What is ecstatic trance?
Believers of Shamanism submit themselves to the practices of spiritual
leaders in hope of a cure for their illness; the rituals of the shaman
supposedly manifest themselves into spiritual oneness. There are
many terms used to describe development of therapeutic trances and spiritual
interventions of the shamanic healers. Shamanic ecstasy, or spiritual
oneness, relies on a connection between ones emotions and physical anatomy.
Physiological response, emotional perception, and intuitive perception
are three documented levels of ecstasy. First the physiological response
is when the mind becomes absorbed in and focused on a dominant idea and
the nervous system is cut off from physical sensory input. The body
exhibits reflex inertia, involuntary nervous responses, and frenzy.
Emotional perception, another form of ecstasy, refers to overwhelming feelings
of awe, anxiety, joy, sadness, fear, astonishment, passion, or any combination
of intense emotion. Finally, intuitive perception occurs when there
is an understanding of the transpersonal experience and expanded states
of awareness or consciousness are possible. While the physiological
response is always present, the emotional response and intuitive perception
may not be within reach for all those who venture into ecstatic trance.
Opposed to general hypnosis, practicing shamanic techniques uses self-hypnotic
states to fine-tune senses and observe the inner-workings of ones mind
semi-consciously. Research findings suggest that the contents of
shamanic trance are not solely influenced by psychopathology, biochemical
effects, or cultural influences; there is a spiritual variable that must
be accounted for.
http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/internet/news/faq/archive/shamanism.overview.html
Variations of Shamanism
There are varied approaches that have developed all over the world
under the designation of Shamanism, each having distinct practices that
explore inter-relations. A common symbol used is the Medicine Wheel
that represents wholeness, eternity, a sense of completeness, and totality.
The Medicine Wheel is really a paradigm for one's inner and outer life;
it is a map for transformation into the inner- self. On the wheel
are four cardinal points or directions, each direction having explicit
capabilities. Different sectors of one's physical and spiritual life
can be controlled or altered by visiting points on this core wheel.
It is believed that achieving harmony between the spirit, mind, and physiology
can affect fertility, wellness and attitude. Ultimately, shamans envision
a much more comprehensive state of wellness by awakening our awareness
to the spiritual unity of all beings and things. Modern shamans believe
it is possible to put humanity back in touch with nature, the Earth and
the stars, healing not only individuals but also accomplishing global harmony.
As a central feature of almost all traditional shamanic ceremonies, shamans
publicly recite lengthy oral texts. Shamans meticulously memorize
these texts that include passages that explain the origins of diseases
and afflictions, and provide elaborate instructions for their alleviation.
These shamanic etiologies identify precise sources and effects that cover
a spectrum ranging from the purely physical to the purely metaphysical,
intersecting the natural and supernatural worlds.
http://www.inspire.org/Bookfile/AuthIntvJMorse.html
Interface between Shamanism and
psychiatry
Shamanic methods of working with dreams and being conscious and awake
while dreaming open new doors in psychological research into the nature
and history of consciousness.
Shamans are often compared to psychologists, searching the unconscious
for hidden sources of suffering and lost fragments of self. The psychiatrist
is often called upon to deal with psychological problems that may create
medical emergencies. Interventions along a spectrum from shamanism
to interpretation of unconscious conflict may spell the difference between
comfort and distress, illness and cure, and even occasionally life and
death. Psychotherapists can incorporate “soul journeys” with
conventional techniques; a “spirit guide” can pinpoint the source of one's
problem in the spirit realm. This journey of soul, sometimes referred
to as Shamanic Flight, makes it possible to move beyond limitations of
the physical body. Practitioners teaching individuals to soul journey
on their own say this process does everything from renewing vitality to
helping victims cope with cancer. Most doctors and shamans perform
many identical functions; both validate the symptoms, name the disease
and prescribe a cure. Shamanism may be one more alternative therapy
for chronic illness or it may be an outlet for true healing. The
big question is, can such an ancient tradition be transplanted into modern
times.
http://www.arts.u-szeged.hu/journal/shaman/shaman.html
How Shamanism is used for healing
The ability to achieve and control a trance is the result of cumulative
conditioning and mental training. There is a gradual progression
from ordinary consciousness to deeper levels of fixation that must be learned,
thus healing is only sucessful when a series of sessions is completed.
Wide spectrums of trance levels exist ranging from slight detachment to
a total removal of one's inhibitions. In deep hypnotic states, where
most practical Shamanic journeying occurs, it is possible to control one's
own body temperature, heart rate, blood flow, and digestion. People
react differently to the sensations of shamanic flight; individuals may
experience vivid imagery, events from their past, or utter relaxation.
