Shamanism

It has been important for me to understand and be clarified about what it is I experience and have been experiencing most of my life.

The clarification came after lots of research, having read lots of books, taking courses and through dialogs with many people who had different beliefs and viewpoints.

A few of my primary questions were

	What lies in what we call the collective unconsciousness part of our brain?
	What lies in all the stuff I physically can’t see but experience anyhow?
	Is there some form of intelligence in all molecules – the quantum theory?
	If everything is compounded of molecules, then the compounded molecules my body is made up of, must be connected to the rest of the world?
	What kind of belief did the human race have before Christianity came about?

The questions I had, were mostly satisfactory answered when I, quite by chance, went on a shamanic course and became acquainted with the shamanic philosophy.

Shamanism is not a religion, but a life philosophy and spirituality, not connected to any religious structure. The shamanic way of life, is not only found with people living of and in nature, like the American Indians, the Aboriginals in Australia and other ethnic groups, shamanism has also existed in Europe and in Scandinavia.

Shamanism has roots in a world wide point of view, where everything existing is connected and has a soul. This way of looking at the world is called animism, which means that everything is spirited; everything in the universe has this form for energy. This also means that humans being part of the universal energy are connected to for example animals, the moon, flowers, the earth and the elements and without all these essentials people can’t survive.

The energy in the universe is perceived as a world parallel to our physical world. Here it is possible for our souls to communicate with other spirits or souls, with for example the earth and all things living on the globe and with the powers of the creation.

Together with these essences the humans can reconnect with creation, find meaning with life and find their place in the universe.

A shaman, or a person who has learned the tecnics, is a person, who in an altered state of mind travels to the parallel world. The altered state of mind is attained by either a rhythmic drumming or by song. The journey is a method to communicate and collaborate with his or hers spiritual helpers.

A shaman has several work areas, which in most cases deal with finding and restoring the power we are born with, and establishing the natural balance and harmony in, and between, humans and nature.

Shamanism can also be a way of bringing traditional values back to people.