ZEN, THE BUDDHA AND SHAMANISM

Shamanism:

The coming warmth of the morning sun softly caresses the flower's unopened petals. As the flower expands to engulf the sun's rays, the prior night's dew slowly dissipates.

The sun gives freely, neither asking for nor expecting a return. Knowing it is neither gift nor taking, the flower blossoms without fear, gently adding it's own beauty and sense of being to it's surroundings and to those fortunate enough to pass within it's presence.

Enlightenment and Shamanism in their own way are similar...however, even for those that thus come, though the ancient bristlecone pine and the desert's saguaro cactus are great and noble entities, the pinetree's seed dropped at the saguaro's foot will not take root, nor the saguaro's seed at the pinetree's foot. Magnificent as each is, something else needs be done...

THE ICEMAN COMETH: Shamanism A Beginning:

On September 19, 1991, high in the Oetzaler Alps in Europe, between Austria and Italy, a man was found frozen to death in the snow. As it turned out the man was prehistoric, frozen over 5000 years ago, sometime between 3350-3140 BC, nearly intact and almost perfectly preserved. Although found in what eventually became modern day Europe, which is an area not now known in the present era for it's background in things Shaman, it has been suggested that the deceased had indeed been a Shaman, presumably dying of exposure when caught out in the open during a mystical retreat on the side of the treacherous mountain. Several associated facts presented themselves for such speculation. The body was tattooed; his weapons (a roughly-hewn bow made of yew, several unfinished arrows, and an all wood dagger) resembled dummy weapons associated with Shamans in other cultures; he carried a pouch containing, among other things, a thong on which was threaded two pieces of a common birch fungus Piptoporus betulinus which contains polyporic acid C, an effective antibody, especially against stomach microbacteria, which would indicate, if not a specific knowledge of herbs and natural ingredients, at least a general acceptance of their use. The fact that he carried only what HE needed and not a variety for wider Shamanistic use, again underscores his mountain sojourn as having a more "mystical retreat" aspect to it. Interestingly enough, a similar fungus also closely associated with the birch, Amanita muscaria, is not only hallucinogenic but is also used by various Eurasian Shamans as an aid to ecstasy. It is possible that, if not authentically hallucinogenic, the ones the Iceman carried, could at least have been believed to be so; he also had a copper-headed axe in his possession, which, because it was metal, and for the most part rare and quite valuable in those days, marked him out as an individual of high status. One item not discussed at any length in the numerous reports on the frozen man is the net he carried, an object that is used to trap spirits in the rituals of several Shamanistic cultures, seen in various forms as dream catchers and such. And finally, while it is true the Iceman's location was somewhat close to recognized Neolithic trade routes and trails which ran through passes nearby, it was NOT actually on one. Aerial photographs of the area show that the site he was found is not in easily accessible terrain, thus it is thought unreasonable he simply strayed there from one of the passes. The body was well above known trails, high in the mountains above the 10,400 foot level, and alone it seems, suggesting the possibility that he had traveled there to be closer to the gods.

THE ABOVE FROM: POWER OF THE SHAMAN: Where Does It Come From, How Does It Work?

Words Of Wisdom

Spiritual Links

Zen, the Buddha, and Shamanism
POWER OF THE SHAMAN: Where Does It Come From, How Does It Work?
AWAKENING 101