Shamanistic Wicca

Shamanic Multicultural Witchcraft derives from the traditions of witches and shamanic tribes from every part of the globe.Fact|date=January 2008

The biggest differences between Shamanic Wicca and other Wiccan traditions are a belief in the "Plant and Animal Nations", the belief in The Old Ones, the use of the Solar cross and the use of a Pentacle all use plants for medicinal and religious uses, and the practice of the Vision quest to obtain knowledge. Fact|date=January 2008

Beliefs

Shamanistic Wiccans believe the earth is a temple, and its plants and creatures are partners and teachers. Practitioners of Shamanistic Wicca worship two main deities that is both male and female at the same time, a mother who is their father, the Lady (the goddess - ruler of life) and the lord (her husband the god - ruler of the afterlife), who together created all that is, was, or will be. there are also many demigods who are worshipped by some practitioners. They respect all life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation.

Shamanistic Wiccans have also been known to hold many sacred plants, such as cannabis, mandrake, wormwood, salvia divinorum and dagga. Shamanic practitioners use them to attain an altered state of conscience (ASC), and Shamanic wiccan priests use these sacred herbs, daily as part of prayer, or to commune with the Gods or those of divinity. In some countries, practitioners are imprisoned or heavily fined for their beliefs.

Practices

The Rite of Awakening (A communion with the gods) is a rite of passage in many different Celtic, Druidic, and Witchcraft traditions. Similarly, shamanistic Wiccans believe in the importance of a personal spiritual awakening.Fact|date=May 2007 The New Age Spirit Quest usually involves the aid of rhythmic drumming and chanting, through which the Shaman enters an ecstatic trance. This trance frees the Shaman's consciousness from his/her body, allowing it to fly into the realms of the spirits, and to experience these realms with all the senses of his/her corporeal body. [cite book |last=Harner |first=Michael |authorlink=Michael Harner |title=The Way Of The Shaman |pages=pp. 20-21|year=1990 |origyear=1980 |location=New York, US |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers]

The Rite of Awakening borrows heavily from the mythology and symbolism of the Celts and DruidsFact|date=January 2008, the Neopagan, and the Neo-Shamanists.Fact|date=October 2008

Followers believe shamanic journeying is more than the mystical encounters with spirits; Shamans undergo the trance-journeys for self healing, the healing of others and the gathering of information. [cite book |last=Molin |first=Paulette |title=Encyclopedia of Native American Religions |pages=pp. 279, 314|year=2001 |origyear=1992 |location=New York, US |publisher=Checkmark Books] Like the pastors and priests in Western society, shamans are not self-appointed, but called to their tasks by the spirits themselves,and then must be trained and recognized by the Elders of the Community. [cite book |last=Eliade |first=Mircea |authorlink=Mircea Eliade |title=Shamanism |pages=pp. 13-19|year=1974 |origyear=1964 |location=Bollingen Foundation, US |publisher=Princeton University Press] [cite book |last=Villoldo |first=Alberto |title=Shaman, Healer, Sage |pages=pp. 30-35|year=2000 |origyear=1998 |location=New York, US |publisher=Harmony Books]

Shamanism and Native Americans

Unfortunately, the term "Shamanism" has been misused in popular culture for many years. The entertainment industry has used "medicine man" and "shaman" interchangeably (and usually inaccurately) to describe The Holy Men and Women of Native America. [cite book |last=Molin |first=Paulette |title=Encyclopedia of Native American Religions |pages=pp. 176-178, 247 |year=2001 |origyear=1992 |location=New York, US |publisher=Checkmark Books] The public began to assume that "Shaman" was a Native American word, and that "Shamanism" was a universal Indian Religion -- yet in reality, there is no "universal Indian Religion". [cite book |last=Kidwell |first=Clara |title=Native American Theology |pages=pp. 11-20|year=2003 |origyear=2001 |location=Maryknoll NY, US |publisher=Orbis Books] There are hundreds of Indian Nations in North America, [cite book |last=Waldman |first=Carl |title=Atlas of The North American Indian |pages=pp. 265-285|year=2000 |origyear=1985 |location=New York, US |publisher=Checkmark Books] each with its own culture, language, and spiritual belief system. Many of these Nations are very different from one another in their religious traditions, [cite book |last=Kidwell |first=Clara |title=Native American Theology |year=2003 |origyear=2001 |location=Maryknoll NY, US |publisher=Orbis Books] [cite book |last=Waldman |first=Carl |title=Atlas of The North American Indian |pages=pp. 66-74|year=2000 |origyear=1985 |location=New York, US |publisher=Checkmark Books] and none of them describe their beliefs as "Shamanism". [cite book |last=Molin |first=Paulette |title=Encyclopedia of Native American Religions |pages=pp. 265-268|year=2001 |origyear=1992 |location=New York, US |publisher=Checkmark Books] [cite book |last=Kidwell |first=Clara |title=Native American Theology |pages=pp. 32-51|year=2003 |origyear=2001 |location=Maryknoll NY, US |publisher=Orbis Books] Even from a scholarly standpoint, few Native systems can be accurately described as "Shamanism" - the ecstatic trance journey is simply not a major part of most North American Indian Cultures. [cite book |last=Molin |first=Paulette |title=Encyclopedia of Native American Religions |pages=pp. 178-179|year=2001 |origyear=1992 |location=New York, US |publisher=Checkmark Books] [cite book |last=Kidwell |first=Clara |title=Native American Theology |pages=pp. 59-61 |year=2003 |origyear=2001 |location=Maryknoll NY, US |publisher=Orbis Books]

