Shamanism Defined

 

Shamanism is a spiritual, religious art practiced around the world by many different indigenous cultures.  The Shaman goes into an altered state of consciousness and journeys to Three Archetypical Worlds that dwell deeply in the unconscious mind. 

In the Primordial Lower World, the Shaman discovers the nature-symbols of rocks, plants, insects and animals.  S/he also discovers the primordial energetic forces of nature: sunlight, wind, water, rain, hail, snow, lightning, fire and more.  All of these nature-symbols, when properly interpreted, empower the Shaman with wisdom, vitality, strength, healing and power.  The Shaman, through unconscious illumination, flows freely with (and embodies) these energy-forces of nature.

In the Middle World the Shaman discovers the power of the five senses, mathematics, geology, biology, psychology, the scientific method (Inquiry, Hypothesis, Experiment, Collection of Data, Conclusion), syllogistic reason, problem solving and decision making.

In the Upper World the Shaman discovers the invisible, omnipresent, omnipotent and eternal Creator Spirit, the Father of us all.  In the Upper World the Shaman encounters clean spiritual energy, angels and more.  The Shaman also discovers the art of spiritual cleansing and illumination.  Furthermore, the Shaman encounters the nature symbols of the sun, moon, stars, planets, and clouds and interprets these symbols for spiritual empowerment.  For instance, the Shaman can embody the sun, with all of its energy and joy; the moon, with all of its mystery and the stars, with all of their ancient timelessness.

All of these encounters empower the Shaman to experience (and incarnate) cleansing, wholeness, health and wisdom and to impart these to others.

Note: It is this author's belief that non ordinary reality, nature spirits, guides, power animals, the Lower, Middle and Upper Worlds are Unconscious Archetypes, as outlined in Jungian Psychoanalysis.  Yes, they are real, because Archetypes are real, self-existent, autonomous Platonic entities.   Experiencing these entities are a natural part of the human experience that we have inherited from our ancestors.  Archetypes, according to Jung, are unknowable.  However, their manifestations, in the form of symbol, metaphor, dreams, visions, myths, legends, religion, art, poetry and more are knowable.

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