About the Author

Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Ph.D., is an art historian and anthropologist. She is also the coauthor of Hexenmedizin (Witch's Medicine) and was editor-in-chief of Dao, a magazine about the Far East. She lives in Hamburg, Germany. Christian Rätsch, Ph.D. (1957 - 2022), was a world-renowned anthropologist and ethnopharmacologist who specialized in the shamanic uses of plants. He is the author of The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants and Marijuana Medicine, and coauthor of Plants of the Gods and Witchcraft Medicine. He lived in Hamburg, Germany, and lectured around the world. Surendra Bahadur Shahi was born in Kathmandu into a Newari family of the Shahi caste and is an accomplished thangka painter. He speaks 10 different languages and has a thorough knowledge of the Buddhist and Hindu religion and mythology and the cultural customs of the Newari people.

Reviews

"Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas provides well-documented research and insight regarding the contribution of pre-Buddhist cultures to our current understanding of Tantrism and Vajrayana. The depth of detailed knowledge regarding the symbolism, rituals, and the indigenous wisdom of the Nepali shamans can be attributed to the authors' combined expertise in the fields of anthropology, ethnobotany, art history, and ethnography. A visionary masterpiece!"-- "Alex Grey, artist and author of Sacred Mirrors and Transfigurations"

"Shamanic and yogic traditions of the Indian subcontinent are closely linked together in many ways. Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas carefully examines the shamanic teachings of the region, along with their Hindu and Buddhist background. The book is well researched and well referenced, not merely from an academic perspective but in light of the living tradition. Anyone interested in yoga or shamanism will find a wealth of information in this fascinating book."-- "David Frawley, author of Yoga for Your Type and founder of the American Institute of Vedic Studies"