#neoshamans

[gnomedyke]

I've been pretty inactive here in terms of magic posting, but I've been working for a paper for my anthropology class comparing the ritual techniques, culture, and worldview between chaos magicians and shamans. Since I've already submitted I can share it here, if anyone is interested.

[asteroidtroglodyte]

Here’s a game:

In the tags, list your 3 favorite “weird” genres

“I like everything.”

[mbvvacationbibleschool]

Digital Drugs for Digital Times

Why do we do this? I think the connotation of getting loaded especially on hallucinogens, when it becomes entrenched as a part of the identity - fully assimilated and sought after as familiar or ritual territory - seemingly requires users to advocate for themselves in regards to their usage. In order to balance out the overall discourse of "drugs are bad," and the linguistic poverty of using a catch-all word like "drugs," do I have to romanticize or proselytize about my relationship to the hallucinogenic experience and the virtues it purveys? Many small L liberal thinkers find it repugnant to admit that some things are distinct or better than others - that ranking or discrete categories are illusory or signal low moral intelligence. Despite all this, we psychedelic heads are not like other girls. We aren't like stodgy religious folks, or like the deluded masses, and certainly not like the junkies who use opioids, alcohol, stimulants.

It seems that different classes of drugs seem to have opinions of their own and that they bring the people who use them to certain conclusions - be it in their ideological perspectives or lifestyle. Stereotypes.

I'm allergic to stereotypes. I cannot stand noticing that I'm being cliché and I hate realizing I am stereotyping others. It seems inescapable. I've opted to try and seek closure with fitting into certain molds while trying to portray the good side of the communities I represent- I think that's all you can do. I don't even think I do a good job. If I'm so enlightened, why do I have such meager socioeconomic achievements? Why do I still have difficulties in my interpersonal relationships? Why can't I overcome my flaws? If the fruits of this practice were so objective, surely I would have physical evidence.

When the famous western LSD Guru Ram Dass ran into an old friend, the guy said to him "you haven't changed a bit."

Wherever you are, there you go. Nothing I know changes me. If anything, trying too hard to overcome your instincts can make a person seem like a self-righteous asshole. Why do I bother to dedicate so much ink, paper, and long white-knuckled evenings on the spiritual usage of psychedelics?

The hallucinogens in particular to me highlight what is important with glittering gold and allow me to stop ignoring patterns as pattern recognition and abstract or synesthetic feeling starts being enhanced- that black implies white, up implies down, etc... They allow me to perceive connections in my mind, literally. The hallucinogenic experience often portrays different mental constructs or beliefs as visual objects that are also perceived synesthetically in their entire emotional complexity. A higher dimensional object, or at least the raw qualia of it.

The sensation of the "groundlessness of being" as talked about in Buddhist circles- often shows up. It can feel like there is no distinction between self and other, that all objects are made of the same substance (consciousness). The challenge is figuring out if this feeling is true to the external environment - as the universe is of one conscious essence of which we are a part- or if this is an illusion crafted by realizing that everything a mind experiences is mind.

1- I seem to be a thing that thinks.

2- The things I think are all that I can experience

3- Therefore - am I part of everything, or is this an illusion created by reaching the end of my own neurons?

Either way, there is empirical evidence that we cannot access the world as it really is. Many people with deep psychedelic experiences feel that what they see is more true than the sober perspective.

The feeling of unity, combined with experiencing the flow of infinite time and space evokes my archetype of divinity. I am a cell in a body, I am moss on a surface of a much larger being. Feeling to be part of the fabric of the universe itself or God makes a very convincing argument that one ought to be like the god they see inside themselves during the trip as a fact in the world, as a fact to act upon. That is to say, it argues for our divinity as an entire universe contained within ourselves- and the universe that contains us as well- are micro and macrocosmic structures of the same fabric. We are gods. At the very least- we are partially responsible for creating the world we live in within ourselves, and that collectively, we create the world without.

