Shamanic Journeying
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:39 pm
There is a pagan pride day in Chicago IL this September. I am consulting a high priestess who is in charge about potentially presenting my own workshop on Shamanic journeying, specifically to find your totem or spiritual animal guide. She wants me to send her a series of handouts I would present considering my age and my lack of legitimate workshop experience, she wants to make sure my knowledge isn't superficial. Considering, i'd have a workshop at 18 surrounded by pagan clergy and revered solitary practitioners who are a lot older than me. Just to make sure that she could defend me if there was anyone who refused to take me seriously based on my age.
Now here is my first handout idea, i'd like to know what you all think and if you believe I need to add more or edit it to contain less information. My workshop would include basic knowledge of shamanism, the difference between spiritual guides(animal) and totem animals, the potential frustrations one could encounter during their first journey, a book list with brief summaries of each & my own ratings on their quality, a potential demonstration with someone from the audience or as many people as want one, handouts of totem animals/spirit guide meanings and tips on applying them to daily life, and a handout of 'how to experience your own journey'. This is my introduction handout. Please give me advice and or tell me what you think:
An Introductory Guide to Native American Shamanism
The Origins:
Shamanism is a spiritual or religious practice that dates back 25,000 years to Central Asia and Siberia. The word shaman is derived from the Siberian Tungus meaning a technique of ecstasy, the American interpretation of technique of ecstasy is taken from the Romans meaning out of place or out of body. A Shaman is a healer who works in the physical and spiritual planes of existence consulting higher powers, spirits, and other beings for aid. There are many different practices of shamanism depending on geographical location, and they vary in names, from Medicine man or witch to Mudang. The former being predominantly Native American and the latter being Korean. Along with the different practices are different perceptions of these shamans, in Korea a Mudang is predominantly a woman of lower class and in India a shaman is someone to fear because of their ability to call upon spirits and depict future events.
However, shamanism is depicted just as differently in Native American tribes as it is all over the world.
Native American:
Shamanism or the role of the shaman is interpreted differently based on the cultural tribe your dealing with. In Lakota and Navajo tribes it is common for the shaman to be seen as a two spirit person or exhibiting duality of gender. Someone who assumes the dress and role of the opposite sex during certain journeys or ceremonies. However, there are many consistencies within the expected duties of the shamans. Typically utilizing the Medicine wheel, healing the sick or injured, speaking too and consulting spirits and higher powers, journeying within, soul retrieval, spirit guides and divination to tell the future. In Native American tradition one becomes or assumes the role of a shaman or medicine witch either by lineage or through illness.
The shaman is chosen by the spirits and ignoring a shamanic calling can cause your illness to intensify or show up repeatedly in different times in your life. The illness is viewed as the spirits way of choosing a person, for that person to become ill and shed a part of themselves to discover the soul and healing oneself. In many modern Native American tribes the roles of shamans have depleted and are almost nonexistent. The ones who do exist tend to be very conservative in sharing their roles or beliefs with outsiders. As well, there are some tribal groups that find the word shaman to be offensive when speaking about their beliefs. This is because a shaman in simple terms is someone who practices transcending planes as an integral part of being or practicing as a shaman. There is a very small percentage of transcendence that is accounted for in Native American tribes, however, I am concentrating on Native American Shamanic Journeying.
Medicine Wheel:
The Medicine Wheel or Sacred hoop is physically a circle of stones with rocks on the outside of the stones and in the center, looking like a wagon wheel on it side. The usage of Medicine Wheels vary within each tribe, however, they are symbolic of the circle of life and are seen to enhance healing ceremonies. They are depicted as representations of interconnection among species to and within mother earth.
Journeying Within:
A shaman is a person who has successfully confronted their shadow self, the ego, and can therefore exist in and on both planes without being spiritually bound to one. Most journeys within are used for soul retrieval, healing, and finding your totem animal or spirit guide.
Soul Retrieval:
This practice is administered by a professional or advanced shaman and should NOT be attempted by someone who does not fit the above requirements. Soul Retrieval is the practice of journeying into the underworld or spiritual darkness in order to find part of a persons soul that has been lost. This person has lost part of their soul due to a traumatic incident in which the person looses or drives out part of their soul in an attempt to deal with this trauma. Many symptoms of having lost part of your soul are very similar to symptoms of depression in Western Medicine. The shaman must find and retrieve the missing piece and administer it to the surface so the person can accept the shamanic healing of placing the missing piece together with the soul.
