Shamanism?

[ShadowStalker]

I just noticed we don't have a Shamanism sub-forum....?

[lil'BuddhistWitch]

yeah, i was wondering where i could find information on this path... everywhere i turn is a maze and there is no direct answer.... can anyone be of help?

[ShadowStalker]

Well, I can help with some basics. :)

I was actually going to start a topic on frog totems... and realized there wasn't a paths forum for it. :lol:

[lil'BuddhistWitch]

yeah, i would love some basic resources... different materials i can check out because when i go to do a search everything is he said/ she said at least to me...

most i can come up with are authors such as John and Caitlyn Matthews and DJ Conway....

after the reviews ive read, im not too sure about either one :/

[ShadowStalker]

I'll check out my library and links at home, and see what I can come up with for you. :) I'm sure others will see this and have resources to share as well.

[Shanti]

We have an area for post about totem animals on MW, magic and rituals.

Also Shamanism is an ability. Its the ability to shift your consciousness in order to enter other worlds.

Shamanism is practiced by many medicine and magical men and women from many different paths.

Its an ability not a path, IMO.

[ShadowStalker]

I can see where you're coming from... though I have met several who do consider themselves to be on a shamanistic path, rather than just viewing it as a talent or skill, they have developed and incorporated various things into a spiritual path. Then again... it's possible that 'shamanism' isn't necessarily the perfect term either.

[lil'BuddhistWitch]

I would welcome any resources you have Shadow Stalker.

that is true, Shanti. I respect your opinion also.

I see Shamanism as a journey, not really a path, but something you can incorporate with other things, i just need a slight push and some resources to get started.

thanks

[Shawn Blackwolf]

I respectfully disagree with Shanti , here...

Though most emphatically so...Shamanism , IS a path...

A Shaman , may inherently have , or develop abilities ,
however , I am privy to very deep Shamanic Tradition ,
knowledge , and ways of power...

And , I would most assuredly support , and help co-create
this sub- forum , with you , Shadow Stalker...

Actually , it would be an honor...

Should we talk to Gebs , and Mol ...?

[ShadowStalker]

I think you could ask - they may want a poll started, similar to the Satanism poll awhile back, to see if it would generate enough interest to warrant a sub-forum.

[Shawn Blackwolf]

Thank you for your quick response...

I would be happy to do so , by later today...

And , I do believe there shall be enough interest...

And we both know Shamanism , moves along both the horizontal paths
of the elements , and yet the vertical axis of the Tree , reaches from the
Underworld Roots , to the Aboveworld Branches...

It shall be a most interesting journey...:)

[Vigdisdotter]

everywhere i turn is a maze and there is no direct answer.... can anyone be of help?


<chuckles> that pretty much IS the answer :) Shamanism is as individual as the practitioner. Sure there will be some shared elements but the bulk of it is something you need to experience for yourself.

[lil'BuddhistWitch]

I would like to help! Always eager to learn.

I’m glad you found a little humor in my post :)

I become confused based on different websites I’ve been to... many say Shamanism came from the Native American background... and many others say it came before that, how as a novice should most of this information be interpreted?

as for resources, I mostly read online, I'm able on the weekends to check out some bookstores... but everything else I get from the internet... and maybe some well known authors on the subject.

so, any takers?

thanks!

[Toby Stimpson]

Im coming to this a little late, but this really should be moved to the site room to see who else wants a forum like this.

Personally I would be against it as there is no one Shaman path with set values or ways of doing something. Shamanism in a traditional way of looking at it is as ambiguous as 'Witchcraft' and is found through out the world through out many religions and mythologies, and through many communities.

I think a topic started in Site Room would best serve this, as its the decision of ALL of the Admins not just Gebs or Mol, and also of support from other members. Good luck with it! :)

[Shawn Blackwolf]

Thanks , Galadraal...

My suggestion , to contact them , was to find out how to proceed...
Just responding to Shadow Stalker's suggestion , too...and you
just answered the next level of question...

I do think it would serve a purpose, and assist some members here.....

And there are some basic tenets , which resonate with all shamanism...

So...We can only try , and see...Thanks again...:)

[Sidhe-Ra]

I respectfully disagree with Shanti , here...

Though most emphatically so...Shamanism , IS a path...



Hear, hear! (Well, I should bloody well hope so, since it's MY path! lol! :))

[GEBS]

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=161357

I've added a poll to the thread in the site room. Please go vote so we can gauge interest.

[Hamelyn]

I was checking out the site for the first time in a while and was looking for a sub-forum on shamanism, also. I've voted in favor of it, and we'll see what happens. Either way, this post has definitely skated away from its original intention: helping people find answers! I don't pretend to have all the answers but here's a little help for those of you looking to get more information on this thing.

First, shamans are culture-specific; the word shaman is a Siberian term. The techniques they used, however, can be found in primitive societies worldwide, including Hawai'i, Australia, Africa, America, and more. For the sake of this post, I'm going to use the word "shaman" but I don't just mean the Siberian ones. The term "shamanism" is often used as an umbrella term to describe these practices. Some of the more popular (and groundbreaking) books on this topic are/were Michael Harner's Way of the Shaman and Mircea Eliade's Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. Serge Kahili King, Jr., has written several good books on modern applications of huna, hawai'ian shamanism. Some of these books might seem outdated or biased, but shamanism is found most often in civilizations with oral traditions and it is a deeply personal path; even a good anthropologist has a difficult time recognizing or appreciating the topic. These three authors provide a great springboard for diving into shamanic research. Raven Kaldera, a neo-pagan author, and the late Joseph Campbell, esteemed anthropologist, have written about MANY topics but often touch on this one. If you don't mind having your mind blown in ways that defy description, their stuff is good too.

No matter what culture the shaman comes from, one major similarity exists: the shaman is the intermediary between the world of spirits and the world of skin. Sometimes, they operated independently of religious orders and left such political, sociological, and divine affairs in favor of troubleshooting more practical issues, like illnesses and ancestors. In some cultures (like certain tribes I can't even hope to spell) lacking complex mythologies, the shaman also takes on the mantle of the spiritual leader for a community.

As for me, I'm as eclectic as they come, but this is a big part of my path for personal reasons. It's not the right forum for such a discussion, but you can always PM me. ;)

[ShadowStalker]

No matter what culture the shaman comes from, one major similarity exists: the shaman is the intermediary between the world of spirits and the world of skin. Sometimes, they operated independently of religious orders and left such political, sociological, and divine affairs in favor of troubleshooting more practical issues, like illnesses and ancestors. In some cultures (like certain tribes I can't even hope to spell) lacking complex mythologies, the shaman also takes on the mantle of the spiritual leader for a community.



Perfect. :) That's a good way of simplifying the role, and giving people who are exploring shamanism an opportunity to see the different sides without the complexities. Thanks for posting!

[Toby Stimpson]

Hey all, the Guides are just testing something so Im just moving this into this forum, closing it and then Ill reopen it...do not be alarmed :)