Newsgroups: soc.religion.shamanism,soc.answers,news.answers Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!eru.mt.luth.se!news-stkh.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!sn.no!nntp.uio.no!Norway.EU.net!mcvax!EU.net!howland.erols.net!netcom.com!deane From: deane@netcom.com (Dean Edwards) Subject: soc.religion.shamanism-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Message-ID: Followup-To: poster Summary: This FAQ contains the charter for soc.religion.shamanism, details of submissions policies, and frequently asked questions culled from the articles that have appeared in the newsgroup. Keywords: shaman, kam, consciousness, spirit, visions, dreams, oobe, soul, siberia, native, dreamtime, ecstasy, journeying, otherworld, sacred, axis-mundi Sender: deane@netcom13.netcom.com Supersedes: Reply-To: deane@netcom.com (Dean Edwards) Organization: La Casa del Paese Lontano Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 19:28:04 GMT Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Expires: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 23:59:59 GMT Lines: 1231 Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu soc.religion.shamanism:3080 soc.answers:6368 news.answers:85153 Archive-name: shamanism/newsgroup-faq Last-modified: 22 Dec 1995 Version: 2.0.2 soc.religion.shamanism-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) This FAQ is a monthly posting in support of the newsgroup soc.religion.shamanism. It is maintained by deane@netcom.com (Dean Edwards). Send comments to srs-request@alumni.caltech.edu Contents I. Who are the moderators of soc.religion.shamanism II. Submissions address and mailing list III.The Charter of soc.religion.shamanism IV. Why is this news group in the soc.religion hierarchy? V. Where does the word "shaman" come from and how does it relate to "shamanism"? VI. Submissions Details VII. Comments on Etiquette VIII. Comments on Flames IX. Reader comments on shamanic terms and concepts *************************** I. Who are the MODERATORS? Skip Watson (ciaran@aldhfn.org) (on leave of absense) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Al Billings (mimir@io.com) (currently on a leave of absense) Iraj Mughal (iraj@gnu.ai.mit.edu) II. WHAT IS THE SUBMISSION ADDRESS AND IS THERE MAILING LIST ACCESS? Submissions/postings for soc.religion.shamanism should be sent to: srs@alumni.caltech.edu Administrative material and queries should be sent to: srs-request@alumni.caltech.edu III. CHARTER of soc.religion.shamanism 1. PURPOSE The purpose of soc.religion.shamanism is to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of questions, ideas, views, and information about historic, traditional, tribal, and contemporary shamanic experience. Everyone is invited to take part in this discussion by sharing views, ideas, opinions, experience and information about shamanism. 2. BACKGROUND Technically speaking, Shamanism is classified by anthropologists as an archaic magico-religious phenomena which the shaman is the great master of ecstasy. This view of shamanism is further detailed in the Shamanism-General Overview Frequently Asked Questions (which is available in news.answers). The distinguishing characteristic of shamanism is its focus on an ecstatic trance state in which the soul of the shaman is believed to leave the body and ascend to the sky (heavens) or descend into the earth (underworld). The shaman makes use of spirit helpers, which he or she communicates with,all the while retaining control over his or her own consciousness. Most importantly, shamanism as a spiritual practice focuses on the personal experience of the shaman. Everything that a shaman does depends upon this experience. Without it, there is no shaman. In contemporary, historical or traditional and nontraditional shamanic practice the shaman may at times fill the role of priest, magician, metaphysician or healer. Personal experience with and knowledge of other realms of being and consciousness and the cosmology of those regions are prime determinants of shamanism. With this knowledge, the shaman is able to serve as a bridge between the mundane and the higher and lower states. The shaman lives at the edge of reality as most people would recognize it and most commonly at the edge of society itself. Few indeed have the stamina to adventure into these realms and endure the outer hardships and personal crises that have been reported by or observed of many shamans. For more information see the shamanism-general overview FAQ, which has been posted to news.answers. In addition another FAQ, soc religion.shamanism FAQ, will be regularly posted to once this group has been created. 