Shamanism 101

I have been listening to hear what my next column‘s content was supposed to cover and I have heard a few whispers about heat islands and tree cover and corporations morphing into co operations and then one of my American Shamanic colleagues sent me something that he wrote recently and it jumped in front of the other topics. So I asked my colleague if he was interested in becoming a guest columnist for the week, his answer was yes, and here is his debut:

Shamanism 101 by “a little hollow bone”

Recently a friend posted a funny article about marijuana use that equated it to shamanism. Coincidentally I have talked to two people recently who were given spiritual guides shamanically, but absolutely no guidance on how to work with their Gifts, or cope with AND USE their awakened spiritual state. To help those people and others — let’s cover a brief introduction to shamanism.

1. Mircea Eliade was one of the first to describe the shamanic trance as a form of ecstasy. Michael Harner popularized it years later. As in all generalizations, both men were wrong, but still helpful. However, the shamanic trance varies from the briefest insight to as much as, in my personal experience, 14 hours walking in two worlds—literally!—under the guidance of a plant spirit (it had been murdered, and so chose not to “waste” its non-corporeal form).

2. The shamanic trance may be induced mechanically or chemically, but one of the safest ways to create the shamanic state of mind for healing purposes is prayer, drumming (about 220 beats per minute) and strong intention to help another person.

3. A shamanic trance may be induced by a spiritual entity that has “adopted” you, and is a powerful experience. The shaman walks in two worlds. Doing so in Manhattan (my experience) was flat out amazing. The thing that was most incredible is that this experience seemed to enclose me in a “bubble” of mixed realities—and also enclosed those who came within its influence. THEY SAW THE OTHER MANHATTAN. Such an experience is not to be treated casually, will only appear after years of work, and is not the goal of this practice. It is an unexpected Gift.

4. The shaman may use a divination method to aid in healings, which could be a rock, a leaf, clouds, runes, or Tarot cards. Since a shaman is a story-teller, the divination tells an empowering and healing story for the person who asked for the healing. It takes about 24-48 hours for the story heard or seen in the shamanic state of mind to percolate into the head from the heart, and can then be told.

5. No—absolutely NO—healing or work in alternative reality can be undertaken without permission. Anyone doing so will find their efforts nullified, or, if intended to cause harm, reflected back to them. The results intended by this kind of work are not permitted.

6. Everyone who reaches adulthood has done so with the support of spiritual essences, entities if you will, that may present themselves as Power Animals (Hawk, Wolf, Bear, Eagle or even Mouse), or Angels (Michael, Gabriel) or Teachers and Guides (Gandhi, Buddha, Mother Mary). Your Faith Tradition will clothe your spiritual guardians in such a way that they are acceptable to you.

7. In non-ordinary reality (abbreviated as NOR) as opposed to ordinary reality (OR) you are in a dream-like world where you can meet AND TALK TO your spiritual helpers. Ask them questions, listen to their answers, and CHECK THEM with a trusted friend, pastor, rabbi or advisor before acting on them.

8. Look into the eyes of any spiritual entity before accepting its friendship. Human or human-like entities will have blue or brown eyes. Power animals will have yellow, orange or red eyes. Yellow is friendly to you. Orange is considering it, but red is not friendly to you. Leave red-eyed entities alone. Green eyes are plant spirits, and can be very powerful and helpful, but demand a commitment of care and nurturing. If you do not wish to become a friend in this world to such a plant entity, do NOT become involved.

9. Shamanic experience urges you to avoid black insects, spiders or fish with big jaws and fangs. Yet even this generalization is wrong. For example, in a healing journey for a cancer survivor a trail of big black ants was how their disease presented itself. When the ants were led away from them in OR, the black “cancer ants” disappeared—and so did the disease.

10. The shamanic healing journey is miraculous, and a Gift from the universe to us. Chief Frank Fools Crow, in Thomas Mails book “Fools Crow: Wisdom and Power,” spoke of it this way:

“No matter how flawed and imperfect we are, it is a gift of Wakan-Tanka (Great Spirit) that He uses us as He finds us. There is no greater gift than this.”

So, this is the essential Shamanism 101. It contains the foundation of every Faith Tradition in the world. First of all, do no harm. Love your neighbor as yourself. Work for others only with permission.

Many blessings.

Mitakuye Oyasin.
Pilamaya Aloh.

“a little hollow bone”