The world presented during the trip is perfectly reflecting one's tenuous mental state- a person can feel ecstacy and horror, anxiety, despair, confusion, or emotion with indescribable complexity and specificity. This teaches a person that they are always - loaded or not- to some extent existing entirely within a construct of a mind, that emotion and connotation are a gloss applied to color and inform perception, and that many concepts are portrayed by the brain AS sensation. This is spelled out experientially by the drug.

Hopefully all of this deep inner work can yield insight and growth in consensus reality. Sometimes it does, sometimes we are spinning our tires. Can I trust that I've experienced it enough times to integrate the "revealed truth?" Can anything be done about feeling that the entire world will view me as delusional or criminal? I'm forced to care when other people find my practice repugnant.

By wrestling with this, most would take it as a sign that I'm "coming to my senses" and that all of this psychedelic dabbling was demonic or bullshit after all. I just want to dig in my heels instead. I have staked my life on a belief. I'd give anything for it to be true.

I think sometimes I want to be applauded for my spiritual and intellectual achievements in a way that I can point it to LSD without somebody applying all these negative labels to the claim I'm making. I wish that my "enlightenment" was a binary condition that somehow caused a cascade of ending history and suffering, or that I could make people see what I do, to see what LSD is for themselves. I don't want to take all the credit. I want it to go to the cause. I really believe that this stuff has the answer.

Now I understand these Christians. This experience is available to anyone who is willing to accept the grace of God by taking the tabs and submitting themselves to an experience. The problem is that life goes on after the conversion, and it becomes mundane once again. Closure is an emotion. Deconstructive philosophy dissolves. I'm left with nothing but a memory of feeling like I knew the answer. If I want to feel that way again, I have to take LSD again. Bruh.

[blacklightsociety]

Thought For the Day

Uranium, coal, pollutants… our shamanism goes far beyond plastic.

[monotheistreal]

Delve into the profound realm of Shamanism with our latest video on Monotheist. Uncover the essence of Shamanic practices, rituals, and spiritual connections in this comprehensive guide for beginners. Whether you're new to the spiritual realm or seeking advanced insights, this video serves as a gateway to the profound wisdom of Shamanic traditions. Join us on a transformative exploration of self-discovery and healing. Subscribe to Monotheist for engaging content on spirituality. Like, share, and hit the bell to stay connected. Embark on a journey of enlightenment with us. #Shamanism #SpiritualJourney #MysticalWisdom #HealingEnergy #SelfDiscovery #AncientRituals #EnlightenmentPath #SpiritualExploration #Monotheist #InnerTransformation #trending #viral #explore #reels

[sspacegodd]

My spirit animal is paint thinner.

[urlasage]

.

        .

     .

smiling in

APPRECIATION

                              .

                       .                             .

                                                     .

[painthropologist]

Recommended readings on pain

The following is a comprehensive reference list of readings on pain, embodiment, and ritual, to name a few of the topics that I will be discussing. This list will be updated as and when I find new sources, and covers various subjects from anthropology to sociology, philosophy, and beyond.

Adler, M. (2006). Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other Pagans in America. 4th ed. USA: Penguin Books. 

Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost (2024). Om Bifrost. Available at: https://bifrost.no/om-bifrost (Accessed 13 June 2024).

Asprem, E. (2008). Heathens Up North: Politics, Polemics, and Contemporary Norse Paganism in Norway. The Pomegranate, 10(1): 41-69. 

Aðalsteinsson, J.H. (1998). A Piece of Horse Liver: Myth, Ritual and Folklore in Old Icelandic Sources. Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan Félagsvísindastofnun.

Belardinelli, A.L. and Bonsaksen, J.A. (2020). An Ancient Perspective.  Available at: https://www.churchofpain.org/about (Accessed: 5 March 2024).

Bell, C. (2009). Ritual Theory, Ritual practice. New York: Oxford University Press. 

Eliade, M. (1969). The Quest: History and Meaning in Religion. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Calico, J.F. (2018). Being Viking: Heathenism in Contemporary America. Sheffield: Equinox.

