The shaman archetype, also known as the magician or healer, brings the power of healing and is a mythical structure that we all experience. It gives us the ability to regenerate, to revitalize, to create, to bring into existence things we have never experienced, to become masters of co-creation with the Universe.
The shaman's main qualities are a keen ability to recognize what has heart and meaning and to pay attention to these things. In addition, it is that side of us that ventures into the discovery of wanting to learn to feel and interact with the subtle energy of nature, which is charged with magic. He reconnects to the power of nature; I leave here the tip of this test “What is your degree of connection with inner and outer nature?”, so that you can see how connected you are to nature).
Learning to access this magic is the part of us that is able to work with this magical, elevated and spiritualized expression.
Accessing the inner shaman is accessing the quality of love and renewal within us. It is to enter on a journey that follows throughout life towards the totality of being.
The importance of the shaman archetype today
This is an important archetype these days when we live in a world that, on the one hand, looks magical with all the technology we create, which in fact, technologically speaking, is magical. On the other hand, the processes of psychological, spiritual and non-materialistic initiation seem to have been forgotten, disregarded by modern civilization.
One of the reasons for this little attention to non-materialistic spiritual magic stems from the fact that our society does not make a clear distinction between sacred space and profane space. In fact, practically not much vent is given to the sacred space.
We live in a world with many obligations of existence from industrial society, which has created neutral spaces, without sacrality and through which we move, giving little or no time to sacred spaces.
People wander without a north, “zigzagging” through the world without finding a center, a safe point of support, without that deep connection with nature that gives meaning to existence. That is why, today, we live very lost and with a sense of loss of meaning. The sacred space I am referring to does not necessarily mean physical places of religious worship, but, above all, access to a regenerative force that resides within us: our true center. Pre-modern societies had this belief in a regenerative power or vital energy that could be accessed for individual and collective healing.
Access the shaman to the totality of being
To access the inner shaman is to enter a lifelong journey towards the totality of being. It is activating our healing power for us and for those we have contact with. This is through identifying where there is love, cultivating love, because all kinds of love provide healing: love between lovers, between friends, parents and children, teacher and student, teacher and disciple; love for yourself; unconditional and spiritual love.
Healing occurs through this love, which knows how to embrace our greatest fears, reminds us of what we have forgotten about connecting with ourselves, with others and with the natural world.
This archetype reconnects us to our ability to notice the unity and interdependence of all things, to open what is closed and sealed by our fears and frustrations, soften with the power of love what has been obstructed, entering the transcendent and the experience of the divine. He produces creativity, passion and love and makes our divine spark shine; moreover, it is the quest to express oneself fully and it is learning to trust life.
The cosmology of shamanism
The cosmology of shamanism sees the world divided into three strata: the world above, the world in the middle, and the world below. These worlds are connected to the cosmic tree of life through which the shaman passes from one world to the next.
The world below is the inferior (not in the worst sense, it is only a denomination to differentiate it, without giving an inferior quality), seen as a natural world, made of fields, hills, trees, deserts, forests, etc. , populated by animals of all kinds, even fantastic and/or mythological creatures, such as elves, elves, gnomes, etc. In this place, you can find guide spirits or allied spirits, also called power animals.
The middle world represents our ordinary world, but there are also the spirits of plants and all natural elements. The shaman interacts with these spirits to understand the nature of things and their healing and divination powers. It is also the world in which the souls of the dead can be found even though they have not gone to the other world; the shamans even help us in this passage.
The world above, above, is where they meet the spirits of realized beings, beings of light, spiritual masters, deities, heroes, angelic creatures, beings of great wisdom.
To enter these three worlds, it is necessary to pass through the cosmic tree. Shamans, in this non-ordinary state of consciousness, receive important messages from these guiding spirits. It helps them understand the world they live in and bring healing.
This cosmology helps us understand the shamanic journey process. In today's, we go to the middle world, to meet our guide. It can be a natural element or the spirits of nature and that, on the journey, becomes animated. Our guide is the one who at this moment serves us as a teacher, who can point us to something precious for the moment in which we are living.
The shamanic journey in practice
The purpose of the shamanic journey is always to bring from non-ordinary reality a message of help, for a cure or an answer, to understand the nature of an event or an insight for the moment we are living.
For this practice, it is recommended to have the sounds of shamanic drums available and to be in a quiet place for a few minutes. You can practice independently, as long as, at the final beat of the drums, you go back the way you entered. It is always very important to return to ordinary reality.
For the shaman's meditation, we place ourselves in a lying posture with a straight back, since this posture is the most healing, as the body is relaxed, and it is related to the position of nourishment, of surrender, that is, it is a way to position the body in its own “spirit canoe”, allowing itself to be guided and healed.
Follow the instructions below or use this video with the complete guided medication.
Relax and breathe normally, close your eyes and smile to yourself.
Let's start our inner journey by connecting with the goodness, truth and beauty in ourselves. In this silence filled with good vibes, recognize which traits you appreciate about yourself. Try to remember what people notice about your qualities, the compliments you received. Recognize your strengths and talents. Recognize which aspects of your personality you like. Note what contributions you recognize you have made and continue to make and see, in your relationships of all kinds, in which you have had or still have love received, love given and love shared.
Honor this great being that you are, as this is the fundamental piece that you represent in the web of relationships in which you participate. This represents a unique contribution made by you that helps keep all beings connected.
Now, we are ready to take a shamanic journey:
Imagine yourself walking in nature, in which you will enter the middle world. This world, according to many indigenous traditions, can be reached through a cosmic tree. You will see this tree, you will enter it and go through it until you come out in the middle world.
As you enter the world of the medium, with each natural element you see, you will ask if it is your guide. Keep asking until an element answers yes.
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Stay with him until the final signal of the shamanic drums plays. Hear what he has to say, and/or see what he has to show and/or feel what he wants to convey to you.
Upon hearing the three beeps, which indicate that you must return to the ordinary world, your guide will give you a gift. Take it, thank you and go back the way you came until you exit through the tree you entered.
Next, watch a video with the guided meditation ready for you! Good practice!
PS Take the opportunity to take the free test “How connected are you with inner and outer nature?”, so you can see how connected you are with nature.
