Full Description
When Oshada Jagodzinski was a child, she had otherworldly visions and a relationship with the dead that only her grandmother, who experienced the same, could understand. Jagodzinski's astonishing life story details not only those early visions, but also the turmoil she felt before coming to appreciate, and, ultimately, harness her remarkable powers in service of others. Overcoming battles with substance abuse and her own inner demons, she emerged, after much healing work and study, an ordained Spiritualist minister and certified medium. She went on to build a fruitful career helping clients overcome the searing pain of loss, as well as both spiritual and emotional hunger.
But Oshada's story doesn't end there. Her quest to find spiritual enlightenment led her to the Lakota of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and the Chipps family's well-known tradition of Yuwipi medicine men, dating back to Woptura, mentor to Crazy Horse. During her years with the family, she developed a profound understanding of the relationship between humans, other animals, and the earth itself.
Oshada Jagodzinski's memoir takes the reader on a rare and dramatic journey of discovery. She reveals life-changing accidents, a near-fatal encounter with a raging storm, spine-tingling shamanic rituals, a Lakota vision quest, and, ultimately, the very essence of what it is to be alive. Through it all, we learn what it takes to dedicate 45 years in service to the spirit world in order to help others approach a better understanding of death and grief, without anger or fear.
For anyone grappling with questions of life and death, substance abuse, spirituality and the wellspring of transformative ritual, My Life Among the Spirits offers immeasurable wisdom and sustenance. For the rest of us, it is simply fascinating.
Contents
Foreword byColin Bates
Prologue
Part I. Learning to Listen
Chapter 1: Growing Up
Chapter 2: College
Chapter 3: The Accident
Chapter 4: Healing
Chapter 5: Spirit
Chapter 6: The Medium
Part II. The Way of the Sacred Pipe
Chapter 7: First Nations
Chapter 8: South Dakota
Chapter 9: Ellie's Healing Ceremony
Chapter 10: Preparing to Fast
Chapter 11: The Hill
Chapter 12: The Fast
Chapter 13: After the Fast
Chapter 14: The Way Back
Chapter 15: Sorrow
Chapter 16: In Conclusion
Epilogue
Afterword by Sal Gencarelle
About the Author