This person will then require counseling usually from the shaman, to help dealing with the emotions and memories this piece brings back. It is a very important experience for both the shaman and the person being healed, and requires a great deal of responsibility on the shamanic side as a guide for this person. This cannot be done properly without confronting your shadow self, if you have not confronted it and you attempt this, it is highly possible you will become overwhelmed and unsuccessful as well as experiencing extreme bouts of fear and other negative emotions.
Healing:
This can be done for soul retrieval as I explained above or simply to treat illness. The shaman will consult the spirits and or divination prior to healing a person. The shaman may ask the spirits to help him or her to heal them, or they may simply use the energy around them utilizing their body as a median between the sick and the healing energy, by absorbing the energy and releasing it into the ill. This is frequently done with the hands, the hands tend to have a higher frequency of energy than many other areas of the body and is the easiest area to release energy from, other than the feet.
Spirit Guides:
Spirit guides can be humanoid in shape or they can be animals. In most Native American mythology they are animals but can take a humanoid shape. Spirit guides are essence of creatures or beings that exist to help man kind. All people have had or do have spirit guides, most frequently animals, which is what this workshop is about. Spirit guides are the essence of an animal, for example: If you discover your animal guide to be a crow, then your guide isn't a specific crow but the essence of all crows. Spirit guides tend to show up when called upon by your totem animal or other spirits to help you during a specific journey in this lifetime. They will leave and be replaced with other animals once their job has been completed. However, from my experience they tend to leave part of themselves with you, to sort of keep you in line. Now, the difference between totem animals and spirit guides is that totem animals don't leave. Now, don't think that if you don't have a totem animal your spirit guide is of lesser value, this simply isn't true. Your spirit guide is just as important as a totem animal and deserves your respect and communication.
Totem Animals:
Totem Animals are believed to be the essence of an animal that is birthed with you in this life. It is part of your soul and therefore doesn't change, but remains eternal. Not all people experience totem animals, and for some it is very easy to become confused with the difference between an animal spirit guide and a totem animal. Totem animals in many Native American beliefs are hereditary based on your tribe, however, it has become evident in people who don't have Native American decent. But generally these people have strong ties to Native American beliefs. Generally your totem animal will come to you while journeying or through dreams. It is believed that your totem animal will be shown to you in four separate views in dreams, while journeying and on the physical plane. Totem animals also tend to have strong personalities and will tell you exactly what you should do or what they think about what you have been doing. It is common for totem animals to call upon spirit guides to help get your attention, if you simply refuse to listen to what they are trying to tell you."
Anyone? I want to make sure of it's quality in case if I do have a workshop and everything.
Now here is my first handout idea, i'd like to know what you all think and if you believe I need to add more or edit it to contain less information. My workshop would include basic knowledge of shamanism, the difference between spiritual guides(animal) and totem animals, the potential frustrations one could encounter during their first journey, a book list with brief summaries of each & my own ratings on their quality, a potential demonstration with someone from the audience or as many people as want one, handouts of totem animals/spirit guide meanings and tips on applying them to daily life, and a handout of 'how to experience your own journey'. This is my introduction handout. Please give me advice and or tell me what you think:
An Introductory Guide to Native American Shamanism
The Origins:
Shamanism is a spiritual or religious practice that dates back 25,000 years to Central Asia and Siberia. The word shaman is derived from the Siberian Tungus meaning a technique of ecstasy, the American interpretation of technique of ecstasy is taken from the Romans meaning out of place or out of body. A Shaman is a healer who works in the physical and spiritual planes of existence consulting higher powers, spirits, and other beings for aid. There are many different practices of shamanism depending on geographical location, and they vary in names, from Medicine man or witch to Mudang. The former being predominantly Native American and the latter being Korean. Along with the different practices are different perceptions of these shamans, in Korea a Mudang is predominantly a woman of lower class and in India a shaman is someone to fear because of their ability to call upon spirits and depict future events.
However, shamanism is depicted just as differently in Native American tribes as it is all over the world.
Native American:
Shamanism or the role of the shaman is interpreted differently based on the cultural tribe your dealing with. In Lakota and Navajo tribes it is common for the shaman to be seen as a two spirit person or exhibiting duality of gender. Someone who assumes the dress and role of the opposite sex during certain journeys or ceremonies. However, there are many consistencies within the expected duties of the shamans. Typically utilizing the Medicine wheel, healing the sick or injured, speaking too and consulting spirits and higher powers, journeying within, soul retrieval, spirit guides and divination to tell the future. In Native American tradition one becomes or assumes the role of a shaman or medicine witch either by lineage or through illness.
