The way forward for myself with Shamanism as a collective phenomenon isn't clear. We need to work with society, not against it, as Medicine people in any traditional society would. The basic attitude needs to be one of appreciation, from a place of strength and discernment, rather than mistrust from a place of insecurity, of not having done the shadow work. That oppositional place is often a necessary starting point, but it is very provisional, it needs to be grown out of.
Society is what it is, because we humans are what we are. It is not a threat. We have another basis within us that is Spirit, that is limitless, that is not dependent on the tragi-comedy of collective human existence. Recent events around the pandemic have showed me how deep is the oppositional attitude in the Shamanic world to our collective. I don't yet know how to approach it.
What I do know is that a necessary step, maybe even the next step, forward for many of us lies in accepting the collective for what it is, and in turn we shall become more at ease with who we are. This is a deep thing, and it is not a compromise; rather, it is about accepting part of who we are, for we are collective creatures, we belong, and that is also a metaphysical truth. It grounds us in a new way, it gives us authority and strength, it connects us. Some Shamanic teachers convey the opposite, they perpetuate this opposition, and they are not serving themselves or anyone else. You could say it comes down to shadow work.
My thoughts for some time have been on how to address this oppositional attitude, indeed can I, it is so prevalent, it has become so fundamental? I am sure that Spirit will show me. For the moment, I just need to keep writing :)
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