Shamanism

The other day I received an email that expressed some very definite opinions about shamanism. It stated that if one is not born in a culture that seems to be disappearing, taking its shamanic heritage with it ~ one has no right to talk about shamanism, to write about shamanism or to teach shamanic techniques to others that are interested in those techniques.

Somewhat to my surprise the email highlighted one area with a strong shamanic tradition, implying that this is the only area ‘true’ shamanism still exists.

While everybody has the right to their opinion, I guess what it boils down to is how shamanism is defined. And when different ways in which shamanism is practiced are compared, there are a couple of things that seem to be of equal importance to all of them: the strong bond with, and respect for nature, the travels through ‘different worlds’, and the path that connects those ‘worlds’ with our personal life path.

How these are expressed depends on the area where the shaman lives, the function of the shaman within his or her community, and the culture that is prevalent in this area; in this community.

In some areas, or cultures, there is still a shamanic tradition that is very much alive. In other areas, like in our western societies, the old shamanic traditions have given way to a more ‘scientific’ approach to life.

Yet there is an ever greater yearning to reconnect with shamanism ~ with nature.

The more clear it becomes that our environment is changing, and that those changes are taking effect more rapidly than we would hope they would ~ the more people are paying attention to their ‘carbon foot print’, to the effect they have on their environment and on nature. For some this means that recycling becomes part of life, while others may look more in the direction of shamanism. 

Even though at first the established shamanic traditions will gain interest, eventually this interest will almost certainly result in a new and different expression of shamanism. Due to the area and cultural dependence of shamanic expression, it is most likely that the shamanic expression that will emerge will be a merger of both the rediscovery of our shamanic roots ~ going back to shamanism as it was practiced in our area at one time ~ and the application of the core values of shamanism in a manner that  fits our way of living; our culture as it exists now.

This doesn’t mean that this new expression of shamanism is worth more or worth less than the age old shamanic traditions are; only that shamanic practices evolve into a new day and age...

#thereturnoftheshaman

The Shamanic Path

I consider myself to be on a shamanic path; experiencing a strong bond with nature, and a realization of equality with all of Creation. Not the type of equality that each individual (Human, animal, plant or mineral) is the same, but more that each in their uniqueness has a specific role in the whole and as such are of equal value to nature, the earth and the universe.

In this respect shamanism to me at least, means to live life in a way that has a strong bond with nature. To respect others, but also to respect animals, plants and trees, and even rocks and stones for the unique energies that they have, and the unique parts they fulfill in the whole.

This ‘whole’ then, is the ‘whole’ that I can experience: my more or less immediate environment. Even though I know and sense that the ‘whole’ encompasses the earth and even the universe, it is in my immediate environment that I can touch nature’s wholeness. In my direct environment I can influence nature and be influenced by it.

According to this definition of shamanism, topics that are often linked to shamanism like healing or conversing with the Ancestors can be part of a shamanic experience, but don’t have to be...

And the same is true for drumming, chanting, dancing, and the use of drugs that facilitate entering a different realm of consciousness.

Although I like drumming, chanting and dancing as part of a shamanic experience ~ living in a Western society, in a row house with thin walls puts certain limits on the use of those techniques.

I find that the use of drugs, something that was (and is) an accepted method to travel from one layer of consciousness to another; is something that can easily be replaced by meditative techniques...

With every small adaptation to the way in which shamanism was understood, a distance is created between the shamanism of ancient times, and the shamanic path of today. This means that a ‘new’ shamanism is emerging ~ a shamanism that can be applied in this day and age, in our Western culture. A shamanic path that can be traveled even if you have a job, a family, or if you are living on the fifth floor of an apartment building.

Making changes like this is not new to shamanism. These very changes account for the differences between shamanism that can be found in Africa, Siberia, Mongolia, South and Middle America and the practices of the Native Americans.

The underlying energy that makes the shamanic path so powerful, independent from the area it is practiced in, is the strong bond with nature. The respect for nature and humanity alike.

And this is definitely something that is needed in this day and age.

#thereturnoftheshaman