What is Shamanism?

Michelle Klein-Hass/SysOp, Shaman's Soup BBS

Shamanism is the name (from the Tungus Shaman, meaning miracle-worker) for any tradition of ecstatic worship of the Earth, and the forces that reside and pervade Her. Most traditions of shamanism worship two deities, the God and the Goddess. In the European shamanic tradition, also known as Wicca, the God and Goddess are most commonly known as The Lord and The Lady, or Great Mother and the Lord of the Hunt. In the Yoruban tradition, they are known as Ogun and Yemaja. In the shamanic tradition of the Chiricahua Teneh (Apache), they are known as Earth Mother and Sky Father, and also as White Painted Woman and Killer of Enemies. In other traditions, there are more deities worshipped, and in most of those named, there are other lesser deities. Some forms of shamanic tradition can be classified as true polytheism, some, like the tradition of the Australian Dreamtime, are truly pantheistic (the God-force is in all, and all exists in the God-force, or as they put it, the Dreamtime) and at least in the tradition of the Yoruba (Nigerian African) and in most Native American traditions, these Gods and Goddesses are seen as emanations from a Great Spirit. In the Teneh tongue, this spirit is known as Usen', Who is neither Male nor Female but encompasses both. Joe Wilson describes the difference between the path of the Shaman and the path of the Priest this way: the Priest is the custodian of tradition and rite, the Shaman is the one who journeys within and experiences the God(esse)s directly. The path of the shaman is the path of healing, direct involvement with ones Gods/Goddesses, and the path of acquiring Power for The Good. Modern Shamanism in America is usually of two currents: Wiccan and Native.

Wicca is a reconstructed system, which is probably similar but not identical to the pre-Christian religion of the Keltoi (the Britons, the Gallics, the Irish and Scottish Gael, the Picts, and the Cymri (Welsh) It used to claim quite an impressive history, but is reliably traceable to people like Gerald Gardner, who designed a system of Wiccan practice from various sources, including, supposedly, a wealthy woman whose family had practiced witchcraft for generations.  He obviously had a good grasp of some of the Anthropological works on the subject, but liberally borrowed as well from Crowley, Freemasonry, and *fin de Siecle* occultism like the Order of the Golden Dawn. Artificial or authentic, it seems to still work.

Native shamanism works with either traditions of a native people like the Native Americans or the Yoruba tribe (present in Santeria), or is a distillation of many practices, as is the shamanism taught by Dr. Michael Harner and by Joseph Wilson of Toteg Tribe. The true native traditions are dying out quickly, and most native Shamans are unwilling to transmit their knowledge. In some cases, the knowledge has died out, and those descendants who remain and wish to embrace the

Old Ways must re-invent their tradition. My teacher, Misha Sacred Wolf of the Naiche-Tosawi band of the Chiricahua, is in that unenviable position. The Apache still exist, and they celebrate some of the old festivals for the benefit of tourists. But much of the Old Knowledge died with the coming of the white man, the reservation, and the missionaries that considered the reservation their rightful "mission field".

While it is true that many Native peoples are indignant about any non-Native involvement in shamanism, and the new age movement is full to the brim with hucksters and shysters who if you give them money will teach you "how to become a Shaman", there are two non-Natives who seem to respect the Ways, and have attempted to present the teachings of Native shamanism in a respectful, reverential way. One is Dr. Michael Harner, author of "The Way of the Shaman" (Bantam) and his "core shamanism" system. His approach is sometimes a little too eclectic, with a glaring lack of the ritual and mythos that makes shamanism so powerful. He has reduced the shamanic experience to a few major elements: The Lower-world Journey, where the shamanist comes face-to- face with their "Power Animal", which is a representative of the person's basic animal energy; The Upper-world Journey, where the person journeys to contact their "Teacher Within", who is a representation of the person's Higher Self; the Middle-world Journey, where ordinary reality is seen through non-ordinary eyes; and various techniques of healing, primarily the Jivaro "sucking doctor" technique.  A non-ordinary state of consciousness is reached through rhythmic drumming, singing, and visualization. Despite the very clinical ‘self-help" aspect of Harner's work, it is very valuable. If you live in the Los Angeles area, you are quite fortunate in that perhaps the most exciting work in the eclectic shamanic way is going on through Toteg Tribe, a shamanic society founded and facilitated by Joseph Wilson. Joseph was a participant in the Neo-Pagan (Wiccan-shamanic) movement for more than 25 years, and is now trying to forge a new shamanic way for ALL people of the Americas. He has built on the techniques of Harner with insight from both traditional Native peoples of this land that he has studied with and entirely new ways of expression that he and others that work with him have spontaneously come up with. He does not claim to teach traditional shamanic ways, but his work is quite valuable and instead of looking behind to the old days of Tribal America, is aimed towards the 21st century and beyond.