Durkheim, E. (2012). The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. New York: Dover Publications.

Fibiger, M.Q. (2018). Thaipusam Kavadī – A Festival Helping Hindus in Mauritius Cope with Fear. International Quarterly for Asian Studies, 49(3-4): 123-140.

Fonneland, T. (2015). The Rise of Neoshamanism in Norway: Local Structures-Global Currents. In: Kraft, S.E., Fonneland, T., and Lewis, J.R. Nordic Neoshamanisms. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 33-54.

Geertz, C. (1973). Religion as a Cultural System. In: The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. New York: Basic Books Inc, pp. 87-125. 

Glucklich, A. (2001). Sacred Pain: Hurting the Body for the Sake of the Soul. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gunnell, T. (2015). The Background and Nature of the Annual and Occasional Rituals of the Ásatrúarfélag in Iceland. In: Minniyakhmetova, T., and Velkoborská, K., (eds.) The Ritual Year 10: Magic and Rituals and Rituals in Magic. ELM Scholarly Press. 28-40.

Harvey, G. (2013). The Handbook of Contemporary Animism. New York: Routledge.

Hobsbawm, E. (2012). Introduction: Inventing Traditions. In: Hobsbawm E., Ranger T., (eds.) The Invention of Tradition. Canto Classics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1-14.

Hobsbawm, E., and Ranger, T. (2014). The Invention of Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Jackson, J.E. (2011). Pain and Bodies. In: Mascia-Lees, F.E. (ed.) A Companion to the Anthropology of the Body and Embodiment. UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Kleinman, A., Das, V., Lock, M. (1997). Social Suffering. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Lee, N. (2022). On a Wind-Rocked Tree: Pain as Transformation in Contemporary Heathenry. In: Strickland, S., Hunter, L., and Mullin Berube, S. Riding the Bones. USA: The Three Little Sisters. Appendix D.

Luhrmann, T.M. (2012). Touching the Divine: Recent Research on Neo-Paganism and Neo Shamanism. Reviews in Anthropology, 41(1), pp. 136–150. 

Manfredi, F. (2024). Beyond Pain: The Anthropology of Body Suspensions. New York: Berghan.

Mauss, M. (1973). Techniques of the Body. Economy and Society, 2(1): pp. 70-88.

McLane, J. (1996). The Voice on the Skin: Self-Mutilation and Merleau-Ponty's Theory of Language. Hypatia, 11(4): 107-118.

Mitchell, J. (2009). Ritual Transformation and the Existential Grounds of Selfhood. Journal of Ritual Studies, 23(2): 53-66.

Obeyesekere, G. (1981). Medusa’s Hair: An Essay on Personal Symbols and Religious Experience. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Pagliarini, M.A. (2015). Spiritual Tattooing: Pain, Materialization, and Transformation. Journal of Religion and Violence, 3(2): 189-212.

Polhemus, T. (1998). The Performance of Pain. Performance Research, 3(3): 97-102.

Rappaport, R.A. (1999). Ritual and Religion in the Making of Humanity. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Rasmussen, R.H. (2020). The Nordic Animist Year. Estonia: Ecoprint.

(2023). Aun 2031. Available at: https://nordicanimism.com/aun-2023 (Accessed: 19 March 2024).

(2024). Aun: Cannibal Kings, Cosmic Healing and the Recovery of a Nordic Tradition. Estonia: Ecoprint.

Reynolds, C. and Erikson, E. (2017). Agency, Identity, and the Emergence of Ritual Experience. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 3(1): 1 –14.

Scarry, E. (1985). The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World. New York: Oxford University Press.

Shilling, C. & Mellor, P. (2010). Saved from pain or saved through pain? Modernity, instrumentalization and the religious use of pain as a body technique. European Journal of Social Theory, 13(4): 521-537. DOI: 10.1177/1368431010382763.

