[Wildspeak] The way it is.

[moonvoice]

The road to successfully practicing shamanism is littered with those who could not measure up. In Indigenous cultures, and in urban and contemporary cultures.

To suggest that no one can fail on this path, or that everyone automatically has the strength to make it, is just unfair.

Shamanism is not just about the commitment; it's about the strength of spirit, the ability to hang on, humility, and a willingness to trust and respect the spirits while still possessing an ability to call bullshit. It's about serving others, not just other 'humans,' but other people, of this world, of the spirit world, other gods, energies, trees, plants, animals, rocks, and mountains.

Not everyone will make it. Not everyone is supposed to. Some will simply fall by the wayside happily, of their own choosing. Others will have their spiritual constitution destroyed by disgusted spirits and gods, and live out their lives in mental institutions or manipulating others to eat of their energy and destroy their souls.

The practice of shamanism is an initiation of itself; frequently. And initiations by their very nature frequently determine whether one is ready, or not ready, to learn wisdom and become a custodian of lore and greater power. No initiatory path is without failures.

But the good news is, no initiatory path is without success either.

Comments

[erl-queen.livejournal.com]

Yes! Thank you for this. Few people seem to understand.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

They do, and I think they don't understand that this isn't a shamanism-specific thing either. It's common to many other mystery traditions in paganism.

[weishaupt.livejournal.com]

There's a quote from one of Robert Anton Wilson's books, "A true initiation never ends."

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

That's an awesome quote.

[azhure.livejournal.com]

Seconded. And very true.

[witchchild]

I'd forgotten that myself, thank you for reminding me.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
My pleasure.

[liondaughter.livejournal.com]

Yeah. That's why I often think I'm just fooling myself. :-/

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Why with the fooling?

[liondaughter.livejournal.com]

It's that same doubt I journaled about. That who am I to think I am so special to be able to do stuff like this? I know it's silly. :(

Did you read my entry about what happened on the beach? I still don't know if I actually went anywhere or not.

I am trying to stay open to new experience and have faith in the process. :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I did read the entry and have been meaning to reply to it.

I had a person ask me that exact same question the other day, the 'why me of all people' kind of question.

It's been 8 years for me, and even though my guides have reassured me on it, it still plagues me. Because it's such a responsibility.

The thing is, surgeons are caretakers of the body. Psychiatrists and psychologists are caretakers of the mind. Shamans are caretakers of the soul. Yet - have you ever asked yourself as a psychiatrist: 'who am I to think i am so special to be able to do stuff like this?'

You have a talent as a healer, and you sought to strengthen that talent by learning the skills necessary to do your 'job.' A shaman or shamanist is the same, a healer who seeks to strengthen their talent by learning the skills necessary to do their job. You are just learning to journey, and it is a big deal. But you have also learnt techniques to help a person heal - but those same techniques can also be used to destroy in a more effective and concise way. A surgeon can kill with a scalpel. A shaman can hurt a soul as well as help it.

It is appropriate to ask 'why me.' It keeps us humble, and aware of the responsibility that comes with skills and talents of healing or creating health.

But hey, the spirits are calling to you, and maybe they started calling to you a long time to be a caretaker of the mind as well. I believe they see something there that is worthwhile. I could be wrong about what the spirits see, but I know I see something worthwhile. :)

[liondaughter.livejournal.com]

et - have you ever asked yourself as a psychiatrist: 'who am I to think i am so special to be able to do stuff like this?'

Heh. Yeah, all the time actually. But I have gotten better about that and it's a great analogy. I read what you wrote though and I think that maybe I am fooling you and myself and making it all up in an attempt to "feel special" or "important." But I have felt that about work too. Thank you. *hugs*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I don't think you've ever attempted to bullshit me about 'feeling special,' or 'being special,' and I don't think... I've gotten that impression about you either.

The thing is, as bland as this sounds, everyone is special. Many people are deserving of being chosen by different gods for different reasons. And I think it's okay to want to be special, too, and that that is different to... exploiting something only to feel special - which is not what I feel you do.

A person who cleans a trash-can may ultimately end up getting chosen by a god or spirit who deals with cleaning carrion or making sure the world is a cleaner place.

A person who does art like myself may be chosen by a god who reminds us that art is never arbitrary and that even though it isn't as 'functional' in some ways as what doctors do, it's still important.

A person who heals, or facilitates the healing process, I feel is the same.

It doesn't make us more special than anyone else; and I think you know this. I think if this was about a need to feel important or be seen as special; your tone about it would be different. That could be a naive thing for me to say; but I don't sense you are 'pretending' your doubts.

I've met people who need to be special. I've been recently screwed over by one of those people, actually, and the experience is fresh in my mind. People who need to be special exploit the people around them, and their 'skills' to only be reminded how special they are. They rarely give anything back, and when they do - the price is that they are reminded of their specialness and importance.

