In this visionary book, based on the author's experiences as an Oglala Sioux and the inspiration he has received from Sioux holy men, McGaa, or Eagle Man ( Mother Earth Spirituality ), asserts that in order to save the planet from ecological disaster, mankind must abandon the beliefs and practices of the largest governments and religions and follow the spiritual path advocated by Native Americans and other societies that respect nature. In the first seven chapters, he discusses lessons humans can learn from animals—such as the eagle's keen powers of observation; the lioness's aptitude for balancing male and female energy; the bear's knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants; the wolf's talent for working together with the rest of the pack; and the owl's ability to see into the hidden parts of nature. These observations are then used as springboards for his thoughts on where humanity has gone wrong, emphasizing especially the destructive powers of organized religion. In the final chapters, he shows how the desacralization of nature threatens all life on earth. McGaa admits that a return to the spiritual values of nature's way isn't likely, but he believes this is necessary to save the planet from the "four horses of the Apocalypse"—global warming, the thinning of the ozone layer, mass extinctions and overpopulation. While the book adds little new to the current spate of warnings of impending ecological doom, McGaa's idealism is refreshing. (Mar.)
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Reviewed on: 02/09/2004