2018 - Through the Looking Glass: Shamanic Teachings
- Emily DeFranco
- Dec 15, 2018
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 23, 2024
This article was featured in Dekad's 2018 3rd quarter edition.
“Before memories were born,
when the frothy sea held only dragons,
did I feel you swimming near me,
in the silence beneath the waves?”
If you’re not familiar with the subject, you’ve probably at least heard of it. You might see an image in your mind—probably earth-tone colors, spiritual symbols, feathers, antlers, maybe a long winding scarf?
Merriam-Webster defines shamanism as “a religion practiced by indigenous peoples of far northern Europe and Siberia or other regions that is characterized by belief in an unseen world of gods, demons, and ancestral spirits responsive only to the Shamans.” This sounds rather cold when, diving deeper into the culture, you will find a truly immersive and intriguing way of life.
An article from the website of Shamanism 101 offers another definition:
“Shamanism is a profound gathering of a consistent core of natural, spiritual and Earthy human wellness practices discovered and passed forward by innumerable people throughout the planet and across time. It is a healing art.”
While this may or may not sound a little more accessible, let’s delve deeper and explore the different aspects of what shamanic teachings have to offer.
“Or was it at dizzying heights
that I sensed you flying,
wingtip to my wingtip,
beating the heavens softly.”
Shamanic Reality
Those who study shamanism believe that the hard line between what is real and what is imaginary is not so hard at all, but rather that this is a very limited way of thinking. Discounting something you have experienced just because it didn’t happen in the physical world in the shared experience of others is thought to be close-minded. This is not a widely accepted idea in our contemporary world that often pushes a get-your-head-out-of-the-clouds mentality and condemns those who seek a less finite and structured view on reality to an association with mental illness.
The trouble those who teach shamanism face is that their belief, that it is unnecessary to go through one religious representative to reach the Divine and access otherworldly power, challenges most established religious organizations. In other words, you can skip the middle man and live your spiritual life uninhibited by predetermined social or religious constructs.
“We must have begun long ago,
filling our throats with
what is so familiar to us now.”
Shamanistic Spirits and Power Animals
On your journey into discovering shamanism you will undoubtedly come across stories of spirits. Accessing the shaman (or spirit) world is the essence of shamanism and the belief is that spirits are around us at all times—something that contemporary ideals have left behind. When adjusting to shamanistic realness, you are shifting your awareness so that you are able to perceive what may otherwise be discredited and overlooked. This is why one of the translations of 'shaman' is the 'one who sees in the dark.’
One of the most important shamanistic spiritual concepts is that of the Four Directions. While carrying different meanings to different people, a common thread portrays the compass directions as individual spirits, each representing different values. Many tribes have different rituals, totems, colors and animals to represent each direction.
The idea of power animals is an extension of this idea in relation to what resides within oneself. It is shaman belief that each person has at least one if not many spirit animals, even if they don’t recognize it yet. An individual’s particular spirit animal is one with which they feel a strong connection to or who’s spiritual alignment parallels their own. To access the power you must cross that reality line into the shamanic world. The belief is that our spirit animal is always with us but can be called upon to guide and help us in times of need. This is it’s true purpose and what makes it a vital piece of every individual.
“How else could we know
these same ancient hymns?”
Shamanic Healing
In a similar manner to the disjoint between contemporary and shamanistic reality, the practices of healing in the shaman culture do not aline with those of modern medicine. The root of the difference is the cause of ailment. For example, if you are experiencing pain in your shoulder and you visit a Western style medical center, a doctor will likely try to determine the cause of the pain in order to determine proper care. If he learns that you’ve being heavy lifting or something of the sort, he may attribute the pain to a pulled muscle and prescribe a painkiller or muscle relaxer.
In contrast, a shamanistic practitioner with a similar pain may visit a spirit helper who would advise on how to most affectively communicate with the spirits who would in turn help the seeker work on them self resulting in relief of the pain. “Shamanic healing might be looking for where wholeness has been compromised, such as with one's separation from their personal power or a part of their soul.” By recognizing that the physical pain manifested in the shoulder would have been caused by a problem rooted somewhere internally, this leaves the majority of the healing responsibility to the patient. They cannot expect results if they are not whole-heartedly involved and willing to examine their spiritual well-being.
One of the ways a spiritual helper may advise a client to reground his- or herself would be to access their soul song. One’s soul song, put as simply as possible, is the truest and deepest essence of a person portrayed vocally. The purpose of the soul song is to recognize what is making one feel incomplete and gather the true self, finding their way back to wholeness. Along the way, the theory is that the individual will discover that there never was a piece missing or lost but rather one that has simply been neglected.
Modern practices and shamanistic ideas often conflict over medical expectations and those who seek relief from illness. “Shamanic healers and practitioners utilizing a medical model are both working towards cures, but the nature of both illness and cure are reliant on completely different data and methodology. They are very different professions that rest on completely different perspectives.”
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The ideas of shamanism can seem far-fetched to many of us who consider ourselves grounded in the “real world.” Without proper and extensive insight, and we’ve barely scratched the service here, it can seem highly over-conceptual and impossible to wrap your head around.
Recently, there has been a spike in the popularity of shamanistic interest as people look for new outlets in a society with norms that may not provide what they are looking for. According to an article by Tatiana Boncompagni in Marie Claire, just as the ancient practices of yoga, meditation and the like have worked their way back into popular culture, millennials are looking toward shaman-like beliefs to help them deal with physical and emotional stress triggers. For those who choose to seek formal individualized teachings, there are plentiful resources.
However, Earth, We Are One notes that nowadays, "the shaman needs to adapt accordingly to specific regions and laws, tampering with old ways that no longer make sense for our society’s fading spirituality… [for example,] in terms of appearance, a shaman wears certain clothing and garnishments that help him connect with the spirit world. If centuries ago a shaman wearing a ceremonial bear skin was something natural, today’s easily offended population would definitely disagree with such a barbaric sight.” Finding the proper balance between centuries of spiritual tradition and contemporary ethics that shows respect for each is the new line, whether hard or soft is yet to be determined, those who show interest must walk.
Steve Serr, a shamanic practitioner and the founder of Shamanism 101 said, “I think there's no other way of explaining the big picture than this: we are being summoned back into a caring, intimate relationship with nature, with ourselves, and with each other. I believe it is from this deep interconnection that our original spiritualties appeared. In a world that is somewhat starving for reconnection, it is really a joy to be a part of helping us return to these things.
Shamans see modern society’s widely accepted limitations as filters and believe a more rewarding lifestyle and way of thinking can be achieved by removing these filters and returning to more raw and spiritual beings where, literally, the sky is not the limit.
Note: The pull quotes, when put together in order, form a poem called Recognition by Steve Serr © 2010
Sources:
Dekad Lifestyle Magazine: 2018 Third Quarter Edition
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