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moonvoice...I have very little life at all.
Welcome to another ramble on shamanism and my footsteps upon this path!
It took me a little while to understand the statement: 'no spirits, no shaman.' I thought 'but I can do it without them!' And I am grateful that I know differently these days.
I have a few spirit helpers who are willing to walk with me on my spiritual journeys, a few gods that I visit, or who visit me, and a few 'acquaintances' in the otherworlds who, for trade (usually), will offer a wealth of knowledge, access, wisdom, growth or simply offer of themselves so that I may learn, grow, move, and so forth.
We live in a world where independence, at least in many of the circles I walk, is praised almost above healthy interdependence within a community/communities, friends, family, and the friends and family that the spirits can be. And so I feel an offshoot of this is a proliferation of solitary pagan paths that are praised almost above group and community-based faiths. Solitary paganism, Solitary Wicca, Solitary shamanists, and so forth. And many proponents of solitary paths will state 'I can do what I want, I like the independence it gives me.'
But is any path truly solitary, if you are walking with spirits and gods in your life? If you say 'yes,' then how much substance are you awarding these spirits and gods? How 'real' are they to you? If one accords spirits and gods with the respect I feel they rightfully deserve, then any path that involves these spirits and gods can never be 'solitary' truly. Unless of course you believe all spirits and gods are archetypes, and have no more substance than that. But this is not the sort of spiritual practices I'm personally referring to. It is difficult to practice shamanism with archetypal spirits. ;)
Can any person on a solitary or community-based pathway truly do 'what they want,' when it is balanced against the wisdom of the spirits, the gods, their own conscience and their will when it comes up against the will of others?
The spirits and gods in my life inform me, and therefore inform my path. Just as my friends, my family, my 'fremily' (...I think I hate that term), any therapists, co-workers, colleagues and acquaintances inform me, and therefore inform my path. I am no shamanist without the spirits and gods. I am no shamanist without the community around me, the people in my life, my animal companion, the plants, the land, my clients, the rocks that bear my weight as tiny grains of sand in the structure of this house.
I used to think it was a sign of weakness to essentially say that I was nothing without the spirits, but now I see it as a sign of strength. I do not have to surrender my will, my ability to discern, decide, and see the truth of a matter, in the recognition of my interdependence on the spirits around me. They enrich my existence, my perspective, bring me to greater state of health, just as the people around me - through their support, and love - also do.
What are the spirits and gods to you? Are they archetypes? Are they integral to your practice? Are they an afterthought? Have they helped you to grow as a person in all aspects of your life? Can you apply wisdom or knowledge that spirits and/or gods offer you in the 'real world'? And have you applied the wisdom or knowledge of friends and/or family in places like the otherworlds?
Right now I am mostly all about gratitude, and the gentle warmth that comes from knowing that if these spirits and gods, friends and family, choose to walk in my life, maybe they get something out of my existence, just as I very much get something out of theirs.
Welcome to another ramble on shamanism and my footsteps upon this path!
It took me a little while to understand the statement: 'no spirits, no shaman.' I thought 'but I can do it without them!' And I am grateful that I know differently these days.
I have a few spirit helpers who are willing to walk with me on my spiritual journeys, a few gods that I visit, or who visit me, and a few 'acquaintances' in the otherworlds who, for trade (usually), will offer a wealth of knowledge, access, wisdom, growth or simply offer of themselves so that I may learn, grow, move, and so forth.
We live in a world where independence, at least in many of the circles I walk, is praised almost above healthy interdependence within a community/communities, friends, family, and the friends and family that the spirits can be. And so I feel an offshoot of this is a proliferation of solitary pagan paths that are praised almost above group and community-based faiths. Solitary paganism, Solitary Wicca, Solitary shamanists, and so forth. And many proponents of solitary paths will state 'I can do what I want, I like the independence it gives me.'
