Author profile
Who is Robert Shumake?
Robert Shumake is an American author, archivist and spiritual teacher from Detroit, Michigan, who has published more than 137 books. He writes under two names: as Robert Shumake he publishes the 69-volume Living Archive Series of restored American newspapers, and as Ajarn Shaman Shu he writes on consciousness, ancestral traditions, Ifá, Buddhist and Tantric practice, and wealth consciousness.
Also known as Robert S. Shumake, Ajarn Shaman Shu, Shaman Shu.
Key facts
- Full name
- Robert S. Shumake
- Also known as
- Ajarn Shaman Shu
- Born in
- Detroit, Michigan, United States
- Known for
- 137+ published books; the Living Archive Series
- Fields
- Archival restoration, consciousness studies, ancestral traditions
- Education
- Morehouse College; Ferris State University
- ORCID
- 0009-0001-9420-1844
Common questions about Robert Shumake
Who is Robert Shumake?
Robert Shumake is an American author, archivist and spiritual teacher from Detroit, Michigan, who has published more than 137 books. He writes under two names: as Robert Shumake he publishes the 69-volume Living Archive Series of restored American newspapers, and as Ajarn Shaman Shu he writes on consciousness, ancestral traditions, Ifá, Buddhist and Tantric practice, and wealth consciousness.
What does Robert Shumake write about?
Two bodies of work. Under Robert Shumake, the Living Archive Series restores 69 American newspapers — preserving original typography and page layouts, with particular attention to Black-owned publications whose reporting rarely survives in digital-only archives. Under Ajarn Shaman Shu, 68+ titles cover meditation and breathwork, the 114 chakras, Ifá and Yoruba tradition, Vedanta and Sri Vidya, Tibetan, Thai Theravada and Zen Buddhism, Tamil Siddha mysticism, Hermetic science and wealth consciousness.
Why does Robert Shumake write under two names?
The two names separate two methods, not two people. Robert Shumake is the archivist's name — historical restoration work that must be verifiable and faithful to the source. Ajarn Shaman Shu is the teacher's name — practice-based writing rooted in initiation and lineage. Readers of one body of work are not assumed to be readers of the other.
Where can I read Robert Shumake's books?
The full catalogue is listed on this site at /books, filterable by author name, collection, subject, year and reader rating. Titles are distributed through Apple Books and Google Play Books.
What is Robert Shumake's work on artificial intelligence?
He argues that AI systems inherit the gaps in their training data, and that the missing Black archive — newspapers, ledgers, oral tradition and ritual knowledge never digitised — is reproduced as machine ignorance. His AI writing and topic pages are collected at /ai.
Is Robert Shumake available for interviews or speaking?
Yes. Press enquiries, podcast bookings and speaking requests go through the contact page at /contact, and a press kit with biographies and prior appearances is at /press.
In his own words
Robert Shumake is an internationally recognized author, spiritual teacher, consciousness researcher and custodian of forgotten histories. Writing under two distinct author personas — Robert Shumake and Ajarn Shaman Shu — he has published over 137 books spanning spiritual wisdom, historical restoration, ancestral knowledge systems and transformational consciousness work. As Robert Shumake he publishes the Living Archive Series, 69 meticulously restored American newspapers preserving the voices of cities from Atlanta to Albuquerque. As Ajarn Shaman Shu he synthesizes African spirituality, Hindu and Tantric philosophy, Buddhist studies, Tamil Siddha traditions and Hermetic science into practical teachings on meditation, breathwork, ancestral healing and wealth consciousness. He is a workshop facilitator, retreat leader, online educator and mentor to practitioners, historians and consciousness researchers worldwide.