The oldest healing tradition in the
world is shamanism. It is primitive. It is primal. It is a powerful
practice. Today it would also be classified by such names as “holistic
healing”, or “integrative medicine”. My beloved
calls it “Harmonic Infusion.” I have been led to call
it “Primordial Healing.”
Some time ago, I read an article entitled, Birthing as a Shamanic
Experience by Leslie McIntyre. In the article, it was stated that
when a woman gives birth naturally, she is between two worlds,
the world of life and the world of death. This, in and of itself,
is a Shamanic experience. It led me to do more research into the
world of the female shaman, the one who is a “Primordial
Healer”.
In her book Shakti Woman Vicki Noble quotes Geoffery Ashe, a British
scholar who specializes in shamanism as saying, “Ancient
shamanism was not an individual phenomenon but was something that
was practiced by the female group, and the power of the female
group is biologically rooted in menstruation and the blood mysteries
of birth.”
I recently finished reading, The Woman in the Shaman’s Body
by Barbara Tedlock. The book was most informative about women and
shamanism. It let me know that the direction of my life is right
and timely.
Most times when we hear the word shaman, we think of a man. This
is because the patriarchal mindset had relegated women to a position
of assistant or subordinate in this practice.
All over the world, there were and are women who are very powerful
shamans. They are called by different names because the word shaman
was primarily used in Siberia, whereas in other cultures the term
was Sangoma, Curandera, Witch, Medicine Woman, or other names used
to describe a woman of strong spirit.
Among shaman there are: inspirational shaman, they are touched
and initiated by spirit, and there are hereditary shaman, who are
trained and experience traditional initiation according to bloodlines.
A shaman is one seeks knowledge. They learn about herbs, aromatherapy,
midwifery, massage, oracles, charms, spells, songs and many other
things that can help them in their practice. It is a never-ending
quest to do one’s very best to assist in the healing process.
Many statues of women shamans exist throughout the world, in North
America, Europe, Korea, Africa, Japan, Mexico, South America, Siberia,
Taiwan and various other places. It was believed that women were
the first shamans and were gifted naturally. According to the writings
in Ms. Tedlock’s book, “The only way that men could
become shamans was to kill the women and steal their paraphernalia
and knowledge.” |
In Siberia, the oldest Shamanic grave
found was of a young woman. Mostly all of the graves of shaman
were women! Cave drawing from Europe into South Africa show that
female shaman were the norm.
One of the reasons that women have not been previously recognized
as shamans is because in many other languages there are no gendered
descriptions such as the “he” and “she” that
we have in the English language where he is used to describe both
female and male.
There is a Huchiol story that says women receive the call directly
from the spirits and that men chose other men to be shamans. In
many cases it is believed that women are the most powerful because
of their innate abilities.
Many women have forgotten the powers of their natural ability to
have their visions during their Sacred Moon-time or during their
Sacred Menopausal Years. It saddens me that more women are not
aware of these most profound times in their lives but that is changing
slowly but surely. When a woman does ritual during her Sacred Moon-time
it is said that this is so very powerful that it can render weapons
useless. I mention these Sacred Times because they are associated
with the powerful energy that women carry naturally. There are
some women who are much more in tune with their abilities and because
of their dreams in the waking or sleep state, are initiated into
the Shamanic Traditions from an interpersonal, feminine perspective.
Ms. Tedlock states that the male Shamanic traditions are more heroic,
meaning that they are doing all the work for the client. The female
Shamanic interpersonal practice has the client participate more
in their own healing and thus they feel more connected to the power
of their own spiritual being.
Shamanism is making a comeback in the metaphysical world. Many
who are relearning and practicing are women. This is a good thing
because…”When sleeping women wake, mountains move.” -
Chinese Proverb
Dr. Tonya is a Primordial Healer, Ancient Feminine
Wisdom Keeper, and a Spiritual Consultant. She can be reached at
Synchronicity: A Metaphysical Dynasty, 770-640-8184 Wed – Sunday. |