3. MODERATOR POLICIES Anyone with an interest in shamanism is welcomed and encouraged to post articles to soc.religion.shamanism. (See additional details below.) Moderators will only return submissions that violate this charter. Any returned article will have an explanation attached to it about which charter provision was violated. There shall be one to four moderators for soc.religion.shamanism. The newsgroup will be subject to conventions of network etiquette. In practice, the moderators will reject personal attacks (flames) directed at individual posters, similarly inflammatory attacks directed at religious institutions, and articles which use offensive language. These guidelines are intended to regulate only the tone of the discussions, and not their contents. This instruction is not intended to limit discussion and debate. Vigorous discussion and criticism are encouraged, flames are not. Repetitive postings (such as multiple responses to one request for a book reference) may also be rejected. Any rejected article will be returned to the sender with an explanation. Administrative communications, comments and inquiries should be mailed to the moderator(s) rather than being posted to the group. >From time to time a moderator may choose to give up his or her duties as a moderator. In such an event the moderators should select a suitable replacement. The retiring moderator may take part in this selection if he or she has not yet given up their responsibilities as moderator. 4. SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES Guidelines for submissions will be regularly posted to news.answers in a soc.religion.shamanism Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Readers of soc.religion.shamanism submit articles to the moderators by email. The initial moderators will be Skip Watson (ciaran@aldhfn.org) (*Note, this moderator is currently inactive.) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Note: since the original vote additional moderators have been added as provided for by the terms of this charter. They are: Al Billings (mimir@illuminati.io.com) (currently inactive) Iraj Mughal (iraj@gnu.ai.mit.edu) Submissions/postings for soc.religion.shamanism should be sent to srs@alumni.caltech.edu A current list of moderators will be included in a soc.religion. shamanism Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) article to be posted to soc.religion.shamanism and selected 'answers' newsgroups. Administrative matters will not be discussed in soc.religion.shamanism administrative comments and inquiries should be sent to: srs-request@alumni.caltech.edu 5. COMMENTS ON ETIQUETTE See the FAQ shamanism-general overview FAQ, which is regularly posted to news.answers. It is also recommended that the articles on network etiquette posted to news.newusers.questions be read. For information concerning excessive flames and personal attacks see above comments. For information on network etiquette please refer to the following documents, among others: Emily Postnews Answers Your Questions on Netiquette Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Usenet ********************************** IV. Why is this news group in the soc.religion hierarchy? There have been some questions raised about the name of this newsgroup The topic of soc.religion.shamanism is 'shamanism.' It is in the 'soc.religion' hierarchy. While shamanism itself is not a religion, it is a religious practice. This was the appropriate hierarchy for discussion of shamanism. (deane@netcom.com). V. Where does the word "shaman" come from and how does it relate to "shamanism"? The practice, study and experience of the shaman is not limited to any single cultural group. There has been some question about this raised outside of soc.religion.shamanism. The word 'shaman' is from the language of the Tungus of Siberia. It is variously 'shaman', 'saman' or 'haman'. Among the Tungus it is both a noun and a verb. The Tungus themselves have no word for 'shamanism'. It is something that is done by a shaman. It is by no means the name of their religion or of anyone's religion. That being said, there is no provision in the charter of soc.religion. shamanism for the general discussion of native religion. That is, as it has been pointed out elsewhere, a very broad topic. The focus of this newsgroup, according to its charter is much more tightly focused. All submissions should keep that in mind. (deane@netcom.com VI. SUBMISSIONS DETAILS: A. At USENET sites that provide automatic mailing in support of moderated newsgroups, posting to soc.religion.shamanism will transparently mail the article to the moderators. At other sites articles will need to be mailed explicitly to the moderators. B. The moderators attempt to handle each incoming article in a timely manner, either posting it publicly or responding to its author privately within four days of receipt. If a post has resulted in neither of these actions after four days, it should be assumed that one's site is not configured to support submissions to moderated groups, and the article should be resubmitted by mail to the above address. C. Please provide a signature with your name and correct e-mail address (preferably in Internet format) at the end of your article; do not rely on the article header's From: field to identify you, as this will not necessarily contain your correct e-mail address. (This language is taken from the soc.religion.bahai faq.) VII. COMMENTS ON ETIQUETTE The following suggestions are offered for your consideration before posting. A. An option in requests for specific information (how do I reach someone, where is this quotation to be found, etc.) is to ask explicitly that all replies be mailed directly to the poster, who may then post a summary if it is of general interest. This would result in only 2 