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Shamanism is an ancient tradition of knowledge of the unseen
that is cross-cultural. It is thought to predate all known religions
and philosophies. While shamans do not have a fixed dogma or religion,
they do believe in the web of power that sustains all life. According
to shamanism, all things in the environment are alive and inter-connected
with the human world.
Dr. Roger N. Walsh in his book,
"The Spirit of Shamanisn," offers this definition: "Shamanism can be defined
as a family of traditions whose practitioners focus on voluntarily entering
altered states of
consciousness in which they experience themselves or their spirits, traveling
to other realms at will, and interacting with other entities in order to
serve their community." The shamanic journey is the most
common of the shamanic practices. It is usually induced by a rhythmic
sound of a drum or rattle, and is often used to contact the practitioners’
guides in spirit. The shamanic journey is used for physical and emotional
healing, personal guidance and spiritual expansion. It brings the
practitioner in touch with what Carlos Castaneda called "non-ordinary
reality."
According to Jose and
Lena Steven’s book, "Secrets of Shamanism," shamanic practitioners have
the following knowledge and characteristics:
·
They know about energy, how it works in many forms. They have
an intense relationship with the spirit body and can communicate with it.
·
They have the ability to journey for knowledge, insight, awareness,
messages and memories.
·
They know how to work with and interpret
symbols, and can bring symbols alive through expression.
·
They know how to heal others. They have
excellent insight into others’ personalities and character.
·
They are disciplined and persistent in
their attempts to gain power and apply it for the good of all concerned.
One of the symbols that
arises during the journey process is Totem or Power Animals. They have
been a part of many traditions throughout history including the North American
Indians. They often
appear during a journey to assist and guide the practitioner. Each
animal possesses its own spiritual qualities or "medicine." For example,
a eagle represents spiritual vision, enlightenment and freedom. A shamanic
practitioner can journey to retrieve the totem animal for another person
and to bring home the qualities that animal brings into daily life. We
have totem animals that come to us at different stages in our lives to assist
with whatever lessons we are dealing with at that time. The animals
that are encountered on the journey can have profound meaning and are helpful
to discern the inner qualities of the practitioner or the person or people
he/she is journeying for. The gifts they bring are power and healing.
Soul Retrieval is another
service provided by a shamanic practitioner. Soul Retrieval is necessary
when a person has experienced what is called soul loss, in which an individual
loses a part of his or her spiritual energy. The causes of soul loss
are many with most people experiencing some degree of soul loss in
their lifetime. Children are particularly vulnerable to soul loss at the
hands of adults. Soul loss is often associated with physical or sexual abuse,
death of a loved one or severe or chronic illness. Repressed, forgotten
and gaps in memory could also be an effect of soul loss. This concept
is becoming more prevalent with contemporary health professionals such as
Carolyn Myss, PhD, who recommends "calling your spirit back." Today many
of us are realizing that we are not completely whole. We may not feel
"all together" or "all here." A shamanic practitioner can assist a
person with soul loss by journeying on their behalf to uncover how and when
the separation occured and to return the missing soul part or energy to the
person.
Below is a list of symptoms
of soul loss:
·
Fear of trusting others
·
Low Self-Esteem
·
Shame. Generalized and in reaction to
specific behaviors
·
Feelings of powerlessness
· Inability
to make decisions. Inability to think for oneself
·
Difficulty in relationships. Fear of
intimacy
·
A history of any kind of abuse as victim and/or
perpetrator
· Addiction,
co-dependence, obsessive/compulsive personality
·
Chronic pain, depression, anxiety
Soul Retrieval is an
excellent adjunct therapy to traditional psychotherapy and a growing number
of therapists are consulting shamanic practitioners to assist their clients.
The gifts of Soul Retrieval are increased personal power, clarity of purpose
and life direction, healing of physical injury and illness and a
shift to a positive state of consciousness.
With the pressures
in our changing world environment and with the increasing interest in personal
growth and healing, shamanic work is timely and powerful.
Rev. Irma K. Sawyer resides in Huntington Beach, California
and is a Reiki Master, shamanic counselor and ordained minister. She
is director of the High Touch Healing Arts Academy, a healing arts school
in Southern California.
--
Rev. Irma K. Sawyer
High Touch Healing Arts
http://spiritnetwork.com/hightouch
hitouch@gte.net
(949) 225-9855
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