SHAMANISM: AN INTRODUCTION
By Itzhak Beery for Mahut Ha Chayim (Essence of Life) site
A shaman is a man or a woman who has special powers as a messenger between the spiritual realm and our material world. They consult and negotiate with spirits on behalf of their clients, villages and the environment to bring about change in the world. They may bring about personal healing, weather changes or even make new crops grow.
The shaman is also the carrier of the song; maintaining the stories and non-written traditions of his or her community. Some shamans have psychic powers and are able to perform divinations. Some have extensive knowledge of the curative power of plants, herbs and minerals. The common thread is their total belief that humans and nature are one and the same.
We are all one
Human beings, plants, trees, animals, birds, insects, rocks, water, air, sun - everything in the universe is made up from the same component - energy particles that are moving in different consistencies and speeds. This energy is what they call consciousness. So, if we are all one and the same, if we are all made from the same materials, and if we are all energy in motion, humans can not be separated from their surroundings, and everybody, no matter creed or status, is equal.
The scientific and technological innovations of the last decades have brought about the globalization movement. Satellite connections and the World Wide Web are reaching almost every corner of the world, enabling cities dwellers to meet jungle dwellers in a few seconds. People in the deep jungle and on top of the highest mountains are exposed to our songs, clothes and technological innovations, and are seeking them. We too are able to see and recognize the wisdom, practicality, stewardship and beauty of their traditions.
From the jungle...
In the 1960s shamans like Michael Harner, Hank Wasselman and John Perkins were sent into the jungles of South America, Africa and Asia. Afterwards, those who studied with these shamans started to discover their own powerful connection to natural forces. Now more and more shamans are coming out of hiding to share with the industrial North and Western Worlds the secrets of shamanism.
To mainstream media.
These days shamanism has become a hit in mainstream media. It's the subject of movies like "Fast runner" and "Whale Rider" and has made video and computer games like "Shaman King" and Sony's "Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer" very popular. Bookshelves are exploding with new book titles for adults and children in the Shamanic category. You can now find shamanic yoga, shamanic Reiki, and shamanic dance everywhere, as well as Shamanic workshops and adventure trips to exotic places.
So how can you already bring shamanism into your life?
Most importantly start by revering nature and the environment around you. Find a tree that is 'calling' you and hug it, close your eyes, breathe in deeply, form a connection with that tree. Feel your legs turning into roots, deepening into the earth, taking in the nutrition and energy from the earth's core. Feel your body as the tree trunk. Feel your hair become the tree leaves and branches.
You are now becoming the bridge between Heaven and Earth, between father Sun and Mother Earth. Now, ask the tree a personal question and wait for an answer. I do it often, and I'm always amazed by the wisdom and insights I receive.
Perhaps you will feel self conscious hugging a tree; so let me share a story that may inspire you. A shamanic teacher Ipupiara and his wife started hugging trees in one of Washington DC parks. A particular child visiting the park would watch them every morning performing this strange ritual, and finally asked Ipupiara what he was doing. Ipupiara explained to the boy and after a few days the whole family joined Ipupiara and his wife in their tree hugging seshions. Over the following days more passerbys in the park joined in until a few months later, there was a regular group of people who came every morning to hug the trees. And thus through a simple ritual Ipupiara created a loving community of strangers.
By Itzhak Beery for Mahut Ha Chayim (Essence of Life) site
A shaman is a man or a woman who has special powers as a messenger between the spiritual realm and our material world. They consult and negotiate with spirits on behalf of their clients, villages and the environment to bring about change in the world. They may bring about personal healing, weather changes or even make new crops grow.
The shaman is also the carrier of the song; maintaining the stories and non-written traditions of his or her community. Some shamans have psychic powers and are able to perform divinations. Some have extensive knowledge of the curative power of plants, herbs and minerals. The common thread is their total belief that humans and nature are one and the same.
We are all one
Human beings, plants, trees, animals, birds, insects, rocks, water, air, sun - everything in the universe is made up from the same component - energy particles that are moving in different consistencies and speeds. This energy is what they call consciousness. So, if we are all one and the same, if we are all made from the same materials, and if we are all energy in motion, humans can not be separated from their surroundings, and everybody, no matter creed or status, is equal.
The scientific and technological innovations of the last decades have brought about the globalization movement. Satellite connections and the World Wide Web are reaching almost every corner of the world, enabling cities dwellers to meet jungle dwellers in a few seconds. People in the deep jungle and on top of the highest mountains are exposed to our songs, clothes and technological innovations, and are seeking them. We too are able to see and recognize the wisdom, practicality, stewardship and beauty of their traditions.
From the jungle...
In the 1960s shamans like Michael Harner, Hank Wasselman and John Perkins were sent into the jungles of South America, Africa and Asia. Afterwards, those who studied with these shamans started to discover their own powerful connection to natural forces. Now more and more shamans are coming out of hiding to share with the industrial North and Western Worlds the secrets of shamanism.
To mainstream media.
These days shamanism has become a hit in mainstream media. It's the subject of movies like "Fast runner" and "Whale Rider" and has made video and computer games like "Shaman King" and Sony's "Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer" very popular. Bookshelves are exploding with new book titles for adults and children in the Shamanic category. You can now find shamanic yoga, shamanic Reiki, and shamanic dance everywhere, as well as Shamanic workshops and adventure trips to exotic places.
So how can you already bring shamanism into your life?
Most importantly start by revering nature and the environment around you. Find a tree that is 'calling' you and hug it, close your eyes, breathe in deeply, form a connection with that tree. Feel your legs turning into roots, deepening into the earth, taking in the nutrition and energy from the earth's core. Feel your body as the tree trunk. Feel your hair become the tree leaves and branches.
You are now becoming the bridge between Heaven and Earth, between father Sun and Mother Earth. Now, ask the tree a personal question and wait for an answer. I do it often, and I'm always amazed by the wisdom and insights I receive.
Perhaps you will feel self conscious hugging a tree; so let me share a story that may inspire you. A shamanic teacher Ipupiara and his wife started hugging trees in one of Washington DC parks. A particular child visiting the park would watch them every morning performing this strange ritual, and finally asked Ipupiara what he was doing. Ipupiara explained to the boy and after a few days the whole family joined Ipupiara and his wife in their tree hugging seshions. Over the following days more passerbys in the park joined in until a few months later, there was a regular group of people who came every morning to hug the trees. And thus through a simple ritual Ipupiara created a loving community of strangers.