Dancing the Dream

Dancing the Dream: The Seven Sacred Paths of Human Transformation by Jamie Sams

"Widely recognized as one of the foremost teachers of Native American wisdom, Jamie Sams reveals the seven sacred paths of human spiritual development and explains how exploring each path leads to shifts in our personal relationships with the earth, our loved ones, friends and communities, and most  important, our own spiritual selves.  As part of a profound awakening process, these paths help us heal the past, shed fear of the future, and focus on being aware and fully present in our daily lives.  Ultimately, we discover that we are indeed dancing the dream."

The result of nearly twenty-five years of intensive study  with two Native American dreaming societies,   Dancing the Dream draws our attention to the f our directions of the Medicine Wheel  (East, South, West, and North) and the three unseen  directions - Above, Below, and Within - and explains how  each of these seven directions represents a specific path on  the spiritiual journey. In the East, we encounter the first  stirrings of the spirit; in the South, the healing of relationships;  in the West, we work to build self-esteem; in the North,  we learn wisdom and the opening of the heart; Above  represents the world of spirit; Below, the earth; Within,  full awareness of the present moment. Most people will walk these paths in sequence. Some will  never make it through all seven. Many will continue to move  forward but continue to double back on earlier paths until  they get things right. But for those willing to walk all seven  paths, there is the great reward of being able to see the world  with the soaring vision of an eagle, fully aware and present to  meet life's challenges with vision, wisdom, and purpose.