Shamanism & Animism Jordan Hirsch, Jasmin Norford, Arthi Jacobs, Emily Rowley, & Kassie Cowles Shamanism & Animism & some Mongols

What IS Shamanism? Shamanism is the belief that certain individuals, shamans, can interact with the spirit world Shamans often serve as healers, priests, or prophets Also Black and White shamans dealt with evil and good spirits What about spirit animals? Shamans DO have spirit guides that help them when they cross into the spirit plane Guide is different for every person

What IS Animism? Animism is the belief that all things have spirits All things include plants, rocks, animals, etc Animal spirits are especially important Rocks have souls, too!

Origins & Diffusion Shamanism: origins in northern Asia Animism: Especially Tibetans and Mongols Very little diffusion until Mongol “empire” Animism: Almost all early civilizations had some form of it Americas, Africa, Eurasia

Basics 7 main tenants of Shamanism All things are interconnected There is a spirit realm Shamans can access through altered states of consciousness There are helpful guide spirits in the spirit realm There is a power or force that resides in all things Everything, animate or otherwise, has a soul (AKA Animism) People have spiritual energy that is manifested as an aura and can be enhanced by balancing chakras

Chakras Parts of the body that, when aligned, enhance spiritual wellbeing. The third eye chakra is especially important for accessing the spirit plane.

Practices Shamans serve as the centers of there communities Treat illness Balance energies Keep communities in favor of spirits Animism can be encompassed into other religions Practices depend on what religion is paired with animism

Holidays & Rituals The Shaman practices many rituals, including Calling in the Directions to prepare for Shamanic work Entheogens (“generating the divine within") are used to achieve altered states of consciousness {holy drugs} Other Shamanistic ceremonies involve: Swallowing sticks Eating red-hot coals and glass Spitting coins Dream-interpreting Divination No real holidays

Example Prayer: Calling in the Directions Oh Spirit of the East, Land of the rising Sun, Of Air, the winds that blow across the lands. Of new beginnings each day. and of open horizons. We bless you and ask for your wisdom and blessing here with us today. Please join us, Spirit of the East. Oh Spirit of the South, Place of Passion, Fire and Creation and inspiration, whose warm breath reminds us of summer days. Ignite our hearts with love. We bless you and ask for your wisdom and blessing here with us today. Please join us, Spirit of the South. Oh Spirit of the West, the land of the setting Sun, Of water and Autumn's whisper. Bless us with the knowledge of peace which follows the harvest of a fruitful life. We bless you and ask for your wisdom and blessing here today. Please join us, Spirit of the West. Oh Spirit of the North, place of quiet, stillness, of cave and deep earth. Place of thankfulness for the knowledge and blessings that have come to us with time. We bless you and ask your wisdom and blessing here today. Please join us, Spirit of the North. Oh Spirit of Mother Earth, you support us each day, welcoming our roots deep into your heart. You nurture and guide us finding sustenance and support. help us to give thanks Always for Your bounty. We bless you and ask for your wisdom and blessing here today. Please join us Spirit of Mother Earth. Oh Spirit of Father Sky, of the angelic realms, the countless stars of the night remind us that you are vast beautiful and majestic beyond all of our knowing or understanding. Your light shines upon the earth both day and night guiding our steps. We bless you and ask for your wisdom and blessing here today. Please join us, Father Sky. Oh Spirit of our souls within, Place of union, love and reverence. We are grateful for this gift of life and for the love that guides our way. We open our hearts and join with all in love. It is begun.

Holy Books Shamanism: it’s oral! Animism: situationally dependent Shamans sort of tradesmen Apprenticeships or passing through generations Animism: situationally dependent No overarching book Different animistic peoples have different stories and books Large variants in mythology between cultures

Gods & Spirits No gods Everything has a spirit Including inanimate objects Plants have special spirits and certain plants are worshipped

Women LADY SHAMANS Also Mongols Shamans must be born with some supernatural connections; doesn’t matter is man or woman More women shamans then men because women are more emotionally open to spirits Like priestesses, but with more social influence Also Mongols Generally better towards women

Major Contacts & Outreach Work pre 600 Did I mention Mongols? Conquered more land in 25 years than Romans in 400 Leads to LOTS of cultural diffusion NOT a missionary thing More awareness than conversion

In Comparison… Animism Compared to… Shamanism Compared to… Daoism Balanced spirits Strong focus on natural world Other Religions Animism is found in many other religions (Shinto, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Pantheism etc.) Christianity Some Christian saints believed in the idea of Animism Hinduism Lots ‘n lots of supernatural encounters Chakras Christianity, Judaism, and Islam Shamanism has no god or prophets Shamans were tolerant of all these religions

Resources: Primary: Odigon, Sarangerel. "Circle of Tengerism." Table of Contents. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. This website was written by Mongolian shamanists (people who believe in the Shamanistic ways, but aren’t Shamans themselves)

Secondary Sources http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/a/animism.htm http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/12/shamans/stern-text http://www.shamanportal.org/what_is_shamanism.php http://www.care2.com/greenliving/seven-core-beliefs-of-shamanism.html http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Animism.html http://www.shamanista.com/what-is-shamanism/origins-shamanism http://www.shamanism-101.com/Shamanism_Practice_Ritual.html http://www.whisperingtree.net/articles-and-media/how-to/148-calling-the-directions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szxPar0BcMo&list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9&index=17 http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/history/history7.htm