Shamanism

Introduction

Shamanism is widely regarded as the oldest human spiritual practice, with roots going back to the Paleolithic era (the Stone Age), from 2.5 million to 200,000 years ago. The Dance of the Deer Foundation notes that

“One could view shamanism as the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all indigenous tribes. As all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in nature, shamanism is the method by which we as human beings can strengthen that natural connection.”

The shamanistic way of life, which is regarded as a religion by some but not all people, regards every element of the world (and presumably the wider universe) as having its own spirit. This includes not just people and animals, but also plants, minerals, bodies of water, mountains, entire forests, and so on. Everything is interconnected; everything is part of the great web of life. A shaman is a healer, capable of communicating with these spirits and with spirit guides who can inform the shaman what the community or the individual client needs.

Origins

It appears that the earliest shamans practiced among the indigenous peoples in Siberia and Mongolia. The word “shaman” comes from the Siberian language known as Tungus: “saman” means “one who knows.”

This tradition was of course completely oral, and reflects early humanity’s efforts to understand the world in which they lived and their place in the vast universe. Shamanism evolved in cultures all over the globe, without reference to each other or to any central figure. It seems to be the most basic of human attempts to comprehend the mysteries of the cosmos. One website notes that

“This universality speaks to the shared human experience and the intrinsic need to connect with the sacred and spiritual dimensions of existence.”

History

Shamanism has no scriptures or named founders; as noted above, it is apparently the worldwide first step in humanity’s effort to understand Nature and our place in it.

In the theosophical teachings, every human attribute begins in the mind of the Divine and gradually works its way "down" to the physical plane. Shamanism, then, is simply where we began to try and make sense of the world around us. Presumably this would occur only after we had reached a stage where we knew how to meet our basic physical needs and thus had time to think about the spiritual world(s). It would also seem to point to a degree of separation between humans and the spirit world that did not exist previously. It has been suggested that prehistoric humans may have lived in the higher planes of consciousness as easily as they did on the physical plane. To serve the collective evolution of consciousness, we had to “descend” further into physical reality, leaving our direct experience of the spiritual world behind us. Theosophy posits the beginnings of humanity at a spiritual level, from which we underwent “involution” into the physical realm. Thus very early humans --- perhaps earlier than the scientific record can show --- may have been aware of the higher planes of consciousness as a reality on a par with the physical plane. Shamans represent those humans who were (and are) still capable of direct experience with other levels of reality.

Modern Manifestations

A Native American professor of religious studies once told a class, in which this writer was present, that true shamanism is a calling from within, a vocation that is arduous, rare, and not to be used for profit. She did not believe that New Age practitioners who do not come from an Indigenous tradition were true shamans, despite appropriating that title. Modern-day practitioners, naturally, disagree with this assessment. A Web search on “modern shamanism” (excluding AI) turns up quite a few articles by such New Age practitioners, with a great variety of opinions on what constitutes the practice of shamanism and whether other opinions are valid. This is not the place to re-hash such arguments. Perhaps a reasonable approach is to refer to modern-day, non-Native practitioners as “shamanic healers” rather than shamans.

Tengrism

As noted above, the earliest shamans likely practiced among the indigenous peoples in Siberia and Mongolia. The form of shamanism prevalent during Genghis Kahn’s reign over the Mongol Empire, and which is still practiced today, is called Tengrism, after a “Sky God” named Tengri. Unusual for the times, Genghis Kahn was a Tengrist who also believed in religious tolerance. His followers were allowed to practice other religions as well as Tengrism, which many of them did. While in some quarters this has earned him the title “Defender of Religions,” he did forbid some Jewish and Islamic practices. However, he also exempted all religious leaders from taxation. He expected Mongol citizens to identify as Mongolians first and foremost, and that their loyalty would be to him rather than other religious leaders.

Being a Tengrist, Genghis Kahn as a leader was obliged to appeal to a shaman when there was disorder in the Empire. As noted above, shamans are healers, providing a connection between this material world and the world of the spirits. As such, they had the power to investigate what was going on beneath the surface of the physical world and to remedy the problem(s), bringing balance back into the world.

Tengrism views the cosmos as encompassing three realms: the underground; the middle domain where we humans live; and the higher spiritual world. While Tengri is credited with having created and continuing to govern the universe, the modern emphasis appears to be not a monotheistic worship of this supreme god, but a way to live authentically and ethically.

Additional resources

Video

• Shamanic Rites, Rituals, and Initiations by Christina Pateros. Presented November 7, 2019 at Theosophical Society in America. "In shamanism, everything is animated; everything is alive. By bridging the physical world with the mystery of the spirit world, shamans have historically worked in service to others by enhancing and supporting healthy and fulfilling living; expanding the experience of beauty, grace, and peace in life; and more. In this conversational, visual, and story-filled presentation, Christina Pateros will share rites, rituals, and initiations as practices for heart-centered living."
• The Shamanic Vision by Richard Smoley. Presented November 8, 2018 at the Theosophical Society in America. "Shamanism is the most universal religion in the world, and possibly the oldest. Shamans provide healing and insight to their communities by journeying to other realms and contacting the spirits and forces there. They encounter animal powers, deities, and the spirits of ancestors as a way of gaining wisdom. Over the past few decades, Westerners have been discovering the way of the shaman and practicing it themselves. Is shamanism possible for us today? Does it work, and what promises does it hold out? In this engaging presentation, Richard Smoley will address these questions and will lead participants on a guided meditation to gain a taste of this tradition for themselves."