In Part 1, I discussed how shamanism has been commoditized in the modern world, and brought into the mainstream new-age for better or worse. To summarize, there are many issues with the mainstream, new-age "shaman", from purely financial (only upper-middle class white people seem to be able to afford the workshops), to issues with information dispensed (the shamanism being presented is often not shamanism at all, but a conglomeration of spiritual, new-age thoughts combined with modern pop-psychology), to issues with naming (the term shaman comes from a specific tribe originating in Siberia and thus arguably should remain with them), to the simple fact that many people who are interested in shamanism have not had any sort of calling to be a shaman, and do not know the sort of initiations, illnesses, and path a shaman must follow. In the end, I agree that some of the practitioners of modern shamanism are helpful, as are many counselors or other allied health professionals. But the degree of difference between someone called and shoved onto this path vs. someone wanting to take a self-help workshop are many.
So how is a Shaman called?
Well, many believe that a shamanic calling has to do with heritage/ancestry (someone in your family lineage was a shaman or had spiritual gifts) and some believe that it has to do with agreements made prior to birth. Often, there is an thought regarding needs for the planet- meaning that a certain number of people who are able to communicate with spirit are needed on earth at a certain period in time.
How does this Shamanic calling manifest?
In some cultures, midwives can tell in utero if a child will be a shaman based on the amount of energy or souls that accompany the child. When a shaman is born, they are often remarkably different right away from others in their tribe/community. There is a look in their eyes, a sensitivity to the world, that manifests from their first breath. It is said that when someone who is not a shaman is born, they are born into a sort of amnesia- where they forget the other worlds, dimensions, and energies that surround us. A shaman does not have that amnesia, and has a great deal of early childhood pain over the fact that they can see and hear things that others cannot.
Often the child shaman is unable to process the amount of information and pain that is coming to them from their calling, and they succumb to severe illness and/or death. A severe childhood illness and/or death is almost always a marker of a shaman, so much so that certain tribes would starve or put a child out who they thought was a shaman so they would have a near-death experience or severe illness. In modern society, most modern shamans I have met have had a traumatic childhood, severe illness, or near-death experience. Since we live in a society where shamans are not nurtured or taught when their abilities are discovered, many who have the calling to become a shaman have several near-death experiences (or actually die) until they are able to find their path.
What are the other markers of the Shamanic calling?In the previous blog (Part 1) I discussed how many modern spiritual enthusiasts go to shamanic gatherings to find their "tribe" and how funny that this was to me. This is because traditionally, the shaman was shunned and lived on the edge of society. People generally fear, mistrust, and do not understand the shaman because they are too different. This all would change if they needed something from the shaman, like a healing. Often, since the shaman is partially wild and not entirely of this plane, they prefer solitude anyway, although often because of their abilities, they don't have much choice in the matter.
Shamans always are between worlds, have the ability to look and see deeper patterns in life. This can separate the shaman from others, who do not see the patterns. Most of all, a part of them is animalistic and primal. There is a wildness to them due to their abilities and their nature, which isn't totally human. They have no choice but to remain like this- it is simply who they are: born into a human body but animalistic and part of the forces of nature. Shamans are called and must be a part of nature to survive. It is a part of their calling to commune with nature- they are nature, and they will become ill if they do not spend the appropriate amount of time learning from nature.
Above all, being a shaman is simply dangerous. Most people in self-help workshops and beginning spiritual pursuits do not understand that what they are coming across is self-created, meaning it is part of the illusion that you set up for yourself. Angels, animals, teachers, plants all come across to tell you exactly what you want to know (I could tell a funny story about how I asked a tree the other day for it to teach me, and it said no, and how I briefly felt offended, but that is for another day). Real spirits, forces of nature, and energies are dangerous, and must be treated with respect and careful understanding. Shamans negotiate with the spiritual realms to turn disease, misfortune, and evil in the lives of people and the land around. The same people who shunned the shaman in the market one day will bring their child to the shaman the next day for healing. They are constantly aware of the precarious balance of the universe, and their community, and most of all, they are like a big nightlight for spirits and energies to come after because the shaman can notice them.
Overall, a shaman will know that they have a calling because they simply do not have a choice in their lives about what to do with their path. If you are called to be a shaman, you cannot become an accountant. If you do not follow your calling, pain and suffering will follow. And when you do follow the path of your calling, you realize that you are a tool of the divine, a hollow bone, and your life becomes a series of initiations and clearings of your history/past, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies until you reach a place where you can actually be of service, and utilized properly.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
On Becoming a Shaman in the Modern World Part 1
It is interesting, our modern world. Our post-post-modern, new-age society that has elevated the role of shaman into a self-help empire, a world in which you can go through workshops at often idyllic resorts and retreats to get a certificate that says that you are a "shaman" and thus can heal people using your shamanic capabilities.
