I have learned this by interacting and observing many shamanic practitioners, and concluding that there are at least two distinct approaches. One approach is to collect and commodify spiritual practices and pass them along as “authentic indigenous teachings.” Without the appropriate cultural background, and lacking reciprocity and humility, these practices only offer a veneer of wisdom, and lack a depth of understanding. In the end they only serve to diminish the spiritual practice in the larger context of the world, and in many cases damage the culture they derive from. The other approach is marked by the active participation of the originating culture. There is an obvious reciprocity that doesn’t just involve a few isolated people claiming to be bearers of indigenous wisdom, but instead entire families, or villages. It is rare for any group of people to reach 100% consensus, but the involvement of increasingly larger groups is powerful. This approach helps to nurture not only the preservation and exchange of indigenous wisdom, but lays the groundwork for new traditions to emerge that allow people from different cultures to grow together. This is how the tribes of North America have been coming together for the past several generations.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:06:03 +0000
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