Spirit of Nature

 Just about everything in nature contains a spirit , a consciousness and a deep wisdom of its own. One of the easiest of these to befriend is the tree.

People naturally go to a park or forest , or even their own back yards to feel the calm exuded by nature. Tree's give a lovely calming energy. They seem so wise and lovely, even a young sapling emits a nice feeling. Its easy to learn to stop and listen to the trees and communicate with then. They can teach us and share their mysteries with us , if we simply just learn to stop and listen.

Trees are mystical in the sense that there roots are deep in the earth and there branches reach for the heavens, The symbology of which is obvious. They draw energy from above and below.

As you take wisdom and serenity from a tree, always remember to give in return, a prayer , some love, or a gift such as milk and honey or a crystal. This has  two fold purpose, both letting the tree spirit that you appreciate it and allows you to acknowledge your respect for the tree.

Learning to appreciate and respect the tree you want to communicate with is the first step . The next is to learn about it with your five senses, what does it look like, smell like , feel the textures of the bark and leaves, what soil is it growing in? explore it! Try hugging a tree, it gives you a wonderful feeling of well being and a calming , balanced energy. Communicate with it, tell it your name, tell it about yourself, they don't talk back, wonderful to tell your secrets to!

Meditate under your chosen tree, start to think of it as a personal friend. Place your hands upon it during meditation and listen deep inside of you. Don't so much listen for words, feel for something deeper. It has been my experience that trees have a different concept of time than we do, so be patient. You may be surprised when you learn that each individual trees have such differing personalities .Please explore this and I think you will find yourself rewarded. Try with natives and with foreign trees . Some communicate more clearly than others , so if you don't succeed at first  keep trying.

Trees can help you with life decisions, talk to it meditatively or physically, telling it your problem. The answer may not come immediately, it may even come days after in a dream. Another way is to write your questions that needs answered on some parchment, tie it to the tree with some red ribbon at the night of a new moon. The tree will answer you by full moon with such signs as crossed leaves, sticks fallen in patterns, feathers, bird song,, its up to you to interpret the signs.

You can use gifts from the trees to make your magical equipment, such as honkey nuts, branches for wands, your only limited by your imagination. Remember to always ask permission from the tree first and leave a gift of thanks. You will be surprised how this simple act can add to the potency of such things. Women can leave some of there menstrual blood for the tree as a very powerful gift that aids to the bonding of yourself and the tree. not being a bloke this time around I can't comment through experience on what a bloke can leave but I'm sure they can work that male mystery out.

Differing tree's in nature have differing energies, male , female. Look for round feminine shapes , or pointy phallic shapes. Also clues such a s mulberry tree's have red berries that represent the menstrual blood, a symbol of fertility. Similarly those common yellow berried trees have a white sticky sap, symbolic of seamen inside the berries to be a virile male symbol.

In Druidry they built up an extensive system of association to tree's Each tree was associated with a specific Goddess or God, minerals, number, letters, colours etc...They were used as memory aids , as they never wrote there stuff down , differing trees provoked all sorts of ideas , symbology, poetry and inspirations.

Oak trees were considered good for protection and it was considered lucky to have a small piece of oak branch with you. The nuts are symbols of fertility. The fertile seed inside is the zygote, the protective hard cover is  the womb, the little cup at the end is the containment of spirit. Oak was considered linked with the powers of the moon and enhanced the energies as a conductor.

Pine and Fir trees are considered wise. Although not native they have a special mystical energy when you walk into a forest of them as I sure you are all aware of. At a safe distance from the tree , making sure its not bush fire season, light a small fire of pine needles and meditate on the fragrant smoke in a small ceremony for the pursuit of wisdom.

Willow trees are graceful, and they are known as the tree of intuition and physic powers. A meditation with a willow could improve your scrying skills. Try (after asking permission) making a willow wand.

Birch Trees apparently help with moderation. Talk to this tree to help you with  addictions. A meditation and a small ceremony with a Birch may improve your will power to help you  overcome it.

Eucalyptus is cleansing and is my personal favourite. The tree I work with most often is a young eucalyptus. It reached out and literally grabbed me at a garden centre one day and asked me to take it home. The poor thing was way too big for its pot . I brought it home and planted it, trying not to get to attached to it because I thought such a pot bound tree would never survive. Well ,she has grown very nicely and is now taller than the house .I talk to her every time I water the garden and cuddle her every time I think no one is looking. She knows we live in a rental house that will probably be bowled down in a few years time but she is willing to take her chances. She is just happy to be as long as she can. I think she is beautiful.

