| THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHAMAN AND MEDICINE MEN/ WOMEN A "shaman" is a specialist and master of the ecstatic trance-journey, it is not the same as a tribal healer, holy person or medicine man. "Shamanism" is the practice of ecstatic trance-journey, and the typical beliefs and techniques that arise from and support it. Shamanism is not a catch-all term for indigenous religion, earth-based religions, spiritual healing, or beliefs in totems, animal guardians or nature spirits. |
| Although the term "Shaman" has its origins in Siberia, it is often used by anthropologists throughout the world to refer to Aboriginal healers. It describes not only the Siberian shamans, but any community-recognized specialists of the trance-journey, whatever their culture or religion may be. The term "shamanism" refers to the typical practices and beliefs of these spiritual specialists; it includes the methods of deep trance-journey, and the beliefs and methods that come from it. "Shamanism" also describes religions like those of Siberia which support and depend upon the shaman as a necessary central figure to their practices. These types of religions are moderately rare, and most modern uses of the word "shamanism" refer to trance-journey practices used within a religion, rather than to a religion itself. |
| Many people believe that calling a Native American Medicine Man/ Woman a Shaman is greatly disrespectful. |
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| Native American spirituality is a way of life. It is no ceremony that you preform and 'poof' you are a 'Medicine Man'. That is not the way it works. Takeing a walk through the woods, listening to what the trees tell you , feeling the breeze as the wind whispers in your ears, that is what it is about. It is listening to the earth not only with you ears but your eyes, heart, spirit and mind. Once you have learned to sit on the earth without care of your clothes getting dirty, and sit there not thinking about anything at all..... Then you have reached the point that the spirits can, and are willing to teach you. |
| What is Shamanism, and why Native American are not Shamans |
| �A shaman can be a person of either sex who can perceive the world of spirits, and by entering a trance, journey to another reality, to communicate with its inhabitants, and gain spiritual knowledge.� From: The Book of The Shaman: Walk the ancient path of the shaman and find inner peace. By Nicholas Wood |