Voices of Earth and Sky: Vision Search of the Native Americans

by Vinson Brown

The purpose of the vision search is not only to find a vision, but to find in it help for yourself to lead a better life. Some chapters tell of past great Sacred Beings, chiefs and medicine men; others tell how they prepared for the vision search, the preliminary ceremonies for purification, the quest, and how visions were interpreted.

184 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1976

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Native American beliefs are as rich and varied as there are traditional groups. Anthropologists, archaeologists, and linguists can spend their entire career studying a single aspect of one particular native culture and never really get to the real heart of spiritual matters for these people. The result is countless academic texts with great detail about general beliefs with smatterings of detailed information about specific rituals and practices. For the average person, this information is too technical and doesn't really address the desire to understand the spiritual foundations of our native peoples.

Voices of Earth and Sky attempts to fill this void. The author is a trained anthropologist. However, while studying and working with various native cultures, he realized that the human element was missing. It's actually very interesting how this transition occurred. After many disappointments finding a good research, the author found an individual who had much to teach the professor. This man was centered in a way that intrigued the author. So began another his journey.

Though obviously not extensive, Voices of Earth and Sky does a good job of introducing readers to the traditions of various Amerindian societies. The reader will gain respect for these respected ideals while viewing a glimpse of the complexity and depth there within. From there, the reader can begin his or her own journey.