Many native tree's are mostly, to my knowledge,  undocumented to what there energies are, but please experiment and find out in an intuitive manner for yourself( and tell me if you find out!) Natives, especially if they are native to that particular area, feel so right. Try the same ritual for pine tree's with the eucalyptus leaves for a lovely cleansing ceremony.

Share a meal with your new friends, talk to them, think about them if you getting stressed during the day. It cant hurt, and you just might gain from it!

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~~o00o~~

Nature Spirit Magick

By Larry Cornett

Introduction

Each plant, animal, rock, and other entity has a spirit (consciousness resonance matrix). These spirits can join together, in a hive-mind, as a spirit of an area. Nature spirits include real biological intelligences, are psychically powerful, and are much less abstract and controllable than the Elementals that many magical people who perform all of their rituals indoors are familiar with. They can be extremely powerful allies. It is possible to sense nature spirits, to determine if they are receptive to a ritual planned, and to have them actively participate in magical workings if they are.

Some Effects of Working With Nature Spirits:

Spectacular physical manifestations can happen when working with nature spirits in the wild. I have personally seen actual foxfire mark the boundaries of a magic circle at a location that was identified as a receptive power spot and attuned to a planned ritual the day before. I have seen more than one site attuned for ritual be dry and comfortable, with a round hole in the clouds overhead, on days that were cold and rainy at other nearby locations. Birds have joined in rituals, flying around the circle when energy was being raised; and insects, birds and animals have joined in chants. In addition, the wind often responds to invocations. Generally, these spectacular manifestations happen unexpectedly.

With or without such manifestations, nature spirits often will channel tremendous amounts of power into the magic being performed. It is suggested that you do not consciously try for specific manifestations. Let Nature channel her power into the magic in her own way. If approached with respect, nature may give you many pleasant surprises.

Spectacular physical manifestations are not a necessary sign of success. If you need a spectacular manifestation and nature spirits know this, you will get it. The best success in magic is on the inner planes and more subtle than such manifestations. This success involves beneficial changes in consciousness that last and helpful chains of synchronicity. In addition, working with Nature Spirits can also bring a deep sense of partnership with Nature, and bring new levels of attunement.

To get the best results, perform nature spirit attunement several hours to several days before the main ritual. The purposes of such attunement are to find suitable power spots and to get the help of friendly nature spirits. This timing gives Nature time to gather her children and to prepare to actively participate in the main ritual.

What Not To Do:

If nature spirits are approached with disrespect by attempting to command them rather than listening to them and inviting them to work with you, nature spirits may flee, rebel, or attack. I once attended a ritual by some pseudo-Crowleyites who attempted to perform the "Ritual of the Barbarous Names" at a power spot in a forest and then to extend the circle several hundred yards in all directions.

While the forest in general had loud insect and frog noises, the area at which the ritual took place got quiet immediately when the main ritualist declared that all spirits were subject unto him. The vibes from nature could best be characterized as "Oh yea, Mother...!" One participant was quickly possessed by an angry spirit and kept repeating "You killed my children, your children will never live in peace." When the priestess stepped out of the boundaries of the original circle, she was attacked by bees; and bees covered the Book of the Law. Magicians should know better than to attempt to command spirits whose true names they do not know!

Calling Nature Spirits:

To make the most out of working magical ritual in the wild, one should find power spots where nature spirits are receptive to the ritual planned and approach the spirits with respect, as equals. In my experience, the most effective power spots for working with the living intelligences of nature are located in wild areas with diverse, active ecologies.

When entering a wild area to find a site for a ritual, find a place that feels good. Then do the following, either individually or, if in a group, as a guided meditation:

• Relax, while standing upright, and focus on your breathing. Breathe deep breaths from the diaphragm. Breathe together if in a group.

• Feel the wind, and let it relax you and awaken your spirit within, as your deep breathing takes you into non-ordinary reality.

• Picture, in your mind's eye, a light inside you. As you breathe, feel the light expand, purify and energize you - as it expands to fill your aura.

• Feel yourself glowing, balanced, purified, and full of power.

• Connect with your inner self (your higher self), and feel your intuitive self operating.

Feel yourself as:

• The wind, full of life and intelligence, communicating with all round.

• The Sunlight, warm, alive, channeling the power to communicate with nature and energizing all around.

• Water, emotional, intuitive, refreshing, and connected with nature.

