Shamanism: An Exploration in the “Technique of Ecstasy” Introduction: The introduction provides a brief overview of shamanism as an ancient practice that is found throughout history and across cultures. This paper will examine traditional forms of shamanism, as well as neo-shamanism, the re-emergence of shamanic practices in contemporary Western culture. Ultimately, this paper argues that shamanistic practices are effective methods of healing developed and utilized as a spiritual path for thousands of years. Working Thesis: Despite the prevailing dismissive and often negative Western scientific attitude toward shamanism, this ancient method of healing is an effective practice that, through a transpersonal experience in which an individual undergoes a change in consciousness, the individual gains access to his or her archetypal, inner resources which results in healing, insight, and self-empowerment. Structure: I.
He hypothesized that cave art represented sexual symbols (Feder 238). Of the several theories relating to the meaning of Paleolithic art, the claim that cave paintings were created by shamans who mediated between the earthly and spirit world is most logical and persuasive. Shamanism, according to Richard Noll, “in some form, has appeared on all inhabited countries.” It is an “ecstatic healing tradition which, at its core, is concerned with the techniques for inducing, maintaining, and interpreting the experience of enhanced visual, mental imaging.” The shaman is a power figure in his society. He is a healer, mediator between the earthly and spiritual realm, and “purveyor of his culture” (Noll). There are several defining characteristics of Shamanism.
“The earliest evidence of its existence was found among shamans, who were also referred to as witch doctors, medicine men, or healers.” (Josie Hadley and Carol Staudacher, 1996, third edition, Oakland, New Harbinger Publications) however back then it wasn’t known as hypnosis, the correct term used was ‘shamanism’ and although both involve entering a relaxed state of mind, or consciousness, the overall methods were quite different. Shamanism requires the practitioner to enter into a ‘trance’ like state during the ritual whereas hypnosis requires the practitioner to guide the patient into a trance like state, using a relaxation technique, so the therapy can take
The influential High Priest Raymond Buckland said that a human's soul reincarnates into the same species over many lives in order to learn lessons and advance spiritually, but this belief is not universal, as many Wiccans believe in the reincarnation of the soul through different species. However, a popular saying amongst Wiccans is that "once a witch, always a witch", indicating a belief that Wiccans are the reincarnations of previous witches. Typically, Wiccans who believe in reincarnation believe that the soul rests between lives in the Otherworld or Summerland, known in Gardner's writings as the "ecstasy of the Goddess". Many Wiccans believe in the ability to contact the spirits of the dead who reside in the Otherworld through spirit mediums and Ouija boards. Though some disagree with this practice, such as High Priest Alex Sanders, who stated that "they are dead; leave them in peace."
Shamanistic Cults: A shaman, or medicine man, is a person with a culturally defined special relationship to super-natural powers, which he frequently uses to cure sickness. In many societies (especially among many foraging peoples), the shaman is the only kind of religious practitioner; that is, he practices the only kind of ritual and possesses the only kinds of abilities not available to ordinary people. Kuksu Cult was a shamanistic religion in Northern California practiced in different degrees by many Native American people before and during contact with the arriving European settlers. The religious belief system was held by several tribes in Central California and Northern California, from the Sacramento Valley west to the Pacific Ocean. The practice of Kuksu included elaborate acting and dancing ceremonies in traditional costume.
He displaced his family an spent years forging relationships with individuals who many would describe as the underbelly of society in order to produce his unprecedented ethnography. Issues discussed Some of the issues discussed in “The Hold Life Has” and “In Search of Respect” appear to be quite similar. Through each of the books, there are the major themes of drug use. Though in terms of this particular theme, the similarity stops at that. Allen’s study of the Runakuna illustrated that their use of coca is a very spiritual act.
Many of Achebe`s themes are not limited to the events in his novel, but relate to situations, in which traditional values are questioned and people from different cultures meet, the most profound impact being related to the themes of religion. One of the first aspects of life in the Igbo's land of Umofia to be affected by the arrival of the missionaries is religion and religious based values. An example of the Igbo's religious beliefs can be found when the priestess Chielo took away the character Ezinma, for she was a changeling, and was likely to be put to death. Despite the fact that she did not want this to happen, Ezinma's mother Ekwefi allowed her to be taken, knowing full well what Chielo intended to do, were it deemed necessary. While Ezinma's abduction was something that could have potentially meant her death, Ekwefi honored the traditions of her people, and did not voice any protest when the decision to do that was made.
Their main goal ounce again was to evangelize with the local people there about Christ. They stop many places including Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (Acts 13:13-20). They not only shared the gospel in these places, but they also established churches as well. Everywhere they traveled, one thing was obvious, they were evangelizing and preaching the word of God and raising people up to keep the church alive while they were gone. This tie in with Paul’s letter writing and even his epistles because everything he did even in later life was to help raise others up in the church and to save souls for the Kingdom of God.
There are two main aspects of Kongo religion that are quite distinctive. One is the practice of bringing down spirits of the dead to briefly inhabit the bodies of the faithful. The purpose of this is so that the ancestors may share their wisdom, providing spiritual assistance and advice to those here on Earth. Without exception, all such faiths in the Americas retain this central feature of Kongo faith. The other feature is the extensive work with Inquices (Enkises, Nkisi).
Many practitioners of traditional African religions worshipped a high god usually associated with the high skies, and other deities that were associated with natural features such as mountains, rivers and trees. Africans also looked to witchdoctors, shamans and other specialists in the sacred to use their divine powers to contact the spirits of ancestors and recently deceased relatives. In addition these people used their powers to bless and curse the living. Many African religions did not subscribe to scriptures of any kind, relying instead on oral transmission, visual symbols and rituals. In many sub-Saharan African countries, there are several churches that subscribe to traditional African religious practices.