SHAMANISM

The word "shaman" is thought to have originated in Russia, meaning "one who affects the soul". There are many variations of the definition of shaman depending on what source you read from. Shamanism is humanity's oldest form of relationship to Spirit. As such, it is the underpinning beneath all religion. But shamanism is not a religion. It is a complex set of practices, beliefs, values and behaviors that enable the practicioner to elicit a shift from ordinary consiousness into a trance state with a specific goal in mind, such as for healing, obtaining information, power, vision, divination, contacting the spirit of the deceased, soul retrieval or guidance for right action. Shamanic work is done with the aid of a helping ally of some sorts that the shaman has befriended. They work together as a cooperative team, with the ally being an intermediary between different levels of reality and the shaman, an engineer of altering states of consciousness.

Shamans throughout the world and throughout time, recognize that the universe is alive, conscious, and filled with spiritual power. Shamans know how to access this web of power and work with it skillfully and effectively to address their, and their community's needs. Shamanism is the use of shamanic practices within a shamanic value system. Traditionally a shaman goes through the experience of a "calling", usually through illness, accident or some unusual quality of being, then through an arduous apprenticeship of teaching, training and testing, followed by some sort of passage rite into their new status. Typically shaman do not define themselves as such. Instead they are defined by their community based on what it is that they do. Becoming a shaman and living as a shaman is a difficult and demanding life path that many indigenous people shy away from because of its formidable requirements. It is not about fun and glamor. Unskillful and uneducated acts can cause harm, or even be life-threatening, to the practicioner as well as to others. For shamanism deals with power, and power can move in many different ways, like electricity. It is important to move slowly with respect, humility and care.

A vitally important aspect of the practice of shamanism is understanding right relationship with power, and the acts and implements of power, such as sage, ceder, feathers, the drum, ceremony, disincarnate spirits, totem animals and allies. Exploration of right relationship also intails indepth ecopsychological, attitudinal healing along with active, social justice involvement in issues effecting the rights of indigenous people in today's world.

---From fote.org

~~~RELATED SUBJECTS~~~

Shaman         Totem Animal     Shamanic Ecstacy     Medicine Man

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Shamanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org

Shamanism
crystalinks.com

PBS - THE SPLIT HORN: Shamanism
pbs.org

Shamanism
religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu

Shamanism
angelfire.com/journal/cathbodua/Shamanism

Shamanism-General Overview (FAQ)
shamana.co.uk

Shamanism, Power Animals And Animal Wisdom.
wicca.com

alt.religion.shamanism FAQ -- Introduction to Shamanism
toteg.com

WORKING WITH ANIMAL SPIRITS
geocities.com/RainForest/4076/index1

Shamanism
mystae.com

Shamanistic Healing
vanderbilt.edu

SHAMANISM
angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/shaman

Religious Movements Homepage: Shamanism
religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu



RELATED ARTICLES

Shamanism and Feng Shui
qi-whiz.com

Neurotheology & Shamanism
cognitiveliberty.org

Shamanic Healing Rituals
museum.state.il.us

Shamanism in Mongolia and Tibet
iras.ucalgary.ca

IMAGES FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD
museums.org.za

String Figures and Shamanism
huna.org

Shamanism and Feng Shui
qi-whiz.com

Shamanism, Dream Symbolism, and Altered States in Minnesota Rock Art
geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/2596/mnra1

Shamanism as Source of Cosmology and Art
oregonstate.edu

Animal Spirit Guides Enlighten Us
widdershins.org

Are Spirit Guides The Same as Totems?
themystica.com

Shamanism: Religion or Rite?
shamana.co.uk

Animism and Shamanism
okinawa.com



MESSAGE BOARDS

Shamanism
healthypages.net

ULC Seminary Forum Home -> Shamanism
ulcseminary.org

Shaman or Christian?
hmoob.com

Shamanism
danmillman.com

Worldwide Shamanism Meetup Message Board shamanism.meetup.com



MISCELLANEOUS

Path Of The Feather
pathofthefeather.com

Shaman Symbols & Meaning
Angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/Shamansymbols

Buryat Shamanism
buryatmongol.com

ANIMAL SPIRIT GUIDES & TOTEMS
manataka.org

SECRET OF THE SHAMAN'S CIRCLE
angelfire.com/electronic/bodhidharma/bones02

Shamanism in Siberia Index
sacred-texts.com

Siberian Shamanism Links
buryatmongol.com

Art and Shamanism in the Himalayas
tribalarts.com



FUN STUFF

Foundation for Shamanic Studies
shamanism.org

Shamanism - Dance of the Deer Foundation
shamanism.com

What Shaman King spirit are you?
quizilla.com

Shamanism
links.net/vita/swat/course/shaman

Animal Spirit Guides ~ Which One Calls To You?
quizilla.com

Santa Claus and Mushroom Shamanism
solsticestudios.net



BOOKS & VIDEOS


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