messages (or perhaps just one) being seen by all subscribers, which could be desirable in some contexts. Likewise, responses to such requests may, in some cases, be most appropriately addressed just to the original poster. B. Please use line lengths of no more than 70. This keeps your text within the 80 character per line limit of most terminals, in both your initial article and in any follow-up articles, where it is customary to prefix each line of quotation from another article with a few additional characters to indicate the material is quoted. Please be merciful to email mail systems by limiting articles to 50 KiloBytes in length. Posts that exceed this limit should either be pared down or subdivided; or one could submit an announcement of the item instead, asking that readers respond via private mail in order to obtain the actual item. (Note: some email gateways have only an 8K gateway!) C. If you quote a previously posted article, please limit the amount of quoted text that you include. One may generally assume that readers have already seen an article to which one is responding. Therefore, you need only quote as much as required for establishing a context. D. Please choose your Subject: heading carefully! E. If responding to an earlier article, it is not best to respond to each paragraph therein. Rather, if there one statement that succinctly summarizes the earlier viewpoint, use that or a paraphrase instead. F. It is useful if articles are written in such a manner that it is relatively easy to discern fact from opinion. G. A signature statement is not considered to be a part of the article submitted. Percedence for this is found in net etiquette where it is standard practice that excessively long signoff statements (more than four lines in length) are not considered goo practice> and as such are not a part of the body of an article. Signoff which are excessive or violate a section of the charter for the newsgroup will be removed by the moderator rather than returning the article itself to the user for charter violations. VIII. COMMENTS ON FLAMES: The newsgroup will be subject to conventions of network etiquette. In practice, the moderators will reject personal attacks (flames) directed at individuals, similarly inflammatory attacks directed at religious institutions. For point of reference, this charter will define a flame as the following: offensive insults on ones intellect, mentality, physical appearance, race, and other human characteristics. Flammatory attacks on institutions would be comprised of the following: offensive and degrading slurs aimed at the institution which includes the parameters defined under flame above. Offensive and degrading language aimed at a person, people, and institution will not be acceptable. Mild profanity will pass the moderators if it is not offensive or inflammatory. This will allow for open and free discussion although without extreme flames. Moderation will be relaxed. These guidelines are intended to regulate only the tone of the discussions, and not their contents. This instruction is not intended to limit discussion and debate. Vigorous discussion and criticism are encouraged, flames are not. (rsahebi@netcom.com) Note: Send comments to srs-request@alumni.caltech.edu Keywords: shaman, spirit, soul, siberia, harner, meadows, native, dreamtime, ecstasy, journeying, otherworld, sacred, axis-mindi IX. Reader comments on shamanic terms and concepts There are a number of terms which are used frequently in discussions about shamanism. The following comments, in being attached to the soc.religion.shamanism-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are not intended to be interpretations of either the charter or the Shamanism- General Overview. They are comments which have been extracted from articles posted to soc.religion.shamanism discussions. For a detailed and specific overview of shamanism, please refer to Shamanism-General Overview-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). All items contained in this section of the FAQ are reprinted here by permission of the authors, who reserve and retain all rights to them. (Copyright c1995 by Dean Edwards, Stef Jones, Jilara, Jane Beckman, Ann Albers and others.) ---------- Shaman: A master of archaic techniques of ecstasy. (Eliade, 1951). This mastery of shamanic ecstasy (flight) is the heart of the shamanic experience. It is the cornerstone of the shamans experience and practice. Not all shamanic techniques and experiences are ecstatic, however, the ecstatic journey is the primary and distinguishing technique of shamans worldwide. A shaman is a trained initiate who maintains a tradition of walking between this and other worlds (while in a state of ecstatic trance known as shamanic ecstasy shamanic flight) and then acts as a bridge between the worlds. He or she then uses the knowledge thus gained when working in the community or with a client. Activities of shamans in addition to shamanic flight may include divination, control over the elements,soul retrieval and escorting the souls of the recently deceased to their place in the next world (psychopomp). A shaman may also be able to see, hear or send messages or messengers over great distances or even fly to distant locations in ecstatic trance or through shapechanging. They may also assist their communities by obtaining the cooperation of animal and nature spirits whose assistance makes possible a more productive hunt, harvest, catch of fish or the protection of herd animals from predators. