Healing Makes Our Hearts Happy: Spirituality and Cultural Transformation Among the Kalahari Ju/'Hoansi

By Megan Biesele and Richard Katz

Book Overview

One of the world's oldest continuing societies, the Ju/'hoansi, or Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert offer profound insights into what is fundamental to human existence. In the face of outside pressures that threaten the complete disruption of their communal way of life, the Ju/'hoansi find deep spiritual resources in their traditional healing dance. Their indigenous method of healing individuals is also a powerful affirmation of the community, and has recently become a means of settling land and property disputes, problems that never existed in the old days. The healing dance promises to be the crucial factor that allows the Ju/'hoansi to preserve their culture into the 21st century. These inspiring people set an example for us to look beyond the false promises of modern technology in search of the spiritual healing that is so desperately needed in our own culture and within ourselves.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892815574
• ISBN13: 9780892815579
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: Inner Traditions International
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.1" x 10.1"

Customer Reviews

Healing Really Does Make Our Hearts Happy

Healing Makes Our Hearts Happy is a beautifully written and photographed book of the Jul'hoansi people of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Not only does the book give an excellent description of the history and culture of this society but also gives strong support to anyone who is striving to live as their hearts direct. I appreciated the style of intimacy with which this book is written. It is easy to find a level of familiarity with the members of this society as the authors weave their stories into a whole picture of a culture. The complex healing rituals performed by these healers were made understandable through their stories and photographs. The threat of extinction of this important part of the culture of the African people and all people is well presented by this example of the Jul'hoansi. We are all effected positively and negatively by the rapid, deep influences of technology. Healing Makes Our Hearts Happy is a work that leads us once again to a place of sensitivity concerning this inevitable struggle of conscousness. I would recommend this book highly to anyone interested in traditional healing practices, African history, technology and world culture. Ifetayo White, BA, CMT, Reiki Master-Teacher. Email: ifetayo@howardalumni.com