To a degree, there is; but on the flipside, the more globalised culture gets, the more homogenised it gets too. That’s why – I believe – almost everyone thinks ‘shamans’ are Core shamanists if they’re neo-shamans, and American Indians or Siberians if not.

So in smaller communities, you have accepted variations of behaviours that would now be – in many corners – considered mental illnesses because they’re no longer in the mainstream paradigm, and don’t fit in the globalised homogenised consciousness of what ‘shamanism’ is.

It’s sort of a catch 22 that there are more opportunities to diversify as the culture grows, and yet less opportunities to be accepted by that culture if you *do* diversify. You get stuck in situations where neo-shamanists have to really *fight* to be distinguished from Core Shamanists in their practices. Instead of the assumption = ‘shamanism means a variety of practices, and cultures, whether contemporary or not’ you often have the assumption = ‘shamanism = Core shamanism or plastic shamanism.’

It drains me to journey, always; I can just get to where I need to go quickly, these days. If my tiredness is anything to go by, it may even be that the cost of being able to just ‘be Over There’ by wanting to be Over There and applying the right lateral step to it, is me falling asleep midway through the journey state.

There are cases of either/or, good/bad outside of monotheistic religions, but I think the approach to these polarities is a bit different. The concept, for example, of “hot” vs. “cold” things in Malawi culture isn’t so much about good/bad as it is situational needs. A person who is already “hot” doesn’t need more “hot” activities or other influences.

See, for me, it does take effort to do more than cursory communication with the spirits. Not tons and tons, unless I’m doing serious journeying, but I bet it does come easier to you than to me.

As to the distance, I was mainly going for the perceptions most people here have, which is having a definite divide between humans and Nature/spirits. The spirits are still closer to me than to most folks, and I see them as much more immediate.

But it’s more complicated, isn’t it? Our wider culture, for better or worse, has told us younger whites that “it’s a black thing, so you wouldn’t get it.” We’re constantly reminded that we cannot possibly understand African culture (since we never did, originally) or that of African Americans. There’s the whole legacy, also, of devaluing these cultures and mocking them. So to take steps to open a dialogue with “other,” whites need to be pretty confident in the “purity” of their motives, don’t you think?

To your other point about our tendency to label things as “either/or”–that’s one reason I’m attracted to shamanism, since it offers more freedom. Our Christian/Western foundations have created this tendency, I believe, but shamanism offers us an opportunity to move beyond. But it isn’t easy and it we won’t ever “arrive,” I don’t think. I think shamanism offers us Westerners an opportunity to push the boundaries and stretch ourselves. Certainly sounds like what you’re doing. And we each have different areas to explore. Keep pushing!

xxoo

Am RT this on FB. I’m so code.

I also hope that as you heal, you can retain that close relationship. If it does fade, remember that sometimes the mind closes briefly so it can heal a part related to that experience, and then opens up again when it’s ready to accept things as they are. (That’s been my experience, and what my guides have been telling me.)