Preeminent in the field of personal development, Lynn Andrews is the author of 18 best-selling books, including Medicine Woman, Jaguar Woman, and Tree of Dreams. Her highly anticipated new book, Writing Spirit, is also now available. Meet Lynn at East West Bookstore, featured under Conferences.

A shaman of extraordinary insight, heart and power, Lynn reflects the ancient teachings of her Native American mentors and guides, the Sisterhood of the Shields, advocating the study of sacred global cosmologies at the core of creation. She is also the founder of a world-renowned Mystery School: the Lynn Andrews Center for Sacred Arts and Training. A teacher who walks her talk, Lynn says with emphasis, "There is much more to life than what you see. I would never ask someone to believe what they have not experienced themselves, but I do ask people to explore."

Lynn: As far back as I can remember, I could see lights around people. I could see energy within them, and I could tell their illnesses, their sorrows or their happiness. I just thought everybody could do that. I used to ride to school on my horse with my best friend Beverly, who was Native American. One day I saw around her this very red, angry energy, and I knew that her father had beaten her that morning. I mentioned it to her. She was horrified and embarrassed that I could see that. So from that point on, I hid what I could see for many years. It wasn't until I was in my early 20s that I decided I needed to find a teacher. I went everywhere and met people all over the world, mostly male teachers, but I had the sense that I needed to learn from a woman.

The story of Medicine Woman unfolded when I saw a Stieglitz photograph of a Native American basket, circa 1880, at an art opening. I put my hands on the frame of this picture, and I had a sense of the north wind in my hair. I kind of fell into the picture. It was so surprising, frightening and exciting at the same time. Then a dream started to haunt me, always of an ancient Native American woman, proffering to me in her hands this beautiful basket. I went in search of it, and my journey began. The basket was an invitation to find and work with the elder women who became my mentors.

Lynn: I lived in Beverly Hills then, and I had a wonderful life on the surface, but what I desperately needed was to understand the balance between my spiritual feelings and my physical world. I finally realized later, after working with Agnes Whistling Elk and Ruby Plenty Chiefs, that I was in search of a healing of my own soul. They knew it, and they had been waiting for me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to get somewhere, to do what I really intend.

Lynn: I've written my books the way I needed to be taught, which is through experience. I write about my experiences, which have been so extraordinary. But I needed to do more, so I sat in council with the Sisterhood of the Shields, with my Native teachers, and we talked about this. I said, "Do you think it would be all right if I started a school?" I knew it would be a school without walls, so I proceeded to write the curriculum, which was a huge undertaking and wonderful fun. The idea was to create a process of learning through experience. Putting that curriculum into writing was the hardest thing I've ever done, because when you talk about power, you have to take people into the center of it. Then they can understand on their own. Since 1994 when the school opened, I think we've done that successfully.

Lynn: It isn't really a book about writing, it's more about finding your creative soul, a way to experience healing that is not just superficial. I think it takes a shaman, someone who understands the divine human. When you look at quantum physics, this is what shamans have known forever: the nature of reality and what we're made of. Whatever your beliefs may be, the only thing that truly heals is joy. It comes out of love and light. We are all responsible for what is going on in the world today. We are at war within ourselves, indulging in such polarities as Democrat or Republican, Christian or Muslim. We need to move into center, into the crack between these worlds, into balance. If you can go through that gateway, you go to freedom. That's what my books and my teachings are about.