That said, plant medicine is a vital part of healing in shamanic practice. The shaman recommends diet, fasting, and often bitter plant brews to purify and cleanse the body. But be assured the shaman will not give you anything s/he hasn’t tested on him or herself first! (unlike Western medicine)
Thanks for your writing on this chapter, Jan. It’s helped clarify a few things and expand. And I loved the pictures!
We would ALL be a lot healthier if our Western docs tasted their own medicine.
4. Are you able to link your Inner experiences with your Ordinary, consensual world ones?
By my definition, if you have experienced the first 3, you are a shaman. The fourth one is a life’s work which, if you choose to pursue, will deepen and teach you the Path of the Shaman.
Would you consider a writer / poet to qualify, as they are able to link Inner experiences to the consensual world.
This made me think of this article:
5 SIGNS YOU MAY BE A NONTRADITIONAL SHAMAN
So I think of the Urban Shaman or the Post-industrial Shaman and the different jungles and wildernesses that must be traveled and explored, less trees and more concrete.
Less drum circles and more poetry and writings in blogs and Tweets that connect us in many ways, such as this website. 🙂
I’m I getting too far off subject here? Lol, I’ll try to reign it in.
In my own healing journey, I have learned that as I heal myself, I become a greater asset to my tribe and community. As I learn to heal myself, I gain wisdom that will help others. It seems selfish and counterintuitive that we can help humanity by healing ourselves – but where else do we begin?
Beautifully said.