Book Review: Shamanism and Your Shadow by Granddaughter Crow

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hello, witches! I apologize for my continued abrupt absences lately. I have spent the last year and a half planning my wedding and honeymoon, and the time finally arrived! Needless to say, I didn't have time to batch write prior to leaving, nor was I able to write while away. I promise to share photos once I get them back from my photographer in the next week or two. It was a beautiful occasion, and I am so thankful I got to marry my best friend. 

Needless to say, I've been busy, but our honeymoon provided the perfect opportunity for poolside reading, and I was able to knock out a couple of occult books alongside some marvelous fiction. One of those books was Shamanism and Your Shadow: Using Animal Guides to Explore and Heal Your Inner Self by Granddaughter Crow. Llewellyn reached out a couple of months ago asking if I was interested in any of their latest releases, and this was the first one that caught my eye. Shamanism and shadow work? Count me in!

Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed. It's not that it doesn't offer a unique and valuable approach to shadow work; it's that it was poorly executed and too surface-level for me. At just under 200 pages, the first half of the book is entirely background information, not actual work. I felt there should have been lengthier chapters on shadow work instead, but still found the book enjoyable overall. Granddaughter Crow does an excellent job of presenting shadow work through the lens of shamanism, and it truly opened my mind to how I can incorporate her teachings into my own shamanistic practice. Hedgecraft is a form of shamanism after all, and with journeying more into Norse paganism, I am starting to delve into seiðr as well (more on that to come). But before I get ahead of myself, let me give you an overview of the book, what worked for me, and what didn't.

First and foremost, the book opens with a disclaimer that the practices outlined in its pages do not replace medical assistance and professional help. As the contents deal with trauma, there are definitely some precautions readers should take to remain safe. I love that Granddaughter Crow does not dismiss science and medicine, but embraces them throughout the text. As a scientist myself, it's extremely important to recognize that modern medicine can and does work with other systems of healing. Medication is not an enemy; it's a life raft. 

Part 1 spends time diving into the science of the shadow and the different perspectives of Freud and Jung. She also discusses the trauma cycle (enlightening), how it can be interrupted and where, and the consequences of such interruptions to the cycle. All of this was fascinating and important to the work as a whole. In this part, Granddaughter Crow also discusses what shamanism is, the basic practices of all shamans, no matter their culture, and what an altered state of consciousness is and how to achieve it. Again, all is important to understanding the lessons and exercises in Part 2. 

She then goes on to discuss the stages of spiritual development, which felt completely disconnected from the rest of the text. It felt like she just wanted to share her system with everyone without having a justifiable reason to. It added nothing to the overall book, and those pages would have been better spent on the exercises in Part 2 than on the introduction. It's also in this part that she discusses chakras and their use in shadow work. I'm not going to lie, this made me feel some kind of way. Let me explain.

Granddaughter Crow is a member of the Navajo tribe. She is an expert in her field, both through ancestral teachings and modern teachings. However, the mixture of one closed practice with another did not sit well with me. She addresses my concern by hinting that her practice is neoshamanism, which combines aspects and knowledge from around the world, but that feels like a justification for colonization. I am going to stop there, though, because I do not want to talk over an Indigenous voice, but I would hope we would recognize that the colonized adopting colonizer norms is reflected in this particular instance. Take that as you will. It does not detract from the lessons Granddaughter Crow has to share, nor is it particularly important in the exercises, so it can be easily adapted and changed to suit anyone's needs. As always, I encourage you to do what feels right.

Part 2 finally jumps into the shadow work exercises, which, for me, is the real meat of the book. It's why I picked it up to begin with. Granddaughter Crow approaches shadow work from the perspective of a Navajo shaman, which is looking at the whole instead of dissecting the problem into its individual parts. I love this worldview, which is sometimes difficult to stick to when my science brain wants to break down everything to try and understand it, but you can't do that with trauma and shadowwork. You must look at the whole in order to heal. Her perspective is truly unique and one I have not seen replicated in any other shadow work books, of which I have read a fair few. Hey...I'm interested in bettering myself, you know?

Granddaughter Crow breaks down the work into four chapters, each centered around a specific animal guide or totem and step of the healing process: recognize, acknowledge, understand, and respect your shadows. These animals include those taboo in Navajo culture and tend to be demonized in other cultures: raven (recognize the shadow), snake (diagnose the shadow), owl (understand the shadow), and wolf (respect the shadow). Because these animals are taboo, she does not share the Navajo stories, but instead pulls from Norse, Greek, and biblical mythology to teach the lessons needed. I always love learning about other cultures, but completely and utterly respect her choice not to share stories from a closed practice with the world in order to keep it sacred. The Navajo believe that talking about taboo topics will unbalance the speaker and all those who listen, so out of respect for her elders, she chose to use stories from other cultures. Honestly, using popular myths makes the lessons more accessible to the general public, and it was a good move on her part.

Each chapter in Part 2 focuses on one aspect of shadow work, but follows the same basic format. First, we are introduced to the animal, their myth and meaning, a guided meditation, journal prompts, reflection, tools to use, and their medicine wheel connection. If you are already familiar with the basics of shadow work and shamanism, like me, you can skip Part 1 and jump right into Part 2. The guided meditations are beautiful, the analysis of the journeys thorough, the tool work enlightening, and the animal connection meaningful. 

My biggest complaint with Part 2 is that it still felt rather surface-level. Granddaughter Crow suggests taking several days or a week to complete each lesson, but I struggled to drag things out that far with what was provided. I feel like I was just getting into things, and it was over. This would likely work incredibly well alongside therapy or even with a buddy with whom you can discuss things. I feel like that would help drag out the process and really allow you to dive deep into your trauma. Overall, though, I really enjoyed the exercises and was especially fascinated by the tool use, such as feathers for chord cutting.

Before I wrap up this review (it's long, I know), we need to be reminded that cultural appropriation exists, and if you are not Indigenous or belong to a culture whose sacred practices are being used, you should think twice about incorporating them into your own. This isn't just about chakras, but the use of spirit animals as well. Granddaughter Crow justifies her willingness to share the terms "spirit animal" and "totem" by using the origins of the words, but forgets that the act of translation is an act of colonization. Of course, the Navajo and other Indigenous people didn't use the words "spirit animal" or "totem." They are English words. As RF Kuang so eloquently put it in Babel, "Translation means doing violence upon the original, means warping and distorting it for foreign, unintended eyes." And while Granddaughter Crow says she does not mind those outside the culture using the term "spirit animal" and "totems," other Indigenous people most certainly do. She even says she does not speak for everyone, so keep that in mind when moving forward with the lessons in Part 2.

Yes, animal guides have been found across every single culture on Earth. Yes, working with animals spiritually is an open practice. Yes, you can use animals to help guide your shadow work or any work you do. Yes, you can call that animal guide whatever you want in the privacy of your own home. Just be mindful and respectful, and always trust your intuition and your ancestors to make the right choices for you and your practice.

Shamanism and Your Shadow: Using Animal Guides to Explore and Heal Your Inner Self is for a very niche audience, and despite the issues I had with the book, I still find it a valuable read for those looking to integrate a shamanistic approach in their shadow work. Granddaughter Crow's perspective is enlightening and gave me a lot to think about. I will likely come back to Shamanism and Your Shadow, particularly Part 2, as I continue my journey into Norse paganism and heathenry, specifically to better integrate animal guides into my practice.

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