Mother Earth Spirituality: Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and Our World by Ed McGaa (1990, Paperback)

THIS REVIEW IS A PERSONAL OPINION, TO WHICH I HAVE A RIGHT.IT IS MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION OF THIS BOOK AND ITS AUTHOR.
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DISCLAIMER, PLEASE NOTE! Ebay places the books being reviewed by each of us right beside our reviews. I DO NOT NOW NOR WILL I EVER recommend these books to your right to ANYONE. Sorry that I can't change how eBay lists things.
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It is an absolute , provable, searchable FACT that McGaa, aka Eagle Man, is INDEED listed along with many, many other authors on NUMEROUS American Indian websites, forums, & groups, in long lists on those sites which warn that the authors listed there are either FAKE "teachers" of TRUE Native American Spirituality, or that these authors are PLASTIC SHAMANS , selling-out Native culture that the REAL TRIBAL ELDERS never intended to be offered to NON-Tribal people, or else, as one site says, these are indeed Indian people who are just misguided.
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WHERE does Ed fit on these lists? Go see for yourselves, then make your OWN decisions after you read what REAL Indians have to say? Ed is also one of the "leaders" of several NEW AGE Groups via his "RAINBOW TRIBE"! RAINBOW? What happened to the OGLALA Tribe?
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Eddie has been cornered on different internet forums, newsgroups, etc, more than once & has exited when questioned closely about his Tribal affiliation, asked who he studied under (anybody that the Sioux RECOGNIZE as QUALIFIED to teach?), how long did he live on Pine Ridge, didn't he just run for public office in MINNESOTA? So many UNanswered questions about Ed.WHEN was McGaaa DULY ELECTED to Tribal leadership, what is the truth about his role as a REAL OGLALA TRIBAL LEADER,( a LEADER??), his reason for forming a NEW Tribe (What's wrong with the OLD one?), & where on earth he got his NEW AGE "teachings" from! "STAR PEOPLE"?
WHY DON'T WE CALL THE ACTUAL TRIBE UP & ASK!?! OH, WAIT! WE DID!
"The past 20 years have seen the birth of a new growth industry in the United States. Known as American Indian Spiritualism, this profitable enterprise apparently began with a number of literary hoaxes, fakes or real Indians writing bad distortions and outright lies about indigenous spirituality for consumption in the mass market.Some formed NEW "tribes"... The authors grew rich peddling their trash while real Indians starved to death, out of the sight and mind of America" AND "I have heard native and non-native people fully understand my statement, yet many are misinterpreting the statement, because they don't want to see the truth and how it affects them." (Ed knows who said this! Ed took exception to the "Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality." You can see his comments on that website! WHY was he so angry about that decision?? )

Just call up the REAL Council Members of the Oglala Sioux to see how THEY feel about Ed McGaa.Don't let me influence your decision to buy or not buy...ASK THE OGLALA SIOUX if THEY agree with Ed's books! ASK THE TRIBE IF ED IS NOW OR EVER WAS ELECTED TO THEIR TRIBAL COUNCIL! ASK THEM IF HE IS OKAYED TO TEACH ANYTHING? DOES LAKOTA OYATE RECOMMEND HIS BOOKS? EMAIL THEM TO FIND OUT. Does AIM ? NO! How about NAFPS, NACIS, NAHA, OYATE, NAJA? NO, No, NO on each count!

If Ed is "bonafide" why hasn't he sued some of those sites which make scathing remarks about him? A few sites have INVITED him to do so! He CAN'T! He'd have to prove what they say is FALSE!
Sure, buy Ed's books, but realize WHAT you're buying! CALL THE TRIBE!

I aquired this book 10 to 15 years ago and it was truly a lifeline for a while. I have read it numerous times and each time another layer of my onion is peeled away. I understand that there are some who do not like this author, on a very personal level. I would rather listen to the message and not shoot the messenger. I firmly believe that if you are looking to better yourself, you will find it wherever you look. This book helped me on several different levels, even tho he is not of my tribe. Bless him, wherever he is. Nyah weh!