• The Earth, and note how your physical body is able to wander while remaining part of Mother Earth.

Focus on your spiritual self, and:

• Note the light within and feel it as love,

• Expand the light and love beyond the immediate aura of your body to the surrounding area - where you will go to find a power spot and contact nature spirits.

Telepathically (by thinking while channeling the love and light energy) send out signals to nature spirits to emerge and be aware of your presence.

• Say why you have come, and invite them to join in sharing, mutual celebration, and the work you intend.

• Visualize the light and love energy you are channeling extending out and merging with the light from distant places.

• Feel the power of the Earth flowing up through your body and feet.

• Feel the power from the sky, and channel this power also to further energize the carrier signal of light and love for communicating with nature.

• Visualize the light expanding and merging.

• Continue to send out telepathic signals.

Now go deeper:

Close your eyes, sit on the Earth, and feel your connection while you channel more light and love.

• Continue modulating the light and love with your thoughts - inviting receptive spirits to join with you and to make themselves known.

• If in a group, someone should start playing a drum at a rate of about one beat per second; and you should listen to the drum and let the drum take you deeper.

• Affirm that you are a nature magician, a medicine person, who knows and communicates with nature. Let this part of yourself emerge to full consciousness. Let the drum and the connection to your inner self awaken that part of yourself that naturally communicates with other life forms. Let it awaken your telepathic senses.

• Continue sending telepathic signals to nature.

• When you feel ready and an inner urge to begin, open your eyes a crack and look around, while continuing to channel love and light and telepathically calling for a response.

• You may see light coming from certain areas that are receptive. You may get other signals, such as a feeling of power or love returning in a certain direction. Perhaps the type of response to this work will be unexpected; follow your intuition in interpreting it.

• You may test your connection by communicating (mentally) instructions for signals for yes/no responses (such as light getting brighter for less and darker for no) and then mentally ask questions and observe the responses.

When you have found an areas that seems to be responsive and receptive, begin walking to the area, while beaming love energy. Extend your aura to the area and sense the energy.

Entering A Power Spot:

• Before entering a power spot, ask permission to enter. If the response is good, enter; if not, locate another more receptive area.

• When entering the power spot, look around. Perhaps the responsive energy will be concentrated around some singularity (a bush, a tree, a specific branch, a moss covered rock, or other entity that stands out). Perhaps the energy will be more general. Use your intuition and feedback from the spirits to guide your actions.

• If it feels right, send out a signal that you would like to touch the singularity (or the ground) for better communication. If the response is good, approach beaming love energy, and then touch or hug the singularity (or the ground).

• Treat the spirits as you would other Pagans you meet for the first time - be sensitive, open, and listen.

Deepening Communication with Nature Spirits

Now that you have made contact with spirits that seem receptive, deepen the communication:

• Breathe deep breaths from the diaphragm, and with each breath, feel more refreshed.

• Now imagine that your spine is the trunk of a tree; and, from its base, roots extend deep into the Earth. Deep into the rich moist Earth.

• With every breath, feel the roots extending deeper,

• Feel the energy deep within the Earth and within the waters of the Earth. Feel your roots absorbing nourishment from the Earth and from its waters.

• Feel the moist, warm energy rising.

• Feel it bursting up from the Earth and rising up your spine, like sap rises in a tree.

• Feel the energy rise to your crown chakra (at the top of your head).

• Now imagine that you have branches, branches that sweep up and then bend down towards the Earth, like the limbs of a willow.

• Feel the branches extending and interweaving with your surroundings.

• Feel the warm, moist energy of the Earth flowing through your branches. As it flows, feel yourself being purified, centered, and connected to the Earth.

• Feel the power from the Earth flowing through your branches and then down back to the Earth, like a fountain.

• Note how your branches absorb energy from the air. Also, feel them receiving light (fire) from the sky.

• Feel the energy from above penetrating deep through your body into the Earth.

• Feel the warmth of the Earth rising also.

• Feel the energy circulating.

Notice how your branches intertwine with the branches of energy surrounding you.

• Feel the energy dancing among your branches and the branches around you.

• Notice how your roots also intertwine with underground energy channels.

• Feel the energy dancing between your roots and the surrounding energy patterns.

• Notice how you and the life around you are rooted in the same Earth, breathing the same air, receiving the same fire, drinking the same water, sharing the same underlying essence. You are one with the magical grove.

Telepathically mention the time in the past when nature spirits and people communicated regularly and the need to establish such communication now.

Test your connection by asking questions and observing the responses.

