Shamanism
and Shamanic Practices
Introduction
One of the first questions I hear when opening a discussion regarding
Shamanism is, "What is Shamanism?"
The answer is a little more complicated than a basic definition.
It is typically accepted that the term, “Shaman” originated from the
Tungus
tribes of the Siberian Tundra and essentially translates as, “one
who knows”. A Shaman may fill one or more traditional roles within
their community including that of medicine man, a spiritual (and
political) intermediary and often a sage counsel of his or her people;
many other more colloquial roles are Shamanic in nature, but these are
probably the best recognised of the 'typical' Shamanic practice.
In industrialised society, the term, “Shaman” has come
to indicate a person of spiritual and/or healing abilities. I
will use the term, “shaman” in this industrialised and somewhat
incorrect, generalised term from this point on.
Ed. – I use the term, “Industrialised” rather than
Western, Eastern or similar 'non-sensical' divisions. I do not elevate one
people for their geographical or ethnic origin. My personal thoughts group
industrialised and commercialised peoples within a similar societal
framework. Similarly, I reject wholeheartedly the condescending and
patronising, “Noble Savage” view espoused or even edified by some.
The first thing you would probably find about one who is
a real shaman (and not a New-Age,
plastic shaman as described by many traditional societies) is that they
are generally
quite reluctant to use the term to
describe themselves - until fully recognised as such by their community
and peers. Most [if not all] indigenous societies have their own titles
for the people that perform the role/s recognised as those of a shaman.
What is a Shaman?
I would describe a shaman as one whose view of the world
is tempered by
the understanding that the world they see is malleable and
is without clearly defined boundaries or differentiations between the
physical, spiritual and energetic states. It is said that the
Shaman walks in this world, but lives in many. This rather cryptic
statement is probably quite close to the truth though.
A shaman sees not only the ordinary, described as, ‘the physical
world’, but the underlying energetic and overlying spiritual aspects of
the one world in which we all live. The terms used here are very
important and are not used lightly.
A shaman does not grade reality or belief in their
observations of the energetic,
physical and spiritual realities; seeing instead the inter-reliant,
integrated whole that is reality, not limited to a Euclidean, physical
reality. This linear, physical reality is a miraculous interface
between non-linear energy and spirit (Potential and Probability).
For the science based, the flow of
energy through the physical plane is the mechanism of causality,
that factor which allows a linear model of the physical universe to
exist (think Quantum Electrodynamics here). This allows for
the quasi-constant value of causality to fluctuate little whilst
also allowing for the non-linear interface to provide
super-positioning relative to the physical world as a mechanism of
transmuting potential into probability.
What is Shamanism?
Shamanism is the practice of looking at the world in the way of a
Shaman. A Shamanic practitioner sees a tree (like anyone else),
but also sees the tree's energy, its life force, and its spirit; the
differing natures (personalities) of the corporate entity that is a tree
{Roots, trunk branches and foliage all have very different
'personalities' reflecting the different roles.}.
Shamanism is the practice of recognising the cyclic natures of things,
the rhythms of the world, the entanglement of all (yes, in the quantum
mechanics' sense of entanglement too!). The Shamanic follower uses
skills of the physical in a state of gratitude and non-ownership; using
skills of the mind to seek information, guidance and to change observed
realities by subtle manipulation of the energetic and spiritual aspects
of a thing.
I like illustrations. Let’s explore an illustration of
how a shaman sees a person shall we? Picture a soap bubble floating in
the sunlight. See the amazing variety and dynamic interaction of
colours?
(Science-heads, this is a metaphorical
analogy, please forget for a moment about refraction and that a bubble is a complex equation of surface
tensions, pressure and spherical dynamics.)
Imagine these dynamic, moving and changing colours and their multitude of shades and
hues representing aspects of a person’s structure, function, mind,
energy, life, soul and spirit (for a start); all swirling & interacting
but also in equal tension, both with the rest of the bubble but also
with the gas contained and the atmosphere through which it moves. This
is a nice metaphor to describe how a shaman looks at a person, and the
world in general.
Similar to many other spiritual philosophies, this point of view
describes an ideal of balance, where no one thing is held in greater or lesser
tension to any other thing. In many ways a Gestalt ideal of
recognising all aspect in one's self and the world, and in accepting all
of those aspects, you are then free to choose how much energy and to
give any one aspect in favour of another chosen aspect. Ghandi
chose non-violence over violence and was a Shaman by definition as well
as a 'very interesting' person, not that he ever took that specific
mantle.
Refusing to anger, but instead ask 'why?' is
Shamanism. To take a path towards gratitude
instead of resentment,.. this is Shamanic. There
is nothing new here folks,.. Shamanism has existed in
almost every pre-religious society since we took our
first faltering steps on two legs. It is just
another term, of many, to describe a way of being which
allows one the choice of response over reaction.
Some of the deeper practices of a Shaman, whilst still
technically Shamanism, is really in the realm of the
Shaman and in many cases, some serious training.
Is Shamanism a religion?
Shamanism is not a religion; Shamanism has no earthly nor heavenly
hierarchy, no common scriptures, its only leaders are those recognised
by their peers as truly skilled. Shamanism has no concepts of evangelism,
of divine retribution for breaking rules (~ most shamanic belief
structures hold the concept of spiritual accountability - not judgement, for their actions).
Shamanism acknowledges potentiality, the spark of conscious divinity in all
components of our miraculous universe, both animate and [apparently]
inanimate, with everything having energetic, physical and spiritual
aspects. There is nothing in any Shamanic system I am aware of
that precludes or discourages, in any form, belief or faith in a
religious system of belief.
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