You have always offered me - when you can - advice that was freely given and offered with a realistic sense of 'this may not help, but maybe...' I think there's a humbleness and compassion in that which comes from a different place than a need to be special or important. And in a way, it is that those very things that make you special and important. To me, anyway. :)

[liondaughter.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. Everyone is special. And everyone has his or her own talents and path in life. And I think my issue is not so much that I want others to think I am special or am afraid that I am doing so . . . but maybe more than I am fooling myself.

There's still an element in which I wonder if I am not doing this or interested in it because of someone else in my life who is. That maybe it's another way to be like her or be closer to her. Because I know I HAVE done things like that and with this person especially. But I don't think so . . . Then there's the fear that maybe SHE will think that is why. But even if she did, why would that matter? All things are clear in time.

I guess mostly it's a fear that I am deluding myself, but in that case too . . . all things clear in time.

Thanks, this has been really helpful. *hugs* And I'm glad you've found some of my comments helpful too.

[netdancer.livejournal.com]

Absolute Truth,

It always blows my mind, how people just...miss...that the Shamanic path isn't all butterflies and rainbows.

I am mad. I was mad when I began, there's not a scrap of doubt in me that the whispers of the Totems certainly don't make me saner.

Do I care? No, not really.

Madness is Sacred.

I've seen things, been places - I wouldn't trade that, or trade the silken voice of Fox, for mere 'sanity'.

But I'm not a normal person, I will never be, and I am a sacrifice - myself to myself - to this working and this path. And I may be content with that, but I have doubts that everyone would be...

You're very well-spoken.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I agree, and I do think shamanism is it's own kind of sacred crazy. Sacred in part because it's a juggling game to try and determine which whisperings are the real, healing ones; and which ones are the saboteurs.

[darakat-ewr.livejournal.com]

*claps* Can I quote this?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Sure! :)

[sunvenus.livejournal.com]

So well said! *applauds & bookmarks for future reference*

Sorry I've been absent on LJ & Wildspeak forum lately; the ducklingss proved harder to deal with than I thought (down to only one left of the four :-( dammit) and I got some pretty bad news yesterday that is forcing me to re-evaluate my life and my future here in Australia.

On the good side of things, I... umm, ... uh... There must be something.

;-) Just kidding, of course there is. I have my gods to keep me sane & focused, and some cool magical research going on. If I could just do that 24/7 I'de be a happy woman. Fie on real life anyway!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've made it public now too, so you don't need to be signed in to read it.

It's okay about the absences; I've been pretty absent on my own forum lately as well!

Real life just gets in the way sometimes. I'm so sorry to hear that you lost three of the little ducklings. But birds are such fragile things by turns (and by others, so resilient).

And I'm sorry about the bad news. :/ *hugs*

[ebonhost.livejournal.com]

I like reading things like this. Though I am not a shaman (and have no calling or desire to be one, as I walk a different path), I am interested in the subject and like hearing about it from the people who are honest. I've never believed it's all puppies and rainbows, few things in this world (or any other) are.

[cazzyline.livejournal.com]

But people also forget that puppies crap everywhere, and you only get rainbows if it's raining.... or crystals, ice... they mark a threshold.

/tangent

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

:) I am glad that you enjoyed reading it. I sometimes think that all religions can speak to other ones, even if only to say 'here I am,' in an honest manner. :)

[earthguardian.livejournal.com]

Others will have their spiritual constitution destroyed by disgusted spirits and gods

have you seen or heard of something like this happening?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*nods* Yeah. I've known of people, both online and offline. And heard stories through friends I've trusted as well.

It does happen.

[eldriwolf.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this!---Yes, it Will be Quoted
---and I am going to point a few people this way...

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I'm going to unlock the entry and make it public so that folks don't have to friend me to read it too I think. :)

[eldriwolf.livejournal.com]

OK, thank you for that---I want them to see your art, too

[tsukikokoro.livejournal.com]

*trembles*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Kind of intimidating at times.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

A very good reminder. I remember reading in Eliade about the bodies of dead shamans that could be seen while journeying.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I haven't read Eliade, but it doesn't surprise me. I learnt in the otherworlds that there are 'streets' or villages that have successful shamans living together, and some where unsuccessful shamans live together as demons.

And then every now and then, a village of successful, ancestral shamans and unsuccessful ones living together - growing and learning from each other's weaknesses and strengths.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

Huh. This makes me want to do even more exploratory journeying, just to get a sense of what's out there.

[azhure.livejournal.com]

Something that we all need to be reminded of, I think. Thank you :)

[doran.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reminding me of a few things I seemed to have forgotten.

[eldriwolf.livejournal.com]

yay! you got here!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading! :)

[snowymoon.livejournal.com]

Wow.

This is something I really need to read. Wonderful post. So very true. ::nods::