But is any path truly solitary, if you are walking with spirits and gods in your life? If you say 'yes,' then how much substance are you awarding these spirits and gods? How 'real' are they to you? If one accords spirits and gods with the respect I feel they rightfully deserve, then any path that involves these spirits and gods can never be 'solitary' truly. Unless of course you believe all spirits and gods are archetypes, and have no more substance than that. But this is not the sort of spiritual practices I'm personally referring to. It is difficult to practice shamanism with archetypal spirits. ;)
Can any person on a solitary or community-based pathway truly do 'what they want,' when it is balanced against the wisdom of the spirits, the gods, their own conscience and their will when it comes up against the will of others?
The spirits and gods in my life inform me, and therefore inform my path. Just as my friends, my family, my 'fremily' (...I think I hate that term), any therapists, co-workers, colleagues and acquaintances inform me, and therefore inform my path. I am no shamanist without the spirits and gods. I am no shamanist without the community around me, the people in my life, my animal companion, the plants, the land, my clients, the rocks that bear my weight as tiny grains of sand in the structure of this house.
I used to think it was a sign of weakness to essentially say that I was nothing without the spirits, but now I see it as a sign of strength. I do not have to surrender my will, my ability to discern, decide, and see the truth of a matter, in the recognition of my interdependence on the spirits around me. They enrich my existence, my perspective, bring me to greater state of health, just as the people around me - through their support, and love - also do.
What are the spirits and gods to you? Are they archetypes? Are they integral to your practice? Are they an afterthought? Have they helped you to grow as a person in all aspects of your life? Can you apply wisdom or knowledge that spirits and/or gods offer you in the 'real world'? And have you applied the wisdom or knowledge of friends and/or family in places like the otherworlds?
Right now I am mostly all about gratitude, and the gentle warmth that comes from knowing that if these spirits and gods, friends and family, choose to walk in my life, maybe they get something out of my existence, just as I very much get something out of theirs.
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Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 02:16 am (UTC)Ah yes, but that's still a community; it's not one person using the spirits for his/her own benefit.
> So it does happen, in Indigenous culture at that.
I tried to make sure to include that I was only vaguely familiar with some native american stories, because the term shaman is so unspecific (was the common ground around the world being able to enter an ecstatic state to travel to a different world?).
I think I've also heard of shamans that have been ostracised, but then usually their spirit/body/powers warp as a result if my awful memory serves.
Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 02:22 am (UTC)I suppose in that sense, no one who works with spirits is outside of a community, even if they're completely antisocial.
Even working for gain with spirits who help you do that, is still being a part of a community. After all, a corporate boss who is ruthless in his company and gets them to essentially work to make him richer... is still part of the community within his working environment. It's probably not a healthy community, it probably isn't very sustainable or nurturing, but... I'd hazard that it's still a community.
I think I've also heard of shamans that have been ostracised, but then usually their spirit/body/powers warp as a result if my awful memory serves.
Do you remember what cultures this is from? I'd be interested in looking that up. Whitehead says this isn't true for Kanaima in Guyana, and I believe this isn't true for Indigenous folk in at least one culture in Australia, but I'd be really interested in learning what sort of power a shaman would have that it would warp, post-ostracism (i.e. if they get a lot of their help or assistance from 'community' spirits over say land spirits or wights).
Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 02:40 am (UTC)I guess I'd have to concede to that. Perhaps my fucktardedness in communication lately has completely compromised my ability to make a simple statement that I have no idea how to piece together anymore.
> Do you remember what cultures this is from?
Off the top of my head, I remember "skin walkers" as being evil, ostracised magic users. I was looking forward to watching the documentary made a few years ago; still am. Should probably get around to that at some point. ^^;;
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=skin+walkers&gwp=13
Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 02:42 am (UTC)As for communication, you'll get it back. If you're examining meaning closely, everything falls apart for a while. And then as you choose what means what, it all will come back together again. *hugs*
Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 02:49 am (UTC)Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 03:09 am (UTC)That blows. *hugs*
Do you think this change has a lot to do with therapy? Or things that your therapist is asking you to consider thinking about?
As for misinterpretation, it happens a lot eh? I don't like it much either.
Re: Rambling
Date: 2009-05-07 03:17 am (UTC)> As for misinterpretation, it happens a lot eh?
There are rare occasions online when it doesn't happen. ;)