The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters - Hardcover

Simon Buxton

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 089281148X ISBN 13: 9780892811489

Publisher: Destiny Books, 2004

Synopsis

Reveals for the first time the ancient tradition of bee shamanism and its secret practices and teachings

· Examines the healing and ceremonial powers of the honeybee and the hive

· Reveals bee shamanism’s system of acupuncture, which predates the Chinese systems

· Imparts teachings from the female tradition and explores the transformative powers of the magico-sexual elixirs they produce

Bee shamanism may well be the most ancient and enigmatic branch of shamanism, yet it exists throughout the world--wherever in fact the honeybee exists. Its medicinal tools are now in common usage--such as honey, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly--and even the origins of Chinese acupuncture can be traced back to the ancient practice of applying bee stings to the body’s meridians.

In this authoritative ethnography and spiritual memoir, Simon Buxton--an elder of the Path of Pollen--reveals for the first time the richness of this tradition: its subtle intelligence; its sights, sounds, and smells; and its unique ceremonies, which until now have been known only to initiates. Buxton’s footsteps were first put on the Path of Pollen at age nine when an Austrian bee shaman cured him of a near fatal bout of encephalitits. This early contact prepared him for his later meeting with an elder of the tradition who took him on as an apprentice. Following an intense initiation that opened him to the mysteries of the hive mind, the author learned over the next 13 years the practices, rituals, and tools of bee shamanism. He experienced the healing and spiritual powers of honey and other bee products, including the flying ointment used by medieval witches, as well as ritual initiations with the female members of the tradition--the Mellisae--and the application of magico-sexual “nectars” that promote longevity and ecstasy. The Shamanic Way of the Bee is a rare view into the secret wisdom of this age-old tradition.

About this title

From the Author

Simon Buxton is a beekeeper, the British faculty for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and the founder/director of The Sacred Trust in England.

From the Back Cover

SHAMANISM / PERSONAL GROWTH

“A fascinating story of one man’s journey into the shamanic realm and ancient wisdom.”
Oriah Mountain Dreamer, author of The Invitation

“An exquisitely written, powerful, and important book. It reveals for the first time a European form of shamanism and healing magic that arises lucidly and sweetly from the natural world immediately around us--the extraordinary details of which we so often overlook.”
Brooke Medicine Eagle, author of Buffalo Woman Comes Singing

“We search the exotic and distant for transformative secrets, well-being and healing. But are we perceptive enough to receive the gifts from the humblest of our own gardens? No matter. Simon Buxton has walked this path, from the primordial to the present, and freely grants us the exquisite treasures contained within The Shamanic Way of the Bee.”
S. R. Harrop, chairman of the department of anthropology, University of Kent, England

“Written in a beautiful, lyrical and poetic way, with personal vignettes, anecdotes, and sacred teachings which, in a way, are reminiscent of the Sufi tradition but with the hard edge of realism characteristic of the Keltic Way--the Way of the Hero. This book is an absolute must-have addition to any serious collection of shamanic wisdom.”
Sacred Hoop magazine

Bee shamanism may well be the most ancient and enigmatic form of shamanism, existing throughout the world wherever the honeybee is found. Its medicinal tools--such as honey, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly--are now in common use, and even the origins of Chinese acupuncture may be traced to the ancient practice of applying bee stings to the body’s meridians.

In this authoritative account, Simon Buxton, an elder of the Path of Pollen, reveals for the first time the richness of this tradition: its subtle intelligence; its sights, sounds, and smells; and its unique ceremonies, which until now have been known only to initiates. Buxton unknowingly took his first steps on the Path of Pollen at age nine, when an Austrian bee shaman cured him of a near-fatal bout of encephalitis. This early contact prepared him for a later meeting with an elder of the tradition who took him on as an apprentice. Following an intense initiation that opened him to the mysteries of the hive mind, the author learned the practices, rituals, and tools of bee shamanism. He experienced the healing and spiritual powers of honey, pollen, and other bee products, including a “flying ointment” used by medieval witches, as well as ritual initiations with the female members of the tradition--the Melissae--and the application of psycho-sexual “nektars” that promote longevity and ecstasy. The Shamanic Way of the Bee is a rare view into the secret wisdom of this age-old tradition.

SIMON BUXTON is a beekeeper, the British faculty for Dr. Michael Harner’s Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and the founder/ director of The Sacred Trust, a U.K.-based educational organization dedicated to the teaching of practical shamanism for the modern world. He lives in England and teaches internationally

Edition details

• Publisher: Destiny Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 089281148X
• ISBN 13: 9780892811489
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224