The Meaning of the Shaman

Vladimir Serkin is a professor at the HSE (National Research University Higher School of Economics), a Doctor of Psychological Sciences, author of monographs and textbooks on psychosemantics, and more than 160 scholarly and research-methodological works. The books “The Shaman’s Laughter,” “The Shaman’s Freedom,” “The Shaman’s Stars,” and “The Shaman’s Thinking” became bestsellers; some have been translated into European languages, and the author is often called the “Russian Castaneda.”

In his new book, Vladimir Serkin turns to questions of life, death, and the meaning of existence. The author will share unique experience and knowledge he gained over 25 years of free wandering through forests, mountains, and coastlines—in order to answer the question directly: “What is the secret of the shaman’s longevity and vigor?”

A key feature of the book is reflections on the evolution and ecological community. Should a conscious, developing person think only about the individual meaning of life? Or is the meaning of an evolving planet’s ecosystem just as important?