Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Weiser Books (2008), Edition: First Edition, Paperback, 304 pages
Description
The ability to move from the ordinary into an altered state of consciousness is one of the most valuable skills in both magic and religion. From the ceremonial magician to the shaman, using trance work to explore inner realms is essential to the magical process of healing, transcendence, and wisdom desired throughout diverse occult and spiritual traditions. TrancePortation offers a comprehensive and multispirited way to enter the inner realm. Blending the modern world with the ancient arts, TrancePortation's first three chapters, Travel Planning, Crossing the Threshold, and Getting Started, offer preparatory suggestions including meditations and relaxations, breathing, warding, shifting gears, and returning. Drawing on examples from varied traditions, from Western Mystery to Native American, Ancient Celtic to Eastern Mysticism, and peppered with folk lore and tales from popular science fiction stories, TrancePortation explores spiritual journey work extensively, offering readers the chance to find their own ways into the inner realm, encounter their own guides and fellow travelers, and create divine relationships with the deities and gods and goddesses that they meet.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Bidwell-Glaze
I need to mention that I have never taken any of Diana Paxson's workshops, nor read any of the rest of her books. I am not a co-religionist. This is a review as a stand-alone, not fitting the book into her Tradition. Diana Paxson has been studying shamanic and mystical altered states of perception
The book Trance-Portation is a manual on running a class on going into trance. It is not a book that one reads to learn the techniques. Trance-Portation chapters are a series of classes and they work better when done as a group, in series, and talking with the group about them or at least journaling about them so that you can think about them deeply, over time.
Not having the class, nor the months to go through it correctly, my review must be seen as incomplete and literary as opposed to as the author intends the book to be used. She uses some jargon and special terminology, but this is a specialized topic, so that usage is necessary. Unfortunately, her terminology is related to her spiritual path and I found it confusing as I do not have the context. I do trance-work and I found her explanations confusing. Perhaps if I was coming at the study with no preconceived notions it would have made more sense.
I was somewhat put off by her lighthearted allusions to literature not everybody may have read, and name dropping of names of people of whom not everyone has heard. The examples are confusing [move counterclockwise, unless you are Hellenic. p. 19 (no description of what Hellenic is).] The book is not dense, but I found it difficult. The mood moved from casual to academic to personal within paragraphs. I am sure that someone who shares Ms. Paxson's religion, or one with the advantage of a class or study group to learn the skills would be better off. I needed to read and re-read in order to get the idea she was presenting. Homework and rituals need to be done in order to understand why she considered them important. I was not comfortable with her rituals or mixture of bits and pieces of different faiths without explaining what those faiths were, and how, if at all, they interact.
I read beyond the first lessons, but because the book is based on cumulative learning, I became more frustrated as I read on.
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/ altered states of consciousness for decades, from Christian, Pagan, and historical perspectives.The book Trance-Portation is a manual on running a class on going into trance. It is not a book that one reads to learn the techniques. Trance-Portation chapters are a series of classes and they work better when done as a group, in series, and talking with the group about them or at least journaling about them so that you can think about them deeply, over time.
Not having the class, nor the months to go through it correctly, my review must be seen as incomplete and literary as opposed to as the author intends the book to be used. She uses some jargon and special terminology, but this is a specialized topic, so that usage is necessary. Unfortunately, her terminology is related to her spiritual path and I found it confusing as I do not have the context. I do trance-work and I found her explanations confusing. Perhaps if I was coming at the study with no preconceived notions it would have made more sense.
I was somewhat put off by her lighthearted allusions to literature not everybody may have read, and name dropping of names of people of whom not everyone has heard. The examples are confusing [move counterclockwise, unless you are Hellenic. p. 19 (no description of what Hellenic is).] The book is not dense, but I found it difficult. The mood moved from casual to academic to personal within paragraphs. I am sure that someone who shares Ms. Paxson's religion, or one with the advantage of a class or study group to learn the skills would be better off. I needed to read and re-read in order to get the idea she was presenting. Homework and rituals need to be done in order to understand why she considered them important. I was not comfortable with her rituals or mixture of bits and pieces of different faiths without explaining what those faiths were, and how, if at all, they interact.