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) One who enters altered states of awareness and communicates with spirit guides to bring back information or healing (definition borrowed from Harner!) Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Shamanism: The religious psychic and spiritual practices of a shaman, and of the helpers, apprentices and crafts and community activities which support, assist or interact with the shaman in his or her work as a shaman. In a strict sense, shamanism has also been defined as the traditional religious systems of the native peoples of Central Asia, Siberia and the circumpolar region of the Northern Hemisphere. The term has also been applied more loosely to similar religious practices found in other areas of the world. (See also Neo-shamanism, Pseudo-shamanism and Post-Shamanic.) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Shamanism is a system for psychic, emotional, and spiritual healing and for exploration, discovery, and knowledge gathering about non- material worlds and states of mind. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Historical Shamanism: Traditional native systems and traditions of shamans and shamanism which existed in the past. Historical shamanism is believed to extend back many millennia and to be among the oldest human religious and spiritual practices. (See 'shamanism' for additional information.) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Contemporary Shamanism: The practices of contemporary shamans and of the apprentices, assistants, helpers and clients under their instruction or of those individuals involved in working with or otherwise assisting the shaman in his or her work. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Traditional Shamanism: Native traditional practices of those who have acquired the ability to move into and perceive other worlds by means of Rarchaic techniques of ecstasyS and of the apprentices, assistants and helpers under their instruction and others who otherwise support, assist and work with shamans as they work in their communities. (For additional information see 'shamanism'.) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Shamanism as practiced and handed down for centuries in a specific native or aboriginal culture. Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Non-traditional Shamanism: Often at least loosely based on one or more traditional shamanic systems, non-traditional shamanism is usually a hybrid of ecstatic techniques of shamanic journeying and other aspects of contemporary psychological, religious and spirituality. Rather than attempting to continue a pre-existing tradition, the non-traditional practitioner focuses on utilizing the ancient techniques of the shaman in ways appropriate to a modern audience. Some of the resulting systems and practices can no longer be properly called Tshamanism.U The proposed term TPost- ShamanicU is intended to address such gray areas as well as more fully developed systems and practices which contain shamanic elements. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Engaging in shamanic practice (i.e., entering the altered states, healing, communicating with spirit guides) using methods that haven't been passed down in the traditional manner (i.e.from master- to-apprentice) and/or aren't necessarily part of one'scultural heritage Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Neo-shamanism: A movement which has grown out of a combination of environmentalism, popular anthropology and a growing desire for more open non-institutionalized forms of religion and spirituality. Since the early 1970's it has been gaining adherents in many western and (more recently in) former communist countries. Each individual is believed capable of becoming their own shaman usually under the instruction of a shamanic instructor or counselor. These new shamanic practices, termed 'neo-shamanism' by Piers Vitebsky, (Ph.D., anthropologist and head of the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, England), in his book, The Shaman, (1995), have been influenced by popularization of certain aspects of Native American religious practices including spirit helpers and power animals. Among the leading instructors in the neo- shamanic movements are Michael Harner and Kenneth Meadows, authors of various books and who offer workshops and courses of study. Michael Harner is an anthropologist and a founder of The Institute for Shamanic Studies (,now located in Marin County, in northern California. In neo-shamanism, the states range from light altered states of consciousness to deep trance. Usually drumming, rattling or tapes are utilized to assist in inducing these 'shamanic states'. As is the case with Non-Traditional Shamanism, many aspects of Neo- Shamanism move far beyond what may properly be called shamanism. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) The recent revival ofshamanic techniques in urban Western culture. (cf. neo-paganism) ? Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Pseudo-shamanism: A term applied to non-ecstatic visionary traditions such as those found among many Native Americans in North America. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Core Shamanism: A term used by Michael Harner and others associated with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. As with 'Shamanics' (see below), Core Shamanism seeks to identify and make available, to a wider contemporary audience, the core techniques of the shaman as they have been used for millennia in cultures around the world. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- The Harner Method: There are two keys to doing shamanic work: 1. Achieving an altered state of consciousness The state of consciousness that allows you to access non-ordinary reality is one in which the waking mind is distracted or tuned out. There are many ways to achieve this: repetitious sound or movement, hypnosis, heat, sensory deprivcation, psychotropic drugs, maintaining a specific posture, lucid dreaming. The method I (and most Harner-method advocates) use most frequently is repetitious sound in the form of a steady drumbeat. 2. Maintaining an intention Shamanism is really a system of healing or obtaining knowledge, and it seems to work best when used for that purpose. Journeying tends to work best if it's undertaken on behalf of another person. In some cases, however, one can journey on one's own behalf, especially if one has a specific intention in mind. Journeying just for the purpose of "poking around in non-ordinary reality" doesn't seem to work as well for most people. The best way I have found to maintain an intention is to write down or otherwise keep in mind a specific question or purpose as you begin your journey. Recommended reading Michael Harner, The Way of the Shaman, 3d Ed., Harper & Row: 1990 Sandra Ingerman, Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self, HarperSanFrancisco, 1991 (See also Shamanic Healing) Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Shamanics: A term used by Kenneth Meadows which focuses on many of the essential elements and practices of shamanic experience and states of consciousness. The purpose of this metaphysical approach to shamanism is to make these essential aspects and experiences of the extraordinary available to people living ordinary lives. These have been removed from their "social, religious and cultural contexts. Similar to Harner's Core Shamanism, it makes use of drumming, rattles and tapes to induce a type of mental traveling or 'Journey' into other realms and altered states of consciousness. deane@netcom.com (Dean Edwards) Kenneth Meadows defines Shamanics as: "A personal development process which incorporates the essence of universal shamanism - the ancient wisdom of the visionaries and 'Wise Ones' of many cultures and traditions into a Science of living for Modern Times that is the most practical of all metaphysical systems. A way of experienced and revealed knowledge that is motivated by the Spirit enabling individuals to relate to Nature and come into harmony with the totality of their own being and find meaning, purpose and fulfillment in their own lives." (Kenneth Meadows, Where Eagles Fly, pages 240-1, 1995.) ---------- Techno-shamanism: The use of technology to enhance and enter into shamanic 'altered states of consciousness'. These range from the hemispheric synchronization of the Monroe institute which uses a binaural beat and following frequency response to other forms of electronic stimulation of the nero-muscular system and the use of bio- feedback, EEG and PET scans, other neuromuscular monitoring devices or stimulation by chemical agents artificially synthesized in a laboratory. Any or all of these may be used to monitor and assist in inducing ecstatic deep trance states found in traditional shamanism. This is a popular term and is not yet found in literature about shamanism. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) The belief that new information technologies such as the net can be used in the practice of shamanism (?) Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Shamanic Tradition: Systems of religious and spiritual practice of shamans become traditions over time which are passed on from shaman teacher to shaman apprentice. These usually contain the a specialized knowledge and understanding of the lore of the community being served; recognizing the presence of Spirit and of natural and elemental forces, guiding, helping, ancestor and teaching spirits; blessings, charms, wards and ceremonies; methods of divination; the means for creating or obtaining the costume and equipment necessary for the performance of shamanic responsibilities, initiatory rites; and techniques of shamanic flight and access to other realms and states of consciousness. In addition, there are some aspects of these traditions which may also be learned in dreams or while in trance state or from direct observation of Nature and of life in the community. In some instances, a community may be without a shaman to pass on these traditions. When this occurs and direct instruction by experienced shamans is not possible, the new shaman must reacquire the continuity of the shamanic tradition from dreams, inner journeys and observation as the primary sources of his or her training. