Post by bluefedish on May 24, 2007 19:31:45 GMT -5
Shamanism refers to a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world, mostly animal spirits. There are many variations in shamanism throughout the world. There are some beliefs that are shared by all forms of shamanism which include; the spirits can play important roles in human beings; shamans are to control & cooperate with spirits for the community's benefit; spirits can be good or bad; shamans get into a trance by sining, dancing, or drumming; the songs & dances describe the spirit's journey or the shaman's own personal journey to the other world; many shamans imitate many animals & bird spirits. This happens when the shaman's spirit leaves the body & enters into the supernatural world; the most important object is the drum becuase it symbolizes many things to a shaman. Somethings drums are decorated wiht rattles, bells, or bones to represent different spirits & animals & also depends on the region & the community.
Its practitioners claim the ability to diagnose & cure human suffering or to cause suffering. This is believed to be accomplished by traversing the axis mundi & forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, astral projection, & traveling to upper and lower worlds. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times.
Some anthropologists and religious scholars define a shaman as an intermediary between the natural and spiritual world, who travels between worlds in a state of trance. Once in the spirit world, the shaman would commune with the spirits for assistance in healing, hunting or weather management. Ripinsky-Naxon describes shamans as, “People who have a strong interest in their surrounding environment and the society of which they are a part.”
Other anthropologists critique the term "shamanism", arguing that it's a culturally specific word & institution that by expanding it to fit any healer from any traditional society it produces a false unity between these cultures and creates a false idea of an initial human religion predating all others. However, others say that these anthropologists simply fail to recognize the commonalities between otherwise diverse traditional societies.
Shamanism is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living. Shamans are often organized into full-time ritual or spiritual associations, as are priests, being the unordained priests of instinct.
If you're interested in more info about Shamanism you can also go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism.
Its practitioners claim the ability to diagnose & cure human suffering or to cause suffering. This is believed to be accomplished by traversing the axis mundi & forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, astral projection, & traveling to upper and lower worlds. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times.
Some anthropologists and religious scholars define a shaman as an intermediary between the natural and spiritual world, who travels between worlds in a state of trance. Once in the spirit world, the shaman would commune with the spirits for assistance in healing, hunting or weather management. Ripinsky-Naxon describes shamans as, “People who have a strong interest in their surrounding environment and the society of which they are a part.”
Other anthropologists critique the term "shamanism", arguing that it's a culturally specific word & institution that by expanding it to fit any healer from any traditional society it produces a false unity between these cultures and creates a false idea of an initial human religion predating all others. However, others say that these anthropologists simply fail to recognize the commonalities between otherwise diverse traditional societies.
Shamanism is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living. Shamans are often organized into full-time ritual or spiritual associations, as are priests, being the unordained priests of instinct.
If you're interested in more info about Shamanism you can also go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism.