Physical, emotional, and spiritual crisis are parts of being terminally
ill or having cancer that may be mitigated with shamanistic healing.
There is evidence for the efficacy of therapies such as shamanism in improving
the quality of life in the terminally ill and cancer patients. The
active participation of the patient in the therapy promotes emotional healing
and coping skills. Patients that suffer from hypertension or
problems associated with stressful life styles can use shamanic methods
to gain control over their physical and emotional wellness. Further,
the mentally ill and sufferers of depression may find that shamanism is
an ancient tradition that in modern times help them to live a normal lifestyle.
A spiritual side to medicine
With an incresed awarness of the connection between spiritual life
and health, interest in Shamanism has also grown. The link between
health care and religion is strongest at the point of confrontation with
life-changing events. Pain is more than a physiological phenomenon, it
is also an emotion. Therapist have been exploring additional
avenues for pain management such as shamanism. The fourth edition of the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders addressed
the need for a consideration of cultural and religious issues and ethnic
diversity of the patient population. The manual approved a new diagnostic
category entitled religious or spiritual problem. Increasingly doctors
are to realizing that total wellness encompasses the spiritual and emotional
side of life.
Things to be careful about
There are few negative effects reported from Shamanic experiences,
however it is described as a powerful adventure and for some the trance
could be disorienting, traumatic or have other adverse effects. Practitioners
warn that the ecstasy of the trance can become an escape from mundane problems
that can become addictive. It is generally accepted that people regress
to earlier levels of development with the stress of serious pain or illness.
Regression may foster an increased dependence on any source of relief.
The eventual efforts of shamanic followers to emerge from the "culture
of embeddedness" with their shamans into more independent functioning can
be problematic. Shamanism can be used wisely to determine the root
of an addiction, yet taken to an extreme it can become an addiction itself.
One should be cautious when seeking help from a shaman; shamanic healers
can have a cult like draw, entering the spirit realm and making claims
that are not supported. Shamanism sometimes ignores scientific
methods of healing and so must be used only as supplemental therapy for
serious disorders. Much thought and consideration, as well as research
for each situation should be done before plunging into any method of shamanic
treatment.
http://deoxy.org/vegeta.htm
The culture of Shamanism
Pure shamanism is considered to be a distinct culture immersed in shared
symbols, myths and experience. For example, shamans claim to derive
their healing skills, powers, and knowledge from their unique diet of plants
and herbs. It is believed that the body has to be “purified” to communicate
with the spirit realm. It is necessary that participants of Shamanistic
healing be able to recognize the language of the shaman so their subconscious
can react to the oral text of the healing ceremony. True believers
of the shamanic faith consider it to be a total lifestyle, not just another
option of alternative therapy. Someone buying into Shamanism occasionally
or at his/her own convenience can’t expect to have the same results that
a devoted shamanic follower would experience. Further, modern shamanism
ignores the tradition’s sometimes-sketchy darker side. http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/internet/news/faq/archive/shamanism.newsgroup-faq.html
Implications for research
Religious and spiritual problems in general need to be subjected to
more research to better understand their prevalence, clinical presentation,
intrapsychic and interpersonal factors, and ethnic roots. There have
been few intensive studies done on the implications of shamanistic healing.
To fully understand spiritual methods of healing like shamanism the investigator
must enter and possibly participate within the world view of the host community.
Participating in the world of the shamans its necessary to learn the faith's
system of language, symbols, and rituals, thereby beginning to acquire
the disposition of an insider. This investigative scenario has provoked
intense controversy among researchers, the question being who has
the authority to observe and describe and even presume "to speak for" the
shaman people.
Some of the few experience-centered approaches have
revealed empirical foundations for shamanic healing. Data derived
from surveys of diverse populations and participation observation of over
thirty Asian shamans report varied extrasensory and out-of -body experiences.
The shamans lead ceremonies that change clients' perception of their illnesses.
An additional study reported that on the Miyako Islands, Okinawa, Japan
shamanism, not psychiatry, is the accepted model used to treat mental illness
effectively. Although the foundations supporting shamanism differ
from those sustaining Western medicine, both traditions provide experiences
that convince clients that specific procedural methods alleviate illness.
Conclusion
Increased numbers of experts believe that health is closely tied to
mind, body, and soul, as well as relationships to nature. Shamanistic
healing could be the connection for individuals between body and spirit
that would provide total wellness. In hopeless situations, Shamanic
traditions could be the only approach capable of altering someone's attitude
and in turn improving their well being.
References
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