Polyamory and Shamanism

PolyHippies

New member
Greetings, guy here.

Most all Shamans can be considered "Polyamorous". Though they may have only one Physical partner, the shaman may have many spirit lovers. It's comparable to nuns when they say they're married to God, but not quite in the same way.
At times the Shamans may wrestle with some spirits and make love to others. It's all part of interacting with that plane of existence. Spirits can take the form of animals, people, or the personification of Mother Nature Herself.

The plant and animal spirits are generally the shaman's servants and helpers. Garlic and Tobacco kneel to our feet, the South American Ayahuasca Shaman may call upon the Jaguar or the Hornet during a ceremony for their innate spiritual healing properties.

Mama Ayahuasca, with her warm and nurturing embrace, encircles you with her arms, and quiets your restless consciousness. She is your mother, and you are her Baby. Though you are also ONE with her in a way that is not altogether "non-sexual", this does not make you feel uncomfortable, on the contrary,you have never felt quite so comforted.

Polyamory is a concept that has been practiced in various forms for Millenia. There's also the Native American Two-Spirit people. They typically were the Medicine men of the community, and often had same sex partners. They embodied the spirit of both the male and female in their dress and sometimes mannerisms. Two Spirits sometimes had heterosexual partnerships, but in either case, neither the Two Spirit, nor their partner were considered 'homosexual'. In fact Two-Spirits could take anyone but another two-spirit for their partner, as they consider other Two-Spirits to be like 'sisters' to them.
 
:)

Is She Ever! I love her so much, my life is dedicated to her.

No sir, we are definately not the only ones, but still it feels good to have affirmation of that.

:)
 
I consider myself something akin to a Scandinavian folklore - ish shaman. Hard to put a term on it precisely.

Just wanted to point out that a huge amount can still be accomplished without altering yourself in this particular way. Which you all probaby already understand... but, just felt like saying this in case somebody who may not understand comes across this thread.
 
Native American culture is definetly not the only culture that has shamanistic traditions.

I cringe at anybody claiming to know much about shamanism without first hand experience of shamanism. Much as I would cringe about somebody claiming to know what is right and wrong in medicine, when they are not a doctor (or otherwise trained and educated), etc. Even if you had thoroughly interviewed a doctor, or several, I wouldn't assume that you are now qualified to make medical decisions or know what is right or wrong in that field.

It is tough and dangerous work. Shamans are chosen by the spirits, essentially, and a person's life is typically a lot easier and happier if they do not wind up as a shaman.

I do have some Native American heritage, by the way - but it doesn't matter. Kind of like saying a person can't be a shaman if they are African American. Ontop of being ludicrous, African cultures definetly have shamanistic traditions, like most cultures across the globe.

You might want to do your own independant research, and think carefully, before making a blanket statement like that.
 
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I didn't direct my statement at you specifically, because for all I know you could be 100% Native American. I was just making a general statement about those "plastic shamans" who co-opt Native traditions and sell spirituality to people who think they're getting the real thing. It is a real bone of contention for me, so I spoke up and posted the link to a good article which hopefully will enlighten those who do not know how offensive Native Americans find the commercialization of their traditions by non-Natives.
 
I prefer the jumbled mess of Castaneda, Miguel Ruiz, and a whole slew of others who have worked tirelessly retooling 'shamanism' into a spirituality that really has nothing to do with tradition, and everything to do with positive change. Awareness, adaptation, breaking patterns, and hunting your own faults. I practice this nameless unreligion under that name. But I am no native.

I have no use for their ways, they are theirs. I seek. I change, and I cut straight through bullshit as fast as I can hunt it down within me.

Spirits do not ask me my history, my birthright. I am. And that is the only right I need.


Anyone willing to buy spirituality is no better than the seller. I see it as an equal trade between fools. :p

his path, followed, will eventually result in poly, pragmatic issues aside.

My two cents.

:D Peace and love brothers and sisters.
 
Ah, yes, I've read many of Casteneda's books. You do know that most of it is considered fabrication? And that he had developed a small cult of female "apprentices" whom he controlled with sex, psychological abuse, rituals, and his rather dubious teachings? One of his disciples, Amy Wallace (daughter of Irving Wallace) wrote about the 20 years she spent with him and it wasn't pretty. Before he died of liver disease (he also had cancer at the time of his death), he wanted to go out to sea in a boat and drift away into oblivion with a few of his cult followers, apparently to preserve the myths he'd created about himself by not leaving his body behind. Yep, it's become clear in recent years that Casteneda was just another, albeit hugely popular, self-proclaimed shaman who abused the meaning of the word.
 
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Oh, I'm aware of how incredibly messed up he was. I do believe, like anyone else, he had useful things to say. Actually, his bullshit character is a reminder that having great insights does not a shaman make. Rolemodel wise, Miguel Ruiz is a much more squared away person. But I don't believe he is some guru either. I didn't get much from castanedas works after the first couple. I've never believed anyone could escape being full of crap. I do know its my job to keep mine as in check as possible.

I think its an easy thing to do for someone who believes they have been chosen; to be blind to their own shortcomings. But in my life, young as I am, I've done things I villified in others and it is in those times when I realised just how human I am. It also did a great deal to teach me compassion, especially for others mistakes.

I think of Robert Heinlein as a great influence too, and all his works are science fiction. As some of more native traditions have proven, there is a lot of value in a good story.
 
Though aren't there a number of Shamanic traditions, aside from Amerindian and MesoAmerican? After all, the oldest visual depiction of a shamanic practitioner comes from Siberia. Cultural appropriation is one thing, but Shamanism is a set of techniques that are found in cultures on almost every continent.
 
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