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Howard G Charing's Articles in Travel

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  • Yoga and Shamanism - Ecstatic Trance Postures
    This article explores the ancient teachings, how discrete bodily postures can generate deep, spiritual, divinatory, and healing experience. This body of knowledge was re-discovered in the 1970’s by Felicitas Goodman.
  • The Worlds Of the Shaman - An Exploration Of Reality
    “Reality is an Illusion, albeit a persistent one.” Albert Einstein. Shamans for many thousands of years have pointing in the same direction as Quantum Physics. There is a greater reality outside our limited perception. This article explores the worlds of the shaman.
  • The visionary world of Ayahuasca - Plant Spirit Shamanism in the Amazon
    This article explores the visionary and spiritual realms of the Amazonian brew Ayahuasca. This extraordinary world to which we are transported by plants is not accessible through the verbal rational mind but through dream language or an expansion of the imagination. Thus dreams & our imaginative powers act like doorways during a plant diet and connect us with the plant spirit.
  • The Spiritual Traditions of the Andes; an Interview with Doris Rivera Lenz - Part 1
    A look at the rich and powerful spiritual legacy of the Andean civilization which is only now being properly recognised after 500 years of obscurity. This interview of Doris Rivera Lenz, was conducted by Howard G. Charing & Peter Cloudsley. This interview appeared in Sacred Hoop Magazine Issue 57, and the book Plant Spirit Shamanism (Destiny Books USA).
  • The Spiritual Traditions of the Andes, an Interview with Doris Rivera Lenz - Part 2
    A look at the rich and powerful spiritual legacy of the Andean civilization which is only now being properly recognised after 500 years of obscurity. This interview of Doris Rivera Lenz, was conducted by Howard G. Charing & Peter Cloudsley. This interview appeared in Sacred Hoop Magazine Issue 57, and the book Plant Spirit Shamanism (Destiny Books USA).
  • The Spiritual Traditions of the Andes
    An 'ofrenda' is the most important ceremony used by Andean Indians to relate with Mother Earth. The ofrenda is a symbol of reciprocity with nature and its purpose is to teach us to reproduce this attitude. Through it we speak back to nature saying we understand the message and concord.
  • The Shaman's Path - the Adventure of Self Discovery
    There is considerable discussion and opinion on what a shaman is. The word itself is rooted in the word šaman from the Tungus people in central Asia. Definitions vary greatly in modern society. Do these ancient ways of viewing the world have any relevance for people in modern society?
  • The Sacred Traditions of the Andean Culture of Peru
    The rich and powerful spiritual legacy of the Andean culture is only now being properly recognised after 500 years of obscurity. This article takes a look at some of these traditions. Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley hold Retreat programmes in the Andes and Amazon where we work with many of the traditional shamans and healers.
  • The Sacred Plants of the Incas - The Timeless World of the Andes
    The Incas regarded coca as ‘the divine plant’ mainly because of its property of imparting endurance, nevertheless its use was entwined with every aspect of life; the art, mythology, culture and economy of the Inca Empire.
  • The Sacred Attributes of Plants, the Spirit of Life - a Shaman’s Perspective.
    The shamans work with the power of the plants in many ways, the colours of the flowers, the perfume, their shape, form, and associations. This although does not play a role in modern medicine, this understanding has a long history in the human relationship and dependence on plants.
  • The Power of Attraction from the Amazon: The Pusanga
    The Western rational mind can only struggle, to take as an example the famed ‘love potion’ of the Amazon known as the Pusanga. In rational terms it makes no sense whatsoever, how can a concoction of leaves, roots, and seeds attract a lover, or good luck to you?
  • The Medicinal Plants of the Amazon Rainforest
    The traditional shamans and healers of the Amazon Rainforest have been working with some of the most remarkable plants which have both powerful medicinal and psycho-spiritual properties for many thousands of years. This article explores these ancient traditional ways of the plant shamans by the author of Plant Spirit Shamanism (published by Destiny Books USA)
  • The Enigma of Psychic Surgery in the Philippines Part 3 - Placido Palitayan
    The third part of the ‘bare hand’ or ‘psychic’ surgeons of the Philippines. This has been one of the most enduring enigmas of modern times. These articles explore this practice which challenges conventional scientific and medical knowledge. Now an encounter with one of the most famous healers, Placido Palitayan.
  • The Enigma of Psychic Surgery in the Philippines Part 2 - Jun Labo
    The second part of an article on the ‘bare hand’ or ‘psychic’ surgeons of the Philippines that have been one of the most enduring enigmas of modern times. These articles explore this practice which challenges conventional scientific and medical knowledge. This part I meet up with Jun Labo.
  • The Enigma of Psychic Surgery in the Philippines Part 1
    The ‘bare hand’ or ‘psychic’ surgeons of the Philippines have been one of the most enduring enigmas of modern times. These articles explore this practice which challenges conventional scientific and medical knowledge.
  • The Cactus of Vision - San Pedro and the shamanic tradition of northern Peru.
    Shamans from different cultures and traditions have been using psychoactive plants since the dawn of human emergence.

