IF YOU MEET YOUR SPIRIT GUIDE ON THE ROAD, KILL HIM

I try not to be too hard on so-called 'Core' Shamanism. It is where many of us begin on this hard-to-define path, whose meaning we consequently argue about. Some people insist they know what Shamanism is and what it isn't, and they are probably best left in their happy bubbles. Other people insist that whatever Shamanism is, it is not a religion. Well of course it is, don't be daft, religion is what happens whenever you get more than one person together in a room, you get unspoken rules and hierarchies and all that, it is just what humans do. The point of religion is eventually to step outside of it. If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him. That sort of thing. When you meet your Spirit Guide on the yellow brick road, kill her too. If you are ready, and she doesn't kill you first. You always know what you need to know, if you are listening to the multiverse, because you are the multiverse.

But I began this piece with 'Core' Shamanism, and not wanting to be too hard on it. It was my own way in, in 1997, after 17 years of a rather fundamentalist Buddhism that did not consider the Earth to be sacred. Well, I can't say Core Shamanism did either, not particularly: the emphasis was on journeying and the magical things you can do in that realm. Which worked for me. Over a period it changed me deeply, and catalysed a complete change in my life. Though my journeying quickly moved outside the paradigm I had been taught. And into something the teacher 'had never heard of', suggesting it was somehow wrong.

Be that as it may, this 'Core' Shamanism (and 'Core' is one hell of a claim that I could spend a whole post unpicking) got many of us going, and needs credit for that. That said, it is merely a minimalist method, scientifically stripped of cultural context and richness. Maybe that is what the word 'Core' really means. It would give it a kind of validity in the academic context in which its originator Michael Harner lived.

Anyway, I asked Chatpgt what it thought were the limitations of Core Shamanism, and this is what it said. It seemed fair enough to me, apart from the use of the term 'cultural appropriation', which I think is loaded and political and in denial of the natural process by which cultures have always freely taken from each other.

So here is ChatPGT, with its latest installment of AI Shamanism:

Limitations of Core Shamanism

Core shamanism is a modern approach to shamanism developed by Michael Harner in the late 20th century. It is based on cross-cultural shamanic practices and techniques that are believed to be universal to all shamanic traditions. While core shamanism has gained popularity in recent years, it also has some limitations, including:

Cultural appropriation: Core shamanism claims to be a universal approach to shamanism that is not tied to any specific cultural or ethnic tradition. However, some critics argue that this approach is a form of cultural appropriation, as it cherry-picks practices and techniques from different indigenous cultures without proper understanding or respect for their cultural context.

Lack of lineage and cultural roots: Core shamanism is not grounded in any specific cultural or ethnic tradition, which means that it lacks the depth and richness that comes from a long lineage of shamanic practitioners. This can result in a superficial understanding of shamanism and a lack of connection to the cultural and spiritual roots of the practice.

Overemphasis on individualism: Core shamanism tends to focus on individual spiritual development and personal empowerment, rather than on the collective well-being of the community. This can lead to a self-centered approach to spirituality that neglects the social and political dimensions of shamanic practice.

Limited understanding of the spiritual world: Core shamanism tends to view the spiritual world as a kind of psychological projection of the individual psyche, rather than as a complex and dynamic reality in its own right. This can result in a reductionist and simplistic view of spiritual experience, which fails to appreciate the depth and complexity of shamanic cosmologies.

Lack of traditional training and initiation: Core shamanism is often taught through workshops and seminars, rather than through traditional apprenticeship and initiation processes. This can result in a shallow understanding of shamanic practice and a lack of respect for the traditional ways of learning and practicing shamanism.

Overall, while core shamanism has its benefits and can be a useful starting point for those interested in shamanic practice, it is important to approach it with awareness of its limitations and to seek out more grounded and culturally rooted forms of shamanism

SHAPESHIFTING and ChatGPT

I asked ChatGPT "What is the place of shapeshifting within shamanism?" Shapeshifting is one of the main themes of the shamanic fantasy trilogy I have almost finished writing. I got this response:

Shapeshifting is a common practice in shamanism, which involves the shaman taking on the form of an animal, plant, or other natural object. It is often used as a tool for accessing and working with different realms of consciousness, as well as for healing, divination, and spiritual transformation.

In shamanic traditions, shapeshifting is believed to be a way of connecting with the natural world and the spirits that inhabit it. By taking on the form of an animal, for example, the shaman can gain insight into the animal's perspective and gain access to its innate wisdom and power.

THAT'S ME FOLKS

Shapeshifting can also be used as a means of personal transformation. By embodying the qualities of an animal or other natural object, the shaman can take on its strengths and attributes, and integrate them into their own being. This process can help the shaman to overcome personal challenges and develop a deeper connection with nature and the spiritual world.

Overall, shapeshifting is considered to be an important part of shamanic practice, and is often used in conjunction with other techniques such as drumming, chanting, and meditation. However, it is worth noting that shapeshifting is often seen as a highly advanced practice that requires a great deal of skill and experience to perform safely and effectively.

Q&A in Oxford

This is a video of a Q&A I did last Sunday with the Oxford Astrology group. Thanks to Christina Rodenbeck for hosting. 

It was by way of launching my book Surfing the Galactic Highways: the offer remains open, that if you purchase it from Amazon and leave a rating, I will give you a free astrology or tarot reading.

MEDICINE WHEEL COURSE?

Here's what I'm thinking. I bought a 4 bedroom house recently, on the edge of Dartmoor in the UK. Room for expansion. Room to run residential courses, with daily walks out to my favourite fairy spots. It would be long weekends, about 5 of them over a year.

The Medicine Wheel uses the Air, Fire, Earth and Water Elements in ways we already understand. It is psychological, ceremonial and mythological. At the centre is you, in balance. At the centre is also the whole universe, for they are the same thing. It's fantastic, deep stuff. My book The Medicine Wheel would be the background reading. But the emphasis would be experiential.

And we'd be a community. It would be ongoing after the course was over. Zoom and all that. And I'd bring in the journeying, the shapeshifting, the pipes and the praying. And, inevitably, some astrology and tarot.

I am quite informal. The only thing I ask is for jokes at my expense, in case anyone gets the wrong idea about me. Or I get the wrong idea about me. But I do know what I'm talking about. There's this magical thing at the centre of my life I've been bumbling along with for 45 years, trying to follow its scent. Stuff happens around it. Recently, it has been about writing books. But I am also a people person, whereas writing tends to be solitary. I need to do this course-community thing for myself, as much as the world may or may not need it.

Here's how it will work practically. It will be residential, in shared single-sex bedrooms at my house, unless you want to use an air bnb or a campsite. I will provide mattresses and pillows, you bring the rest. You will also need to bring food to share (shops just up the road.) You will collectively need to keep the practical side running, for I cannot do both. But I think that will work really well, we'll all be in it together. Cost will be pretty low, like £100 per long weekend or something. Starting this July.

There is no right way or wrong way to do Shamanism. The depth comes from being true to that within you that wants to be lived. It's a journey only you can do. I can sometimes hold a light in the darkness, but no more. It's a quest, an adventure that lasts your whole life. It requires courage. It requires a willingness to be honest about the difficult stuff, and to stay with it. And it's also about play, which is maybe the deepest thing of all. Hence the profound medicine power of my tiger onesie . 😎

So if this appeals, let me know, either comment below or email me: BWGoddard1@aol.co.uk. I'm not taking bookings - I haven't even got dates - but I will get back to you in time.

What would this course qualify you for? Nothing. But it can lead towards the only real qualification to do this kind of work, which is a deep relationship with yourself and with Spirit.