However, after 2 years of practising, I wouldn't called myself a Shaman. I'd refer to myself as a person undergoing shamanic self training. Until I was firmly rooted into Shamanism itself, if I had an ounce of dignity and self respect I wouldn't claim to BE an actual SHAMAN with the bare minimal of training. From what I comprehend, it's a long ongoing process. Fair enough if I'd been at it for ten-15 years, you know? But I'd say no self respecting Shaman would claim to be one after just two years. That's a fairly shallow statement for any Shaman.
Shamans and traditional healing are not as unlikely as some might think: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs134/en/
I went to an Inipi ceremony today. A local Shaman by my house hosted it, and I must say, I was really impressed. And sweaty. Lol.
I've been studying Shamanism for quiet some time now. It's a huge topic of interest for me. My Melungeon gggreat grandmother was descended from a long line of shamans and healers. She was branded a witch and ridiculed by neighbors for her lineage and "strange ways". Learning about this side of my family tree has put me in touch with my own healing abilities. I hope to learn about the intimate nuances of Shamanism with an actual medicine woman or man someday. That would be an amazing experience.
well my roomates call me a shaman , i have been studing since i was 15 , i see spirits and i can feel things . tho i have had teachers along the way i am still learning , so even tho i am learning i am also a teacher in some reagards . i would not nessarly call my self a shaman , but i have been dubed by most of my friends the ones that are open as the negiboorhood shaman . it is one thing to study the books it is another to take it to the next step even if it is doing a simple low magic protection spell to help some one , or to let that person know that some one has sent bad medince there way .
I'm not trying to say you're lying, any of you, but to be a Shaman you must be at complete unison with Mother, and be able to heal. There are many aspects you must be able to do. Shamanism is a gift, not a learned practice. It goes deep.
i am not exsactly a shaman , but to learn to become one u must study and share , that is what a shaman from mississippi told me , other than that my medience man friend i am such and that he found that i am much further on the path then he would have thought yes it is a comeplete thing but , u have to also find the goddess in all things to u may think some are lying but at the same time it take a lot of curage to even walk the medince path . healing is something i dont tell ppl becuae most wouldnt get it so i do it more on a one on one basiss
the title shaman is a lot more than the op realizes. To call oneself an shaman, you have to go thru a ton of training and it usually starts in young childhood. I highly doubt he is a shaman. I am not trying to be mean, but I can belive someone is studying shamanism, and practice a group of shamanism, but that doesnt automatically make them a shaman. Shamans tend to have 20 to 30 years of training. A good book to read about shamans, look up michael harner, he wrote a great book about shamans all over the world.
I think part of the problem with asking someone if they are a shaman is that the word shaman originates from one area of the world, and the practices of the people living there are probably quite different from the practices of people in other cultures to which the word 'shaman' has been applied by outsiders. For example people who call themselves 'brujos' are often called shamans by outsiders. What I find interesting is that many of the people who call themselves shamans or neo-shamans equate those words with 'healer' whereas in many cultures the magical practitioners which fall under the title of shaman are just as much engaged in killing as in healing. This is especially true among Amazonian 'shamans.'
i'm not sure... throughout my life, i've had many unusual experiences that seem to be either initiatory type experiences, or seeing beyond the physically manifest universe etc... something seems to be unfolding... i just wish my personality would catch up with what i believe to be true...
+1 :"p Takes years for one to be an accomplished shaman... Don't doubt anyone's ability here but to carry on the title of an accomplished shaman, is quite a weight to hold over your shoulders. I'm hoping on my next visit to South America I'll be able to venture out a bit more and hopefully be introduced to the shamans and their cultures. :3
? how many shamans does it take to enlighten a bulb .... ...how many shamans ? hey now , shamans are unaccountable .
a missionary is telling a shaman about all the healings done by Lord Jesus , and he's nodding along agreeably until ... hey , preacher , it's taboo to raise someone from the dead . i foolishly did that once to a spider , and surely it was bad when it rose and bit me and i died - but please do not mention this to anyone since it was purely the insanity of my youth .
I think there as many types of shaman as there are people but one definition i heard a long time ago holds true for me in all cases; 'One who has attained the condition of spirit'.
I partake of the plants that the shaman does (but many times everyone in the village will), but unless I were to go through a ceremony to become a shamen and I was blessed by an existing shamen I would not consider myself one.
