"Reading INITIATION by Sharon Shier was a mind-boggling surprise! This is no pious recital of religious platitudes. This is the story of an ordinary woman precariously balanced between the very strong pull of her American, mid-western upbringing and the relentless hunger of her own unique spiritual intuition.

Following her into the unpredictable twists and turns of her sometimes reluctant, but always expanding, relationship with her remarkable spiritual Teacher is both unnerving and exhilarating. Sharon’s candor and humor lured me, the reader, into becoming, first, a secret witness and, gradually, a trusted confidant whom she led ever deeper into the adventure of her own metamorphosis.

By the time I reached Sharon’s stunning conclusion, I had glimpsed a range of human consciousness potential, not only within her but also within myself, that was different from anything I had previously imagined. My heart had been both inspired and chastened. In a simple yet startling way, INITIATION reveals the story of the divine spark that struggles to awaken within each of us. As such, it has the elements of both an intriguing mystery and an unfolding love story of a very high order.”

“One of the things that stood out in the book was the vulnerability and openness in the sharing of Sharon’s story. This is a tremendous gift which allowed me to hear my own spiritual journey in the sharing of hers. I appreciate and respect the training that it takes to do that.”

- Patricia Julian, Tranquil Planet

REAL is the key word here. This adventure comes from the heart. Sharon allows you to live her journey right beside her every step of the way, from opening her first home lesson all the way to the surprising ending. You will feel every emotion as Sharon did. I laughed and cried along with her! I was enlightened and moved by Sharon's personal story. A definite must read for anyone who wants a first hand REAL account of a tremendous journey to spiritual enlightenment.

-Donna Dove, Reader

There are so many remarkable aspects to INITIATION. First is the overview that comes from hearing the Teacher's teaching through someone else's experience.

Second is the touching connection that can not be helped but be made between Sharon's experiences on the path and one's own. Her honesty is a huge gift. I have read a great deal of disciples books about their journeys towards awakening, and their interactions with their Teacher, never before, however, have I read one as deep. Mostly we hear others speaking of the wisdom, the understanding they gain, not the deep rooted transforming effects that happens when you start living that awareness, with set-backs included. It is a rare gift to have someone who has progressed so far on the path, share with us her set-backs and difficulties. We gain as much from those as we do from the elevated reflections and experiences.

I also find it so totally amazing that she can clearly remember the Teacher's words, interactions and her own experiences from moments and years past. Truly this remarkable ability must come from her experience in silence and Master Maticintin's potent presence.

One must read INITIATION for themselves to experience the many gifts within it. I gratefully bow to Sharon Shier for her openness.

-B. T., Reader

From the beginning of this book, I see Sharon Shier to be a person of great courage. When she meets her Teacher for the first time, she realizes that this relationship means that she will have to be willing to give up everything in her personal life. She totally reveals her resistance, her fears and her struggles, and yet I see her persevering and moving forward spiritually. This is a fascinating story of a seemingly ordinary person who is boldly willing to share the ongoing ups and downs of an extra-ordinary life.

-Elizabeth Holt, Reader 

I have been on a spiritual quest most of my adult life and never have I been so touched and moved by a story of courage, boldness, and single mindedness. The author brings you into her life in such a way that you feel each agonizing step and each amazing joy. This story reveals the innermost secrets of what it is like to apprentice under a true Wisdom Master. Read it at your own risk for you will be deeply moved.

-Alexander Johansen, Reader

I am currently beginning my second reading of this fine book. It is not only a clear and honest account of one woman's spiritual journey, it is proving to be a treasured teaching tool. My book is highlighted throughout, and the inside back cover full of reference pages that touched a nerve and that I will want to refer back to for quick reference. Thank you Sharon for the open sharing of your moving journey.

INITIATION: Autobiography of a Shaman-Buddhist Apprentice is the accessible story of a real person's entry into the natural world of spirituality as guided by Wisdom Master Maticintin. Unlike many stories of spiritual awakening where the protagonist journeys to an anthropologically different culture, Sharon describes her home study lessons and retreats to visit the Teacher in the context of her ordinary mid-western life. Sharon reveals her sense of humor and vulnerability as she describes the continually building, amazing lessons that are not what you'd expect. The impacts to her family and friends are discussed. The race to the prize of enlightenment widens into compassion and draws us more deeply into the story up until the surprising climax. This book is a fascinating window into Wisdom Master Maticintin's spiritual presence. Sharon was one of the original students and paints the picture from the early days of the Wisdom Master's teaching career up to the present.

-Denise Mosca, Reader