| Page 3 -- Purity of Spirit |
| While not as controversial a subject as some of the others, spiritual purity is a nebulous concept and notoriously difficult to define. I approach this idea purely from a shamanic view. From the standpoint of a shamanic practitioner, purity of spirit includes such ideas as 'psychic hygiene,' wholeness of one's soul, recognition of purpose, harmony with the universe, and maintenance of relationships with others and with one's spiritual allies. All these elements are intertwined, interrelated, and over-lapping, but for clarity's sake I will address them individually. Each concept is presented as a distinct idea of its own, but the applications are inseparable. They can only be truly realized and utilized in concert, each complementing and blending with the others. "Psychic Hygiene" is just a term I use for keeping one's energy clear and operating efficiently. I did not coin the term, but I find it useful in describing a whole host of techniques and attitudes that allows us to function to our potential. It is important to not only be aware of energetic influences in our lives, but to understand how they work and how to make use of that knowledge. Regular times of prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices help to keep us connected with the spirit world no matter what our belief system or religious affiliation. As one who is learning to be a healer, it is even more important for me to maintain my spirit. I have dedicated myself to a healing ministry. That means that I cannot expect to treat this work as a hobby, only doing healing work when I feel like it or when my energy seems especially strong. I have to be ready to step into the role of 'healer' when it is needed, which could be at any time. In response to that understanding, I spend time regularly cleaning my chakras to keep them operating efficiently, meditating to maintain my connection with the spirit world, journeying for guidance and strength, and studying to constantly learn more. I also take a salt bath now and then, or ask a friend to clean my aura, to try to minimize the occasional lapses in strength, energy, motivation, or connection that we all face in life. I am not always successful, but I am getting better and that is really the pointt. Wholeness of one's soul is, I think, vitally important to our self-realization. And Spirit Workers in particular will not be nearly as effective in their work if they are not whole. Soul Loss is a shamanic concept, though the symptoms of soul loss are likely to be familiar to people from a variety of backgrounds, including psychologists/psychiatrists, spiritual and secular counselors, doctors and other medical professionals, police officers, and most other educated and aware people. Soul Loss, in brief, occurs in response to some trauma that the soul cannot survive intact. A portion of the soul breaks away to insure that the person does not die from the trauma, whether physical, emotional, psychological, mental, or spiritual. This may occur from child abuse (of any kind), near-death experiences such as car wrecks or near drownings, neglect, privation, severe injury, combat, or other serious trauma. Many of the symptoms known as Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome are directly related to Soul Loss. Other symptoms may include personality change, new addictions or addictive behaviors, seemingly random bouts of rage or sadness, disassociative problems (such as Multiple Personality Disorder), or a strong feeling of disconnection or of not 'feeling like myself.' Often, the soul part will come back on its own and the symptoms go away after weeks or even years. Sometimes one needs a soul retrieval to regain that lost part of themselves. Therapy is recommended in either case. Even if a shaman is able to bring back a lost soul part, therapy is usually needed to help the person re-integrate and become fully whole once again. Therapy can also lay the groundwork for the soul part to come back on its own. Recognition of one's true purpose is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it enables a person to focus their energy primarily toward that goal without wasting time exploring dead-end avenues. A person who is connected to a 'higher purpose' will generally be happier, more effective in most areas of their life, and will usually have a real passion for their work. Even traditional psychology recognizes the value of being connected to 'something bigger' than one's self. Your purpose may be something as grand as heading a major world religion or country, or it may be as seemingly simple as being the mother that all the kids in the neighborhood love and count on. I am to be a healer. I probably will not ever be famous or wealthy or change the world in any generally recognizagle way, but I can help people feel better. That is important enough for me. Some are called to the arts. You may be a singer and never cut an album, but if you are doing what you are supposed to do, that is important in the grand scheme of things. We often cannot begin to understand how our lives effect the world and I am beginning to learn that we don't have to. It is enough to know I'm filling my place in the puzzle. I am in harmony with my universe. Well....sometimes. Being in harmony is rather like reaching enlightenment--it is an occasional moment of absolute purity, but to believe we can hold onto it is like believing we can nail the wind to a tree. The goal is to bring ourselves as near total harmony as we can and recognize when we are moving away, rather than toward, that goal. It seems to be more of a direction than a destination. Being in harmony also does not mean marching in step with all those around us. Sometimes it does; and then sometimes it means swimming upstream, shaking up the status quo, knocking the self-important off of their pedestal. So, how do we bring ourselves in harmony with the universe? If I knew for sure, I could start my own cult. Of course, I have a feeling that would be out of harmony. The best bet seems to be forming a connection with Spirit and listening. Get your guidance from the Source rather than from society, or government, or religious leaders, or anyone else (including me, of course). Find the spark of divinity within yourself and listen to it. As a shamanic practitioner, there are few things more important to me than relationships--both with other people and with my spirit allies. The traditional shamans of old were defined by their communities. They did not practice a monastic or hermit-like spirituality focused on self-improvement at the expense of human relationships. While they might have gone out once in a while to spend time alone with nature and the spirits, their purpose, and hence their work, was to benefit the tribe. I am not putting down monastic traditions or saying that the isolated, ascetic life of the hermit has no value. I am only saying that, as a spirit worker in this tradition, my purpose is to serve the community. And to serve my community, I also must maintain and nurture the relationships I have with my spirit helpers. Traditionally, if one ignores his spirit helpers, they will pull away and the shaman becomes powerless. Maintaining those vital relationships insures the help of the spirits and allows the shaman to keep his energy clean, perform soul retrievals, and live in harmony with his universe. |
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