Post by wren on Nov 26, 2006 18:13:24 GMT -5
In the West, we have been taught to believe we are corrupt and fallen beings, separated from the spiritual realms, the natural state of Paradise and grace. This is so entrenched that even those professing no religious beliefs are deeply influenced by it. The way of the shaman, however, is based on a fundamental understanding that people are an integral part of the natural world, which is neither fallen nor corrupt. We are in continuous contact with the spiritual realms quite simply because they are all around us and we are part of them.
Tribal peoples of North or South America and the Aborigines of Australia enjoy a far richer than we could ever hope to possess in the West. They live under a continuous spiritual tradition which has never strayed from the premise that they are part of creation. The Celts, too, understood this; it formed the basis of their traditions and rituals. In trying to recover the way of the shaman we must come to terms with this way of seeing and feeling, and must abandon much of what we know as ‘normal’ in our modern everyday lives.
We should try, while appreciating all the modern conveniences we have created, to regain the freshness and inner power of the shaman’s vision. Once we grasp the essential understanding that everything is part of us, as we are a part of it, and that it is not necessary to believe in a linear progression from ‘A’ at birth to ‘Z’ at death, having acquired as much as possible along the way. Once we begin to see life as a spiral rather than a straight line, we have achieved one of the fundamentals of the shaman’s way.
From here, we can begin to explore the true realm in which we live, follow the network of radiating lines from a central point (at best ourselves, or at least where we stand in relation to the universe) into the deepest (or highest) planes of the spirit. We must first begin to see ourselves as coworkers with Nature, that we are interdependent with and upon it. We must realize that we are its defenders, not its enemies; its caretakers who look after it so that it can continue to provide for us.
A shaman sees this because he or she has learned to travel within the natural world, which is also the realm of the spirits, of the animal helpers they are able to summon in times of need. This understanding makes them unique, but we are all capable of attaining this state if we really want to. We have to relearn much that we have forgotten, but the heritage that is ours for the asking has always been there; we simply have to learn how to explore it. We must reject our current materialistic society, and remind ourselves of the values of a less complicated age, simply not in its structures and methodologies, which are every bit as complex as our own, but in its regard for nature, time and goals. If we can achieve this at both a personal and worldwide level, we will have taken a step of such importance that nothing will ever be quite the same again.
Shamanism is experienced with the blood and fiber of the body; it is not informed by the intellect alone. If you understand this much, you have begun your journey. Remember that the watchword is ‘wonder’; everything is filled with wonder, though nothing is superior- simply marvel at the experience of communicating with a world that is bursting with created abundance. With this in mind you have already entered the shamanic universe; the teachings and signposts that follow will help you develop this awareness. Go swiftly and gently, and your path will surely be filled with wonder.
The journey of descent begins with a call to adventure, a stirring declaration from the depths, from the gods and goddesses, that it is time to leave behind everything you thought your life was supposed to be. The call is much more than an urge for an extended vacation, a challenging project or a new career or social scene. You may think you are simply going to leave home for awhile, learn something new and return to what you always thought of as yours but you will not in fact be in control. You might one day return to the place where home existed and find only ashes.
In the industrialized West, the call comes without warning, without help from elders, and without formal rites of passage. Although unexpected, the call is preceded by ominous tremors. They will shake the very foundation of your ordered existence. They may topple it.
Entry into the life of the life of the soul and the path of the shaman – a life of passion, enchantment and service – demands a steep price, a psychological form of dying. We do not easily give up our claim on the good life of extended adolescence. Nature-based societies, understanding this, provide their youth with extensive preparation for the encounter with soul followed by an arduous initiation rite. These rites, now beginning to reappear in our own society, facilitate the radical shift in consciousness required to turn our focus from familiar egocentric concerns to those of the soul.
This underworld journey will be neither understood nor encouraged by those who know you. Few will support your efforts. It is the way of the shaman to journey alone and to live on the fringe of society, apart from the same world he and she serves. Do not let this discourage you. In fact, let it encourage you to continue. For, in finding your soul gifts, you will return to serve that very same world.
Expectations and Realizations
The apparent ease with which you can achieve a shamanic state through the practices we will explore should not cause you to undervalue the experience. It is the long-term effect of the experience, what you choose to do with it, that matters. Above all it is important that you learn to live with your shamanism all the time; you cannot shut it off or set it in a box to be pulled out when convenient. You become a shaman and are a shaman. It is not an exercise but a state of being.
These ideas and exercises will be of little use to you if you do not believe in yourself as a shaman. Many of the skills you will learn to work with come from within but a great deal come from without, from what is generally referred to as the ‘spirit realm’. When the inner power of the shaman rises to meet the descending power of the spiritual realms there occurs a spark of energy which transforms us as we sit in our sacred circle. It gives us the necessary strength and understanding to journey inwards to the center of ourselves – a center which is nowhere and yet everywhere, and which exists on more than one plane. This experience is so astonishing, so marvelous in its complexity and richness, that those we feel it are at once empowered by it forever.
However, there are other emotions which you must learn to come to terms with. Among those are loneliness, compassion, love, fear, ecstasy and joy, each of which you will encounter in one form or another through the practice of shamanism. Disciplines such as concentration, the abandonment of will, and the search for happiness will need to be mastered as well.
