root truths of Native religions, the fecundity of nature, and the stillness of meditation.

Shamanic Voices by Joan Halifax