Snook, J. (2013). Reconsidering Heathenry: The Construction of an Ethnic Folkway as Religio ethnic Identity. Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 16(3): 52-76. 

von Schnurbein, S. (2016). Norse Revival: Transformations of Germanic Neopaganism. Boston: Brill.

Viljoen, M. (2010). Embodiment and the experience of built space: The contributions of Merleau-Ponty and Don Ihde. South African Journal of Philosophy, 29(3). DOI: 10.4314/sajpem.v29i3.59153.

[noneofthisisreal]

While the word totem itself is an anglicisation of the Ojibwe term (and both the word and beliefs associated with it are part of the Ojibwe language and culture), belief in tutelary spirits and deities is not limited to the Ojibwe people. Similar concepts, under differing names and with variations in beliefs and practices, may be found in a number of cultures worldwide. The term has also been adopted, and at times redefined, by anthropologists and philosophers of different cultures. Contemporary neoshamanic, New Age, and mythopoetic men's movements not otherwise involved in the practice of a traditional, tribal religion have been known to use "totem" terminology for the personal identification with a tutelary spirit or spirit guide.

Totem - Wikipedia

[wxlfbites]

Yeah no offense but you don’t need to be griping about the quality of taxidermy from this person to all of tumblr. Taxidermy scraps (regardless of quality) can range anywhere from $15-50 US dollars, depending on the kind of scrap or tail, and the seller. Bitching about it on tumblr (and frankly in the otherkin tags, that has nothing to do with this??) seems petty and very rude. Unless someone is actively assaulting, harming, or grooming people, you don’t need to be doxxing.

1.) How is this doxxing? Nowhere in that post did I mention the persons legal name, their address (let alone even their state), or any identifying information other than their public Etsy shop name. Stop using buzzwords you don’t even understand.

2.) The problem is that she’s very very intentionally trying to sell scrap quality tails as high quality, spiritual taxidermy when it’s anything but. To quote some things directly from her shop:

“”My experiences range from the cerebral (a Master's degree in counseling psychology emphasizing ecopsychology) to the spiritual (over a decade's practice in neopaganism and neoshamanism).

“”Since 1998, I've been working with hides, bones, beads, and other such things in my artwork. I've created ritual tools, sacred costumery, jewelry and other devotional objects.

“” I began this work almost fifteen years ago as a way to honor the animals who once wore these skins and bones. I wanted them to have a better "afterlife" than being a trophy on someone's wall or a coat in a closet. The artistic and spiritual are very deeply entwined in my work, and every creation, no matter how simple, is a devotional to these sacred remains.

“”I've shared more about what I do and how others can take part through my writings. I have several books in print, including "Skin Spirits", a how-to book on the spiritual as well as practical end of working with animal parts and "Skull Scrying", a booklet on using animal skulls in divination. My latest book is "Nature Spirituality From the Ground Up: Connect With Totems In Your Ecosystem" from Llewellyn Publications.

“”I offer years of experience and finely-honed creativity in my work, and a strong spiritual component to my creations.

“”The majority of the animal parts and other components are secondhand or salvaged, either from old fur coats and the like, or discarded from the fur coat industry, or old jewelry and other found objects, though be aware there are some newer/not recycled remains incorporated in some projects as well.

So she’s been in the business for well over two decades, which means not only should she have the skill, but the knowledge, to distinguish between what kind of tail is considered scrap and what isn’t. Nowhere in any of her taxidermy listings does she specify that they are scraps. She is selling them as whole items that are of high quality.

She specifically mentions her spirituality being part of her work multiple times, even including her personal beliefs (not just general “please respect this tail” stuff) on how to care for the animal spirit that is attached to the tail. Now, don’t get me wrong, I personally believe taxidermy can retain spirits, but to quote the letter she included with my tail:

“You can connect with the spirit of the tail itself” […] “Before you put the tail on to wear it, ask the spirit of the tail for permission”.

This to me, even as a pagan myself, seems inappropriate to ask of someone who bought something from you over the internet.

