In Shamanism, everything is training.
You may think that it only involves Journeying, or meditating, or yoga.
But you can be practicing shamanism as you work on your art – drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, writing, tending children, cooking, dancing, communicating.
Someone asked me in class the other night, “Who drums for you?” and sadly, I don’t have a drummer right now. But that does not preclude my shamanic practice.
I dance with altered states before I fall asleep at night. I try and hold on to those theta moments before I drop off into delta sleep. I open my inner eyes to whatever unfolds in those moments. I pause before getting out of bed to relish the dreams that were given me.
I close my eyes and I see paths, or rainbow-like arcs, mandalas, combinations of circles, squares, triangles, braids and the medicine wheel. I don’t always understand the message of these visions, but they are like confirmation that I am still learning and growing.
What about walking? Exercising? Cleaning? Eating? Playing games? Talking?
It’s all shamanism.
When we clean, we are also cleaning our spiritual selves. If you breathe and pay attention while you are cleaning – wiping that counter, clearing your thoughts, being mindful to the little life beneath your cloth – you can participate in it as a spiritual practice.
When you walk, are you lost in your own thoughts, wool-gathering? Or do you look to the sky, and see a bird – what bird is it that crossed your path today? Or a butterfly? A grasshopper? Become mindful of the world around you, and simple walking can be a practice.
Even wool-gathering can be a sort of shamanic practice – lose yourself so that you may find yourself again.
Exercising can be a practice, as you move your bones and joints, pay attention to how your inner world is responding to your activity. Enjoy the feel of flexing muscles, strong breathing, heart beating, joints bending, and participate in the joy of using your body.
Eating is a sacred act – do you give thanks for the food you partake of? It is about to become a part of you! Be grateful and honor the food you absorb for your life!
Play is also training of the highest order. Are you passionate about your play? (this can be sport, or games, or playing with children – or acting like children!) Do you play fair? What is your response when something unfair happens? What are the rules? Do you respect others? Watch the game unfold, and you are learning and growing. I believe that play and playfulness are underestimated in our society – we learn best when it is fun, and you help to structure your brain as you learn rules and fair play. You learn to control your emotions when things don’t go your way. The Game of Life is what we are training for – and play, games, playfulness are great ways to train!
Talking and communicating is a high practice, too. Are you speaking good and true things? Are you kind to others? Are you learning to understand the other person? Can you see a point of view other than your own?
Anytime you engage your awareness, you are practicing shamanism.