The Shamanic Way of the Bee

"Those upon the Path of Pollen have always recognized the beautiful synergy that exists between flower and bee in the making of pollen," says the beekeeper named Bridge, an elder in the ancient practice of bee shamanism, who is quoted extensively in this book.

Simon Buxton, the author, describes his apprenticeship with Bridge, learning the practices, rituals and tools of a little-known European school of Shamanism based on "The Path of Pollen." Bridge is an enigmatic figure, much like Castenada's Don Juan, who Buxton describes as living "simultaneously in the past, the present, and the future, a bridge across, through, and outside the circles of time."

Buxton's story offers little description of the actual craft of beekeeping, no traceable references to historical bee shamanism,  and only general impressions of its rituals and potions, but he writes smoothly and convincingly and his anecdotal style is infectious.