I’ve literally been buying tails from Etsy shops since 2012, this is the most expensive tail I’ve ever bought, and never once have I seen a tail in such poor condition. If I’m paying almost $50 for something I am being told is high quality, by someone who claims to have over 20 years of experience, I expect that! And so should everyone else. I also recently started doing taxidermy myself. I work with bones and I just finished my first preserved rabbit foot. Even my rabbit foot, on my first try, is better quality than Lupa’s tail and if I sold him I’d only ask $15 max! $47 for something I’ve seen done better at my local renaissance fairs by people who only just started working with animals and going for $20 is outrageous.

Finally, you don’t know how reviews work, clearly. Just because I’m not kissing the feet of the seller and spouting on about how much I love being ripped off, doesn’t mean I’m bitching. I’m giving my honest opinion and review on a shop to inform others what to expect if they purchase it. I didn’t tell anyone not to buy from her, I didn’t say she was a piece of shit, I didn’t disrespect her in anyway. I gave facts about the quality of the tail and my opinions about whether I thought it was worth it. Which it isn’t.

Ya’ll kids be getting soft in the head if you can’t even read a review without whining about doxxing and bitching and being a bully.

(Also side note, I put it in the otherkin tags and shit because if you took 5 seconds to look at my account, you’d know I’m nonhuman so I’m posting in nonhuman tags. And if you took another 5 seconds to look up the seller, she also at one point identified as otherkin, has marketed her taxidermy and books to otherkin and has written books specifically about otherkin, making her a prominent figure in otherkin spaces.)

[nicopoussain-blog]

Le mur de Bordeaux N°48 par Ruben Carrasco En ce moment à la galerie Magnetic Art Lab pour l’exposition Neoshamans , l’artiste Muraliste Mexicain a participé au Mur de Bordeaux. L’oeuvre est à voir dans les Chartrons , place Avisseau. #Rubencarrasco #Neoshamans #renard #fox #Plmgt #polemagneticartlab #graffitiart #murdebordeaux #Frozentimes #NicoPoussain #Urbanartbordeaux #streetartphotography #streetphotographie #photographiederue #citytrip #Bordeauxmétropole #Bordeauxmaville #Streetartfrance #Streetarteverywhere #Loveart #Bordeauxstreetart #Streetartbordeaux #graffiti_n_wallart #rsa_graffiti #jj_urbanart #tv_streetart #streetartofficial (à M.U.R de Bordeaux) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ddTuDCFwK/?igshid=113d4tqrlchog

[shamandrummer]

Becoming a Shaman

Many people in today's world are being called by spirit to become shamans. A yearning exists deep within many of us to reconnect to the natural world. It is a call to a life lived in balance with awareness of nature, of spirit, and of self. We live in a culture that has severed itself from nature and spirit. Humans have lost touch with the spirit world and the wisdom of inner knowing. The spirits, however, have not forgotten us. They are calling us to a path of environmental sanity, to rejoining the miraculous cycle of nature.

The spirits call many to work with them, but only a few may respond to the call. Choosing to ignore a calling may have undesirable consequences or none at all. For some, it can lead to depression and illness as the life force is constricted and thwarted. Those who choose to follow their shamanic calling may have no idea how to begin.

What do you do if the ancestral shamanic tradition no longer exists in your culture, but you still feel the call today? While traditional, indigenous shamanism continues to decline around the world, shamanic ideology has gradually entered Western humanities and social sciences and developed into the neo-shamanic movement. Neo-shamanism is a term used to describe the creation or revival of a shamanic culture. Most modern shamanic practitioners fall into this category. Neo-shamanism is not a single, cohesive belief system, but a collective term for many such philosophies. Neo-shamans use a variety of core techniques from different shamanic disciplines.

Mircea Eliade, a religious scholar, was perhaps the first to write about neo-shamanism. In his classic work, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, Eliade discusses the three stages of becoming a shaman: the Call, Training, and Initiation. The first stage to becoming a healer, as described by Eliade, is that of the calling--this call comes from the family, the community, or from the world beyond. Some are called, initiated and trained by spirit guides and/or human teachers from childhood.

