Shamanic Initiation & Illness: A Process of Death and Rebirth
SHAMANISM
What is it exactly? The word shaman stems from the ancient word “saman” which can be interpreted as the one who knows, or “sa” meaning knowledge. Over time, anthropologists have adopted the word shaman. Shamans were the wise leaders of the ancient tribes communicating with the spirit realm for healing others, much like a bridge between the physical world of form and the spiritual realm. They partake in altered states of consciousness and shamanic journeying to gather information from spirits to share knowledge for their people. Assisting souls to the other side, as well as soul retrieval are other practices a shaman practices.
In the ancient world, shamans were chosen by the spirit world, not by the members of the tribe or an elder of the tribe. In today’s modern world, people attend weekend workshops on how to become a shamanic healer. This is nothing like the classical view of what it truly means to become a chosen shaman. The modern culture has glorified shamanism and made it seem like anybody can become a shamanic healer. There may be some truth to devoted study and practice of shamanism facilitating growth and the ability to help others, but becoming a true shaman, the bridge between the unseen and the seen worlds is a completely different process.
This process is very misunderstood today and seems to have been in lost throughout the drastic societal changes in how we live life. In the ancient culture, living in harmony with the land and using natural medicines for healing was the norm. The culture was not full of consumerism and material goods to become addicted to purchasing. Life was simpler, maybe it was more difficult in some sense, but simpler.
Now we live amongst modern conveniences, mass farming production, modern allopathic medicine, and the birth of non-stop entertainment and screen time, we have lost our connection to the ways of nature. Whether we like it or not, we have all become accustomed and addicted to having lots of stuff! However, just because we live in a different way than hundreds of years ago, does not mean that people will not be “called” to become shamans, or vessels of communication between the spiritual realm and the world of form. This rite of passage still exists even if our society has lost its true essence.
SHAMANIC INITIATION & ILLNESS
When a shaman is called or chosen by the spiritual world, the person will often be hit with a dramatic illness. This can be a difficult physical illness, a mental illness, or both. It can be so bad it brings them to a literal physical death. If the person does not accept the call, the illness often intensifies until they embrace their chosen role. The spirits can literally torment the person until the brink of utter madness.
Often the initiate will be drawn to isolate away from the tribe, endure physical and mental disturbances, to then connect with his or her spirit guides, in order to fully heal themselves. Through altered states of consciousness, or dream states, there is often a complete destruction of the body by the spirits involved, a dismemberment of body parts, and then a total reconstruction. The person is given a strong healthy body.
Once they have a total rebirth and move into the power of spirit, they return to lead the tribe and become healers, storytellers, and medicine workers for the rest of the community.
The ancient cultures new when a person was going through this dramatic transformation, a shaman had been selected. This was an accepted process that was welcomed by all members of the tribe as a blessing, even though the person may endure a horrific experience. The unconscious shadow comes blazing to the surface to be seen, understood, and transformed. The initiation could take months and often many years until fully complete.
The initiation and illness are specific to each individual. Given what their inherited gift will be, they must walk the path themselves in order to truly know it. Their initiation is unique to them and will facilitate the transformation they need to step into their true power with spirit. The entire process is often discussed as clearing away of the old, the old physical debris, emotional disturbances, trauma, and the false illusions of the ego mind to become a “hollow bone,” or a clear channel for a connection with the spirit realm.
SHAMAN OR MENTAL ILLNESS?
The conditioned world will not see someone on the brink of madness as an opportunity for transformation. The psychiatric community at large will probably deem the person mentally ill, schizophrenic, psychotic, all the terms they use to label the unstable minds of today. Then they will be forcibly injected with seriously powerful and dangerous tranquilizers and tossed into a mental asylum for the remainder of their life. Sounds like a compassionate way to help those in need, doesn’t it?
But is a true shaman really mentally ill? Are they going to suffer throughout their entire lifetime with this impossible challenge? Or is it a temporary period they will rise up from to become a true grounded leader to help assist others? The ancient cultures and experiences recorded seem to suggest otherwise.
Our modern practices today grant someone authority over a subject when they’ve read it for years, studied it, tirelessly researched it, and then received a certificate of knowledge on the subject. The shamanic way points toward an entirely different way of knowledge, through direct experience, even if that experience takes on a very radical approach.
Today the medical world is so quick to jump in and intervene that we rarely see the evolution of a real authentic transformation. Unless you find a true shaman, or spiritual mentor with knowledge on the possibilities of spiritual awakening and transformation, you will struggle to find anyone that can help.
If you are struggling with phenomenon that doesn’t make sense, and the medical community is unable to help you, seek a seasoned shaman who may be able to offer other insight into your experience. Having someone who can offer healing advice can make a world of difference in your own acceptance of where your destiny lies.
DEATH AND REBIRTH AS A TRANSFORMATIVE AWAKENING
When the shamanic initiation is completed, the individual has gone through a death of an old self and a total rebirthing. They have cleared out all the false debris and essentially become a clear channel to work with spirit. Spirit seems to facilitate this entire process. It is not something the future shaman decides for him or herself. It is a natural destined process that must be accepted to experience a true transformation. When it’s embraced and the shaman becomes the student, he or she steps into their role as leader, healer, and wisdom keeper to assist others in their community.
There are other traditions throughout the world that have very similar outcomes. Kundalini awakening, transpersonal psychology, spiritual awakening, altered states of consciousness, and any other paranormal experience can open a person to the spiritual side of themselves. It may have been hidden in the background completely unknown until an event occurs that ignites the process. This process can be described in numerous ways, however, all of the above traditions seem to point at the same thing. There is a death of a believed identity, and a rebirth into a new more expanded and boundless life with the unseen world.
Our modern society does not include any of these experiences as a valid interpretation for what a person’s transformation may look like. Anything that is unprovable by science is immediately tossed off as impossible or crazy. Somewhere throughout history, the ancient wisdom of shamanic initiation, or any other spiritual awakening, has been tossed into the background. Was this intentional, you can be the judge of that?
However, the modern world has veered away from nature and our true connection to spirit. We have lost our intuition and instead rely on Google and Siri for our knowledge. Religion has lured people in to Sunday services, without much information on creating our own spiritual life with spirit.
The ancient shamans trusted the spiritual realm for guidance. They had complete trust in the unseen power and allowed it to guide them. They valued the shamanic initiation as a positive experience designed to help everyone. This is unheard of as a culture today. There is no elder group facilitating rites of passage and spiritual transformation. If you mention this as a possibility, many will stare at you like a deer in headlights wanting nothing to do with the conversation.
Moreover, just because our current society has turned away from living spiritually, doesn’t mean spirit isn’t still working to wake people up. Spirit has never left; it is simply being misinterpreted for lack of understanding and knowledge. The ancient ways are still available. They can remind us of our capabilities and the opportunity we all have to form a sacred connection to our truest nature and incorporate it into our lives and our local communities. All it takes is willingness, trust, and courage.