LEARNING TO BE A SHAMAN  (Part 1)

by Dennis Gaumond

A 'light-worker' could be defined as someone who is dedicated to healing - to moving consciously and steadfastly toward enlightenment, while at the same time being of service to others - to mankind and Mother Earth. The same could be said of a shaman. The biggest difference is that a shaman can be a much more effective light-worker because the shaman has the capacity to access other levels of reality, to tap into the information and assistance that is available in these other realms. A shaman is someone who has developed the ability to move in and out of altered states of consciousness, using a variety of methods. In these altered states a shaman learns to manipulate and create circumstances, to communicate with spirits or entities and to 'see' things that are not usually available in ordinary states of consciousness. A shaman can thus be a very powerful healer, leader, teacher and magician.

The word 'shaman' is said to come from the Tungus, a people living in Siberia. It is also said to originate from the Sanskrit word, 'shramana', which means 'ascetic'. It's a word that has evolved to refer to any person who was once referred to by westerners as a 'witch doctor', 'medicine man', 'sorcerer', 'necromancer', etcetera. So even though the term was first associated with a specific culture, nowadays it refers to any person in any culture who fits the description above. Shamanic traditions have existed in a wide variety of cultures, in indigenous societies and in larger civilizations, dating back to prehistoric times.

As we discussed in the previous series on magic, to be an effective magician one must develop the ability to remain lucid and in control of one's thoughts and actions while in a trance state. In an ideal shamanic society, there is no need for elections or royal lineages. When an entire tribe enters trance together, they can get a sense of which one of them is in the greatest degree of control in the altered state of consciousness. That individual would be seen as the most fit to lead and would become chief or shaman of the tribe. That individual would have the ability to communicate and 'make a deal' with the spirit of the prey animal of that tribe, thus securing the tribe's prosperity. That person would be of benefit to his/her people in many ways, healing illness, providing counsel and spiritual guidance. The shaman is both leader and servant.

Typically, a shaman has the ability to function well in both the ordinary and non-ordinary realms. A shaman is not usually a recluse who is 'lost in his own world'. He can traverse both realms at will and acts with intention and compassion. He knows his way around the lower and higher worlds and can communicate with the entities that reside there, but he can also teach and communicate well with people that live in normal reality. This makes him a much better servant. I remember a passage in one of the Carlos Castaneda books when Carlos accidentally meets his shaman/teacher, Don Juan in the city. We usually encounter Don Juan in the wilds of Mexico, dressed like a peasant and living humbly in a thatched hut. But in the city he is dressed impeccably in a business suit and we are surprised to learn that he is reasonably wealthy. He is adept in both realms.

DATE                       CITY                        TOPIC                        VENUE                      
_____________________________________________________________________________
WED., APRIL 2/08        Guelph,                   Guelph                      Unitarian Church
7:45 to 9:30 pm        Ontaro                    Chant Club

The Unitarian Church is on the corner of
Harris and York Streets in Guelph.

For more Detailed directions, check out guelph-unitarians.ca

WATERLOO CHANT CLUB