What Is Shamanism?
If you are reading this page, you have probably asked the question "How do I become a Shaman?" or "How do I learn about Shamanism?". If it was the former and you are a conventionally raised Westerner, then I am sorry, you are going to be disappointed. You are not going to become a "Shaman" - the best you can hope for is to become wise enough to feel able to describe yourself as a Shamanic Practitioner or, more likely for most people, a Shamanic Person. If you want to learn about Shamanism, especially Core Shamanism, then you have come to the right place to start your journey.
I have to start by saying that we in the modern industrialised world have been brainwashed.You might not want to believe that but I am afraid it is true. Your parents, your teachers, your politicians, your priests (whatever religion they might belong to), the media, the medical profession and the mainstream scientific community have all played a part in brainwashing you - or to be more accurate, they have filled your mind with a program that contains all the ideas and lies that they want you to believe, in order to maintain the social status quo that has been constructed to enslave the masses for the benefit of the "elite".
Shamanic thinking can liberate you from this control program and set you free to be the powerful, infinite, multi-dimensional being that you really are. When you decide to become a "shamanic person" your life starts to become filled with magic and mystery - but, also, you start to feel at peace with yourself and the natural world. The insanity of the competitive, technological, political world that is swirling all around you becomes less important and fades into insignificance.
So, what is Shamanism?
Well, despite having an "ism" on the end of it - it is NOT a "religion". Nor could you say it is a philosophy. So what is it? The answer will probably depend on where you learn about it and who you learn about it from - cryptic or what! I like to think of Shamanism as a "way of knowing" - a way to know the truth.
Well, despite having an "ism" on the end of it - it is NOT a "religion". Nor could you say it is a philosophy. So what is it? The answer will probably depend on where you learn about it and who you learn about it from - cryptic or what! I like to think of Shamanism as a "way of knowing" - a way to know the truth.
See this video - Shamanism as a Spiritual Path
This is the accepted history of "Core Shamanism" - I personally don't agree with all of it because I believe there were extremely technologically advanced "civilisations" (with alien influenced agendas) on Earth 20,000 years or more ago i.e. - the civilisations of Atlantis and Lemuria which were destroyed by a massive cataclysm which threw the surviving humans back into the hunter gathering "stone age" that we "know" about through archaeology and anthropology.
This is the accepted history of "Core Shamanism" - I personally don't agree with all of it because I believe there were extremely technologically advanced "civilisations" (with alien influenced agendas) on Earth 20,000 years or more ago i.e. - the civilisations of Atlantis and Lemuria which were destroyed by a massive cataclysm which threw the surviving humans back into the hunter gathering "stone age" that we "know" about through archaeology and anthropology.
Traditionally the Shaman was the "medicine man or woman" of an Animist tribe of hunter gatherers. He or she was "the wise one" - the healer, the teacher, the guide, the prophet and the one who could "talk" to the unseen spirit world.
So to start with we have to look at Animism. For maybe 200,000 years (or more) all humans on planet Earth were Animists - they knew they were part of the natural world and they knew that all "things" had a certain level of consciousness. Stones, trees, animals, rivers, mountains, insects, clouds, fish, plants - everything was "conscious", everything was part of Great Spirit, including us weird and curious humans. And they were all, without exception, hunter gatherers. There was respect for Mother Earth and ALL her children.
Then two things happened. Around 13,000 years ago humans discovered agriculture and animal "herding". This was the beginning of the end of natural balance on planet earth. (Some suggest that there may have been some kind of "alien" interference with our DNA at this point in history and I believe this genetic manipulation is still going on - see the fake mRNA "covid vaccines" introduced in 2021). This period could also co-inside with the re-emergence of lost knowledge from the destroyed civilisations of Atlantis and Lemuria which is my personal opinion. Interesting point on possible DNA manipulation - all hominids on this planet have 48 chromosomes except Homo Sapiens who only have 46. This would appear to be an "evolutional" disadvantage due to loss of physical strength. But, it does encourage cunning and inventiveness in order to compensate and, more negatively, it makes Homo Sapiens easier to tame or domesticate than other hominids - make of that what you will.
So to start with we have to look at Animism. For maybe 200,000 years (or more) all humans on planet Earth were Animists - they knew they were part of the natural world and they knew that all "things" had a certain level of consciousness. Stones, trees, animals, rivers, mountains, insects, clouds, fish, plants - everything was "conscious", everything was part of Great Spirit, including us weird and curious humans. And they were all, without exception, hunter gatherers. There was respect for Mother Earth and ALL her children.
