Everything Under the Moon

The road to where I am now has been a very long and extended one, but it's all kind of been moved along with many universal indicators and suggestions. Last summer in particular brought me a new perspective when I got several people asking if I'd ever practiced any shamanism or thought about it. Then I got myself certified as a Reiki 2 practitioner, and the Master who trained me asked the same thing, and suggested I look into Shaman work, or Reiki shamanism .

Now, my question is this - and I know it's been asked before, so I ask for your pardon! - but is there anyone who could offer a little guidance into where to start looking or how to even go about being 'trained' in Shamanistic practices? I've really been waking up to a different road, and I want to be sure that I'll be looking in the right places and not wasting time and resources on scams and frauds. (a big concern of mine in the modern day)

Hope to hear from someone, and thank you kindly in advance!

Foundation for Shamanic Studies at shamanism.org
https://shamanism.org/workshops/index.p ... YMQAvD_BwE

I am not sure what you mean by shamanistic because much of it is cultural specific.

However, I understand the concern you have against fakes. So I do have a link made by Native Americans who are against the frauds to balance out any of the "real shaman" claims.

http://www.newagefraud.org/

Awesome, thank you both!

I used a very broad term, because of the fact that I'm not particularly versed in any one specific path. I ask in broad, so as to welcome a variety, rather than assume any one path is the one for me. I welcome variety in order to encourage the highest chance of discovering whichever route will lead to where I should be.

I know that my mom's side is Yaqui, but having fled Mexican persecution in the Yaqui River/Valley area quite long ago, we don't have any direct connections to her people. And with blood being watered down (roughly 1/4), it's difficult to try. The obvious way here is to inquire about native american ways, as it's the most immediate relation. But then that's only familial. Since I welcome any and all spiritual learning, I hope that I can investigate as many other paths as I can so that my heritage's ties don't restrain me from something that might be more "me", in the event that another direction clicks with me better.

I am glad you brought up the Yaqui. I am not well versed in their practices, but I would say to avoid Carlos Castaneda's writings. He culturally appropriated them and used it to form a cult. He was thoroughly debunked by anthropology but used the Yaqui beliefs to create cult anyway.

https://www.salon.com/2007/04/12/castaneda/

I would check out brujeria. While it is referred to as "Mexican witchcraft " it is decentralized and much broader than that. It takes on local variants, mixing modern witchcraft with native beliefs. If some Yaqui traditions , they may survive there.

Yaqui are Uto-Aztec so they're related to the Natives in central America like the Aztecs and Mayans. Brujeria has beliefs from them, mainly Aztec. They include coyote in their practices. Some are heavily Christianize though, but other forms of brujeria are less so.

A good book on some modern brujeria practices that are still fairly Native is T.Knabb's "Dialogue of the Earth and Sky". While written for educational purposes, it does detail practices such as altar creation and how they make altars depicted heaven, the earth, and the underworld. You may be able to start practice there.

Ahhhh, I am very glad and grateful for that tip! I'll definitely make sure to remember that name and avoid it. Thanks for the suggestion, too. That sounds like a solid start, and certainly a very relevant and good place to get cracking. I'll absolutely be looking into that book "Dialogue of the Earth and Sky", and who knows, maybe it'll be a good starter in finding even more information! Thanks again!

Lady_Lilith wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 12:37 am I am glad you brought up the Yaqui.

The Yaqui are very resourceful. They even went through their feces to find undigested seeds so that they could be reused.

Lady_Lilith wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 12:37 am A good book on some modern brujeria practices that are still fairly Native is T.Knabb's "Dialogue of the Earth and Sky".

Another good book by T. J. Knab is "A War of Witches: A Journey Into the Underworld of the Contemporary Aztecs."

Black Cloud wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 8:15 am

Lady_Lilith wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 12:37 am A good book on some modern brujeria practices that are still fairly Native is T.Knabb's "Dialogue of the Earth and Sky".

