Shamanism, What Is It?
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by: Graham Watt
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Word Count: 573
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 Time: 9:16 AM
It was an exiled Russian churchman who first identified the word Shaman [pronounced Shah-man] in 1672, as a word from the language of the Tungus people of Siberia. Since that time it has become common parlance in the west as its use spread through anthropological studies to describe peoples of other cultures who would once have been called witch doctors or medicine men.
The history of Shamanism is the history of man's earliest spiritual discipline, beliefs and practices. It is written on the walls of prehistoric caves all over the world incl Central Asia, France, Africa and Australia. In South Africa, Stone Age paintings and engravings pay homage to the Shaman carrying out practices over thousands of years of communing with the Gods, Goddesses, Animals and Elements.
Shamans talked of the web of life, a concept still in existance today but now called the Matrix in certain circles. The core tenet is that there is a bond that forms between all forms of life and this is what has been recorded over the millennia on these precious cave walls.
There have been many references to the spiritual belief system of Shamanism recorded in many ancient cultures, i.e. the Egyptians, Greeks and also spiritually in Buddhism, Sufi, Hinduism.
While in an altered state of their own consciousness, the Shaman will enter a spiritual world to undertake rituals; for healing, sould retrieval, power restoration, or simply to communicate with the spirits.
Driven by compassion and with the sole intention of helping those in need, the Shaman focuses on divine intervention.
Communicates with all levels and aspects of nature.
Using rythym, song and ritual, the Shaman builds up a sacred space in which to perform the ceremonial or trip into the non-wordly reality.
Every Shaman has a guardian spirit whom he or she will regularly travel or communicate with on a journey and in addition to the guardian spirit, he or she will have a number of spirit helpers from any of the kingdoms - the Rock, Plant, and Animal kingdoms.
Underlining the basic tenets of Shamanism is a rich Animism which develops out of the Shaman's experience of working with "spirits" of whose being he as real experience.
Animism means to believe that all things, even inanimate objects, have living souls and spirit. This belief was once thought as quaint, primitive, but since the rise of Quantum Physics this view holds more water.
From the shamanatic perspective, the spirits as as real as the rocks and trees that can be found in our garden.
Through the process of development and growth, taking place through training and practice, the Shaman will fully activate his conscious matrix and will be able to undertake the trials of the soul into the sacred spots to be found both on the earth and in the spiritual realms, so that he can return with healing wisdom and guidance.
The traditional Shaman is the link between the world of spirits and Gods and the world of the common man.
My original training was that of the Inuit Shaman in which I was ordained. Since then I have worked for many years with core Shamanism linking many cultures. But now I am focused on the traditions of Celtic Shamanism, the result perhaps of my Scottishness.
About the Author
What is a ShamanShaman? What is their history and role? In this feature, Graham WattGraham Watt, a trained and consecrated Shaman, takes you through the answers to all these questions. Free reprint avaialable from: Shamanism, What Is It?.
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