On the surface level, there is much to complain about this set-up. Some argue that shamans are from a specific culture and time, and nobody except for those who are from that specific culture should be able to use the term shaman. And this is true in many ways... the term "shaman" seemingly comes from the Tungus people of Northeast China/Siberian regions. From other cultures, the duties ascribed to the catch-all "shaman" term may be medicine woman, spiritual healer, curandera, or a whole variety of other labels. But although technically the term shaman originated (seemingly) from the 1500's in Siberia, the word shaman has come into a new life as a catch-all for the described communication that some are able to do between the world of spirit and the material world.
So let's forget the anger over the genesis of the word shaman for a moment. As an aside, I generally call myself a spiritual healer- it seems much more valid for the sort of work I do, and then I don't have to have the debate that has been happening over decades about the paragraph before this one, but I have found that I also have to use the words shamanic healer because that is simply what has been created by the new-age google searching types to be able to find me. And on most days I am okay with that.
Arguably, the biggest issue in terms of shamanism right now is "real" vs. "plastic". For some, this means issues of nationality/race/family lineage. For others this means those who have had a "true" calling vs. those who have simply gone and done a weekend workshop and hung a shingle on their door. And for others, the term plastic has to do with the merchandising of shamanism combined with other new-age thoughts and modern psychological methods and packaged by the likes of Michael Harner, Alberto Villoldo, and others to anyone who might have curiousity about becoming a shaman and money to pay, but not necessarily a calling to become a shaman.
Although the modern shamanic format of overpriced courses and non-native teachers with dubious motives and pedigree business advisors certainly has its issues, the question remains of what do modern (likely white) people do who feel a calling to learn about shamanism? Even if they are called to the work, the first books and classes they are going to run across are likely to be the new-age hybrids of Villoldo and Harner. And this actually isn't a bad thing, because in Part 2 of this blog post, I will discuss what actually happens to those who have a calling to become a shaman. The watered down, pleasant versions that the new-agers offer is seemingly just enough information and initiation and self-help to satiate the weekend workshop warrior without them being in any physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional danger. For many who I have attended these workshops with, the provided initiations are enough for them to feel "spiritual" and "special" and they are able to help those similar to them with their learned material without any real understanding of how truly frightening being a shaman can be. But many have gone into their communities and helped, even without having a true calling or understanding of spiritual matters.
So, generally, when people come down on these workshops and practitioners, I can truly understand where they are coming from. It is shamanism-lite, spiritual work typically without the illness and pain and suffering and devastation and separation that comes from a true shamanic calling. But on the same level, they are helping others on the same level as them- people who have some interest in spirituality, in self-help. Some find these workshops because they have had a true calling to become a shaman, and these workshops and authors allow them to wade softly into the waters of spirit without being shoved underneath. Some go to workshops to find community- although shamanism is a part of the mainstream new-age canon these days, it is still refreshing to find whole groups of others who you can talk about spirituality in community (and this sentiment of finding spiritual community/a "tribe" is actually pretty funny when you know about how true shamans operate in a community, but I digress). As a white middle-class suburbanite I can totally empathize. These classes are what show up when you have a spiritual calling and are googling at 2:00 am. But as I go on to Part 2, you may realize that what a shaman is, or does, is actually extremely difficult. It is not a job or path that anyone in their right mind would actually wish for. I truly do believe that if others on the shamanism-lite path realized what a calling was like, they would run screaming in the other direction.
On the surface level, there is much to complain about this set-up. Some argue that shamans are from a specific culture and time, and nobody except for those who are from that specific culture should be able to use the term shaman. And this is true in many ways... the term "shaman" seemingly comes from the Tungus people of Northeast China/Siberian regions. From other cultures, the duties ascribed to the catch-all "shaman" term may be medicine woman, spiritual healer, curandera, or a whole variety of other labels. But although technically the term shaman originated (seemingly) from the 1500's in Siberia, the word shaman has come into a new life as a catch-all for the described communication that some are able to do between the world of spirit and the material world.
So let's forget the anger over the genesis of the word shaman for a moment. As an aside, I generally call myself a spiritual healer- it seems much more valid for the sort of work I do, and then I don't have to have the debate that has been happening over decades about the paragraph before this one, but I have found that I also have to use the words shamanic healer because that is simply what has been created by the new-age google searching types to be able to find me. And on most days I am okay with that.
Arguably, the biggest issue in terms of shamanism right now is "real" vs. "plastic". For some, this means issues of nationality/race/family lineage. For others this means those who have had a "true" calling vs. those who have simply gone and done a weekend workshop and hung a shingle on their door. And for others, the term plastic has to do with the merchandising of shamanism combined with other new-age thoughts and modern psychological methods and packaged by the likes of Michael Harner, Alberto Villoldo, and others to anyone who might have curiousity about becoming a shaman and money to pay, but not necessarily a calling to become a shaman.
