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Shamanism exists in tribal cultures aroundthe world and has done so for
centuries. Yet, in reading most anthropological texts on Shamanism,
there is little, if any reference made to shamanism in Europe.
However Shamanism has existed among the peoples of Europe not only in
ancient times, but also through the present day. During the Middle
Ages, the Old Ways largely disappeared from public view because of
persecution. Yet they were not eradicated but took a more underground
existence. Today, there are some of us of European ancestry that are
bringing Shamanic ways rooted in pre-Christian Europe back into the
light.
Wiccan Shamanism is a term I began using several years ago in an attempt to
describe my own path of magick and spirituality in relation to the
other forms of Shamanism on the Planet. Wiccan Shamanism draws on the
Old but it is not simply an attempt re-construction and revival of
the Old Ways of tribal Europe. Wiccan Shamanism blends both the Old
and the New to suit the modern times in which we live. Although
emphasis is on European symbology and traditions Wiccan Shamanism is
multi-cultural, incorporating ways of other healers and magick
workers from many places and eras.
What follows is a glimpse into Wiccan Shamanism as I know it and practice
it. While Jim,Dennis, and others who help with various aspects of
CIRCLES work may share many of these concepts, I speak here
only for myself - for at the heart of this spiritual approach is the
idea that each person
must seek their own connection with the Divine, within their own
Self, rather than having me or anyone else do this for them. This is
not a path of a leader with followers, but a path where each becomes
their own leader.
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I call to the Powers of the Four Quarters -- to Earth in the North
which is the Realm of the Physical Body and Material Plane, to Air in
the East which is the Realm of Thoughts and Intellect, to Fire in the
South which is the
Realm of Will Power and Action, and Water in the West which is the
Realm of Emotions and Intuition. My Medicine Wheel is the Magick
Circle which connects the Four Quarters. The sacred places I frequent
include a high rock, a crystal clear spring fed pool in a hidden
valley and a circle of stones in a grove of Oak and Birch on a mound.
I am a channel between Planet Earth beneath my feet and the Heavens
above my head. I become the World tree when I Shamanize, linking the
transforming Dark of the Underworld with the Awakening Light of the
Upperworld.
I am the Crystal Light that is at the Center of the Circle and is the
fifth Element Spirit. I seek always to act out of MY own Inner Self
which is at the enter of MY being, for my Inner Self in the Balance
of all the Elements, of my Female and Male sides, of my Lunar and
Solar natures of my intellect and intuition my Inner Self is my
doorway into the realm where All is One.
I see the Circle of Life from the Center. I watch the Seasons change
as the Wheel of the Year turns and I celebrate the 8 sabbats. I
connect with the dance of Night and Day, of Fair and Stormy Weathers,
of the Waxing and Waning Moon. I see the cycle of Birth, Growth,
Maturity, Death, and Rebirth in all of Nature. I examine the cycles
of my own life and of the lives
of those who seek healing aid from me.
I am the traveler between the World of Daily Life and the Otherworld
which is the land of Dreams, visions and Spirits. I am a
Consciousness Explorer. the Otherworld is as real and as important to
me as the Day-to-Day World.
I bridge the Worlds rather than seeking to dwell solely in one or
the other. I journey into the Otherworld for a reason -- to bring
back healing and knowledge to apply to Daily Life, helping others,
myself and the Planet.
I see the Divine in all things. My friends and allies include not only
humans but also plants, animals, rocks, winds, waters, fire, stars,
and other life forms. I commune with the Source some call
"God" as both Mother
Goddess and Father God, for both aspects are necessary for the
Unity.
The main focus of my Shamanic work is Healing. I was called to this path
as a young child in dreams and Out-of-Body experiences, but I didn't
begin my work until my adult years when I started Healing myself. To
do this I journeyed alone into the Pit of my Shadow Self and came face-to-face with
my problems and hang-ups; my doubts fears, disillusionments,
rejections, angers and hurts; with all MY false self images. Words
can not begin to express the misery, the utter despair the
powerlessness I felt during this time. Yet coming apart was
essential; it enabled me to break through the barriers which I had
formed and let others form in my psyche that had kept me from being
one with my True Self. In the deepest Darkness, I felt the Light of
my own Inner Self beginning to shine through. I focused on the Light
and slowly emerged from the Pit, stronger and more integrated
than ever before and with the power to heal others as well as
myself. As a result of this transformation process, my life's work
became clear. I now help others from their own pits of negativity and
become whole again.
Yet my work also extends tomore than Humankind; it involves bringing
Healing to the Planet as a whole. In my communing with the Land, I
have heard the cries of the Earth mother, sorrowing over the
self-centered, greedy, intolerant, and destructive behaviors of many
of Her human children, who are polluting the soiled, waters, and air;
who are playing power games with nuclear fire; and who are polluting
the spiritual atmosphere of the entire world with their narrow
mindedness and hate. I am deeply concerned about survival -- not of
the Planer Herself for all the humans in the world can not destroy
Her even with all their weapons; She is too strong and powerful for
that to happen. What I am concerned about is the survival of the
human race -- will we annihilate ourselves and many of the life forms
around us, or will we wake up in time to see the larger picture, find
and implement creative solutions to the worlds problems, and enter a
New Age of expanded consciousness?
The Balance of Life can be restored on Planet Earth; Harmony can be
restored between humankind and other life forms; Love consciousness
can increase and be prevalent on the Earth. I, along with numerous
other healers and ministers from a variety of spiritual traditions
around the world today have responded to the upset of Mother Earth by
dedicating our lives to this Planetary Healing Work, each in our own
way. It is this Great Work that underlies all the healing and other
things I do. It is the Heart of Wiccan Shamanism.
First published in fall 1984 CIRCLE NETWORK NEWS; © 1984, CIRCLE, Box 219, Mt. Horeb WI 53572 USA.;