Voluptua: A Novel - Hardcover

Ellen, a young professor, gives up a promising university career to immerse herself in the mysterious world of Amazonian shamanism. There, drawing on untapped courage, self-reliance, and a spirit of adventure, she fulfills her highest potential in a way she never dreamed possible. The novel provides a satirical look behind the scenes in academia, and takes the reader into the world of Amazonian shamanism. When she meets Hugo, an enigmatic stranger with firsthand knowledge of Peruvian shamanism, her life takes an unexpected twist. Through a series of events at the university, Ellen heads to the Amazon for a rendezvous with Voluptua, an elusive forest spirit calling to her in her dreams. There she participates in ayahuasca ceremonies led by Hugo’s shaman, and spends time in a native village before going off to stay in the jungle on her own. Voluptua encompasses one woman’s transformation from university professor to an inspired, courageous, spiritual being embracing her power through her travels to the Amazon and beyond.

Jason Martin holds a Ph.D. in French and comparative literature and has taught at Michigan Tech, the University of Tulsa, and West Virginia University. Being involved in Amazonian shamanism for more than twenty years, Jason has in-depth knowledge of the two worlds in which Voluptua is set. A seasoned traveler, he has lived in France, Greece, and Spain, and has traveled widely in India, Mexico, and Peru. He speaks fluent French, modern Greek, and passable Spanish. He worked in France as a Seine River boat pilot and was married by his shaman in the Temple of the Stars in Machu Picchu. Jason has been a teacher of yoga and meditation for more than thirty years and is the co-founder of the Starseed Center for Yoga and Healing in Montclair, New Jersey. He maintains a healing practice in Montclair. He was a founding member of the Twelve Miles West Theater, an equity company that produced several of his plays. He has also published two articles in The Atlantic.