Shamanism in the World Today

Shamanism in the World Today?
It may change over time, but this how I see things at present. 

Looking at the politics of shamanism online, you will find that things are super heated, I am amazed at the vitriol being expressed, it seems quite laughable, from a shamanic perspective.

Shaman, healer whatever, it is a title, it does not mean master, immortal or superman. The term Shaman has an aura of mystery and power around it that even the mainstream press cannot dispel.

To be a Shaman is to be on a journey into the infinite, aspects are mastered along the way, but there is no end point.

All the shamans I have seen are very human even if they are superb at what they do and/or have had outrageous extraordinary experiences, they also embody the human paradox. 

Some do indeed inhabit a world far more fluid, more magical and more otherworldly than others at least part of the time but trying to compare the level of power for good, between one and another is a folly. Trying to define total authenticity in such a diverse landscape is almost impossible, different shamanic approaches do different things and they all fit together as part of the consciousness expansion and reconnection imperative of our era. 

Shamanism is the encounter with a more expansive fluid reality that underpins consensual realities, it cannot be easily quantified. In all shamanic approaches you are encountering to a lesser or greater degree the extraordinary reality that has no limits.

1954

It seems to me that the danger with shamanism is power addiction and that means competitiveness or resting on ones laurels. Shamanic work requires maintenance and renewed preparation, the terrain is always moving.

The online shouting match  seems to be an argument about who has entered into the miraculous the most. Some of those who have had the most extreme other realm experiences are not necessarily those with the most lucid consciousness or are empowering people the most.  

Mushrooms seen collectively laughing at humans arguing about shamanism

What does it matter, enjoy the mystery, the theatre and the diversity and if we are taking it all too serious then we are not be true to the shamanic experience and message from that experience.

Nobody owns this thing called shamanism. Shamanism means slightly different things to different people, although perhaps in the general sense it is about… 

altering consciousness, being an intermediary and having communication with spirits, learning from spirits, shifting attention into the unseen worlds and journeying into those worlds accessed most potently through nature, whether ingesting plants or otherwise resulting in an appreciation of the beauty and intelligence within nature, all primarily for reconnection and healing and consciousness expansion.

Within the congruent expanse that is inherent in the contemporary usage of the word shamanism there is a lot of room for many unique pathways. Just like thousands of years ago we need a shaman for every small village.

The worldwide spread of a shamanic approach is due to an organic change in consciousness, indigenous shaman saw that it was time to take it out into the world and urban people wanted to know about it. The timing of this emergence of the global awareness was in three main waves.

1951

 

 

Published in English in 1964 (I prefer the original French cover)

Firstly the 1960s, including of course the phenomena of music, LSD, Marijuana and more, and then of course the controversial Carlos Castaneda (amazing books whatever the truth more on him soon). Secondly from around 1977, (Chiron) with Michael Harner’s Core Shamanism and teachings from indigenous shaman and again on a larger level in the 1990s.  Now we have Ayahuasca tourism and yes there are some very real dangers there.

Shamanism comes from the Earth, and the consciousness field and has been kept alive through indigenous tradition, so yes we need to respect their wisdom and lineage. However something ‘shamanic’ is also coming from the stellar realm and also emerging from within the synthetic realm of technology and ingestable substances. 

My feeling, my advice is find the thing, the method, system or teaching, whatever that works for you right now and don’t give your power to the shaman, that completely misses the point.

And even saying that, I can still appreciate the role of the celebrity shaman, that is a role, different from the more intimate teacher, eventually it comes back down to explore, practice, retain your sovereignty and integrate into your life, and your life will transform.

This thing is bigger than anyone of us.