To the beginner, it would seem that the primary goal of everything one does is to "become" a Shaman. It is a common misconception that experiencing Shamanic ecstasy or embarking on that first Shamanic journey makes you a Shaman. Truth is, it is far more complicated than that.

Not everyone can become a Shaman... it is a terrible experience to survive a calling and thus one should not "wish" to be a Shaman. However, anyone can still benefit from the experience of practicing Shamanism and ecstasy without being a Shaman!

A Shaman is a MASTER of their own destiny. A Shaman is taught from a VERY early age to rise above ANY and ALL untoward events, physical pain, and emotional pain, to see the Truth which lies at the Heart of the Problem. A Shaman is also one who is depended on by some form of a group or community. While I believe one might be a Shaman to their own brotherhood or family, in most cases this is a village or some nation of people. To these people, the Shaman is their window between the worlds.

So to answer the question, there are two ways most Shamanic Traditions agree one can become a Shaman.

A: By birth into a Shamanic family one can receive the hereditary right to be a shaman. And that only counts in THIS lifetime.

B: One might be called as a Shaman. Often a person will become seriously ill (psychically, mentally, or physically) during this calling. They will then realize, or be informed of, their calling. Once the person begins their training and accepts their calling, they will be freed of their illness. This calling is not a request, but rather, a divine command. One may be raised in a Christian family which rejects the path of the shaman, but to ignore the call would not be acceptable. Most Shamanic cultures believe that rejecting a call is a fatal mistake. Surviving the call is what gives the Shaman the experience needed to begin healing others.

As "Restricted Knowledge," and therefore disputed by any and all who are "in the know," is the little known fact that the Shamanic Call involves 7 deaths. Much like the Wiccan 3-Fold Law, the 7 deaths affect many areas and planes. These areas are not always the same in each person who receives the "call," but are NOT metaphorical.

This is not to say that it is not possible that one may choose to become a Shaman, however, this way is never accepted by the Indigenous American Tribes, as they hold to the first two methods, alone. To choose to become a Shaman involves an intense, personal devotion towards being a Shaman, including traditional training and studying. According to "orthodox" beliefs, a Shaman who chooses his path is always far less powerful, and will never achieve their goal without abandoning their lives, family, home and all they hold dear, to move onto a reservation or into a tribal village. Many cultures believe there is no such thing as one who chooses to be a Shaman and such a person is either fake or simply unrespectable. Survival of the calling is part of the experience and to choose this path is to surpass the Calling, which does not allow you to become a legitimate Shaman. In essence, what you are, is a child who is PRETENDING to be a Shaman much like a child who would "play" doctor, or coppiceman. ;) This equates one who has chosen to follow the "Shamanic Path," rather than an actual Shaman.

Regardless of the way one initiates the journey, it is a very tough and devoted path to follow. A Shaman must endure intense physical, emotional, and mental disciplines. It is THE most challenging training anyone will ever endure. Bootcamp doesn't compare to Shamanic training. Some of the lighter training activities include days in sweat lodges [for some tribes], seeking visions, long journeys between the worlds, and deep study of deities, myths, the secret languages, and their heritage. If you are not of the heritage of the Shaman, then this leaves you out of a very important, even mandatory, portion of these studies because if you are not of the bloodline, you are not privy to the secret histories.

This is why Shamanism itself is not a religion, but a way of life that becomes the nature of the individual.

Traditionally, in order to be a true Shaman, Shamanic training customarily begins around the age of 5, and continues throughout the prospectant's lifetime. To attain the title, "Shaman," one must prove [or apprentice] him/herself to another Shaman, achieve the age of 40, and be granted the title by your Mentor, the Clan's Mother [depending on the clan, tribe, or nation], or whomever is the principal leader of the community in which you live, depending upon your tribe. You do not assume the title "Shaman." It must be bestowed upon you.