(Native American Spiritual Traditions)
Shamanism is the practice of attuning to, and working with, the spiritual realms; both in the heavens and on earth. The word shaman is derived through Russian from the Siberian Tungusic word saman. Technically, shamans are indigenous to Siberia and Central Asia, but shamanism as it is known in the West refers to the practices of the “men of knowledge” or “medicine men” within the Native American tribal religions. Shamanistic elements are found around the world, dating back to Paleolithic times. Native American ancestors came to North America from Siberia by way of a land bridge across the Bering Strait during the last glacial period about eleven thousand years ago.
As different groups spread out across the continent, different cultures and religions developed among the tribes, but a close relationship between man, God, and all creation was maintained. As the European races, primarily the Spanish, French, and English, conquered North America, they destroyed the Native American civilization and imposed their religions (Catholicism and Protestantism) upon the native people. However, Shamanistic practices were maintained by enough people to carry the traditions and knowledge into the present. In the last twenty years more westerners have seen the value of the shaman’s relationship with the creator and the earth, and have been drawn to study the ancient teachings of these adepts. Today Shamanism is widely practiced, primarily in rural or undeveloped areas around the world, and is becoming increasingly popular with westerners in Europe and North America.
Beliefs among shamans vary, but a common relationship is often seen, with God represented as the Great Mystery that moves in all things, and the earth representing creation (a living being). All living things (including animals and plants) are the brothers of mankind. The earth does not belong to man, but man belongs to the earth. Shamans respect and revere the earth and all creation. They observe the spirits that lie within all living things, and learn to commune with these spirits through their daily activities and through special rites. Shamans work with spirits, and spirits will in turn work with the shaman; thus the shaman has a special relationship with the world of spirits. Often the shaman will enter into ecstatic states of consciousness in order to make contact with the spirit world, and may even visit with spirits in their heavenly abode. The shaman has developed the ability to participate directly in the spiritual dimensions of reality, and may have other abilities as a healer, diviner, or clairvoyant. Shamans may also play the role of psychopomp, escorting the deceased soul to the domain of the dead.
Shamanistic practices vary, depending on which cultural group the shaman is from. Generally hunting and gathering tribes pay tribute to the spirits of the animals they need to hunt, while the agricultural tribes pay tribute to the elements that foster a good harvest (the sun, the rain, the corn, etc.). Special rites may also be performed when a child reaches puberty, or adulthood. Sometimes the seasons are observed, and special occasions, such as marriages, births, and deaths. Sometimes the shaman will use the mind-altering properties of hallucinogenic plants such as wild tobacco, peyote, and mushrooms in order to enter ecstatic states and to commune with the spirits.
On special occasions a “medicine wheel” may be constructed in order to create the power to connect human beings to the infinite. At a medicine wheel gathering, special stones are placed in various configurations within a circle, and special ceremonies are performed. Sometimes dances or plays are acted out to reflect spiritual principles, or a “peace pipe” will be passed around to foster solidarity. Other observances may include ritual chants or singing. Another common Native American practice is purification in a “sweat lodge.” This practice begins when “stone people” (spirits of the mineral kingdom located within stones) are scouted out at special times, and then heated up in a ceremonial fire. At the appropriate time, the participants are smudged (covered smoke from a sacrificial fire), pay respects to their relatives and guiding spirits, and then enter the sweat lodge, which is basically a dome covered with skins or blankets. Once the participants are seated, the heated stone people are brought in an placed in a pit in the middle of the lodge, and the openings are closed to keep the heat in. While the heat increases, the participants take turns letting go of those feelings that have been troubling them, as they sweat from the heat of the stone people. In the sweat lodge, one prays to the spirits and asks for guidance, to purge oneself of negative feelings, and to prepare for changes in one’s life. One of the strongest disciplines the shaman performs is to go on a “vision quest”. During a vision quest, the participant goes off into the wilderness by himself or herself for several days; typically without eating. During this time the trekker severs his or her worldly attachments, and calls upon God to show a sigh for direction or guidance, which take the form of a vision.
(taken from: The Spiritual Seeker’s Guide – Steven S. Sadleir)
