Cherokee Medicine Man : The Life and Work of a Modern-Day Healer

A modern medicine man portrayed through the words of the people he has helped Robert J. Conley did not set out to chronicle the life of Cherokee medicine man John Little Bear. Instead, the medicine man came to him. Little Bear asked Conley to write down his story, to reveal to the world “what Indian medicine is really about.” For Little Bear, as for the Cherokee ancestors who brought their traditions over the Trail of Tears to Indian Territory, the medicine is about helping people. Visitors from neighboring states and Mexico come to him, each one seeking help for a different kind of problem. Each seeker's story is presented here exactly as it was told to Conley. Little Bear has cured problems involving health, relationships, and money by uncovering the source of the problem rather than simply treating the symptoms. Whereas mainstream medicine and counseling have failed his patients, Little Bear's healing practices have proven beneficial time and again. The Author Introduces John Little Bear, A Cherokee Medicine Man, And Stories From Those Who Came To Him For Help, And Examines The History, Culture, And Myths Of The Cherokee People. A Brief History Of The Cherokees And The Origins Of Medicine -- Interview With Little Bear -- A Very Brief Life Story -- The Beginnings Of This Book -- Sally's Story -- Alex -- Frank's Story -- George's Story -- Martha Jane -- Sonny's Story -- Henry's Story -- The Sweat -- Going To Water -- Dreams -- Maggie's Story -- Mark's Story -- Rainmaker's Story -- Coby's Story -- James's Story -- Laura's Story -- Indian Medicine And Christianity -- The Little People -- Corrine's Story -- Emiliano's Story -- Jeff's Story -- Chris's Journey -- James Again -- Miscellaneous Tales And Anecdotes -- A Typical Saturday Afternoon -- The Stomp Dance -- Spirit War -- Yet Another One -- A Hunting Story -- Dealing With The Legal System -- A Night-goer -- Three Topics -- Dillard -- It's Not All Medicine -- Shape-shifting -- The Baboon -- Jim And Steve. Robert J. Conley. Them are different stories and theories about where the Cherokees came from originally, but when they were first encountered by Europeans, they were living in approximately 250 autonomous towns scattered over parts of what are now the states of North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, and Georgia.