Although the modern shamanic format of overpriced courses and non-native teachers with dubious motives and pedigree business advisors certainly has its issues, the question remains of what do modern (likely white) people do who feel a calling to learn about shamanism? Even if they are called to the work, the first books and classes they are going to run across are likely to be the new-age hybrids of Villoldo and Harner. And this actually isn't a bad thing, because in Part 2 of this blog post, I will discuss what actually happens to those who have a calling to become a shaman. The watered down, pleasant versions that the new-agers offer is seemingly just enough information and initiation and self-help to satiate the weekend workshop warrior without them being in any physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional danger. For many who I have attended these workshops with, the provided initiations are enough for them to feel "spiritual" and "special" and they are able to help those similar to them with their learned material without any real understanding of how truly frightening being a shaman can be. But many have gone into their communities and helped, even without having a true calling or understanding of spiritual matters.
So, generally, when people come down on these workshops and practitioners, I can truly understand where they are coming from. It is shamanism-lite, spiritual work typically without the illness and pain and suffering and devastation and separation that comes from a true shamanic calling. But on the same level, they are helping others on the same level as them- people who have some interest in spirituality, in self-help. Some find these workshops because they have had a true calling to become a shaman, and these workshops and authors allow them to wade softly into the waters of spirit without being shoved underneath. Some go to workshops to find community- although shamanism is a part of the mainstream new-age canon these days, it is still refreshing to find whole groups of others who you can talk about spirituality in community (and this sentiment of finding spiritual community/a "tribe" is actually pretty funny when you know about how true shamans operate in a community, but I digress). As a white middle-class suburbanite I can totally empathize. These classes are what show up when you have a spiritual calling and are googling at 2:00 am. But as I go on to Part 2, you may realize that what a shaman is, or does, is actually extremely difficult. It is not a job or path that anyone in their right mind would actually wish for. I truly do believe that if others on the shamanism-lite path realized what a calling was like, they would run screaming in the other direction.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Tri-Brain Meditation: Getting Past Fear and Through Difficult Emotions
When we think of general divisions of
the body, the first the comes up is of mind/body. This is a classic
Cartesian split, and the thrust of Modern Allopathic Medicine. That
something can either be divided into a mechanistic, parts-oriented
"body" division, and is thus treated by Allopathic/Western Medicine and
pharmaceuticals, or is considered the realm of the "mind", meaning
non-physical, emotionally based, and is treated by modern forms of
psychotherapy and psychiatry.
In terms of Eastern/Asiatic Medicines, this split is often described as mind/body/spirit, but the idea of this is to introduce the idea that these concepts interweave and inform one another. This means that you are not just a mechanistic piece of machinery or a mind, you are both, and are a spirit as well, all informing and influencing one another.
In terms of Energy Medicine and Spiritual/Shamanic Healing, the consideration is of the whole, meaning that there is no split. Although there are divisions of the body (like chakras, or levels of the energy body like the etheric, or even the energies within the body like the energetic matrix that at the basest level comprises who we are) we are considered one unit- these energies do not just inform and interweave one another, they are one another, and are reflected in one another. Your physical state is simply a representation of what is going on emotionally, spiritually, energetically.
In terms of development of the human brain, the tribrain system is often the base model. There is a split between the reptilian brain, the limbic brain, and the neocortex. The reptilian brain is that of the dinosaurs, formed first, and responsible for things of a simple, physical nature, such as brute strength, movement, and respiration. The reptilian brain is not a thinking brain, it is what makes up our very basic instincts of survival- our drive to get through a situation no matter what. It makes up the base instinctual part of ourselves, a simple brain that reacts and acts on instinct.
The limbic brain is made up of our higher instincts, and our emotions. The limbic brain drives our behaviors out of feelings- primarily those of fear. This is also the space of our selves that reacts to the hierarchy of needs- fears of being properly taken care of, fed, sexual drives, and basic social skills and ability to gather in groups for a common purpose, as well as wars, arguments, and seeing people different from us as "other" and something to be labeled and feared. This is the caveman brain, and is not capable of higher thought, but of reacting to emotions, mainly fear.
The neocortex is the last of the tribrain model. It is the higher brain, responsible for higher levels of intelligence, insight, and thought patterns. Mathematics, spatial reasoning, foresight, philosophy, technology, language, writing, music, art, architecture- most things you can think, study in school (arguably), or see in modern society are from the development of this region of the brain.
So why am I introducing this concept (or re-introducing?)
Although we consider ourselves to be high-minded, intelligent creatures, the reptilian brain, limbic brain, and the neocortex all react differently and are triggered by different areas in our lives. For example, by understanding that the limbic brain largely comes from a place of fear, a place of war and pointing out of differences, we can understand how when that emotion comes up (fear, anxiety, really any emotion), we can understand why we feel the need to put others down, argue, or even fight.
