Elemental Shaman - Omar. S. Rosales

Well, this just brings a whole new meaning to "chasing your dreams".

Traveler Omar Rosales writes of his adventures into the countless facets of shamanism in "Elemental Shaman", following his explorations from Guatemala to Bhutan to seek answers and spiritual guidance. Rosales' experiences with various beliefs and shamans within those beliefs take the essence of spirituality to a whole new level.

To note, shamans are healers that utilize Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) to basically manipulate the energy in or around their patient. Kind of weird to think about, but the many instances Rosales experiences with these ASCs are quite fascinating and can make the reader curious about them. But these guys are only a small part of what Rosales experiences in his travels. Any skeptic of the supernatural will have a heyday with this book, as Rosales talks about a time shift he went through coming down a dirt trail (the time differentiation between going up the trail and coming down it borders on impossible, unless you're Lance Armstrong with a jet-fueled bicycle); the many healers and religious temple keepers who pretty much foresaw Rosales' arrival even before he hopped on a plane; and the retrieval of several pieces of his soul lost from times past.

Like many others, I too saw some of the things recorded in the book to have been a little bit on the odd side, but it is an enthralling read nonetheless. Just keep an open mind...and if some creepy guy in your dreams asks you to wear a mask, don't take it. You'll know what I mean.