Spirit calls us to a path of shamanism in many ways. It can be as dramatic as a life threatening illness or as simple as a dream. Some people receive signs of a shamanic calling through their dreams. Shamans frequently journey during their dreams, often flying through the air. Shamans may have recurring dreams in which they meet certain animal or teacher figures that are manifestations of the very spirits who are calling them.

The more common signs of a shamanic calling are ones of personality, such as a desire to spend time alone in nature. Shamanic candidates tend to be loners and are often considered eccentric or "different." One of the most reliable signs of a shamanic calling is the urge to learn about shamanism. One of the things I have learned working with spirits is that they often prompt me through urges to do one thing or another. This is a common form of communication and instruction by helping spirits. The very fact that you are reading this post at this time is meaningful. It is the spirits themselves who are guiding you to search for information about shamanism. Your yearning to learn more about shamanism is a sign that the spirits are calling you. The call functions to awaken your own inner knowing and the yearning to express your true self through the artistry of the shaman.

Shamans are called, and then receive rigorous instruction. Training may follow an ordered tradition or take a spontaneous course guided by the shaman's spirit helpers. The function of training is to develop the skills and talents so that shamanic practitioners don't unintentionally hurt themselves or others. Though the spirits give shamans their healing powers, shamans must learn the technique of invoking them. Traditional shamanic training requires considerable devotion and personal sacrifice, not so much to gain power, but to become the person who can wield that power responsibly. Ongoing practice and learning are essential to perfecting any art or skill.

Where does one find shamanic training in the digital age? There are growing numbers of spiritual seekers who learn about shamanism from the internet or through reading the published works of individuals who have received shamanic training. Though a handbook is no substitute for an apprenticeship program, it can convey the fundamental methodological information. Authentic shamanic knowledge can only be acquired through individual experience; however, one must first acquire the methods in order to utilize them. Once you have learned the basic skills, your helping spirits can provide you all the training you need.

Then there is Initiation. Shamanic initiation is a rite of passage, connecting the apprentice shaman intimately to the spirit world. It is typically the final step in shamanic training, though initiation may be set in motion at any time by spirit's intervention into the initiate's life. Ultimately, shamanic initiation takes place between the initiate and the spirit world. It is the spirits who choose and make the shaman.

How does someone embark on the shamanic path? To be an effective shamanic healer, one must go through the three steps. The first step is to acknowledge the calling.

[viadescioism]

Healing Techniques in Applied Shamanism with Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D.

[urlasage]

.           .       . t r u t h         and authenticity            .     .  .                                         .

are the true healers

[wisdomnohokora]

I finally had an opportunity to open my mail and enjoy the contents of my packages. One of those happened to be a treasure trove of goodies I ordered from @stasiaburrington Of this order are two prints I discovered on her Etsy. The first was titled “Ghost” and the second was titled “Double Spoon”. I’m not going to lie, “Ghost” brought tears to my eyes when I saw it. While this piece is about missing someone and grief, I saw a couple in love. As someone who is a spirit spouse, is naturally polyamorous, and has the Kamisama calling, it is hard to find representation due to the controversial nature of this topic in the spiritual community. I understand why, but I do think there should be more understanding that these practices are still alive in certain spiritual lineages and for me and many others they are culturally and spiritually legitimate. I know that in the future I may have to start being less vocal about the shamamic nature of my calling (due to possible future ordination), but for now I want to be open and comfortable about myself and my special relationship with my Kamisama. I’m so grateful for all the support and love I have received until now, so thank you all for being here. I’m definitely going to be framing these and hanging them in my new apartment. ❤️ #stasiaburrington #art #prints #polyamorous #spiritspouse #shinto #kami #gods #kannagi #kamisama #shamanism #neoshamanism #shinshoku (at Honolulu, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPuQwB9HO9J/?utm_medium=tumblr