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| "Can you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here? " "That all depends on where you want to get to." Lewis Carroll |
| I was very young when I was first exposed to Shamanism on the Apache reservation near Ruidoso New Mexico. I was introduced by an old man named Viejo, at least I thought that was his name, utill I learned it was actually Spanish for "old man". I learned a lot from him and would have remained rooted in Native American Shamanism had I not moved to California with my family. I missed Viejo�s influences and the only substitute I could find was books. I didn't know it but I had begun a lifelong study of Shamanism. |
| The great Apache Shaman and Chief, Geronimo. |
| I began by studying Native American Shamans. It wasn�t very long before I noticed that, while the details were different, most forms of Native American Shamanism were very much the same. While the details of different rites were very different the concepts were very similar. When I expanded my research to include international Shamanism I encountered more concepts that seemed, to me, to be very similar. The best way, I can think of, to explain this is to show an example of one such concept Open the door and come on in. Not to very long ago a young lady asked me, "Have you found your door?" What that question brought to mind would have taken a very long conversation to explain so I smiled and answered, "Yes". You see, she had read a book or a series of books; explaining Shamanism from one point of view and expected any Shaman she encountered to be the same. Don�t misunderstand; I�m not putting that technique of |
| of learning down. In fact, this is the traditional way of learning. Students learn from a mentor who teaches his/her concepts to the initiate. I just walked a different path. The notion of a door is a good way to explain the concept. So, here is the question; What is a "Door"? A door opening is one of many analogies for a life changing event that causes one to begin to see and understand things from a completely new point of view. Once opened, your door is your way into the spiritual realm. It is a religious experience that enlightens and teaches. It is moving in a new direction. Try this; look around you. Find any object that has mass. It has three dimensions, height, width, and depth. Now look at that other diminution. Do you see it? More than likely not but it is there, trust me. You have to find this new direction for the first time. Once you do, it will be easier to find the next time. Science calls it a forth diminution, many belief systems refer to it as spirituality. It may be both or neither. There may be many dimensions unknown to us. You may have heard of the String Theory of physics well, that theory requires ten dimensions. However all we need is five, we need a new �up� and a new �down�. As you may gather, it is difficult to explain but I shall try to do the best I can. |
| Here, there and everywhere. First you need to get an image of the spiritual cosmos in your mind. It shouldn�t be hard, this concept is common to very nearly all belief systems. Basically: Heaven, Earth, and Hell. Different belief systems have different details but basically it�s: Here,Up there, and Down there.Any of these levels may include more than one level. I�m sure that you have heard of �Seventh Heaven� and if you have ever read Dante�s Divine Comedy you are familiar with the different levels of hell. The Shaman�s model is not that much different. Apache Shamans see the �door� as a cave opening. The Apache creation story (emergence actually) teaches the concept very well. After the creation there is an emergence from the underworld. The old people remain behind to rule underworld things, like sickness and death. First Man and First Woman stop at the mid level, Earth. Sun and Moon continue on to the cave opening leading to the heavens. (Forgive me for a very rough description, there is mu |
| much more to it) The way to spot the home (yurt) of a Buriats (Siberian) Shaman it to look for the birch tree protruding trough the smoke hole. A birch tree, called the �Guardian Of The Door� is set with it�s roots on the hearth and the top trough the smoke hole. It is the opening to heaven for the Shaman , his door. These �doors� can lead down also. Remember Jesus went into the underworld and visited with the dead. A very common belief in Shamanism is that sickness can be seen by going into an underworld and looking back up at the patient. Siberian Shamans often descend down seven levels to talk with Erlik Khan, the lord of the dead. |
| Siberian Shaman Kenin-Lopsan |
| A yurt with out birch tree. |
| Spirit Journeys For my example I will use the �Spirit Journey�. The Spirit Journey is very much a universal concept. In Judaism, Moses goes up Mount Sinai and encounters God there. In Islam, we see Muhammad rising through the night, ascending to Heaven and talking with God. Christianity has Jesus led into the desert and after forty days and 40 nights he was tempted by the Devil. John begins the book of Revelation with a spirit journey. He says that he was �In the Spirit� as he began to see visions. After receiving messages for the seven churches he notes that a �door was opened in heaven� and he received the rest of the end time prophecy. Spirit Journeys come in many different forms and are undertaken from many different starting points, from meditation to the taking of hallucinogens like mescaline and peyote. It is a common belief that the most powerful Spirit Journeys come by way of some life threatening ordeal. A sickness, an injury and even torture for that express purpose. Which way is up? Why is �up� good and �down� not?. In the three parts of our cosmological image, the easiest to explain is earth because we can see it and feel it. However, why is �up� universally excepted as Heaven, while Hell and death are always �down�. The answer is actually very simple. Keep in mind that these are new directions, not truly up or down but they �feel� up and down respectively. This seems to be universal. Finding good things �down� or bad things �up� is very rare indeed. If you ever find these new directions you will see what I mean. It was an Shaman from Asia who first explained the concept of �New Up� and �New Down� to me. In my discussions with others I get three basic responses. 1. I could have told you that. 2. I never heard it said but that�s right of course. 3. What difference does it make? Thank you for your attention. Now close the door on your way out. |
| Some Thoughts About Shamanism |
