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| Notes
on Shamanism by Sara H.
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A shaman is a person who by vocation becomes a conduit for spiritual energy, or a "hollow bone". By travelling to other worlds and contacting other realities, the shamanic practitioner brings to this realm wisdom and healing, for the self, for the community, and for the Earth as a whole. A long period of training must be undertaken, not just to learn technique with accuracy and proper intent, but to clear the self of the blocks, the density of shadow and unconscious sabotage. This cannot be accomplished without dedication and a total commitment to honesty with the self. Few people in Europe have a lifelong experience of the vocation. Most have arrived in the field as a culmination of adult life events, and would be able to pinpoint a kind of awakening, which led them into the practice. However, without the support and validation of an indigenous practice of shamanism, we are presented with an array of consumer choice in practitioners and combinations of healing arts. Buyer beware! Shamanism is an ancient, powerful and awesome undertaking. Shamanic practitioners undergo many many trials in their development, and insincerity, or use of tools and techniques while possessing only a superficial understanding, can be met with disturbing results. I recommend reading Caitlin Matthews book, "Singing the Soul Back Home" (Element Books 1995), which contains sound and encouraging advice. I found my way into shamanism after experiencing several untimely deaths within a short period. I was carrying an extreme workload and I felt my self tearing apart with strain. I became ill and I felt that I wouldn't recover with conventional medicine. I had already gone through humanist psychotherapy and group work, so I felt that what I needed was something physical, something beyond the rational/analytical that would heal my body and renew my commitment to life. I needed also to find someone who would understand the effect that death was having on my direction, on the sense I was making of everything. The utter loss and grief of bereavement was accompanied by an earthquake in my consciousness, and when it settled, my reality had death at the centre, death as the gateway into joining all things, into the oneness.
I am indebted to Rowan Saille (shamanic practitioner) who runs Earthdance. Contact Rowan at:
Flying Pig Farm,
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