    These plants have been used traditionally for guidance, divination, healing, maintaining a balance with the spirit or consciousness of the living world.

    Howard G. Charing and Peter Cloudsley talk with
    Maestro Juan Navarro
  • The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo - An Interview with the Great Visionary Artist
    Pablo Amaringo is one of the world’s greatest visionary artists, and is renowned for his highly complex, colourful and intricate paintings of his visions from drinking the Ayahuasca brew. Pablo is interviewed at his gallery in Pucallpa, Peru, by Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley. A copy of the original interview, first published in Sacred Hoop Magazine is on Howard's website listed in the Author's Resource box.
  • Soul, Spirit, Shaman, Shamanism, Soul Retrieval - Part 2
    Soul another name for our life force, is the power which animates our being. In our lives we can lose or become dissociated from our soul due to difficult and traumatic circumstances.

    The second part of this article explores the traditional practices within shamanism of restoring well-being, balance, and powerful healing. This body of practices is called Soul Retrieval.
  • Soul, Spirit, Shaman, Shamanism, Soul Retrieval - Part 1
    Soul another name for our life force, is the power which animates our being. In our lives we can lose or become dissociated from our soul due to difficult and traumatic circumstances. This article explores the traditional shamanic practice of restoring well-being, balance, and powerful healing. This body of practices is called Soul Retrieval.
  • Soul Loss - How Shamanic Healing can Restore Your Life Force
    In the shamanic worldview, power and maintaining health go hand in hand, if the body is power-full, there is no room for illness or disease.

    The soul can be seen as the essence or vital nature of a person, and soul loss is when we lose a part of this vital nature. This article explores how by 'holding' on to other people's energy can lead to loss of our own.
  • Shipibo Ayahuasca Shaman, Benjamin Ochavano Interviewed in the Amazon Rainforest in Peru.
    Howard G Charing & Peter Cloudsley interviewed Shipibo Ayahuasca Shaman Benjamin Ochavano in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru, who is in his mid seventies to discuss how Ayahuasca can help those Westerners who are seeking personal growth and who have embarked on the great journey of self discovery and exploration.
  • Shipibo Ayahuasca Shaman Leoncio Garcia Interviewed.
    The Shipibo are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Peruvian Amazon. These ethnic groups each have their own languages, traditions and culture. The Shipibo which currently number about 20,000 are spread out in communities through the Pucallpa / Ucayali river region. They are highly regarded in the Amazon as being masters of Ayahuasca, and many aspiring shamans and Ayahuasqueros from the region study with the Shipibo to learn their language, chants, and plant medicine knowledge. In this article we interview the Shipibo maestro Leoncio Garcia.
  • Shamans of Peru, Sacred Chants, Icaros, and Music
    The haunting, plaintive music of Peruvian shamans was recorded by the Eagle's Wing Centre for Contemporary Shamanism at ceremonies in the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon rainforest.

    Although the chants and icaros have an organic relationship to the medicine plants and shamanic journeying of each particular ritual, and are primarily intended as devotional music for inner-journeying. It is equally possible to listen to the hypnotically beautiful sounds in their own right and simply enjoy them for their otherworldly loveliness.
  • Shamanic Healing and Soul Retrieval - Two Year Practitioner Training
    Eagle's Wing initiated the Practitioner training course in 1994 and since then many participants have successfully been working with these Shamanic healing methods in their healing practice.

    This is an advanced Practitioner training Programme. This training course would benefit holistic practitioners who wish to develop and expand their work to include classic shamanic healing practices. It is also suitable for those who have a desire to work as a shamanic practitioner to help others.
  • Shamanic Divination
    Divination is one of the paths to gain direct experiential knowledge. Experiential knowledge can be defined as that which is experienced first hand by the senses.

