Honoring the Medicine

"Ken's message is recognized, respected, and needed. Many elders throughout North America have welcomed him into their homes. At ceremonies on the reservation I have seen people moved by the power of his words. Ken's calm, grace, and wisdom shine through the pages of his book. It is a rare opportunity to listen to a man who has gone so far and who brings new gifts and insight to America's most ancient tradition and to the larger world."
--Tom Heidlebaugh (Lenape) Storyteller, Poet, contributor to "The Great Canoes"

​

"Ken Cohen is known and accepted as a teacher and a healer of Native American Indian methods by Native Medicine men. I am honored to have been one of his teachers."

--Keetoowah (Cherokee) ​

​

"Ken Cohen's credentials are broad and deep. He brings a friendly, unpretentious spirit with him. He is able to speak to the scholar and to the beginner."

--John Locke, Ph.D., Chair, Comparative Literature, University of Arkansas

​

"Ken Bear Hawk is a true medicine person who is trying to help the people that need help. He has helped me; he has helped my wife. I am proud to walk hand in hand as a brother to Ken Bear Hawk. We walk as friends, we walk in the spirit world, we walk together. We help each other, we help other people. This is the medicine way of the Indian people. I've always considered Ken Bear Hawk a powerful medicine man because he has been given by the people of our tribes the secrets that are not given to very many people today. I stand behind him one hundred percent."

--War Eagle (Cherokee-Lumbee)

​

"Words cannot begin to express our appreciation for your involvement in the dedication of the Native American site and tipi at our Elementary School. Your expertise and the warm and caring manner of working with the children was outstanding. The storytelling and sharing of dances was a highlight for all present. I personally thank you for all your insight and help in making the day a success and one to be remembered. We look forward to working with you again in the future."
-- Nederland, Colorado Elementary School Teacher

​

"As a result of heart failure and multiple complications, my sister had been in a coma in intensive care for over a month. We were about to sign papers to remove life support when we contacted you. Your songs, prayers, and doctoring were like witnessing a miracle. She whispered "Thankyou" in our native language when you finished. She was conscious and sitting up the next day, and within the week was released to a rehab center. Children and grandchildren surround her; we cannot express our gratitude."

--SJ (Maliseet)

​

"My son, age ten, has been severely autistic his whole life. That one healing ceremony made a change that we never expected. For the first time, he makes eye contact, walks to the door when he wants to be outside, and is giving hugs! When you said there was no fee, we decided to offer you a Pendleton blanket and pray that it wrap your family with the same love and kindness that you have shown us"

--MB, Salt Lake City, Utah

​

"I never thought that a ceremony of forgiveness could heal cancer, but there is no other explanation."

--John R, Chicago

​

"Ken is one of those few individuals who has denied in himself neither intuition nor intellect, but has achieved a balanced synthesis. This balance, plus his many talents, have made him a cultural bridge between East and West, and between ancient and modern...I am not reluctant to recommend Ken Cohen as a "healer" and teacher of ancient and modern forms of "energy medicine" forms of healing and spirituality. On the contrary, I am pleased to recommend him to you."
--Elmer Green, Ph.D., Menninger Foundation

​

"He integrates the Cycles of Truth and the Pathway of Peace to acquaint each one to their personal gifts and ability to grow in a sacred manner. He teaches the relevance of this philosophy to today's culture and needs. The Wolf Clan Teaching Lodge is honored to recommend Ken Cohen. DaNaho."
--Twylah Nitsch (Seneca)

​

"I want to acknowledge the fine presentation that you made to our fourth year psychiatrists in training. We are all sorry that the time was limited to two hours. Your breadth of knowledge and your ability to relate it to issues in psychiatry was most appreciated." 

-- The University of Kansas Medical Center

​

"Ken Cohen is a teacher of people beyond being a teacher of holistic subjects. He is a healer who knows how to help the body heal itself and he works with his clients to ready them to participate and take charge of their healing."
--Rabbi Zalman M. Schachter, Professor of Religion, Naropa University

​

​

Book Praise

​

"Cohen's book is a form of medicine in itself-- medicine for the mind. He does not allow the reader quick, easy answers, but slowly and carefully untangles the confusion that for so long has created a barrier between the western world into which he was born, and the Native one into which he was adopted. This healing of words is truly respectful in a way Native Americans and those from around the world with open minds can appreciate. In doing so, he creates the missing context in which communication between different types of "medicine" is possible, and not a moment too late. We all need healing. I strongly encourage readers to study this book with open hearts and minds."
--Evan Pritchard (Micmac), author of "No Word for Time", "The Way of the Algonquin People"
and "Native New Yorkers, the Legacy of the Algonquin People of New York"

