Conscious Choice: The Weekend Shaman

June 1999

The Weekend Shaman

by Nina Amir Lacey

When the eagle of the North and the condor of the South fly wing to wing, then starts the healing process necessary to bring wellness once again to the children of the Earth. This Hopi Indian prophesy heard by indigenous tribal people in many regions of North and South America speaks of the need for the rational, materialistic, and civilized traditions of the North to join with the spiritual, Earth-honoring shamanic traditions of the South. Andean teachers relate this prophesy to their students to stress the importance of ayni, or living in balance, with the earth.

When the white race that came to this continent assumes native ways and joins with native peoples, together they will caretake Mother Earth. About 20 years ago, masters in indigenous spiritual traditions all over the world heard the same warning — that the continued existence and survival of our planet and of mankind depends upon the learning and following of the "old ways." In essence, native spiritual teachers were told to bring both native and non-native people into the "circle," thus creating more "warriors" to address the dire environmental and spiritual issues of modern society.

In response to this call, little seen masters and teachers from the shamanistic traditions of lesser-known cultures began appearing and offering their teachings to the world at large. Most of us have never heard the prophetic stories foretelling not only the coming together of native and non-native traditions but the need for this to happen before humankind can solve its ecological and spiritual problems. Increasingly large numbers of non-native people, however, feel a pull toward shamanism, the spiritual practices of indigenous cultures.

Indeed, interest in shamanism has increased tremendously in the recent past. One need only look at the articles or advertisements in an alternative publication or the list of topics to be discussed at a healing, spiritual, or metaphysical conference to see the abundance of opportunities to learn indigenous spiritual customs and philosophies. An assortment of weekend workshops in shamanism are offered in most major U.S. cities, and many classes are cropping up in smaller metropolitan areas as well.

According to anthropologist Michael Harner, author of the classic work, The Way of the Shaman (HarperCollins, 1980), the term shaman comes from the Tsungus Eskimo of Siberia and was used by native cultures in Northern China as well. This word was adopted by theologians and anthropologists to describe spiritual practitioners possessing the ability to journey to other worlds in an altered state of consciousness. The practice of shamanism is not limited to these journeys but is distinguished by them, says Harner.

Some form of shamanism can be found in most indigenous cultures around the world, although many societies do not use the word shaman to describe this type of spiritual practitioner. For example, South Americans use the word paco, which means healer or medicine man. Among North American Algonquin Indians the closest word is djasakid, or tent shaker, and in the Hawaiian Islands it would be kahuna, or master. The word shaman often is equated with the term medicine man, though not all native healers are shamans — or men. Most shamans do, however, involve themselves in some sort of healing work.

The reasons for the overwhelming interest in shamanism today vary from person to person, yet some commonality exists among workshop participants. Most shamanism teachers estimate that at least half of the people attending weekend workshops come from healing professions. "There is a great interest in holistic healing these days and an interest in adding to that holistic healing approach a spiritual component based upon time-tested knowledge," reports Harner.

As for the other half of workshop attendees, most are searching for proof of and connection to something greater than themselves as well as for personal healing and transformation. "Many people are looking for something beyond faith," Harner reports, and "are not satisfied by reading texts written hundreds or a thousand or two thousand years ago. . . . [Shamanism] provides an opportunity for them to do experiments to see for themselves if, in fact, there is a spiritual dimension to life and if it can be useful for them and perhaps for others."

According to Timmothy Cope of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "The secular world tends to discount the spiritual world, and mainstream spirituality tends to insist that the spiritual world be interpreted by others rather than the individual. . . .People who are drawn to shamanism want to discover spiritual truths or realities for themselves."

Cope was introduced to shamanism by reading Harner’s book and then he attended a weekend workshop. He says, "I felt compelled to take the workshop because I wanted to have that more direct connection with the spiritual world." He found that connection for himself and continued his study until he became a shamanic practitioner.

Prior to her involvement in shamanism, Barbara Butterfly Dreamer of Toronto, Canada, also longed for a connection to spirit. "I always knew I did believe in spirit and I did believe in something greater and I did believe I had purpose here, but I couldn’t find any connection to it within the traditional church teachings." After attending a shamanic ceremony, she found herself possessing a new outlook on life and on herself as well as feeling that she had, indeed, found that connection to spirit. She has completed ten years of study and now teaches what she has learned so far.

Some seekers in the realm of shamanism choose from a variety of culturally-specific classes that allow them to sample a particular culture’s spiritual practices. Others study "core shamanism," which is not culturally specific. Core shamanism teaches the basic shamanistic principles and practices underlying most cultural elaborations and specializations.

Alberto Villoldo of Palm Beach, Florida, teaches Andean- and Amazon-based shamanism "from a universal perspective." But this medical anthropologist admits that when discussing even universal shamanistic practices one cannot avoid bringing in issues of culture. Indigenous peoples tend to personalize their spiritual traditions based to a great extent upon the region in which they live. For example, most indigenous peoples have fire and pipe ceremonies, but the way these ceremonies are conducted might differ from culture to culture. Most indigenous spiritual traditions believe in animal guides; however, the animal energies summoned by a shaman might be quite different from those summoned by a djasakid, kahuna, or paco.

