Shamans go into deep trance, where they actively interact with energy and manipulate images and metaphors to cause change to happen in the real world. That is, when the shaman is successful, the sick are healed, the mentally ill are cured, lost things are found, and so on.

Shamans receive their power directly from the spirit world, and they do whatever the spirits they trust direct them to do. Shamans do whatever is necessary to protect and heal their people and to get or keep the people in harmony with each other and the environment.

The work that a shaman does in the spirit world may include retrieving pieces of lost souls, battling with spirits or with sorcerors, finding lost things or people, obtaining spiritual guidance for the group, or getting information such as cures for injuries or illness. Shamans often guide the dead to the spirit world, help hunters find food for their people, and help bring rain or protect their people from extreme weather.

Shamanic Ceremonies

In our culture ceremonies are generally considered to be sort of formal shows put on to celebrate an achievement, to attract publicity, or both. In the shamanic world, ceremonies are powerful events set up for specific purposes. That is, ceremonies are set up to change the energy or cause things to happen in the spirit world and in this world.

Shamanic ceremonies generally include some ritual (standard, repeated) elements such as cleansing, prayer, and protection. But the ceremonies themselves, and even the ritual elements, are interactive with the spirits and energy. That is, no ceremony ever happens exactly the same way twice, because the energy is different every time.

During a ceremony, the shaman is constantly aware of the energy and the response from the spirits and is continually adapting what he or she is doing according to what is happening. So, for example, the cleansing or protection part of the ceremony may be longer or shorter, depending on what the shaman senses at the time.

Shamans often do public ceremonies to heal and protect individuals and the community. In ceremony, shamans may sing, dance, do surgery, recite poetry, make sand paintings, do slight-of-hand, administer plant medicine--whatever spirit leads them to do to get the job done. A single healing may include physical, spiritual, magical, theatrical, and psychological components. Whatever works.

Shamans also use private ceremonies to enhance their effectiveness and protect themselves and those around them while they journey to do their spirit work.

Making a Living

Although members of the community and the families of people they heal or otherwise help usually give shamans animals, food, or money, most shamans still need to support themselves. So most shamans also gather food and plant medicines, hunt, garden, herd animals, or whatever else they need to do to make a living.

Where a traditional culture exists within or next to a modern, westernized culture, a shaman may even have a day job in the dominant culture.

More information coming soon on what shamans do.

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