    This article explores the world of shamanism and demonstrates traditional ways to obtain 'hidden' knowledge by divination.
  • Preparation for the Ayahuasca Experience
    There has been a huge surge of interest in Ayahuasca recently. There is a growing belief that it is a kind of ‘medicine for our times’, giving hope to people with ‘incurable’ diseases like cancer and HIV, drug addictions and inspiring answers to the big ecological problems of modern civilization.
  • Plant Spirit Shamanism, Folk Medicine, and Homeopathy
    The ‘doctrine of signatures’ is at the heart of homeopathy, folk medicine, and plant shamanism. The doctrine was revealed by the great alchemist and physician Paracelus who lived in the 16th Century. The underlying principle was that the healing properties of the plant are not only in the outer ‘physical’ form, but also in their inner or spiritual nature. The Doctrine of Signatures holds that this inner nature can be revealed by it’s outer physical form or signatures
  • Plant Spirit Shamanism - Developing your relationship with the Plant Spirits
    Many of us feel a spiritual connection to the world of plants. This article explores ways to deepen our profound connection with the plants.
  • Natural Plant Medicines and the Shamans of the Amazon Rainforest Part 2
    The Amazon Rainforest is home to many thousands of plant species, and has the richest bio-diversity on the planet. Plants and herbs used for medicinal purposes flourish there. The traditional healers and shamans of the Amazon have been working with these remarkable plants for thousands of years. We explore in this article these ancient traditions and knowledge of the plant shamans by the author of Plant Spirit Shamanism (published by Destiny Books USA).
  • Natural Plant Medicines and the Shamans of the Amazon Rainforest Part 1
    The Amazon Rainforest is home to many thousands of plant species, and has the richest bio-diversity on the planet. Plants and herbs used for medicinal purposes flourish there. The traditional healers and shamans of the Amazon have been working with these remarkable plants for thousands of years. We explore in this article these ancient traditions and knowledge of the plant shamans by the author of Plant Spirit Shamanism (published by Destiny Books USA).
  • Moses and Ayahuasca - Plant Spirit Shamanism from the Bible
    The world wide media interest in Benny Shanon's paper about Moses and entheogens, is encouraging us to take a good and hard look at the roots of religions and the notion that they were based on fertility cults, and shamanic practices such as Entheogens (or hallucinogenic) plants as a source of spiritual communion with the universal consciousness, or the mind of God.
  • Medicine for the Soul - Plant Spirit Shamanism of the Amazon Rainforest
    An introduction to the magical world of the Shamans of the Amazon Rainforest, masters of plant spirit medicine. By the author of Plant Spirit Shamanism published by Destiny Books (USA).
  • Interview with Shipibo Ayahuasca Shaman Enrique Lopez in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru - Part 2
    The second part of an interview with Shipibo Shaman Enrique Lopez. Interviewed at Mishana, Amazon Rainforest Peru by Peter Cloudsley and Howard G Charing, November 2007. Enrique discusses his early years in the indigenous Shipibo community in the Ucayali region of the Amazon Rainforest in Peru. Enrique talks about the Shipibo views on Ayahuasca and medicinal plants.
  • Interview with Shipibo Ayahuasca Shaman Enrique Lopez in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru - Part 1
    The first part of an interview with Shipibo Shaman Enrique Lopez. Interviewed at Mishana, Amazon Rainforest Peru by Peter Cloudsley and Howard G Charing, November 2007. Enrique discusses his early years in the indigenous Shipibo community in the Ucayali region of the Amazon Rainforest in Peru. Enrique talks about the Shipibo views on Ayahuasca and medicinal plants.
  • Interview with Ayahuasca Mestizo Shaman Javier Arevalo in the Amazon – Part 3
    In the third and concluding part of the interview with Javier, we continue to explore the use of Healing plants and Ayahuasca. discusses his involvement with the shamanic Plant medicines of the Amazon, and Ayahuasca in particular. Javier was interviewed by Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley in the Peru, Amazon Rainforest 2000.
  • Interview with Ayahuasca Mestizo Shaman Javier Arevalo in the Amazon Rainforest – Part 2
    In the second part of the interview with Javier, we continue to explore the use of Healing plants and Ayahuasca. discusses his involvement with the shamanic Plant medicines of the Amazon, and Ayahuasca in particular. Javier was interviewed by Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley in the Peru, Amazon Rainforest 2000.
  • Interview with Ayahuasca Mestizo Shaman Javier Arevalo in the Amazon Rainforest – Part 1
    Javier was interviewed by Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley in the Peru, Amazon Rainforest 2000.