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) The practice of shamanism within a particular culture. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Siberian Complex: The native cultural traditions of Siberia, an the Finnic peoples of Norther Europe. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Circumpolar Shamanic Tradition: The native traditional shamanic systems and practices of shamans of the Arctic and Subarctic regions. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Post-Shamanic: While shamanism may be readily identified among many hunting and gathering peoples and in some traditional herding societies, identifying specific groups of individuals who might be called shamans is a difficult task in more stratified agricultural and manufacturing based societies. A society may be said to be Post- Shamanic when there are the presence of shamanic motifs in its traditional folklore or spiritual practices indicate a clear pattern of traditions of ascent into the heavens, descent into the nether- worlds, movement between this world and a parallel Otherworld, are present in its history. Such a society or tradition may have become very specialized and recombined aspects of mysticism, prophecy and shamanism into more specialized or more 'fully developed' practices and may have assigned those to highly specialized functionaries. When such practices and functionaries are present or have replaced the traditional shamans found in historical or traditional shamanism the use of Post-shamanic is appropriate. (See Shamanism-General Overview for more information.) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) (August, 1995) Also, there are many places where "other forms of healing, divining, and counseling are present" and co-exist with "strict" shamanic practice, for instance in many Native American traditions. (Rather like the way some tribes had different types of "chiefs" for different roles in the community.) Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) ---------- Guardian Spirit: A spirit which protects, instructs or assists a shaman (or other persons) while journeying, carrying out shamanic responsibilities or training. Encounters with these numinous beings may occur in trance, dreams, visions or in observing and interpreting the events and circumstances of daily life. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Guardian Spirit: An entity associated with the safety of a place or person. Many forms of Japanese kami associated with sacred sites are also guardian spirits. Individuals or families may also have guardian spirits, which may or may not be the same as spirit guides. Guardian spirits are often not identified with a particular shamanic practitioner, unlike spirit guides. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) ---------- Spirit Guide: An entity which provides guidance or answers in non-standard conciousness. It may teach, protect, or merely advise. Spirit guides are usually attached to particular individuals on a personal basis. Sometimes, a spirit guide may be an ancestor or relative. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) (See Spirit Guardian.) Spirit Guide: Spirit helper who helps you achieve your "higher purpose" and who assists you in a variety of other functions; teaching, healing, helping others with their higher purpose, etc. Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Tutelary Spirit: A spirit which instructs a shaman or other person. This may be done in visions, dreams, trance, other altered states of consciousness, or through observation and interpretation of daily life. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) (August, 1995) One who teaches or gives other guidance in spiritual exploration. This may also include setting the individual on quests, rather than strict "teaching." Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) ---------- Spirit Teacher: A spirit or energy being that acts as a teacher for a person. Can be contacted shamanically. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) Sometimes, the Teachers are ancestors or "spiritual ancestors" (think of the Black Elk lineage). (This last is the method of transmission for the traditional geisha shamanic heritage in Japan.) Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) ---------- Spirit Helper: A spirit, often subordinate to the shaman who assists him or her in understanding or carrying out shamanic responsibilities and practices. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) (August, 1995) An entity who provides guidance or suggestions, but more as an equal than a teacher. Usually animal spirits. