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Introduction to Shamanism
The word shaman (pronounced shah-man) comes from the language of the Tungus
reindeer herders of the Lake Baikal region of Russia. It is derived from the
Tunguso-Manchurian word saman, formed from the verb sa, meaning ‘to know’, and
quite literally means ‘the one who knows’. It is also commonly translated as
‘one who sees in the dark’. A shaman can be either male or female.
The word shaman was chosen and used by anthropologists to give a precise
technical definition to describe those individuals in native societies who
perform specific functions within their communities. Shamanism is classified by
anthropologists as an archaic magico-religious phenomenon in which the shaman is
the great master of ecstasy. Meaning, a man or woman who ‘journey’s’ in an
altered state of consciousness. The journey is a term referred to as a ‘soul
flight’, when the soul is said to leave the body and travel beyond both time and
place. Basically, what differentiates the shaman from a medium is that the
shaman journeys to the spirits and remains aware of what is happening at all
times, where a medium invites the spirits into their body and generally once
coming out of the altered state has unsubstantial memory of the events which
have taken place during the possession. Throughout history shamanism has been
practiced in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, Greenland, and both North
and South America, making it the earliest spiritual practice known to humankind.
There are many types of shamanism and many ways in which individuals
traditionally become a shaman. In some Native American tribes the initiate is
purposefully ‘killed’ and must make the decision to heal and return, receiving
the power by way of the guides and spirits. In the Australian Aboriginal
tradition the shaman is one who has received the shamanic calling, usually in a
dream. In other native traditions the individual is chosen and taken aside for
training as a child due to recognized attributes. Michael Harner, in the article
‘Shamans and Neo-Shamans’, explains that shamans in Siberia may inherit the
power and knowledge through the family. In other areas of Siberia, a person may
be expected to die due to a serious illness, but then have a miraculous
recovery. This recovery is then recognized by people of the tribe as being a
sign that healing power has come to this person and that this could possibly be
used to heal others of the same illness. Amongst the Shuar (Jivaro) people in
eastern Ecuador, shamans may buy their power from other shamans. While in the
Conibo tribe of eastern Peru the shaman may learn from a large tree.
Shamanism is not usually viewed as a revealed religion but rather a spiritual
tradition based on a connection and communication with the spirits and with
nature, nature being perceived as an uncontrived display of the ‘Great Sprit’
and therefore truth. For the most part, Shaman do not follow a guru type figure
for years on end serving a type of apprenticeship. Rather, once the shaman has
learned the methods for contacting the spirits and has initiated that contact,
it is the spirits that become his or her greatest teachers.
In Nevill Drury’s book, ‘The Elements of Shamanism’, he writes, "Shamanism is a
visionary tradition, an ancient practice of utilizing altered states of
consciousness to contact the gods and spirits of the natural world. ...It may be
that the shaman is a healer, able to conquer the spirits of disease: a sorcerer,
skilled in harnessing spirits as allies for magical purposes; or a type of
psychic detective, able to recover lost possessions. At other times the shaman
may seem to be somewhat priest like--an intermediary between the Gods of
creation and the more familiar realm of everyday domestic affairs."
There are various methods in which a practioner of shamanism will achieve an
altered state of consciousness. These range from mind altering plant substances,
such as ayahuasca, peyote, or mushrooms, where the practioner surrenders to the
spirit of the plant. It must also be remembered that these practices are done
with complete respect for the plant and are not done in a recreational or
abusive manner. To rhythmic sound, such as drums, rattles or chanting, which are
used by shaman all over the world, or places such as Australia, where clapping /
tapping sticks may be used, and in Southern Asia where they may use gongs or
metal bangles. Or through movement, such as dancing, often until exhaustion.
In contempory, modern, or neo forms of shamanism, the study and practice of this
is not about becoming a shaman, in the tribal indigenous sense, but about
connecting with the core elements that our ancient ancestors, all around the
world, discovered could maximize human abilities of mind and spirit for healing
and problem-solving.
Websites
FAQ Shamanism General Overview - http://deoxy.org/shaover.htm
Scandinavian Centre for Shamanic Studies - http://www.shamanism.dk/
Society of Shamanic Practioners - http://www.shamansociety.org/
The Foundation for Shamanic Studies - http://www.shamanism.org/
Books
‘Shamanic Journeying - A Beginners Guide’ by Sandra Ingerman
‘Soul Retrieval’ by Sandra Ingerman
‘The Way of the Shaman’ by Michael Harner
‘Shamanism – An introductory Guide to Living in Harmony with Nature’ by Nevill
Druidry
‘Shamanism – Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy’ by Mircea Elaide
Magazines and Journals
Sacred Hoop Magazine - http://www.sacredhoop.org/
Shaman’s Drum – A Journal of Experiential Shamanism and Spiritual Healing
Shamanism – Journal of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies
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