​

"Native American healing is America's original holistic medicine," writes Kenneth Cohen. He explains at the outset that he is not Native American by birth nor does he officially represent any nation or clan; he is presenting his personal views of Native American spirituality developed during his 30 years of immersion in this tradition, learning from elders and medicine people of many nations as well as from his own visions, dreams, and prayers. From 1976 to 1981, he was an apprentice to the Cherokee elder Keetoowah who gave him his Indian name, "Bear Hawk," and trained him in various healing methods. The result of this long-term study is a richly informative volume emphasizing an integral approach that blends philosophy, science, principles, and practice. Cohen is interested in the connection between people, nature, and spirit. That is why he begins with a chart of the Native American Philosophy of Life which reveals their views on the Great Spirit, nature, energy, Spirits, prayer, purpose, elders, the future generations, and human knowledge. Honoring the Medicine demonstrates that this system of healing is as varied and abundant as acupuncture, homeopathy, and ayurveda. Cohen includes a chart with a helpful comparison of Western and Native American Medicine. The author more than adequately fulfills his mission of honoring the gifts he has received from traditional Native American elders."

-- Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat (http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com)

​

"Out of years of experience, Kenneth Cohen offers this gift of immense wisdom and insight into ancient and still-honored ways of healing. HONORING THE MEDICINE will challenge your everyday perceptions of reality and lead you to a quiet, more mindful and healthful place. Be prepared: it could transform your life."
--Margaret Coel, author of "Chief Left Hand", "Southern Arapaho", and "The Spirit Woman"

​

"If you were to search for a living core among the diversity of Native American healing practices, you could not find a better guide than this thorough, thoughtful book by Kenneth Cohen. The very method of inquiry and discourse is part of the teaching…This is a book you could carry into the wilderness if you had to choose just one. In it, you can hear the voice of the Earth itself, whispering in the great silence."
--Stephen Larsen, Ph.D., author of "The Shaman's Doorway"

​

"Honoring the Medicine takes you on a vision quest level. Must reading for those ready to enter higher consciousness."
--Ted C. Williams (Tuscarora Wolf Clan), author of "The Reservation"

​

"What a magical, comprehensive integration of indigenous, western, and multi-cultural knowledge! Honoring the Medicine's synthesis reminds us that we are all one. It reminds us to respect and honor the earth and all of life. And, surprisingly, it affirms that Native American healing is not a thing of the past, but rather, a tradition with a brilliant future!"
--U.S. Congresswoman Claudine Schneider, contributor to "The Planetary Interest"

​

"Anyone wanting insight into the world of Native American healing will be wise to read this remarkable, penetrating work. Kenneth Cohen has been gifted with wisdom and blessings from many Native American elders. As a result, he has emerged as one of the great explicators of the Native American worldview. It is refreshing to see the dignity and honor he has toward his subject, when so much of contemporary writing on this subject is trivialized. This is a valuable addition to the canon of healing."

--Larry Dossey, M.D., author of "Healing Beyond the Body and Reinventing Medicine"

​

"Honoring the Medicine is both a medicine and an honoring of the Native American ways of healing. Kenneth Cohen has created a timeless classic that is essential reading for all who are interested in indigenous medicine. Blessed by elders and rooted to the old ways, this work arrives at a time when we need it most."
--Bradford P. Keeney, Ph.D., editor of "Profiles of Healing"

​

"Kenneth Cohen writes from a place of beauty, truth, and integrity. He inspires us to reconnect with traditional ways for healing the earth and ourselves. Honoring the Medicine speaks to the passion that burns inside of us to connect with ancestral knowledge. It is a brilliant work."
--Sandra Ingerman, author of "Soul Retrieval" and "Medicine for the Earth"

​

"This landmark book is a stunning tour de force. Kenneth Cohen has crafted a comprehensive yet accessible compilation of the theory and practice of Native American medicine. Drawing upon equal parts native traditions, folk wisdom, personal experience, and scholarship, Honoring the Medicine is that rarest of books-- one that makes an original contribution to knowledge in several distinct fields, particularly cross-cultural anthropology, comparative religion, and the history of medicine."
--Jeff Levin, Ph.D., M.P.H., author of "God, Faith, and Health"

​

"Honoring the Medicine is a remarkable book. In it, Kenneth Cohen presents the panorama of Native American healing practices in a format that is both fascinating and applicable. Cohen is a gifted storyteller, and he spins narratives that instruct as well as entertain."
--Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., past president of The American Psychological Association, author of "Spiritual Dimensions of Healing"

​

"Kenneth Cohen captures the feeling and essence of Native American healing in another masterpiece of exploration in healing traditions. His breadth and depth of understanding are presented in explanations of traditions and rituals, clear discussions, examples and stories. Reading this book is a healing experience on many levels."

--Daniel J. Benor, M.D., author of "Spiritual Healing: Scientific Validation of a Healing Revolution"

​

"I have been involved in traditional healing all of my life and have studied extensively in this field. I have never found a work as complete in its research and actual application of the principles as Honoring the Medicine. It's hard to find any work to compare with it. Honoring the Medicine is the most comprehensive."

--Gladys T. McGarey, M.D., past president of the American Holistic Medical Association, author of "The Physician Within You: Medicine for the Millennium"

​