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) Spirit helper whose primary function is to guard your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual well-being Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Power Animal: A spirit perceived as taking an animal form which instructs, guides and protects an individual or shaman and usually becomes closely identified with the individual concerned. Unlike the clan or group totem, this is a distinctly personal relationship with an individual or collective animal spirit-being. The presence of a power animal is thus unique to an individual, rather than being shared by a group, family or clan. (Others in the group, may also have the same power animal.) These spirit beings are prominent in many shamanic and non-shamanic Native American traditions. In such traditions, both shamans and non-shamans may have power animals as spirit guides. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Michael Harner defines a power animal as: "a spirit being that not only protects and serves the shaman, but also becomes another identity or alter ego for him." Michael J. Harner (The Way of the Shaman, 1980, 1990; page 43.) Power Animal: An animal that has a particular trait or affinity connecting it to a person. It may be "just" an animal, or an embodiment of all the spiritual traits of that animal, such as Coyote as trickster. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) A spirit or energy being, usually perceived in the form of an animal, that acts as a protector for a person. The spirit can be contacted shamanically and asked questions, honored, etc. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) Power Animal: Earth energy that is part of your soul-cluster; represented in the sacred dream as an animal; the essence of the animal that is part of your energetic make-up Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Nature Spirit: A spirit which embodies the essence of an elemental of natural force. Such spirits may be encountered in this world or while journeying in other alternate realities and states of consciousness. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Entity associated with a natural force or spirit of place. Most Japanese kami are nature spirits. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) The spirit of a place or living being (such as a tree) in the Middle World (earth). Can be contacted shamanically. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) Nature Spirit: Spirit/essence/energy of a plant, animal, or mineral Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Spirit Wife/Husband/Spouse/Lover: A spirit who engages the shaman in an inner sexual relationship and may even become the personUs numinous spouse. This is a frequently encountered motif in both Siberian Shamanic Tradition and Celtic Faerie Lore. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) An entity whose spiritual significance is expressed through the shaman or chosen individual. (For instance, ancient Celtic kings were "wedded" to the manifestation of the forces of the land, often expressed as a white mare.) Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) ---------- Totem: animal spirit that is among your mythological ancestors Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) Totem: A plant, animal, natural force or material which is identified with a specific group or clan. Totems may have a particular importance in connecting the people with the land on which they live. A totem may thus be understood as being a group badge with sacred connotations. A totem, such as the Bear in many of the Northern Circumpolar Traditions, may be seen as an actual or spiritual relative or ancestor of the family, clan or group. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) A "spirit clan" symbol. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) You also can't harm your clan totem--one of the big Irish heros (Fergus MacRoy, if memory serves) got into real trouble because he was served stewed dog, and ate his clan totem unknowingly. And in a lot of systems, you can't marry someone who has the same spirit totem, as this is a taboo stronger than an incest taboo. Jilara (jane@swdc.stratus.com) ---------- Totem Place/Totemic Site: A location (most often) without specific boundaries around a central site which has ritual or mythical importance and a connection between the group and the its totem. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Totemism: A system of practice, belief in or use of totems. (See Totem.) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com ---------- Soul: In shamanism, soul is the life force of a person, animal, plant, or anything which exists on any plane of being. A soul may be any of the bodies or sheaths in which this life force dwells as well. Thus, the physical body may sometimes be referred to as the 'animal soul'. The astral, mental or spiritual bodies may also be referred to as soul in discussions and literature about shamanism. As the individual life force, soul may be lost or drained away in part or in whole. When this happens an individual is affected with some psychic or physical illness or other malady and a shaman may attempt to retrieve the lost life force. If enough of this life force is lost or stolen by another a person may experience serious and debilitating illness or even death. The Latin word for soul, ANIMUS, may be interpreted as meaning Tbreath of heavenU or breath of SpiritU. This bears some similarities to many traditional shamanic views of Soul. Soul may also be defined as the indwelling individualized spiritual essence, a divine spark, or unit of awareness. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) IMO, soul is an entity that projects portions of its consciousness into space time; we call these portions personalities, i.e., Ann is one personality of the soul to which I belong. Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Mystical Ecstasy: In the ecstatic experience of a mystic, unitive visions or union with Spirit, God or the Divine is the characteristic feature. This is in sharp contrast to shamanic ecstasy. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) (August, 1995) The state of blending with cosmic consciousness; a merging with the God/Spirit/u niversal energy Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) ---------- Shamanic Ecstasy: The ecstatic experience by which the shaman journeys into other realms, both higher and lower than this realm, as well as to parallel regions sometimes known as a middle earth or to distant areas of this world. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Shamanic Ecstasy: I like your definitions here, but feel that I experience shamanis ecstasy when I am bathed in the radiant-love-energy of my guides Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) A term used by Mircea Eliade and other early researchers of shamanism for the altered state of consciousness achieved by the shaman during shamanic practices. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Shamanic Flight: The journey of a shaman while in trance into other realms of being or distant regions of this world. (See Shamanic Ecstasy) Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Altered state of awareness where the shaman travels to other times, places, or d imensions Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) Shamanic Flight: Another term for "Journeying" Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Journey/Journeying/Journey of Soul/Soul Travel: The journey of the individualized life force of the shaman or other person experiencing some form of astral, mental or soul travel. This may, in a broader sense, also apply to the larger journey of Soul as it moves through each lifetime and from life to life. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) Altered state of consciousness in which the shaman visist the "realities" or worlds, or dimensions, in which the energies we call guides live. Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) Shamanic journeying is an altered state of consciousness wherein you enter a realm called "non-ordinary reality." By journeying, you can gather knowledge and perform healing in ways that are not accessible in ordinary waking reality. rney." Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) In shamanism, a part of one's consciousness/spirit/soul seems to leave one's body and travel elsewhere to contact spirit helpers to gather information or perform healing. (One still remains in control of one's body.) This process is called "journeying". The experiences one has in this state are called "a journey." Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) ---------- Ascent of Soul/Ascension: The experience of the consciousness leaving the physical body and ascending into the heavens. Shamanic journeys are often very similar to those found under 'ascension' or 'the ascent of soul' or to the 'descent of soul'. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) In Harner style shamanism, we say that the soul travels to the upper world or the lower world -- perhaps this is another way of saying that? Ascension is also a Christian term, though. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) Descent of Soul: The conscious descent of soul into the nether- world, Underworld, hells, or other lower realms, usually via descent into the Earth. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) ---------- Shamanic Healing: Healing via shamanic methods such as journeying,working with spirit helpers, extraction, soul retrieval, etc. Ann Albers (albersa@aztec.asu.edu) Shamanic Healing: Healing which is done by a shaman. Such healing may be physical, psychic or spiritual. Dean Edwards (deane@netcom.com) (August, 1995) Shamanism can be used to perform spiritual/psychological and sometimes physical healing on a person (or sometimes an animal or place). This process is called shamanic healing. Shamanic healing usually involves (*) a journey or series of journeys to determine what forms of healing are necessary; (*) a journey to contact the spirit resources necessary for the healing; (*) a ritual to perform/ honor the healing. Shamanic healing works best if it is performed by a shaman on behalf of another person rather than on oneself. This is not because only a shaman is "qualified" to do the healing, but because the spirit world responds well to the loving act of a person's performing a healing on behalf of another. Stef Jones (stef@netcom.com) (developed from the Harner method) In the system of shamanism that I work with, there are four aspects to psychic/emotional/spiritual health. If there is a problem with any of these aspects fails, shamanic techniques can be used to help restore strength. Note that shamanic healing may not cure physical or psychological illness, but it may help one gain ps