Another good book by T. J. Knab is "A War of Witches: A Journey Into the Underworld of the Contemporary Aztecs."

Yeah it is I almost suggested it. I didn't read it and I believe it is semi-fictional although it depicts Modern Mexican beliefs fairly accurately.

Shamanic work I feel is something you have to practice rather than read about. Although to be well read is not a deficit! It's about various experiential consciousness that would bring about a message and/or reconsider a point of view. Many groups do this through a pathworking type meditations among other practices. It also is a path of the Priestess/Priest to help facilitate sacred space that will bring about those messages to the seeker. I would say most of us on the magical path already practice some form of shamanistic work.
Finding a reliable group to work with is the best way to learn.
While it can be daunting to find "honest" teachers, following ones heart should lead you in the right direction. If ever someone claims to know it all or want cash to join, the gut will warn you.
The link Lady provided actually listed the link that Spirit provided, but after reading about the Foundation for Shamanic study, they seemed pretty legit and on the up and up. They don't provide study about any tradition that hasn't come to them first. They are about protecting these practices from being lost. I was also sad to find a man listed in there whom I have circled with many times who couldn't be a more real and authentic if he had been born 100% full blood whatever. That's the problem, there are too many cultural people that have fallen many generations from their roots and still feel it in their blood, yet they are orphaned and there is no one to teach them. Of course anyone who is selling themselves (or items) for profit as an Indigenous healers is what they are wanting to stop, I get that, but people have a right to explore practices that feels like a blood memory. Since they have no teacher it's a re-creation. What's an orphaned Native to do? They go to the internet. It would behoove many a tribe to open their traditions before they are lost to time.
This not meant to irk anyone but being an orphaned Native (Lenni Lenape) myself, I rather resent some Native attitudes.

BB, Firebird

firebirdflys wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 4:55 pm That's the problem, there are too many cultural people that have fallen many generations from their roots and still feel it in their blood, yet they are orphaned and there is no one to teach them. Of course anyone who is selling themselves (or items) for profit as an Indigenous healers is what they are wanting to stop, I get that, but people have a right to explore practices that feels like a blood memory. Since they have no teacher it's a re-creation. What's an orphaned Native to do? They go to the internet. It would behoove many a tribe to open their traditions before they are lost to time.
This not meant to irk anyone but being an orphaned Native (Lenni Lenape) myself, I rather resent some Native attitudes.

BB, Firebird

I think that's a perfectly valid statement and sentiment. My grandfather (before he passed, though I feel him often - and have seen him in significant dreams) was very adamant about encouraging me to pursue trying to learn about our Yaqui heritage, despite having been off any form of Yaqui land for at least one, maybe even two generations before his own. His brothers who'd kind of just attached to "being Mexican-American" (what a rowdy bunch lol they're wonderful people, but weren't as adamant about remembering that blood as my grandad) used to ask about why I wore certain colors or clothes, and he'd always tell them that it's because I knew and was proud of their blood.

It's a massive catch 22. By being extremely exclusive about knowledge and acceptance, it helps ensure that corrupted practices don't happen. Or at least as easily.

But the other hand is that those traditions and practices end up being easily erased by that same cultural protection.

In that regard, it's always pained me severely that my dad's people have always unquestioningly accepted me as Polish, while I sometimes get looks from full blooded native americans. I've also met many who were amazing. Friends in Arizona who run a trading post. My close friend and his wife (who refers to me as his son, and i see him as a non-blood father too!). And a couple friends I'd met online. Their openness and acceptance lets me remember that blood is relevant, but the heart is what matters. And my heart belongs to both heritages without compromise to either. <3

Black Cloud wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 8:15 am

Lady_Lilith wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 12:37 am A good book on some modern brujeria practices that are still fairly Native is T.Knabb's "Dialogue of the Earth and Sky".

Another good book by T. J. Knab is "A War of Witches: A Journey Into the Underworld of the Contemporary Aztecs."

I'll make sure to write that one down as well. (and being seconded by Lord gives me additional support for that suggestion!)