    In this interview Javier discusses his involvement with the shamanic Plant medicines of the Amazon, and Ayahuasca in particular.
  • Icaros, the Magical Chants of the Ayahuasca Shamans.
    The Shamans of the Amazon, exhibit a close union with the Natural World. This powerful emotional and spiritual bond, enables them to commune with the powers of the Rainforest. Singing the chants or Icaros, is a way that this bond is expressed, and the Rainforest responds.
  • Drumming for the Shamanic Journey
    The Shamanic Journey is a technique which facilitates a visionary experience into expanded awareness. This activates our imagination and creativity, and allows us to bypass linear, familar and rational thinking. In this state of expanded awareness we can find new insights, perspectives, and ways to resolve problems.

    Drumming for the Shamanic Journey, with Leo Rutherford & Howard G. Charing
    It is a CD specifically made for this. It comprises; two 20 min solo and 40 min double drumming.
  • Death as an Ally - The Shaman's Perception of Death
    In traditional wisdom and knowledge, life is a continuum that does not end at the moment of death. One of the most important traditional tasks of the seer, shaman, medicine man or woman is to assist people who are either dying or the spirits of those who have died to make the transition into great domain of consciousness. This body of practices is known as Psychopomp, from the Greek word psychopompos which literally means ‘conductor of souls’. In Greek mythology, the god Hermes served as the escort for the dead into the afterlife. This concept of a guide or intermediary between the living and the dead is a collective theme found in most religions and mythologies.
  • Communion With The Infinite - The Visual Music of the Shipibo tribe of the Amazon
    The Shipibo people of the Upper Amazon in Peru, have a unique and complex form of visionary art. Underlying the intricate geometric patterns of great complexity displayed in the art of the Shipibo people is a concept of an all pervading magical reality which can challenge the Western linguistic heritage and rational mind.
  • Ayahuasca, the Visionary Paintings, and Inspirational Words of Pablo Amaringo.
    Pablo Amaringo is one of the world’s greatest visionary artists, and is renowned for his highly complex, colourful and intricate paintings of his visions from drinking the Ayahuasca brew. Pablo wrote the foreword, a spiritual and ecological message as the foreword for my book 'Plant Spirit Shamanism', published by Destiny Books (USA).
  • Ayahuasca, Sacred Medicine for the Soul PART 1
    Ayahuasca, is regarded as the 'gateway' to the Soul. This article explores this fascinating plant brew from the Amazon Rainforest.
  • Ayahuasca, Sacred Medicine for the Soul PART 2
    Ayahuasca, is regarded as the 'gateway' to the Soul. This article explores this fascinating plant brew from the Amazon Rainforest.
  • Ayahuasca Shamans and the Healing Plants of the Amazon Rainforest of Peru - Part 2
    The second part of a meeting between Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley who interview two Ayahuasca shamans from the Amazon, Artidoro Aro Cardenas, and Javier Arevalo to discover more about the medicinal, mythological, and healing properties of some of the plants to be found in the Amazon Rainforest.
  • Ayahuasca Shamans and the Healing Plants of the Amazon Rainforest of Peru - Part 1
    Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley interview two Ayahuasca shamans from the Amazon, Artidoro Aro Cardenas, and Javier Arevalo to discover more about the medicinal, mythological, and healing properties of some of the plants to be found in the Amazon Rainforest.
  • Ayahuasca Shaman – Javier Arevalo Interviewed in the Amazon Rainforest Peru.
    Spirituality is at the centre of the Ayahuasca experience. Purification and cleansing of body, mind, and spirit in a shamanic ceremony can be the beginning of a process of profound personal and spiritual discovery. This process can continue indefinitely even if one never drinks Ayahuasca again. This article is extracted from the original interview by Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley which appeared in Sacred Hoop Magazine.
  • Ayahuasca Shaman and Peruvian Mystic, Alonso del Rio Interviewed
    Alonso del Rio is a powerful maestro who interweaves Shipibo and other icaros with sacred music of his own to lead you on your journey; he is both a talented musician and an inspiring communicator of the Amazonian shamanic world. He is interviewed by Howard G. Charing and Peter Cloudsley.
  • Ayahuasca Retreats – an encounter with an Amazonian Shaman
    After being virtually ignored by Western civilization for centuries, there has been a huge surge of interest in Ayahuasca recently. There is a growing belief that it is a kind of ‘medicine for our times’, giving hope to people with ‘incurable’ diseases like cancer and HIV, drug addictions and inspiring answers to the big ecological problems of modern civilization.

    Interviewed with Peter Cloudsley.
  • Ayahuasca Retreats and Journeys to the Amazon Rainforest
    A dedicated programme in the Amazon rainforest, which is focussed on an inner and deep self-exploration and encounter with the power of the rainforest. This is an adventure into the magical world of the rainforest, and a transformative experience of the ancient mystical rituals of the plant spirit medicines.

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