This confusion was reinforced by the commercialization of the pseudo-Indian groups that sprang up in the late 1970s. These "New Agers" focus mainly on alternative healing methods and environmental awareness, and misrepresent themselves as genuine teachers of Indian Traditions, [cite book |last=Kidwell |first=Clara |title=Native American Theology |pages=pp. 174 |year=2003 |origyear=2001 |location=Maryknoll NY, US |publisher=Orbis Books] exploiting the stereotype of Native Americans as ecological warriors and spiritual healers. This practice is particularly offensive to traditional Native Americans. The teachings of these movements are neither traditional nor typical of Indian Beliefs, nor are they shamanic, as they rarely if ever stress the ecstatic trance-journey as a central practice. Yet the movement continues to misrepresent itself as both Indian and Shamanism.

As a result, [http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/not_shamans.html many Native Americans] see the use of the word "Shamanism" as the height of an offensive stereotype and commercial exploitation of their people's beliefs. Many "neo-shamanists" and scholars are sensitive to this issue, and strive to educate the public about exploitation of indigenous cultures, as well as correcting common misconceptions about the words "shaman" and "Shamanism".

References

ee also

* Core Shamanism
* Esbat
* Indigenous peoples of the Americas
* Native Americans in the United States
* Native American mythology
* Neopaganism
* Neoshamanism
* New Age
* Plastic shaman
* Shamanism
* Solar cross
* Vision quest
*Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon. Viking Press. New York, New York. 1979.

*Boire, Richard. "Accommodating Religious Users of Controlled Substances: A Model Amendment to the Controlled Substances Act". The Journal of Drug Issues. Vol. 24, Issue 2, p 463-81, 1994

*Doblin, Rick. "The Legacy of Timothy Leary's Research". High Times Magazine. (Special Tribute Supplement) 1996.

*Hruby, Paula Jo. Council On Spiritual Practices Entheogen Project: "Religion and Psychoactive Substances" section, http://www.csp.org/entheogen. 1998.

*Roberts, Thomas B. Council On Spiritual Practices Entheogen Project: "Religion and Psychoactive Substances" section, http://www.csp.org/entheogen. 1998.

*Schultes, Richard E. and Hoffman, Albert. Plants of the Gods: Origins of Hallucinogenic Use. McGraw-Hill Book Co. Maidenhead, England. 1979.

*Stafford, Peter. Psychedelics Encyclopedia. Ronin Publications Co. San Francisco, California 1992.

*Saunders, Nicholas. "The Agony and Ecstasy of God's Path". The Guardian. July, 1995

External links

* [http://www.spiritualnetwork.net/native/medicine_wheel.htm The Medicine Wheel - "Circle of Life"]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/index.htm Native American Religions - "The Internet Sacred Text Archive"]
* [http://www.ewebtribe.com/NACulture/sacred.htm Native American Culture - Internet Archive]
* [http://www.shamanism.org/ Shamanism Foundation for Shamanic Studies - "Home Page"]
* [http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4076/index1.html Shamanism "Working With Animal Spirits"]
* [http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/tribal_beliefs.htm Tribal Beliefs]
* [http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/First%20Nations%20Teaching%20Menu.htm Turtle Island's Native Cultures]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/not_shamans.html The Case Against Shamans In North American Cultures]
* [http://www.flamesfirepit.org/index.htm Shamanic Wicca and Pagan Philosophy]