Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer

I was a little skeptical about how well this biography would be written by a doctor, but it actually very well done. The friendship between the author and Don Panti is heart warming. Truly an incredible story. I also really appreciated learning more about jungle plants. Was a great read on my vacation in Belize.

I wanted to read this book 10 years ago after the first time I visited Belize. It is the story of a biologist who moved to Belize with her husband to farm the jungle and grow their own organic herbal remedies. By circumstance she meets this old traditional healer, gains his confidence and studies local herbal medicine with him for 20 years. It is a moving story, and over time most of the medicines were validated by scientific study back in the States and the active ingredients identified. It is an uplifting story and I made personal connections throughout the story because I have spent time in almost every location mentioned in the book. In fact, I couldn't have been any more than a couple miles from their farm on the Macal river. An easy read that is so intriguing you just keep turning the pages. This is a must read. It reminds us that we have lost so much important knowledge over the eons.

I've read quite a few books in the "apprentice to a master" genre, beginning with Carlos Casteneda's classics. In the past decades I haven't much cared for or trusted the authors; some of the books seem wildly exaggerated to me. Not so with Rosita Arvigo's book. It is told in a very believable, grounded way. No extraordinary claims are made; just a solid apprenticeship with an authentic healer. It is well written and held my attention very well; also it increased my appreciation for indigenous healers.

This book was written very well, but was still packed with ethnobotanical information and experiences. It read like a novel. I enjoyed witnessing the change in Arvigo as she became more accepting of Maya beliefs and less fixated on the thinking of american practitioners; the struggle she had with changing her thinking process and finally being able to kind of mush them together into her own way of healing. For example at first she would introduce a plant and what it was used for and how it had a certain chemical(s) in it that would give it that healing property. But as she learns more about the plants she has to adopt a spiritual understanding on how these plants work to heal. And I loved the ending!

I had to read this book for my Anthropology of Religion class. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a really amazing heartfelt read. I also loved the little informative parts of the book talking about specific medicinal plants and their uses.

Interesting aspect of Mayan medicine, from a Chicago Doctor who became a shaman in Belize, Central America. For someone interested in natural medicine, this is a must read.

This book is a work of peace and beauty. Each chapter starts with a quick note on unique Mayan herbs and identifies their healing properties. This alone is a treasure. Sastun also gives an insightful, sensitive look into the character a true healer who deeply cares for his patients, mourns his lonliness, yet is energized by his spiritual support he receives in his healing and the thankfulness of his humble, hard-working and trusting Mayan patients. Personally, I loved this book... it reads quickly and easily, is beautifully written with touching humor and is remarkably uplifting.

What a beautiful and authentic story about two healers. If you work in the healing arts or are thinking about it as a career path- this book is touching and eye opening. So many beautiful lessons about working with love and compassion for all in harmony with the plants.

great book, every chapter starts off with write up on a medicinal plant and the chapter will be dedicated to explaining how it was used, awesome read

Le livre broché n'est pas bien solide, la surface se décolle !Le contenu est très agréable, on se laisse facilement entraîner par ces deux personnalités attachantes. Ça donne envie de les rejoindre ! J'ai beaucoup aimé et vous le recommande !

It is a wonderful book that just transported me into the Amazon forest, I walked the path with Rosita and her shaman teacher. I found a new path in my life, the teachings of ancient Maya and want to learn more. The book is full of knowledge and practical things and yet reading it it was an adventure, exploration into the green world of healing plants and special people. Thank you for it. I just loved it!

A lovely book- a reminder of the connection between nature and human beings. Very well written - Thank you so much!

Loved every minute of this book. I felt I was there watching them as I read each page and I would think about them during the day and after I finished the book.