Shamanism

Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, Apr 06, 2001 by Jennifer Wurges

Shamans often wear ritual costumes such as feathers, masks, or animal skins. They may also use ritual objects, charms, and herbs.

Becoming a shaman is not an ordinary task that occurs overnight. Shamans go through strenuous training before they begin to practice as a shaman. They are usually chosen or "called" by the spirits. This call to become a shaman may involve a series of tests to prove intent and worth.

A personal crisis, severe trauma, near-death experience, lightning strike, or life-threatening illness may serve as the calling to become a shaman. Initiation may also occur though dreams or visions as the spirits are made known to the chosen one.

In many cultures, the shamanic tradition is passed from father to son or to those who have answered the call. The teaching involves training by master shamans in the ecstatic trance, a thorough understanding of traditional shamanic techniques, names and functions of spirits, and the mythology and genealogy of the clan. While in the apprentice stage, the shaman-to-be learns about the soul: the forces that can threaten it and where it will flee or be captured by evil spirits.

A shaman's initiation typically involves a visionary death or dismemberment of the body during the trance journey. By knowing death and returning from it, the shaman attains the secret of life and the power to heal. The shaman-in-training must also undertake a training in which he faces and resolves his fears. After the initiation, the shaman is trained by a more experienced shaman until he has reached a level of mastery.

In modern times, shamanic knowledge is being shared with the general population. One does not have to belong to a native tribe to become a shaman. Carlos Casteneda, one of the most well-known writers of shamanism, studied under a Native American Yaqui shaman. Dr. Michael Harner, an anthropologist, is one of the world's leading authorities on shamanism and has even started a non-profit educational organization, The Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Modern shamanism is often practiced in groups and lodges and through workshops and classes. Shamanic training may be obtained through similar schools or psychological or spiritual teachers.

Several schools are located in the United States:

• Dance of the Deer Foundation, Center for Shamanic Studies, P.O. Box 699, Soquel, California 95073. (831)475-9560. www.shamanism.com.
• The Foundation for Shamanic Studies, P.O. Box 1939, Mill Valley, California 94942. (415) 380-8282.

• Goldberg, Dr. Bruce. Soul Healing. Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 1997.
• Harner, Michael. The Way of the Shaman. San Fransisco: Harper, 1990.
• Mindell, Arnold.The Shaman's Body. San Francisco: Harper, 1993.
• Moorey, Teresa. Shamanism: A Beginner's Guide. Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton, 1997.