For the Buryats of Siberia, the eagle is the prototype of the
shaman. Some Siberian peoples directly associate the
eagle with the Supreme Being and the Creator of Light.
Odin
was also called Eagle..... Whether for sport or spirit, the
shaman's ability to fly or the enactment of flight bespeaks a
sublime metaphysical reality that appears to be a common
feature of mystical experiences everywhere. All the cosmos
is accessible when the art of transformation is mastered." -
Shaman, The Wounded Healer by Joan Halifax.
Shamanism is currently undergoing an immense revival,
involving people from many countries and various walks of
life. The popularization of American Indian teachings and
cultural heritage is only a small chapter in this overall saga.
In fact, the so-called "New Age" may largely be a returning
to the old and wise, respectful reverence for our sacred
Mother Earth... sadly now being raped of resources in the
onslaught of "modern" civilization.
This "new" awakening stems directly from an earlier tribal
reality, where the shaman was priest, social worker,
political advisor and healer to a closely interconnected
community. In many different cultures worldwide the land
and all its beings were viewed as part of themselves, each
with important roles inthe unfolding drama of the universe.
The shaman was honoured for his/her powers to intercede
and understand the essential nature of this all-connected
mystery and importantly bring wholeness and healing to the
dis-spirited or sick.
Michael Harner (author of The Way of the Shaman) has
coined the term "urban shamanism" for the practise and
initiation of western peoples into an experiential exploration
of shamanic realms. Years of academic study and fieldwork
among shamanic cultures, including his own initiation,
eventually led him to the realisation that several cross-culturally
shared motifs and techniques could perhaps be reduced to
a core of elements. These could be understood by almost
anyone, regardless of culture and which could be employed
for their own and others' benefit.
Shamans throughout the world, from Tibet and Mongolia to
the Americas, have been involved in healing for thousands
of years, dating back to paleolithic times. Perhaps as old as
consciousness itself, shamanism is an ancient healing
tradition that has reflected the changing cultures of the
surrounding world throughout the ages. This tradition
involves healing through personal transformation as well
as healing our family, community and environment. Central
to this is the belief that we must heal and honour our
mother the Earth, who is viewed as a living, conscious
organism. Shamans say this sacred female Goddess, the
earth who nourishes our very existence, must also be
nourished with our prayers and ceremonies. Recently
some medical practitioners in America have been
researching and using shamanistic practises to assist
wholistic healing. This is an area that will undoubtedly
reach out further into society as its effectiveness becomes
apparent. In particular instances shamanic healing has
even proven to be "miraculous" ie, Rolling Thunder,
(Cherokee Indian medicine man) in one reported case,
irrefutably reversed Multiple Sclerosis. And surely that is
not the only case where medical science is at a loss to
explain the healing phenomena. Rolling Thunder says of
his work "This is the Great Spirit's way. I only act as an
agent for the Great Spirit here; the healing comes from the
spirit world." Please note that Rolling Thunder is a
hereditary Shaman, and not a chosen one. Had he been
the later, he would never have been able to achieve this
total cure, but rather merely eased the patient's suffering.
An integral part of any shaman's power is a fortifying
relationship with an ally. Power exists everywhere, all
around us, in undifferentiated form. Since we need to use
the power around us just to charge our life force, each of us
has some sort of ally in order to be alive. The ally or helper
acts as an intermediary between that formless power and
the physical world. Guardian angels, elementals, stars,
people, plants, birds, animals are mediators between the
spiritual and the material. In healing the ally acts as a
step-down transformer, converting raw power to more
manageable energetic levels. An ally can provide protection
from illness or accidents as well. A shaman gives back to
an ally by inviting it to dance, sing and work through his/her
physical body. The shaman moves consciously through all
the layers of manifestation that exist - all times, all places,
all possibilities. The path is lifelong, what is written here is
only the beginning, the initiation. The gates beyond are
layers of consciousness, expanding gradually to include
objective eternity. The work moves from self, to community,
and finally to the planet.
There are probably as many different native names for
shamanic practitioners as there are languages and
cultures around the world. The Yakut called their shamans
`ojuna', the mongolian - `buga baga', the Buryats - `udayan',
the Tartars - `Kam', the Lakota - `wicasa wakan' etc.
Sometimes the names refer to particular abilities of the
shaman such as the Pomo term `Maru' (dreamer) or the
copper Eskimo word `elik' (one who has eyes). Huichol
shamans are called mara'akame, masters of the deer
(mara), after their principal spirit ally.
The Wiradjeri aboriginal medicine men have a high god -
Baiame. Two great quartz crystals extend from his shoulders
to the sky above him. Baiame sometimes appears to the
aborigines in their dreams. He causes a sacred waterfall of
liquid quartz to pour over their bodies, absorbing them
totally. They later grow wings replacing their arms. Later the
dreamer learns to fly and Baiame sings a piece of magical
quartz into his forehead to enable him to see right into
things. Subsequently an `inner flame' and a heavenly cord
are also incorporated into the body of the new shaman.
Thus we see the shaman acquires new magical powers by
encountering the gods as a result of a special dream
journey. The transformations which follow such an
encounter are regarded as initiatory.
For the shaman, all that exists in the revealed world has a
living force within it. This life energy force, like the
Polynesian `mana' or the Sioux `wakanda', is conceived of
as a divine force which permeates all. The knowledge that
life is power is the realization of the shaman. Communion
with the purveyors of power is the work of the shaman.
Mastery of that power: this is the attaimnment of the
shaman.
In Sydney recently, Nevill and myself held two public
workshops entitled "A Shamanic Initiation" where folk from
all walks of life were led through to their own personal
mythic reality via drum journeys and rituals. Nevill has been
doing this work privately for a number of years now,
continually finding the depth of peoples journeys to be both
exciting and enriching. At our day-long sessions
participants contacted classic shamanic realms with ease,
and gained much personal power and satisfying insight
from their allies and the various events encountered in t
hese realms. We also explored the healing essence of
shamanism in the "Spirit Canoe" where many of the
participants were able to both receive and give gifts of
power. It is truly remarkable how accessible this form of
personal transformation is, with the added bonus of being
painless, non-traumatic and yet ever so empowering.
The clarity and depth of symbolism encountered in journeys
such as this is not unusual... but, unfortunately, not yet
accessed by very many in modern society. It is through
such journeys and the gathering of groups to share their
experiences that much of the `tribal old ways' will be
revealed, linking us to that ancient wisdom of natural
inter-connection. Thus, I feel shamanism in its many forms
can significantly contribute to peace and wellbeing, both
personal and global.
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Birds always denote rising, activation, change and vitality.
In some traditions birds are symbolic of the soul; in others
the bird is recognized as an intelligent colloborator with
man, being the bearer of celestial messages.