I read beyond the first lessons, but because the book is based on cumulative learning, I became more frustrated as I read on.
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LibraryThing member Sile
The information contained in this book may be sound, but I found the style of delivery rather dry and uninspiring; I had to push myself to read the book, as it was part of a book club group read. I am not a newcomer to trance, and perhaps this made it more difficult for me to engage with the
The book is designed to be read over a period of months, as each chapter's exercise is undertaken and understood before moving on to the next.
There appears to be a serious flaw with the book: the author assumes every reader is capable of adapting each exercise to their own tradition, but this is not always the case. For instance, if the reader is also new to particular path, faith or tradition they will have no understanding of the landscape traversed by followers, or the deities, entities, etc. and, as such, will not know how to adapt the exercises therein. Although Paxson does provide some examples, these are not comprehensive and this could leave a newcomer rather at a loss.
For the reasons above, I am not sure I could recommend it to others even though the core of the information is solid.
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information provided. The book is designed to be read over a period of months, as each chapter's exercise is undertaken and understood before moving on to the next.
There appears to be a serious flaw with the book: the author assumes every reader is capable of adapting each exercise to their own tradition, but this is not always the case. For instance, if the reader is also new to particular path, faith or tradition they will have no understanding of the landscape traversed by followers, or the deities, entities, etc. and, as such, will not know how to adapt the exercises therein. Although Paxson does provide some examples, these are not comprehensive and this could leave a newcomer rather at a loss.
For the reasons above, I am not sure I could recommend it to others even though the core of the information is solid.
Show Less
LibraryThing member biunicorn
Trance-Portation
Learning to Navigate the Inner World
by Diana L. Paxson
This 277 page read was nothing short of stupendous, eye-opening and a blessed guide, as it taught me section by section, suggestion by suggestion how to reach places I had never even dreamed of before. The author, a spiritual
I learned enlightened stuff like how to ground and center. I also learned about clearing the mind, channeling and a whole bunch more. This was one of those journeys I just couldn't put down. I would recommend this well presented, well intentioned, much needed teacher to anyone wanting help navigating the inner planes. Thanks Diana, you have decidedly done it again.
Love & Light,
Riki Frahmann
Learning to Navigate the Inner World
by Diana L. Paxson
This 277 page read was nothing short of stupendous, eye-opening and a blessed guide, as it taught me section by section, suggestion by suggestion how to reach places I had never even dreamed of before. The author, a spiritual
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leader and teacher in her own right brings a unique and commanding style unmistakeably hers. She has brought us impressive bundles before and this big fella is no different.I learned enlightened stuff like how to ground and center. I also learned about clearing the mind, channeling and a whole bunch more. This was one of those journeys I just couldn't put down. I would recommend this well presented, well intentioned, much needed teacher to anyone wanting help navigating the inner planes. Thanks Diana, you have decidedly done it again.
Love & Light,
Riki Frahmann
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LibraryThing member PardaMustang
I found this book to be well-written and thoroughly engaging. It offers wonderful guidance for those just starting out with trance and journey-work and those who are already well-versed in such work. A must have for any interested in such things. I certainly intend to keep my copy around and read
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it many more times! Show Less
LibraryThing member earthlistener
Diana Paxson’s work is really filled with information. The information starts of basic and foundation building and adds from there. What is nice about this book is that it is based rather neutrally and can be used differently to different people’s needs. This book isn’t written just for
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people interest in learning shamanic journeying or even directly shamanism. Its really written in a way that many people pf any pagan path or even if they are not pagan can use the steps and ideas within the pages and without being written in a very vague way. Over all a very good book and informative whether you are a beginner or someone who has more experience in things of this nature. Show Less
Language
Physical description
304 p.; 8.9 inches
ISBN
1578634059 / 9781578634057
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