Shamanism

The way of the shaman is truly the way of the intercessor, for the shaman is always a servant to the 'tribe'. In modern times shamanism has taken on a new 'image', a new vibration; and yet, there are still pockets of traditional shamanism handed down even in the western traditions.

A shamans life was generally one of the 'wounded healer', and they were picked from the sick or infirm within the group. There is a valid reason for this, however, as the shaman is a traveler between worlds, and as such requires a 'loose spirit'. i.e. they have usually had a near-death experience.

Shamanic understanding relies upon a deep knowledge of the archetypal forces that exist both in Nature and Spirit, and the interpretation of those forces is, by and large, completely unique to the individual. This interaction is achieved through various means including dance, chanting, drumming or trance. Unlike many other pagan faiths Shamanism does not place its followers in the 'service of' their pantheon. Shamans act as agents negotiating between Spirit and Matter and whilst they may have allies in the spirit realms they see supplication to those forces as a weakness that could be exploited by negative energies to destroy their work.

For the shaman everything has a spirit form, even illness, and their reality is one where all physical things have a composite spiritual counter-part. This becomes very useful when the shaman 'leaves' the physical body to go on a journey. Illness is often viewed as a battle between the soul of the person afflicted and the 'demon' of the malady; as so, recovery becomes a state of confrontation between the shaman and their foe.

Similarly, the shaman has help in the form of 'allies' from the world of spirit. They could be the spirit of a particular healing plant such as 'mugwort', or the spirit associated with powerful narcotic plants like peyote. There is no hard and fast rule as each shaman learns to 'tame' and be accepted by certain plants and animals.

There is a major difference in being a shaman and being on a shamanic path. A shaman is subject to change or initiation at the whim of the Universe and because of this they can appear erratic or even crazy in their nature, whereas the shamanic path affords some comfort in predictability; the traveler is moving down a defined 'road'.

The Way of the Shaman is not for everyone, as much as some would like it to be. In view of this reality you need a pretty screwed up psyche to make the full shamanic journey. However, all is not lost; the way of any shaman leaves behind it a trail 'uncovered' and well worn. A path that can be trod by the brave who wish to experience some of the shamans ways without losing their 'real' core identity. In this modern world many books are available on the subject, and many weekend courses exist that will give you a taste of this unique experience. As in all things, be aware of what you are doing and with whom. Is your guide a real shaman or just someone else tasting the path ahead of you. Don't be like the driver in he fog who thinks that by following the person in front they will be safe; the world of the shaman can have a nasty bite.