Be aware that the conscious mind and the ego have a way of killing the spontaneous and the intuitive. The ego has a stake in your soul work, as it has protected you thus far, especially from yourself. It will set up roadblocks to your journey as surely as you set your first foot upon the path.
Tribal peoples of North or South America and the Aborigines of Australia enjoy a far richer than we could ever hope to possess in the West. They live under a continuous spiritual tradition which has never strayed from the premise that they are part of creation. The Celts, too, understood this; it formed the basis of their traditions and rituals. In trying to recover the way of the shaman we must come to terms with this way of seeing and feeling, and must abandon much of what we know as ‘normal’ in our modern everyday lives.
We should try, while appreciating all the modern conveniences we have created, to regain the freshness and inner power of the shaman’s vision. Once we grasp the essential understanding that everything is part of us, as we are a part of it, and that it is not necessary to believe in a linear progression from ‘A’ at birth to ‘Z’ at death, having acquired as much as possible along the way. Once we begin to see life as a spiral rather than a straight line, we have achieved one of the fundamentals of the shaman’s way.
From here, we can begin to explore the true realm in which we live, follow the network of radiating lines from a central point (at best ourselves, or at least where we stand in relation to the universe) into the deepest (or highest) planes of the spirit. We must first begin to see ourselves as coworkers with Nature, that we are interdependent with and upon it. We must realize that we are its defenders, not its enemies; its caretakers who look after it so that it can continue to provide for us.
A shaman sees this because he or she has learned to travel within the natural world, which is also the realm of the spirits, of the animal helpers they are able to summon in times of need. This understanding makes them unique, but we are all capable of attaining this state if we really want to. We have to relearn much that we have forgotten, but the heritage that is ours for the asking has always been there; we simply have to learn how to explore it. We must reject our current materialistic society, and remind ourselves of the values of a less complicated age, simply not in its structures and methodologies, which are every bit as complex as our own, but in its regard for nature, time and goals. If we can achieve this at both a personal and worldwide level, we will have taken a step of such importance that nothing will ever be quite the same again.
Shamanism is experienced with the blood and fiber of the body; it is not informed by the intellect alone. If you understand this much, you have begun your journey. Remember that the watchword is ‘wonder’; everything is filled with wonder, though nothing is superior- simply marvel at the experience of communicating with a world that is bursting with created abundance. With this in mind you have already entered the shamanic universe; the teachings and signposts that follow will help you develop this awareness. Go swiftly and gently, and your path will surely be filled with wonder.
The journey of descent begins with a call to adventure, a stirring declaration from the depths, from the gods and goddesses, that it is time to leave behind everything you thought your life was supposed to be. The call is much more than an urge for an extended vacation, a challenging project or a new career or social scene. You may think you are simply going to leave home for awhile, learn something new and return to what you always thought of as yours but you will not in fact be in control. You might one day return to the place where home existed and find only ashes.
In the industrialized West, the call comes without warning, without help from elders, and without formal rites of passage. Although unexpected, the call is preceded by ominous tremors. They will shake the very foundation of your ordered existence. They may topple it.
Entry into the life of the life of the soul and the path of the shaman – a life of passion, enchantment and service – demands a steep price, a psychological form of dying. We do not easily give up our claim on the good life of extended adolescence. Nature-based societies, understanding this, provide their youth with extensive preparation for the encounter with soul followed by an arduous initiation rite. These rites, now beginning to reappear in our own society, facilitate the radical shift in consciousness required to turn our focus from familiar egocentric concerns to those of the soul.
This underworld journey will be neither understood nor encouraged by those who know you. Few will support your efforts. It is the way of the shaman to journey alone and to live on the fringe of society, apart from the same world he and she serves. Do not let this discourage you. In fact, let it encourage you to continue. For, in finding your soul gifts, you will return to serve that very same world.
Expectations and Realizations
The apparent ease with which you can achieve a shamanic state through the practices we will explore should not cause you to undervalue the experience. It is the long-term effect of the experience, what you choose to do with it, that matters. Above all it is important that you learn to live with your shamanism all the time; you cannot shut it off or set it in a box to be pulled out when convenient. You become a shaman and are a shaman. It is not an exercise but a state of being.
These ideas and exercises will be of little use to you if you do not believe in yourself as a shaman. Many of the skills you will learn to work with come from within but a great deal come from without, from what is generally referred to as the ‘spirit realm’. When the inner power of the shaman rises to meet the descending power of the spiritual realms there occurs a spark of energy which transforms us as we sit in our sacred circle. It gives us the necessary strength and understanding to journey inwards to the center of ourselves – a center which is nowhere and yet everywhere, and which exists on more than one plane. This experience is so astonishing, so marvelous in its complexity and richness, that those we feel it are at once empowered by it forever.
However, there are other emotions which you must learn to come to terms with. Among those are loneliness, compassion, love, fear, ecstasy and joy, each of which you will encounter in one form or another through the practice of shamanism. Disciplines such as concentration, the abandonment of will, and the search for happiness will need to be mastered as well.
Be aware that the conscious mind and the ego have a way of killing the spontaneous and the intuitive. The ego has a stake in your soul work, as it has protected you thus far, especially from yourself. It will set up roadblocks to your journey as surely as you set your first foot upon the path.