The shaman is chosen by the spirits and ignoring a shamanic calling can cause your illness to intensify or show up repeatedly in different times in your life. The illness is viewed as the spirits way of choosing a person, for that person to become ill and shed a part of themselves to discover the soul and healing oneself. In many modern Native American tribes the roles of shamans have depleted and are almost nonexistent. The ones who do exist tend to be very conservative in sharing their roles or beliefs with outsiders. As well, there are some tribal groups that find the word shaman to be offensive when speaking about their beliefs. This is because a shaman in simple terms is someone who practices transcending planes as an integral part of being or practicing as a shaman. There is a very small percentage of transcendence that is accounted for in Native American tribes, however, I am concentrating on Native American Shamanic Journeying.
Medicine Wheel:
The Medicine Wheel or Sacred hoop is physically a circle of stones with rocks on the outside of the stones and in the center, looking like a wagon wheel on it side. The usage of Medicine Wheels vary within each tribe, however, they are symbolic of the circle of life and are seen to enhance healing ceremonies. They are depicted as representations of interconnection among species to and within mother earth.
Journeying Within:
A shaman is a person who has successfully confronted their shadow self, the ego, and can therefore exist in and on both planes without being spiritually bound to one. Most journeys within are used for soul retrieval, healing, and finding your totem animal or spirit guide.
Soul Retrieval:
This practice is administered by a professional or advanced shaman and should NOT be attempted by someone who does not fit the above requirements. Soul Retrieval is the practice of journeying into the underworld or spiritual darkness in order to find part of a persons soul that has been lost. This person has lost part of their soul due to a traumatic incident in which the person looses or drives out part of their soul in an attempt to deal with this trauma. Many symptoms of having lost part of your soul are very similar to symptoms of depression in Western Medicine. The shaman must find and retrieve the missing piece and administer it to the surface so the person can accept the shamanic healing of placing the missing piece together with the soul.
This person will then require counseling usually from the shaman, to help dealing with the emotions and memories this piece brings back. It is a very important experience for both the shaman and the person being healed, and requires a great deal of responsibility on the shamanic side as a guide for this person. This cannot be done properly without confronting your shadow self, if you have not confronted it and you attempt this, it is highly possible you will become overwhelmed and unsuccessful as well as experiencing extreme bouts of fear and other negative emotions.
Healing:
This can be done for soul retrieval as I explained above or simply to treat illness. The shaman will consult the spirits and or divination prior to healing a person. The shaman may ask the spirits to help him or her to heal them, or they may simply use the energy around them utilizing their body as a median between the sick and the healing energy, by absorbing the energy and releasing it into the ill. This is frequently done with the hands, the hands tend to have a higher frequency of energy than many other areas of the body and is the easiest area to release energy from, other than the feet.
Spirit Guides:
Spirit guides can be humanoid in shape or they can be animals. In most Native American mythology they are animals but can take a humanoid shape. Spirit guides are essence of creatures or beings that exist to help man kind. All people have had or do have spirit guides, most frequently animals, which is what this workshop is about. Spirit guides are the essence of an animal, for example: If you discover your animal guide to be a crow, then your guide isn't a specific crow but the essence of all crows. Spirit guides tend to show up when called upon by your totem animal or other spirits to help you during a specific journey in this lifetime. They will leave and be replaced with other animals once their job has been completed. However, from my experience they tend to leave part of themselves with you, to sort of keep you in line. Now, the difference between totem animals and spirit guides is that totem animals don't leave. Now, don't think that if you don't have a totem animal your spirit guide is of lesser value, this simply isn't true. Your spirit guide is just as important as a totem animal and deserves your respect and communication.
Totem Animals:
Totem Animals are believed to be the essence of an animal that is birthed with you in this life. It is part of your soul and therefore doesn't change, but remains eternal. Not all people experience totem animals, and for some it is very easy to become confused with the difference between an animal spirit guide and a totem animal. Totem animals in many Native American beliefs are hereditary based on your tribe, however, it has become evident in people who don't have Native American decent. But generally these people have strong ties to Native American beliefs. Generally your totem animal will come to you while journeying or through dreams. It is believed that your totem animal will be shown to you in four separate views in dreams, while journeying and on the physical plane. Totem animals also tend to have strong personalities and will tell you exactly what you should do or what they think about what you have been doing. It is common for totem animals to call upon spirit guides to help get your attention, if you simply refuse to listen to what they are trying to tell you."
Anyone? I want to make sure of it's quality in case if I do have a workshop and everything.