iamme

I am enjoying the information in this course. It is interesting to find that even in this type of spiritual practice there were many ways it could develope. It is interesting to find that if the spirits choose you, you would become ill but would eventually recover from that trial. Many in the healing field in this country would relate to having gone through the need for healing themselves. I find it refreshing that the Shaman could be placed in a category such as Great Shaman, Middling Shaman, and Little Shaman. It seems to be more a way of describing what kind of services would be provided, not meant as a slight. Even though some are chosen by spirit, some could serve as there was a need, especially to take care of the general family needs that would arise. Also, it is realised that some are "just" wise and skillful people. Others may have a familar that is the spirit of a deceased Shaman who has agreed to protect and work with the living Shaman. I was not surprised to learn that their are Black Shaman and White Shaman who have pretty much the context that I would have thought. I understand the point that was made that a Black Shaman is not necessarily an evil person, but works with evil spirits. However, there is something that I wonder about. If a person is chosen by a (or some) evil spirit to be a Shaman, is this done with that person's permission? If it is not would that be an instance of possession as understood in the Christian sense? I realise that we are not talking about people who have a Christian world view. Normally, I would think of any kind of (especially forced ) take over of another as evil, but do not know if this would be seen as such by the people who have Shamans as their priests. Anyone know how they would look at it?

I am enjoying the Shaminism lessons very much. I think that many of us wonder where we fit in in the scheme of things. We wonder why things happen the way they do. Sometimes we wish we could have more of an affect on the way things go. I believe we do have an affect. Most of us are not aware of how much we are creating in our lives. I think Shamans are aware of this. They sound like they have found ways to work to try to improve the outcome of their experience. I am open minded enough to want to learn how others find answers to human problems. I have a sense that these old ways are incredibly creative and ever new. I am looking forward to lesson #3. This may be jumping ahead but I am curious to know a Shaman's attitude about power-intrusion. Does the Shaman need the consent of the afflicted to remove it? If he is functioning as an appointee of a group, does that supercede the free-will of the afflicted in his world view?

Hello, this is my first post. Amy suggested that I put this on the forum. I hope this is the right place. These are the responses to the questions for the first Shamanism lesson. 1. The word Shamanism originated among the Siberian Tungus. The term Shaman comes from the Russian language from the Siberian Tungus. Shaman is "technically" only found in central and artic Asia. But the phenomenon of "Shamanism" has been found in many places around the world in "the first of it's kind" belief systems that sprang up in individual areas. 2. Animism is the belief in souls. Depending on the belief system,this may include plants,animals, or rocks as well as humans. 3. It is true that Shamanistic practices are thought to predate all organized religions. 4. Native American peoples in America would seem to me to be the ones who practice Shamanism in the "first of it's kind" form. 5. Axis mundi refers to the world center or the connection between heaven and earth. It could be a holy place, a power place, a tree or a plant that is seen as a way to approach the spirit world. 6. Some of the differences between Buddhism, Christianity, and Shamanism: Shamanism has a form in each region that is specific to and serves that area and tends to stay there. The other two have been exported to other areas. I think that Shamanism is probably more accepting of the natural in surroundings and human behavior. I think that Shamanism might be more inclined to work with what is already there and gradually work for changes. The other two might be more inclined to force compliance and obedience of their norm as far as behavior. A Shaman might try to bring change through spiritual change first. 7. Many healers work with physical tools, whether from nature or man-made. Their aim tends to be directed more at results for the body. Even if a healer calls on spiritual help, he probably will not journey or try to guide the other's soul. A Shaman is primarily concerned with the health of the soul whether the body lives or dies. I feel that body,mind, and soul are connected. So I am not sure how he would decide to "treat" or not. 8. I was happy being a Catholic when I was young. I was married by a minister of another faith. This made it hard for me to practice as I had before as this was not always accepted back then. So I began to look more closely at where I might really fit in. (still looking) I consider myself a healer. I first experienced that through prayer for people. I also spent many years in denominations that practice laying on of hands for healing. I am now a massage therapist. I also do energy work for healing. I do not consider myself a Shaman. But I do see some correlations to some of the things listed. I do some work with passing souls to the Light that some people consider psyco pomp. But if you use the term to refer only to quidance to the Underworld, it may not apply to what I have done. I don't feel that I convey myth. I don't take an active part in the preservation of the body. Several years ago I did have a job where I would spend time with dying people. Sometimes I would help clean them before the family came in or the undertaker took them. But I would guess this preservation spoken of involves a lot more than that. In no way would I presume that I could control Spirit. But in working with people I have asked that my Source remove negative entities on rare occasions. At those times I may feel like a servant,a tool or a friend of Spirit. But I do not feel like I am using spirit as in directing what spirit will do. 9. Lamas and Shamans are probably not the same. Lamas say there are paths that go from Tibet to N. America that they use to communicate with Shamans. The paths that they describe do not seem to match up with the descriptions that other Shamans report. They do not seem to be seen by the Shamans that they report seeing. Unless they are transforming in some way, they are probably not on these same paths. 10. I think the way of the Path of the Shamanism would be to learn the beliefs of a traditional people. Then you would have to accept and respectfully practice ways to know and work with spirits. The learning might include an initiation or apprenticeship. The practice would have to include psycho pomp, preservation of the body or resting place of the soul, and being able to convey myth.