What is a Shaman?
Shamanism is based on the premise that invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living pervades the visible world. Shamanism is a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose cure and sometimes cause human suffering by traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times. The word shaman literally means, “to know”, or “he or she who knows”. Shaman therefore means someone who knows, is wise, a sage, a person with knowledge of magical and other lore, and the ability to cure a person and mend a situation, one acting as a medium between the visible and spirit worlds, one who practices sorcery for healing or divination, a religious leader and healer.
The essential characteristics of a shaman are the mastery of energy and fire as a medium oftransformation. A shaman understands that all things have a spirit. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, astral projection, and travelling to upper and lower worlds.
Covered during the Course:
- The History of Shamanism
- Shamanic Rituals and Ceremonies from across the globe
- Shamanic Objects
- Beliefs, Function, Soul Concept and Spirits
- Knowledge, Practice, Underlying beliefs of practice
- Methods, Paraphernalia and Totems
- The importance of rituals, Rituals in everyday life
- Rituals and ceremonies through the ages
- Meditation Rituals, Zen Rituals, Druid Rituals, Hedgewitch Rituals
- Tibetan Rituals, Elemental Rituals
- Rituals for Love and Harmony, Rituals for Success
Shamanism is a residential course conducted off-site. The Shamanism course begins early Friday evening with a ceremony; Saturday; and concludes Sunday.