 The Four-Fold WayWalking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary$17.00, 203 pp. paper, ISBN 00625005797 Harper San Francisco |
This book is a treasure of practical wisdom for anyone
on a path to wholeness. Angeles Arrien gives us the
essence of the sacred teachings of tribal peoples and
makes them directly relevant to how we understand and act
our lives. The Four-Fold Way is an inspiring,
creative synthesis of shamanic teachings by an authentic,
cross-cultural practitioner, and a fine blending of
spiritual awareness and social consciousness. It is a
lucid account of spiritual approaches in other cultures
that draws us back into our roots in nature to find the
sources of our strength. She calls up the wisdom of the
ancient warriors, healers, visionaries, and teachers to
show us how to restore the balance in ourselves and in
our environment. This book is wonderfully practical while
at the same time bringing joy to the soul.
Angeles Arrien, PhD, is a folklorist and cross-cultural anthropologist who is specifically interested in indigenous cultures and their symbols, myths, and practices. Her research and teaching focus on values and beliefs shared by humanity cross-culturally and on the integration and application of multi-cultural wisdoms in contemporary settings. |
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The following ideas are freely derived from Dr. Arrien's books, "The Fourfold Way: walking the paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary," published by Harper/Collins.
Optimum health is expressed in most cultures as a balance in four areas: Leading, Healing, Visioning, and Teaching. Cross-culturally these four areas reflect the four human resources of Power, Love, Vision, and Wisdom. Most of us tend to over-express in one area, while leaving the others underdeveloped. It is important to understand that these four ways are universal and available to all humankind, regardless of context, culture, structure, and practice.
The Way of the Leader is to show up, or choose to be present. Being present allows us to access the human resources of power, presence, and communication. We express the way of the Leader through appropriate action, good timing, and clear communication. The HealerThe Way of the Healer is to pay attention to what has heart and meaning. Paying attention opens us to the human resources of love, gratitude, acknowledgment, and validation. We express the way of the Healer through our attitudes and actions that maintain personal health and support the welfare of our environment. The VisionaryThe Way of the Visionary is to tell the truth without blame or judgment. Truthfulness, authenticity, and integrity are keys to developing our vision and intuition. We express the way of the Visionary through personal creativity, goals, plans, and our ability to bring our life dreams and visions into the world. The TeacherThe Way of the Teacher is to be open to outcome, not attached to outcome. Openness and non-attachment help us recover the human resources of wisdom and objectivity. We express the way of the Teacher through our constructive communication and informational skills. More fourfold way material in this website: Essay written by Dr. Arrien Fourfold Way chart
This is a totally unofficial Angeles Arrien page
I occasionally receive inquiries about contacting Angeles Arrien.
Her officially published mailing address is:
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Updated November 1997
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