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| "Hamatsa emerging from the woods--Koskimo" "Hamatsa shaman, three-quarter length portrait, seated on the ground in front of a tree, facing front, possessed by supernatural power after having spent several days in the woods as part of an initiation ritual." (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Some cultures retain shamanism longer than others. And some cultures retain some aspects of shamanism even as they transition from gardening to farming.
Reviving and Preserving Shamanism
It is hard to preserve animism and shamanism in modern life. The agricultural, dualistic worldview on which most world religions are based is incompatible with the animistic-shamanic reality.
The Foundation for Shamanic Studies uses proceeds from classes and memberships to help revive shamanism in cultures where it was stamped out by European conquerors,
In some countries, such as Tuva and Mongolia, shamans have come out of hiding, and shamanism has begun to flourish again after being brutally persecuted by the Soviet Union for decades.
Oneness vs Duality
The oneness, or nonduality, is very hard for modern people, whether religious or materialistic, to understand. Modern people, especially in Europe and North America, literally live in a different reality from traditional animists.
Duality is the belief that everything has an opposite: good/bad, black/white, up/down, yes/no. Nonduality, or oneness, is the reality that all things exist somewhere on a spectrum, a range from harmonious to less harmonious, like the continuous scale of grays from white to black. Nonduality also means that the same event can be harmonious or inharmonious, depending on the context.
Without an intuitive grasp of the oneness of animism, the reality of the spirit world, the world of the shaman, is unimaginable.
Yet the effort to break through, to be able to enter into the animist reality, is worthwhile. Shamanic practice is a road to health for individuals, for modern society, and for the survival of life on Earth.
Humans Need the Spirit World
Humans seem to have a deep inner need to sense and interact with the spirit world. Our mental and physical health seem to require it.
Without that interaction, people lose touch with themselves and become unhealthy. We see the results of that in horrendous wars and in the rape of the Earth.
Pitfalls of Calling Oneself a Shaman
Indigenous shamans almost never refer to themselves as shamans. That is not only because the word shaman is used only by the Tungus tribe in Siberia. Indigenous shamans tend to speak humbly about themselves because they don't want to offend the spirits or their own people (or cause envy). Shaman (in whatever language) is a title for others to confer. It is also because the spirits do not like bragging.
According to the book Fools Crow: Wisdom and Power, Lakota ceremonial chief Frank Fools Crow cautioned that if you brag about your powers, the spirits will take them away, and if you misuse your powers, the spirits will kill you. He said he had seen it happen several times over the years, and that while the death might look like a sudden illness or freak accident, it was, in those cases, the punishment of the spirits.
Always remember that spirits are real, and shamanism is serious business. We have to work at remembering that, because, generally speaking, in our culture only what is physical and provable is considered to be real.
Among people who have studied classic or core shamanism, it is also considered is considered inappropriate and pretentious to call yourself a shaman. Those who understand what shamanism is, and what real shamans are, do not award themselves the title of a shaman.
Without a community to serve, without a group of people who recognize us as shamans, we can't really be shamans. We call ourselves "students of shamanism" or "shamanic practitioners." So be aware that if you call yourself a shaman, people who have really studied shamanism will generally assume that you are not one.
And never, never brag about "your" powers. The spirits are listening.
Can We Understand Shamanism?
If we make the effort to understand the oneness of all that is, and the equality (not superiority) of humans with all other life, if we become humble, perhaps we can restore respect for all beings, including the Earth herself.
Perhaps we can save the elephants, tigers, wild orchids, orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees, redwoods, native peoples, plant medicines, and all our relations. Perhaps it is not too late after all. If we try.
Want to know more about shamans, shamanism, spirit animals, shamanic healing, and soul retrieval? You'll find a wealth of resources for everything shamanic at Shamanista.com. White Cranes has taught and led shamanism groups since 1992 and is the Organizer of a 200-member Shamanism Meetup group. For more information on shamanism and animism, see http://www.shamanista.com and http://shamanista.blogspot.com
Article Source: EzineArticles
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