Then two things happened. Around 13,000 years ago humans discovered agriculture and animal "herding". This was the beginning of the end of natural balance on planet earth. (Some suggest that there may have been some kind of "alien" interference with our DNA at this point in history and I believe this genetic manipulation is still going on - see the fake mRNA "covid vaccines" introduced in 2021). This period could also co-inside with the re-emergence of lost knowledge from the destroyed civilisations of Atlantis and Lemuria which is my personal opinion. Interesting point on possible DNA manipulation - all hominids on this planet have 48 chromosomes except Homo Sapiens who only have 46. This would appear to be an "evolutional" disadvantage due to loss of physical strength. But, it does encourage cunning and inventiveness in order to compensate and, more negatively, it makes Homo Sapiens easier to tame or domesticate than other hominids - make of that what you will.
Anyway, for whatever reason, Humans began to feel a little "superior" to some of the other non human people and they began to "use" them. They took away the freedom to roam from certain types of animal and they cleared patches of natural plant life to grow edible "crops". The people were still "animist" in their attitude to the Universe and they still needed the Shaman to guide and heal them - only now he was responsible for a good harvest and a healthy herd or flock as well. The Shaman had to learn how to be a "politician" and to find "good lies" for the tribe if things went wrong. This was the beginning of politics and the end of "truth". This could be an unfair comparison with the corrupt, unscrupulous, psychopaths that run what we call "politics" these days (with a few notable exceptions) but since agriculture was dependent on many things to succeed (sun, rain, parasites etc.) the Shaman had to be able to explain any failures in a way the other tribe members might accept and understand. This problem never presented itself in a hunter/gatherer culture - it is the very nature of agriculture that was the "problem". It is unnatural, unethical and unhealthy.
Then around 6,000 years ago, (some say 10,000), seemingly from nowhere (but because of the success of totalitarian agriculture), the city states started to appear in the Mediterranean, Middle East, India and China. And with the city states came Kings and Queens and Emperors and serfs and peasants and slaves. And terrible inequality. And the bloody Sky Gods mythology. This was the beginning of "religion" - a very clever political tactic which allowed the "Few" to control the "Many". The kings created armies of soldiers to keep the people in check and to invade other city states and steal all their stuff. And kill all the men and rape all the women of course - this is a tradition that is still alive and well in the present day.
The shamans could see that this was all wrong. They could see that it was insanity. But the people were afraid of the Kings and their soldiers so they had lost all their power and all of their freedom - they dare not listen to the wisdom of the Shaman any more. They had to "believe" in some sky god - whoever the King decreed was "God". Truth and sanity were no longer available to the people. The Kings knew that the Shamans could be dangerous rabble rousers so they had their soldiers hunt them down and kill them. This has been a successful ploy that has been used right up to the present day.
So, what is Shamanism today? It is a "remembering" of the ways of Nature - of a time when people were free to think for themselves. It is learning how to be a true and real human being. It is about finding your "soul" and regaining your "power". It is learning to gain control of your life. It is about knowing the truth. Obviously the Shamanism of today cannot be the same as that of 200,000 years ago, nor can Shamanism in an urban environment be the same as that of a present day indigenous tribe but we humans can still learn how to be human again. This is what shamanism has to offer people today and this is what I am learning from people (and non human people) who are wiser than myself.
Then around 6,000 years ago, (some say 10,000), seemingly from nowhere (but because of the success of totalitarian agriculture), the city states started to appear in the Mediterranean, Middle East, India and China. And with the city states came Kings and Queens and Emperors and serfs and peasants and slaves. And terrible inequality. And the bloody Sky Gods mythology. This was the beginning of "religion" - a very clever political tactic which allowed the "Few" to control the "Many". The kings created armies of soldiers to keep the people in check and to invade other city states and steal all their stuff. And kill all the men and rape all the women of course - this is a tradition that is still alive and well in the present day.
The shamans could see that this was all wrong. They could see that it was insanity. But the people were afraid of the Kings and their soldiers so they had lost all their power and all of their freedom - they dare not listen to the wisdom of the Shaman any more. They had to "believe" in some sky god - whoever the King decreed was "God". Truth and sanity were no longer available to the people. The Kings knew that the Shamans could be dangerous rabble rousers so they had their soldiers hunt them down and kill them. This has been a successful ploy that has been used right up to the present day.
So, what is Shamanism today? It is a "remembering" of the ways of Nature - of a time when people were free to think for themselves. It is learning how to be a true and real human being. It is about finding your "soul" and regaining your "power". It is learning to gain control of your life. It is about knowing the truth. Obviously the Shamanism of today cannot be the same as that of 200,000 years ago, nor can Shamanism in an urban environment be the same as that of a present day indigenous tribe but we humans can still learn how to be human again. This is what shamanism has to offer people today and this is what I am learning from people (and non human people) who are wiser than myself.
To follow my personal journey from the beginning - go to the "My Journey" page and start in April 2020.
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