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Native American Spirituality and traditions

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Here will look at native traditions. Spirit guides and guardians to help with life decisions,deeper spiritual understanding,and even medicine in many forms (natural remedy,spiritual remedy,and the true meaning of "medicine" in daily life)

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Latest Activity: Apr 28

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Shamans.

There are many different variantions of "shamans" known. From the Ka-Huna of Hawaii, healers of the Hmong, the Sangoma of the Zulu, the healers of the Aborigines and Papua New guinea, the Sami healers, the shamans of Manchuria and Siberia, the medicine-men of North America and the healers of the Amazon .. all have 1 thing in common ...

They heal with herbs & energy, guide thier communities, protect the communities from spirits and negative energies, and they the spiritual law-keepers and storytellers that teach the ethics and ways of life for the people to stay in balance with nature.

One main thing to note is that shamans reach beyond the ordinary world -- and travel thru the spirit realms in order to deal with spirits, dis-ease and knowledge gotten beyond mere logic -- thus -- shamans deal with spirits and the spirit-realms on a daily basis. The Shaman is a mediator -- thus, when the ancestor spirits must be spoken with due to a person breaking a taboo, offerings are given, the shaman travels into the spirit-realms and discusses the persons appropriate punishment for breaking that taboo -- so thus, the shaman is a spiritual law-keeper and mediator between the people and the spirits. Another aspect that shamans do is called a psychopomp -- thus when a person dies and cannot join the ancestors (thru terrible acts, such as murder, rape, suicide, and so on -- are forced to walk amongst the living as ghosts) and so the Shaman talks with the unhappy wandering ghost and is a mediator for the spirit in getting them to be able to join the ancestors. Also, using herbs or energy means, the shamans are a vessel for a person to be healed, no matter if a simple headache is gotten rid of -- to a persons soul is shattered and needing to be re-integrated again. The shamans also being teachers watch over the children, and closely examine the kids -- as the shamans see which ones are interested in spirits and the spirit-world, as shamans then closely teach that 1 child -- as the tru ways are a strong, close 1-on-1 teaching method, instead of the newagey form of "classes" and "workshops" that modern "plastic-shamans" try to pull. Also the shaman is closely aware of nature around them, looking at everything -- a wisp of wind, an animal going in a direction -- or even a totem speaking up -- the shaman sees omens, messages and warnings on a daily basis no matter if out for a walk -- or in thier dreams -- all of these are held in serious regard.

So then the saying of "There is only 1 shaman per village" is apt, as the calling, burden and responsibility of being one -- one can see why there are so few true spirit-called shamans and that is a thing to be taken serously.

So we see the shaman wearing many hats -- a law-keeper, a counselor, mediator, guide, protector, excorcist, healer, teacher and mentor. It takes years and years of training -- emotional and spiritual development -- and lots of life experiences added in ..:)

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Comment by karen raven-marie on August 31, 2012 at 3:59pm: I agree indengrey... many cultures would have benefited from storytelling, though natives still teach this way much was lost in the colonization of America.

Comment by indengrey on June 21, 2012 at 6:28pm: i wish if anything, we would have picked up on the story-telling traits the native americans had. might have keeped us from becoming so lost, as a civilization.

Comment by karen raven-marie on June 20, 2012 at 3:52pm: bite mark that is a good book, i also like the name btw, and it is nice to meet you and OS welcome to the group

Comment by indengrey on June 19, 2012 at 2:38am: The best book i ever read in my life is called"Coyote Medicine"written by Lewis Mehl-Madrona. It was the first gift i ever received as any type of guide or literature to help me understand what it is to be an Empath. I cannot thank Virginia enough for being simply who she is, no matter where she went-or who met. But back to the book; the most life changing thing i took from it was: that it doesn't really matter What you believe in, it just matters if it's WORTH believing in, & if you are not trying to better yourself each day, it can be the slightest bit~doesn't matter what you do that day...it was wasted.

Comment by karen raven-marie on June 3, 2012 at 7:13pm: hmmm guess i wasnt a very good choice for mukwa to leave this too, its harder then i thought explaining things to others i am much better at answering questions then trying to give people points of view ...... promise to try better guys....i am done with school on june 15th so i figure some stuff out:) miss you all hugs

Comment by LunarFlame on October 10, 2011 at 7:40am: I liked this so decide to put it here :)

Comment by MystnRayne on August 27, 2011 at 4:17pm: Hey all

Comment by karen raven-marie on August 27, 2011 at 1:27pm: since this groups original creator has left, and a lot of people stopped following this group i wanted to just ask a general question to all of empath what would people like to get or know from this group so I understand better where people stand and how to get this group back up and running

Comment by karen raven-marie on May 24, 2010 at 7:27pm: this is very true tammie though we use our beads and feathers in ceremony they do NOT define us as native.Our hearts and way will live do

Comment by karen raven-marie on May 21, 2010 at 9:05am: mmm tammie so true...you should include the great spirit in ever thing you do though not just our visions he is a aspect that is in as you said EVERY AREA:)