New Age, Alternative,
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Origin

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What do indigenous and urban shamans hold in common? First and foremost they revere Nature, understanding her to be conscious, sentient, connected with all things and respondent. She is the source of our biological existence and to be honored in ceremony. Shamanism is an agent of transformation; it is how we learn to relate differently to our planet and thereby heal both her and ourselves.

So how do we make the choice between indigenous and urban? In the process of deciding, one attitude to watch out for is “indigenitis,” a kind of elitism where shamans from native cultures are held to be morally and spiritually superior to those without native pedigrees. Sometimes an affinity for the native version is nothing more than the seductive appeal of a cultural icon, not a basic spirituality. The truth is that since shamanism is about powerful connection to spiritual sources, that power can be used corruptly or curatively, depending on the motivation of the practitioner. Spirit does not live on the reservation or in the rain forest, but in human hearts. So rather than making this an either-or decision, select your shaman based on her or his wisdom and compassion. And don't forget to be practical: maybe your trance journey will be more successful when it is induced on a mat in an air-conditioned room instead of on a log in a buggy forest (or not!).

~Ro-Hun ~ What is holding you back from expressing your full potential? Click on image to find out more!

If it weren't for natives preserving their heritage, there would be no urban shamanism. Therefore, they are to be offered respect for protecting their wisdom in the face of centuries of unpopularity, and gratitude for their willingness to share with those outside their cultures. And those who adopt the ancient knowledge are responsible for maintaining its integrity. To maintain integrity is not the same as making no changes, however, for in order to be useful in other cultures, adaptation is required. Furthermore, to paraphrase Carl Jung, a tradition is dead if it no longer lives and changes.

Conversely, if it were not for urban shamans, indigenous practices would remain appropriate only for indigenous peoples. Today urban practitioners are bringing core shamanism to problematic areas of society in a way indigenous shamanism could never do. A case in point is a form of shamanism designed to be used in a corporate setting where managers are encouraged to trance journey for mascots (power animals) and solutions to business issues. Because shamanism offers extraordinary potential for a world in crisis, we cannot afford to argue what form it is to take. Just get thee to a shaman!

Judy Winters practices Peruvian-based urban shamanism. For information about private and group offerings, contact her at 770-391-0991 or singingshaman@aol.com.