Shamanism

I have been studying shamanism since my travels to Peru in 1999. I was hoping to gain more insights on Peruvian shamanism in this class. There was very little discussion on this cosmology. Although the material was in-depth and much research done, there was way too much on Siberian shamanism. Even though they may be the “founding father” of shamanic history, I was anxious to get past their doctrine/philosophy. None-the-less, Pat did cover a vast amount of information and I especially liked Lesson 18, which brought his personal journey to light. As with any topic/discussion there is a dark side and a light side. I prefer to focus on the light.

The first lesson I received was introduced as ‘Dr. of Shamanism’. It was a bit confusing on what course I signed up for however, it was vital in preparation for the following lessons.

The art of shamanism transforms, heals, blesses, and reveals the core of your soul. One can experience the gift of prophecy, magic and miracles as well. These are all very positive aspects of shamanism. The 2 most important gifts in the path of shamanism are healing and soul retrieval. In fact, in many instances a soul retrieval should be experienced to help heal soul issues, and to get to the heart of the matter. It creates a much- needed shift to reclaim power that was lost, stolen and given away, and bring back an awareness of the soul’s true identity. A soul retrieval can bring clarity, purpose, and direction to the individual. It can bring back their voice and connection to what is going on around them, giving them courage to make and face necessary changes. The soul is the nature of humanity. My belief is that there are many lost souls, and many have felt lost at one time or another, including myself. That is the beauty of knowledge and reflection, it enables one to transform their life the way they want to live it. You have to first recognize that you are lost to effect change.

Shamanism embarks on a life-long commitment of healing and discovery. I have a long way to go with this methodology.

Although many of the lessons were interesting, enlightening, or intriguing, the one lesson that pulled me in was lesson 18. I am satisfied with what I have learned.

Rev. Nancy Kimes

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.