"Path of the Shaman"

​​EXCERPTS FROM "AWAKENING TO THE SPIRIT WORLD: THE SHAMANIC PATH OF DIRECT REVELATION" BY SANDRA INGERMAN AND HANK WESSELMAN

Introduction: 

"My desire as a woman, and as one who has dedicated her life to being in service to the planet, is to communicate Shamanic principles to the general population.

​For one, the feminine principle of the visionary steers us away from seeing the practice as a series of techniques and methods to seeing Shamanism as a way of life, in which we honor and respect the spirit that lives within all things. This way considers how you live to be more important than what you do.

​You continue to be in awe and wonder for the life giving power of earth, air, water, sun, and the beauty of who you are, as well as the nature of life that surrounds you. This includes the principle of experiencing power with versus power over."
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- Sandra Ingerman

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What is Shamanism?

Shamanism is the first spiritual practice of human kind and dates back tens of thousands of years. If we take a look at the Indigenous cultures where Shamanism is practiced, there are different roles shamans serve in their communities and different behaviors those shamans exhibit.​ The Navajo, the Inuit, the Huichol in Mexico, and the Shipibo of the Peruivian Amazon are all classic examples of Shamanic cultures. There may be varieties of shamans within the tribe or nation of people as well as medicine men and women who doctor the people, perform ceremonies, and preside over rites of passage. But while every medicine person is not a shaman, every shaman is a medicine person. The shaman is empowered to wander into the world of things hidden to and work with trans-personal forces (spirits) in the spirit world to accomplish various things on the behalf of others. All shamans work with spiritual allies to achieve specific goals, but the intentions behind the work are key in determining the type of shaman.

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Shamanic Values

    Perception, values, and maturity are the key ingredients which determine a shaman's effectiveness. What a person values and is interested in, determines what a person perceives. A perception of compassion and kindness will channel the compassion of the universe. However, a perception of suspicion and anger, will result in lashing out at those believed to be enemies. This of course is true of all of us and ultimately what we value and project into the world, we create. 

    If a shaman is run by a distorted ego, then that shaman will be oriented towards personal fame, fortune, and status. And will only perceive methods to achieve these things. Such a person will be aware of all the ways their ambitions are thwarted, and will become competitive and ruthless. What a shaman values and perceives is based on emotional and mental maturity, and the levels of self that can be linked to developmental and psychological stages from infancy to elder-hood.

    "Shamanic training often follows the path known to the Greeks of old' as "The Journey of the Wounded Healer" during which the shaman developed his or her powers and abilities as they self healed. I believe it is essential to heal yourself before you start ministering to others. But the shaman is different from the mystic, who can also go through a process of healing and discovery of the invisible world of energy and spirits. The shaman is dedicated to service to his or her community. Whereas the mystic is dedicated to dwelling on their experience of the divine."

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The Five Classes of Shaman

    "The classic societies have five distinct classes of shamans and their perception of the world is dramatically different. There are those who are considered dangerous because they perform dark arts which make people sick and send curses. Death and misfortune come to the people because in an infantile way because the shaman is fearful, striking out at their environment. They operate from a "survival oriented" value system rather than in a conscientious way and are willing to do anything they please to anyone.

    A second class of shaman is one who never innovates, but does everything by the book or according to strict tradition. They may be effective in some ways, but unable to cope with anything they have not seen before or have not been taught to do. They are often willing to use their shamanic powers for harm, or to hire themselves out to place curses on others. They like to be big fish in a small pond and are gratified by intimidating or exercising power over others. We can call these shamans "rule oriented" because they follow the rules implicitly and condemn those who do things in a more spontaneous or innovative way. This class of shaman is not necessarily motivated by ambition.​"

    "A third class of shaman is primarily interested in reputation and being the most important individual in the clan, tribe, or nation. They like power and are willing to use it competitively to dominate and control. They take an instant dislike to anyone who takes the attention away from them. And will seek to ruin or run off another shaman who competes with them. They often have big egos and like the rewards of their work; including sex, money, or power. These "success oriented" shamans like to keep their knowledge secret and avoid teaching others, so they can be seen as the only ones who know. The second class of shaman doesn't necessarily have ambition, but is focused on following rules and will not innovate. The third class of shaman can be innovative, but will do anything to boost their reputation."
    "There is a fourth class of shaman who is dedicated to service and works hard for the benefit of his or her people. They can be called upon at any time to help those in need even if there is no pay or remuneration involved. These shamans are generous, kind, caring people with considerable skill in their profession. They make good teachers and will go out of their way to educate and teach those who are interested in learning from them. We call these shamans "relationship oriented" because they care about others more tha they do about building a reputation or holding power."

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​"The fifth class of shaman has all the traits of the fourth class, only they are self-realized, masters of their trade. They do not necessarily follow the rules because they know how to do things their own way. And do not rely on their traditions to bolster them. These individuals are truly powerful and can bend the laws of the universe at will. Instead of performing long rituals appealing to the spirits, they can simply pass their hand over someone and heal them."

​ "These shamans are rare, but they do exist in every culture. We call these true spiritual masters who are visionaries, "philosophically oriented" shamans. Perhaps this way of looking at shamans can help us to understand their differences and see how they can behave - or misbehave - so differently."

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The Shadow Side of Shamanism

    "Even though the shaman is not a sorcerer, the work of a shaman is not always an altruistic practice". Not all shamans are equal in terms of their values or their skills and it is these differences which distinguish a great shaman from a mediocre one. There are so-called shamans or "their equivalents" who engage in sorcery, fight with others, and are rather dangerous who will do harm to others for hire. It is crucial to self-reflect and acknowledge the shadow/darker side of Shamanism. It is seen within many areas of life, not just Shamanism, that with any practice that involves the principle power, there will be those who abuse power. 

    In conclusion, the best way to avoid falling into the trap of using Shamanism to manipulate others and life is to do personal work. There is no denying that ego and emotions influence our lives. So, to address and understand emotions, while also taking care of the physical body, one will maintain balance with all aspects of self. It is important to focus on how the practice of Shamanism can be used to live from the highest potential. When we continue to work on our ego and emotions, we can stand firm with integrity, working from a place of love, compassion, and wisdom. This way we can truly work with the forces of the universe, with enjoyment, and create positive change on the planet.