Shamanic Insight for Modern Times
Mendocino County, CA, 2008
Shamanism
is an ancient method for healing and gaining insight to important life
questions. One of the most basic beliefs of this healing art is that power, or
life force energy, is inherent in all things. Shamans and other earth-based spiritual practitioners believe that everything
is alive and connected in a mutually supportive way to everything else in
our universe, now and throughout time. This interconnected source of life has
an infinite amount of power to send to the physical world. That is, if we act as a bridge and access that power.
Understanding, tapping into and feeding this web of power that resides in the subtle energetic field all around supports our evolution toward greater holistic health. With more experiences of the connection between our body/mind/spirit, we feel the pull to be in deeper relationship with ourselves, our community, and other beings, including the Earth.
Understanding, tapping into and feeding this web of power that resides in the subtle energetic field all around supports our evolution toward greater holistic health. With more experiences of the connection between our body/mind/spirit, we feel the pull to be in deeper relationship with ourselves, our community, and other beings, including the Earth.
Drumming & Journeying
 Making an elk skin drum, Mt. Shasta, CA
The
shamanic practitioner uses drumming (or other methods) as an entry point to
consult with teachers and guardian animals in the spirit realm in order to increase
personal power or spiritual health, and to get support with healing
physical and emotional issues for others. This is called Shamanic journeying
(or visioning). The power to heal comes from the spirits, and the shamanic
practitioner acts as a conduit to bring the healing from the spirit realm (or
non-ordinary reality), to the people in the community in consensus reality (or
ordinary reality). One of the distinguishing characteristics of the shamanic
practitioner is the conscious choice he or she makes to move back and forth
between these realities with discipline and intention in order to help and heal
others.
Shamanic journeying is a basic practice or technique for the purpose of healing which is common to many indigenous cultures that have lived in close relationship with the Earth. Through this method, shamanic practitioners meet with and get support from benevolent spirit teachers in non-ordinary realities, which include ancestors, nature, and animal spirits, for the benefit of individuals who request healing. Throughout history, indigenous people of many different cultures including (but not limited to) Siberian peoples, native North and South American tribes, Celtic groups, and Australian aboriginals, have utilized methods of contacting our other-than-human relations (including nature, animal, and ancestor spirits). They have used tools such as journeying, as well as chanting and singing, to call in the Great Mystery to hear their prayers for healing and support. |
"Our age wants to experience the psyche for itself ... knowledge, instead of faith."
-Carl Jung  Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, CA |
