In 1938, a young Muskogee Creek Indian walked unharmed through a den of rattlesnakes as part of his initiation into the "medicine ways" of his tribe. More than fifty years later Bear Heart, now a medicine man and a respected elder of his tribe, tells his story and shares his teachings.

With eloquent simplicity, Bear Heart shares a lifetime of training that has enabled him to survive personal tragedy as well as to counsel and teach others to do the same. He describes the lessons learned in ceremonies conducted in the sweat lodge and the Native American Church, using fasting and chanting to receive the power of the Great Spirit. He explains why Native people pray with peyote and smoke the Sacred Pipe and how vision quests can bring clarity and personal revelation.

Bear Heart's admonitions are always simple and succinct. He emphasizes the importance of developing character, asking, What kind of person are you? How do you treat your parents, your children, your friends? What do you stand for? He encourages us to seek our true purpose in life and to open our lives to guidance from Above.

In weaving together inspiring and often humorous anecdotes, Bear Heart demonstrates how traditional tribal wisdom can help us maintain mental, emotional, and physical health in today's world. Through stories and examples, he teaches us how to live.