Shamanism is found at the root and heart of belief itself. No study of religion, belief or even thought can be complete without considering the thoughts, beliefs and practices of the earliest of human cultures, and that, without exception (as far as I am aware) leads to the consideration of shamanism.
Yupik shaman exorcising spirits
Of course, just because shamanism is at the root of modern culture it doesn’t follow that it is accepted as a valid belief system. Many in the business of promoting monotheistic religious systems have sought to deny those roots, dismissing shamanism as primitive and disorganised, to be superceded by their more sophisticated and comprehensive religions. Many, of course, now deny spiritual reality completely while others, perhaps reacting to this cold, disenchanted view of existence, and its implications for the future of our planet, have turned back to the old ways, in hope or desperation.
The diversity of human culture means that to provide a comprehensive definition that encompasses all forms of shamanic cosmology and practice would be impossible, even in a thousand blog posts, but a look through the literature and online resources has enabled me to distill the components of shamanism that, even if not universal, seem widespread enough to be regarded as a ‘good enough’ definition of what shamanism is and what shamans do.
Etymology
Looking for the origin of the word ‘shaman’ is a mystery quest in itself, although it is most usually placed among the languages of the indigenous people of Northern Russia, Mongolia or China. Whether the word originates from the Evenki (formerly known as Tungus) people, or the pre-Chinese Manchu is disputed and to debate it involves a detailed cultural and linguistic knowledge. However, a popular belief is that the word ‘saman’ involves concepts of both knowledge and inner heat, often interpreted as a state of ecstasy. It is interesting to note that the Evenki were used to looking after reindeer in sub-zero temperatures and perhaps such a harsh climate would force them to turn inwards. I would encourage anybody with a good etymological knowledge to post their ideas on the origin of the word (see the comments below for a possible Hindu connection – please feel free to continue this discussion!)
Sami shaman with drum
Talking with the Spirits
First and foremost, the shaman is an intermediary between the everyday world and the world of the spirits. Many shamanic cultures were animistic, regarding all created things as having a spirit, and therefore it was vital to the health and wellbeing of the community that they had a means to contact these invisible forces to ‘guide, guard, instruct and bless’ (Cowan,1996).
A shaman might be called upon for a number of reasons or might be singled out as being an expert in one particular aspect or even one specific spiritual realm. Some of the tasks performed by shaman include:
Altay shaman with gong
The Ways of the Shaman
It may be apparent that much of the above is not exclusive to what is normally termed ‘shamanism’. For example, Spiritualist mediums receive spiritual messages via trance, use energy healing techniques and perform psychopomp work in ‘rescue circles’. However, shamanism is as much to do with the means to achieving contact as to the results. As mentioned earlier, shamanic practice is synonymous with the achievement of ecstasy, literally being ‘outside (ex) of the body (stasis)’.
Regardless of tradition, the shaman will strive to achieve some kind of altered state of consciousness. Sometimes this is seen as requiring a state of spiritual (and sexual) excitement, leading to trance (and possibly temporary spirit ‘possession’) whereas other, especially more modern, styles favour a less intense state of focused visualisation.
The ways in which shaman achieve ecstasy also vary widely, ranging from the ritual ingestion of psychotropic substances, to endurance feats, to rhythmic dancing, ‘whirling’, chanting and/or percussion. I will go into some of these in more detail in part two, where I will focus on some specific shamanic traditions.
Interrelatedness
Another theme that is central to shamanism, and certainly one of the reasons for its survival and adoption in modern western culture, is the belief that everything is connected to everything else. Most of the shamanic traditions I have come across teach variations on this theme with animals and plants regarded as our relations, rather than our ‘subjects’, in a fragile web of interdependence. The recent focus on ecology is a partial return to this way of thinking, albeit often on a purely rational level. Likewise, our modern policies of sustainable agriculture have a precedent in the shamanic practice of travelling to the spirits of wild animals (or those who controlled them) in order to gain guidance on where it was permissable to hunt.
Look out for Part 2, where I will be focusing on some specific shamanic traditions
Coming next: The Astrological Signs: Cancer and Leo
Do you have any personal experiences with or opinions on Shamanism that you would like to share? If so, please leave a comment below.
Reference:Cowan, T. (1996) ‘Shamanism as a spiritual practice for daily life’, Crossing Press, Toronto
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