Yet Villoldo and other teachers say the teaching of shamanism must transcend culture. "The philosophy of stewardship of the earth, of honoring the sacred all around us, is a legacy that belongs to humanity," he says. Of course, like any other spiritual undertaking, the study of shamanism is no small thing. A weekend introduction can help you decide whether to study shamanism further, but it can’t make you an instant healer. Only study, practice, and spiritual growth can do that.

In indigenous societies, a person is given the designation of shaman based upon his or her ability to heal and to access the spirit world.

"Whether you become shaman or not is up to the spirits, not up to any one particular person," explains Tom Cowan, New York-based teacher of Celtic shamanism and author of Fire in the Head (HarperSan Francisco, 1993). "You might study with a shaman for 12 or 15 years, but if you can’t heal people and the spirits don’t cooperate with you, no one thinks of you as a shaman."

Richard Sandore, M.D., a former obstetrician whose own personal search lead him to the study of shamanism, concurs. "If people want an experience that gives them a sense of the spirit world or a feeling of an animal energy or spirit guide," he says, "you can get that in a day-long or weekend workshop." He cautions, however, that "to experience the practice of shamanism more deeply, attendance at longer courses or a series of courses is necessary."

Sandore, who now teaches Inca-based shamanic trainings, notes that even week-long or year-long shamanic courses can only provide an introduction to indigenous spiritual traditions. "If you really, really want to take a step out of the mentality of the world you’ve been living in and step into a whole new way of living. . .you can’t do that in a weekend. You can’t do that in a year of weekends. It has to be a lifelong commitment."

For that reason, respectable weekend shamanism workshops don’t pretend to bestow the title. Usually, they offer a broad view of shamanism and a few specific shamanistic techniques, thus giving attendees a "taste" of native spiritual traditions and some tools they can use to access the spirit world. "Journeying" techniques used for moving one’s consciousness into the spirit world commonly are taught and might include drumming, rattling, and chanting practices. Participants leave the workshop with techniques they can use to practice shamanism on their own.

In that spirit, Cowan encourages beginners in the study of shamanism. He agrees that "even taking ten workshops or studying for three or four years doesn’t necessarily make you a shaman." But study, he says, "can show you techniques you can use for your own spiritual practice and for healing."

Ed Kaleolani Spencer of Chicago, who spent nine years studying Hawaiian Kahuna practices with a native Hawaiian teacher, agrees. The more he learned about this particular indigenous spiritual tradition, he says, the "fuller" he felt. "I truly never felt I could feel as full as I do all of the time. There is never a moment I don’t feel incredibly full and incredibly blessed." Spencer now teaches Hawaiian energetics workshops based on ancient kahuna teachings.

Harner, too, reports that his study of shamanism "revolutionized my own ideas about reality." He adds that shamanism "has given meaning to my life. . .added a sense of compassion in relationship to our total planet and to God or the Great Spirit of the universe. It truly transformed my consciousness."

While the fact that interest in and offerings of shamanism classes continue to increase, debate has emerged among indigenous peoples over whether or not indigenous spiritual traditions should be taught at all, not to mention whether they should be taught only by indigenous people. Despite this debate, teachers in many indigenous cultures have committed themselves to sharing their wisdom. Peruvian shamans and elders, in particular, feel they must share their spiritual practices and philosophies, which contain a message of stewardship and healing of the Earth critical at this time in history.

And it’s true that many people who take a weekend shamanism workshop find themselves compelled to continue down this eco-spiritual path. Perhaps that’s because shamanism offers a way of connecting with nature and developing more respect for the planet on which we live.

All native traditions have an "earth-honoring" philosophy that views the Earth as a sentient being. In most cases, shamanistic cultures see every plant, animal, rock, or insect — indeed everything that exists upon the planet — as having its own spirit and its own consciousness. Thus, every aspect of the natural world is seen as sacred and deserving of respect.

"Long before Darwin, shamans considered us to be related to all other species," says Harner. "Thus, people who feel an affinity to nature, a desire to help improve our ecological problems or to connect with the natural world find themselves attracted to shamanistic teachings."

Indeed, shamanism’s Earth-honoring philosophy does seem to change many people’s views of the Earth and of our influence upon it. Although the steps people take to be more ecologically conscious may be small, they provide an indication of the difference the shamanic perspective could make if many people viewed the earth through the eyes of indigenous cultures.

Jack Gleason of Rockford, Illinois says that since taking a shamanism workshop, "I don’t take a flower or a blade of grass off this earth without asking permission and then giving tobacco, the universal gift to the earth, back as a gift."

Barbara Butterfly Dreamer adds, "It’s not acceptable to me to let a gum wrapper fall out of my purse and not pick it up. . .I can’t put a pop can in a garbage can any more. I carry it around until I find a recycler."

Spencer, too, says the study of shamanism gave him "a much greater and more profound sense of awe and respect at just how much is available to us, like food and air and water, and an irritation with how much damage we have done (to the Earth)."

Whether sharing in the practice of native spirituality actually will heal the Earth and save humankind — or whether both are on a path of destruction — only time will tell. In the meantime, those non-native people learning and practicing shamanism appear to hasten their own personal connection to spirit, create greater awareness of the need to honor the Earth and its resources, and, at times, achieve personal transformation. That is healing, whatever its name.

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