Working With Nature Spirits:

Explain to the spirits the purpose of your coming to them and the nature of the ritual you plan.

If the spirits you contacted are receptive:

• Explain to them the details of the ritual and invite them to provide ideas.

• Listen, you may receive suggestions on how to improve the ritual. Such suggestions may come in the form of hunches, visions, answers to yes/no questions using pre-arranged signals, or in other ways.

• Explain what type of space is needed and ask what the best place to perform the ritual is.

• You may see light or get other psychic signals leading you to other sites, or you may be at one of them.

• You may also ask what the best places for other aspects of the planned work are (picnicking, individual vision quests, etc.).

• If preparation of the site is needed (removing briars, preparing a fire circle, etc.) ask permission of the spirits before proceeding with such action.

• Before you leave the power spot, tell the spirits you have contacted when you plan to return to do the ritual (visualizing the associated lunar and solar aspects can help with this communication).

• Invite them to join in the ritual when you return and to bring their friends.

• Ask if it would be best to return silently, with drums, with chanting, or with some other form of approach.

• You can also ask the spirits to provide guidance for working in balance and to provide a teacher to provide further guidance.

Before you leave the power spot:

• Thank the spirits,

• Channel love energy,

• Trigger your memory of the experience, and

• If it feels right, leave an offering of tobacco, or beer and honey poured on the ground (or other suitable material).

Leave in peace and love.

Proceed to other sites that were indicated by the spirits, doing similar meditations at each site.

If you need something, like a staff, a Maypole, or a wand, you can also ask where you can find it and follow the guidance you receive (not slavishly, but as you would guidance from another Pagan).

Before leaving the general area in which you found power spots and contacted nature spirits:

• Channel love energy towards the receptive sites you found,

• Thank the spirits of the land,

• Pull back your roots and branches,

• Ground any excess energy into the Earth (placing your hands on the Earth, breathe in any excess energy, and channel the energy down your arms, while visualizing and feeling the energy going into the Earth), and

• Leave in peace and love.

Naturally, you should leave the area at least as clean, and preferably cleaner, than you found it.

If you work with techniques of Wicca or Ceremonial Magic, you may find that by casting a circle, calling the Elements, the Goddess, the Gods, and the local nature spirits while you are at receptive sites, you may be able to greatly increase communication.

Through the use of drums and other power raising techniques, it is even possible to energize receptive nature spirits. The results can be very interesting. If with a coven, such circles can be done as part of a group attunement to a power spot you have located.

If you do not get good feelings in response to your explanation of the ritual and are unable to come up with a ritual that gives good responses, do not try to force a good response. You would only be fooling yourself.

• Thank the spirits for their attention.

• Ask them why they are not receptive (if it feels right and they are communicative).

• Trigger your memory.

• Pull back your "roots and branches," return any excess energy you feel into the Earth.

• If it feels appropriate, leave an offering of tobacco or other appropriate material, out of respect for the spirits.

• Move to a more receptive site.

If it is hard to find a site that is really receptive, you should:

• Consider any impressions you got of why the nature spirits weren't receptive in the area you were in, and re-think your plans for a ritual, as necessary and appropriate.

• It may also be appropriate to look for another general area in which to find a suitable power site that is receptive to the work planned.

What To Do When Returning:

It can be very powerful to purify and center yourself and to attune to the spirits of the land using the techniques previously described for calling nature spirits immediately upon returning to the site.

Often, individuals may have found small specific power spots to which they have a special attunement, where the spirits are interested in participating; but where the site is too small, has too much vegetation, or is otherwise unsuitable for the main ritual. Individual attunement to the spirits in such areas and inviting them to participate in the main ritual can be worthwhile.

Then approach the main ritual site using the previously arranged technique. You should have the details worked out with the spirits of the land. An exceptionally powerful technique involves doing a procession through or past receptive power spots, inviting nature spirits to join as you pass each power spot, and then moving to the central power spot for the main ritual. If participants are at individual power spots, they can join the procession as it passes nearby.

When consecrating space in the wild, or casting a circle, do not set up the perimeter as a barrier to all outside forces; it should be a beacon to attract friendly nature spirits, a container for holding magical power, and a barrier to spirits who it isn't right to be with.

One thing that is fun and worthwhile in nature is to bring instruments, such as a rattle, a flute and/or a drum, to tune in to nature's sounds, and to make music in time to nature's sounds. You may be able to get some very interesting back and forth exchanges of music going with selected creatures of the wild, and get into an amazing jam session.

After the work is complete, be sure to thank the spirits for their participation. Libations and other offerings may also be left for the spirits during and/or after the ritual.

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