Limbic Brain Meditation
Let us look at a fear you have. It can be of anything, small or large. Something as simple as a fear of not getting work done on time by the deadline this week to something as complex and loaded as the fear of death and dying.
• Consider the situation you are thinking of in terms of fear
• Feel that fear in your body, how does it affect you physically? What areas of your body does it affect?
• What other emotions come up with that fear? Grief, sadness, anger?
• What does this fear make you want to do? Hide, fight, eat?
• Connect this fear to the drive you discovered. Say this out loud:
example: my fear over losing my parent makes me feel grief, tightness in my chest, nausea, makes me want to hide in my room and never come out, and eat sugar.
• Sit with this understanding for a moment. Let your body understand what you just said out loud.
Do this Meditation every time you feel a strong emotion come up. The limbic brain is a gateway, meaning that it has access to both the reptilian as well as the neocortex. By coming up with an emotion (limbic), understanding your primal drives and decisions derived from that emotion (limbic and reptilian) as well as speaking it out loud and coming to an intellectual understanding/creating a story about this emotion (neocortex), you are linking aspects of this system, and gradually will be able to change how you react to situations.
In terms of Eastern/Asiatic Medicines, this split is often described as mind/body/spirit, but the idea of this is to introduce the idea that these concepts interweave and inform one another. This means that you are not just a mechanistic piece of machinery or a mind, you are both, and are a spirit as well, all informing and influencing one another.
In terms of Energy Medicine and Spiritual/Shamanic Healing, the consideration is of the whole, meaning that there is no split. Although there are divisions of the body (like chakras, or levels of the energy body like the etheric, or even the energies within the body like the energetic matrix that at the basest level comprises who we are) we are considered one unit- these energies do not just inform and interweave one another, they are one another, and are reflected in one another. Your physical state is simply a representation of what is going on emotionally, spiritually, energetically.
In terms of development of the human brain, the tribrain system is often the base model. There is a split between the reptilian brain, the limbic brain, and the neocortex. The reptilian brain is that of the dinosaurs, formed first, and responsible for things of a simple, physical nature, such as brute strength, movement, and respiration. The reptilian brain is not a thinking brain, it is what makes up our very basic instincts of survival- our drive to get through a situation no matter what. It makes up the base instinctual part of ourselves, a simple brain that reacts and acts on instinct.
The limbic brain is made up of our higher instincts, and our emotions. The limbic brain drives our behaviors out of feelings- primarily those of fear. This is also the space of our selves that reacts to the hierarchy of needs- fears of being properly taken care of, fed, sexual drives, and basic social skills and ability to gather in groups for a common purpose, as well as wars, arguments, and seeing people different from us as "other" and something to be labeled and feared. This is the caveman brain, and is not capable of higher thought, but of reacting to emotions, mainly fear.
The neocortex is the last of the tribrain model. It is the higher brain, responsible for higher levels of intelligence, insight, and thought patterns. Mathematics, spatial reasoning, foresight, philosophy, technology, language, writing, music, art, architecture- most things you can think, study in school (arguably), or see in modern society are from the development of this region of the brain.
So why am I introducing this concept (or re-introducing?)
Although we consider ourselves to be high-minded, intelligent creatures, the reptilian brain, limbic brain, and the neocortex all react differently and are triggered by different areas in our lives. For example, by understanding that the limbic brain largely comes from a place of fear, a place of war and pointing out of differences, we can understand how when that emotion comes up (fear, anxiety, really any emotion), we can understand why we feel the need to put others down, argue, or even fight.
Limbic Brain Meditation
Let us look at a fear you have. It can be of anything, small or large. Something as simple as a fear of not getting work done on time by the deadline this week to something as complex and loaded as the fear of death and dying.
• Consider the situation you are thinking of in terms of fear
• Feel that fear in your body, how does it affect you physically? What areas of your body does it affect?
• What other emotions come up with that fear? Grief, sadness, anger?
• What does this fear make you want to do? Hide, fight, eat?
• Connect this fear to the drive you discovered. Say this out loud:
example: my fear over losing my parent makes me feel grief, tightness in my chest, nausea, makes me want to hide in my room and never come out, and eat sugar.
• Sit with this understanding for a moment. Let your body understand what you just said out loud.
Do this Meditation every time you feel a strong emotion come up. The limbic brain is a gateway, meaning that it has access to both the reptilian as well as the neocortex. By coming up with an emotion (limbic), understanding your primal drives and decisions derived from that emotion (limbic and reptilian) as well as speaking it out loud and coming to an intellectual understanding/creating a story about this emotion (neocortex), you are linking aspects of this system, and gradually will be able to change how you react to situations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)