THE SHAMAN OF TODAY
Almost an age ago Barefoot healers, pre-Taoist shamans wearing red headbands, wandered naked in ancient China and were prone to fits.
Siberian shamans are especially well-known, but shamans from other cultures are also aware of them. Taoist shamanism arose from these origins, surviving the turmoil of warring states and later persecutions, as well as Taoism's rise to become the official religion of the Imperial dynasties and eventual downfall.
Today, a shaman is a community healer who is known only to the community and is unknown to the outside world, particularly in the Taoist tradition.
This secret dates back to the days when people were persecuted. The shaman, as a healing warrior, mediates with, or combats, Spirit by taking the energy to heal and lock into her or himself. When all medicinal practices such as plants, massage, acupuncture, or allopathy have declined, the shaman is selected by Spirit and named by humans as a "mediator of Spirit." While illness persists, the shaman consults Spirit to learn what healing the soul needs in order for the body to be restored to health. The shaman awakens the awareness that everything is a joy and a reward, that everything is love, and that gratitude and thanks must be expressed even in the face of suffering. Then the soul and the body will be brought back into balance.
Practitioners in shamanism, on the other hand, may be vulnerable to Spirit afflictions in this world. I personally know two people — one a recognized practitioner and the other a young boy identified by his teachers as possessing shamanic ability — who have a tough time adjusting to life in the "natural" world but are able to support others through their Spirit bond.
Of course, modern-day Taoist practitioners will use the Healing Tao method to shield themselves from depletion and pollution in this situation.
All of the following was recommended by Taoism to help you develop a better understanding of yourself, your relationship with others, and your alignment with all of the powers surrounding you. Make your own course, and you are the creator of your own life.
- Spiritual growth and prosperity
- Understanding the powers of nature and your own true nature through meditation, kung fu, and Tai Chi.
- Understanding the animal's soul and the natural world's way of life
- Many of these perspectives are combined in the Taoist medicine wheel and the rituals that go with it.
You may also want to read more about Shamanism here.
Also, be sure to check out our section on Religion.
