By Rev. Patricia Buben
Shamanism is the practice of healing through spirits. Shamans travel into the world of spirit to obtain assistance in the healing process. Shamans believe that illness is caused by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living. The function of the Shaman is threefold: first, the Shaman conducts spirits through the way of the spirits to the nether world; second, all Shamans preserve the bodies of the deceased; the third function is to convey myth. They not only convey myth that has been passed down, but create new myth when the need arises.
Shamanism is very ancient and is considered the first of its kind. Since there was no mass communication, it was not a transported religion. In fact, Shamanism was at one time the Universal religion because it was practiced everywhere. It is interesting to note that although there were culture differences Shamanism had the same goals, the same practices and the same experiences wherever it evolved.
In the world of the Shaman, everything is viewed as having spiritual energy or being animated. This is true of trees, rocks, animals and people.
As ancient people moved within the circle of life, they maintained these truths:
Everything on earth is alive
Everything on earth has a purpose
Everything on earth is connected
Everything on earth is to be embraced
These values, although ancient, are still very valuable today.
I really enjoyed this class because it was very unique and helped me to understand views that are very different from mainstream religions. Shamans understood the world of spirit as well as we understand the physical world and felt very comfortable with it. Our ancestors understood how to create harmony between man, God and nature and these gifts are still brought forth by today's Shamans.
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