As I grew to know Adam Dilwyn Vaughn, it became clear why he lived as he did, where he did, and why he was regarded warily by others, for in his younger days, Adam had been a sin eater (bwytawr pechod in the Welsh, from which this tradition comes)—a devourer of human sins—and his was a story of the soul, what it may contain, and how it can be healed and find purpose.

It is only now that I can keep my promise to Adam to make his confession by the telling of his life.

Revealed in this remarkable true account are the secrets of a lost tradition of Celtic shamanism, from working with plant medicine and nature allies to deciphering omens and communicating with nature spirits. In this fascinating tale, the sin eater's apprentice shares powerful gifts and lessons from the natural world and explores their relevance to our human quest to discover—and live—our soul's purpose for this lifetime.