Feeling frustrated with life on the never ending hamster wheel of life, John Jay Rice decides it is the right time for the annual adventure he enjoys with his brother. The two men settle on a trip to South America culminating in a sacred ritual with a revered Shaman. The trip itself proves to be rewarding as the brothers meet some lovely people, enjoy amazing scenery, and partake of the bounty of fresh, natural produce. For Jay, the highlight, which is the encounter with the legendary Shaman Don Valentin, almost doesn’t happen. A series of miscommunications, travel delays, and a dimwitted taxi driver nearly cause them to miss the meeting. But things work out and the results for Jay prove to be extraordinary.
Travel to new places is always an exciting prospect, but can come with some inconveniences. In All That Was Revealed, Jay deals with giant wasps, unsavory locals, dehydration sensitivity, and a Shaman who takes some warming up to. I truly enjoyed the ‘travelogue’ aspects of the story, but the book is primarily dedicated to the pursuit of finding answers to life’s big questions. Roughly half the book is devoted to detailing the author’s single ritual with a powerful Shaman. The author took great care in approaching a different type of religious experience with an open mind, highlighting the need to “suspend disbelief” and balance the need to understand everything with a willingness to try something unfamiliar. For those that find having a potential brush with demons a fair trade for a period of heightened senses, All That Was Revealed is an interesting and enlightening look at a ritual that many of us will never have the chance to experience firsthand.
