What Is Shamanism?
Shamanism is a Siberian word that we use because it’s commonly understood. Traditionally in many cultures there was not even a word for Shamanism, it was just the way that people lived. It has existed throughout all cultures. But many have lost their traditions. Those trying to recreate Shamanism for themselves have little to no understanding of what Shamanism really is. When we say this, we are not speaking of the individual relationship that we all have with Spirit. (We are talking about some of the more egocentric perspectives that get into the “made up” “shamanic traditions.”
NeoPaganism, Celtic Shamanism, anything claiming to be “pre-christian western European” has very little in common with Native traditions in the U.S. and Canada.
Shamanism is survival according to natural and cosmological realities (it isn’t that there are “rules” but there are “realities”, some useful towards survival, and some that are not useful towards survival. This is why we say that shamanism isn’t to be created. Understanding dreaming is respecting the “what is” part of a dream.
Shamanism/Dreaming is about seeing the what is in order to survive – to make decisions in clarity – consciousness – dreaming. That is what shamanism (dreaming) is.
Copyright © 2005-2009 CreekFlows.com