SHAMANISM
Shamanism is said to be the most ancient spiritual
practice known to man. The term "shaman" is Siberian
in origin and means "the one who knows." A shaman
can be defined as one who is able to alter states of
consciousness at will in order to travel to other realms
and obtain power and knowledge.
Contrary to common belief, a shaman is not necessarily
someone who follows Native American Spirituality.
Throughout history, shamans have been found in a
variety of cultures. In your travels of the world wide
web you will find sites dealing with Irish/Celtic
Shamanism, Native American Shamanism, Siberian
Shamanism, Finno-Uralic Shamanism, and much more.
Shamanism is a spiritual practice which does not conform
to any particular ethno-religious system.
BASIC TENETS OF SHAMANISM
*The belief that all living things possess a soul or spirit.
This includes not only humans and animals, but plants,
stones, rivers and mountains.
*A feeling of connection to nature and the earth.
Shamans strive to live in harmony with their
surroundings and maintain respect for all living things.
Shamans believe that all living creatures are connected
in some way, and that no living thing has
dominion over another.
*The belief that there are three levels of existence: the
lower world, the middle world (or physical plane), and
the upper world (the sky or heavens.)
COMMON SHAMANIC PRACTICES
*The shaman seeks a state of ecstasy through a shift in
consciousness which can be achieved through any number
of means. In times past, many shamans achieved a state of
ecstasy through the infliction of physical pain, ingestion of
hallucinogens, and fasting. In modern times, it is more
common that shamans achieve this state through rhythmic
drumming, dance, and song. Methods of trance
inducement vary among cultures and traditions.
When the shaman's awareness shifts, his soul is able to
travel to the Spirit World, where he will obtain knowledge
that will assist him in healing, problem solving, or
achieving spiritual oneness. During spiritual journeys
the shaman will often be assisted and protected by
spirit guides and power animals.
A common spiritual journey for the shaman is to travel
to the lower world to meet spirit guides. The shaman
enters a trance state, and travels to the lower world
through a hole in the earth, such as a cave, tunnel, or tree.
*Healing is a central focus in shamanism. The shaman
uses knowledge obtained in spirit quests to provide
healing to those who seek it. Many shamans are
skilled in the art of herbalism.
*Soul retrieval is a common theme in shamanism. It is
believed that soul loss can occur when a person suffers
a traumatic event, experiences great loss, or is not living
up to their true self. The shaman utilizes trance states so
that his soul may travel to the upper world to aid
others in soul retrieval.