TURNING JAPANESE
I’ve been having a bit of a think recently. It’s been quite confusing at times – all these things I’ve been thinking about. Confusing until I had that ‘ah!’ moment; you know the one. That’s the one where everything slots into place very suddenly, like when you’re watching one of those formation thingies, just before it’s completed or from the original angle they make no sense at all; then in a nano second there it is, and you wonder how you could have not seen it all the while.
It reminded me of a time when I was sitting in a pub with a bunch of PhD doctor types, one of whom was Japanese – that he was Japanese (and presumably still is) is not all together relevant, he was a thoroughly impressive chap, at least 6ft 4 if he was an inch! Anyway, he made a puzzle with some matchsticks, it was a fish shape and we had to change the direction it swam in by moving only two of the matches. Whether it was the copious amount of alcohol we’d consumed, (there the Japanese are also impressive!), or that we were all just not thinking laterally – and let’s face it within a group of five academics and one technician someone should have been able to sort this one out – we just couldn’t see it.
The call of nature saved face! I had to go to the toilet, having consumed several pints it was urgently required. The point is that on my way back to the table I looked down at the puzzle and BAM! There it was, the answer so obvious, how could it be there, just there staring me in the face, such a simple thing, and I could not see it?
Until I changed my position, until I looked at it from a different perspective I could have been sitting there all night and still been stymied because my Japanese doctor friend was being very inscrutable and refused to reveal the solution. He had given us the puzzle to solve and would leave us locked in a battle with this inanimate thing until we ourselves found the answer.
So, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about life and NLP and Mr Erickson (our hero). Like my Japanese friend, a head and shoulders above his peers, he sees from a different perspective, and shows us that by simply altering the way we look at a situation, allows us to change that situation, by using very little interference we can change the direction in which we or our clients are swimming.
Can you hear it? Can you hear the ‘Ah, yes?’ It’s so simple – isn’t it?
Leslie Currie, July 2006
Monday 29 January 2007
Friday 12 January 2007
Path of the Shaman
Shamanic practise is more than 50,000 years old. It is not a religion of itself but can be found interwoven into many religions; not excluding the main known orthodox beliefs. A part of, but apart from the major religions of the world. It is singular and of itself, and is remarkable in that although developed by many separate cultures, it has a central core that is common to all these indigenous traditions.
From the Australian Aborigine to the Tibetan Monks, from Siberia to Africa, from North and South America to Northern Europe. From Santa Claus to Arch Angels, Shamanism is alive and well and becoming more and more apparent as the Universe shifts back the spiritual balance to the individual; be it person, tribe, clan or village, the Universe is calling its warriors to arms, the Warriors of the Shadow, the Shapeshifters, the Healers, the Pyromancers, the Psychopompers, those who have eyes to see in the dark.
Le Barre said that there were Shamen before there were Gods, this is understandable as it would behove that a Shaman would be the one with access to the other words; other realities and different dimensions. Only when one found the way to enter these dimensions would it be possible for them to communicate with the beings/spirits therein. How they chose the first Shamen is still a mystery.
Supposedly, the original travellers to space and time had no pre - conceived ideas of what to expect and therefore, the fact that the Shamens’ individual (and very separate) experiences have so much in common has allowed them to connect with others such as themselves, that a belief system of ‘other worlds, of other dimensions, of other realities of has evolved from a core experience and recounting of these.
Their relating of journeys to otherworldly realms, the purpose of which was to find good hunting, good shelter, or more prosaically - an honourable victory over a Shaman from a rival tribe. From the birth of new members of the tribes, what their souls would bring to their people, what gifts would be brought by this new life, to the guidance of souls passing through the veils of shadow lands back into the void. The Shamen were the ones who knew how, and each one through ritual and wisdom passed down by elder Shamen to the chosen few, would have the responsibility of the lives and fortunes of all those within the tribe.
The similarities and the success of these rituals and ceremonials are testament not only to the wisdom and aptitude of the individual, but are an indication to a shared knowledge of something most of the Western world can only dream of. Thankfully, some of us still do dream of it and though even fewer of us act upon those dreams, the few are increasing in number as we as humans begin to realise that there is a finite amount of money, carbon based fuel and land.
This brings us to our main belief systems today, which have collected that which suited and rejected as evil that which did not, allowed the creation of Heaven and Hell, and who is to go to whichever the ’priest’ decreed through his knowledge of the new mysteries; 2,000 years young. The basis of which was made upon texts translated from Aramaic and Sanskrit into Greek and then Latin. No matter that the academic prowess, and therefore the competence of the priests was suspect as long as they were zealous, pure, pious, knew the fundamentals and were willing to implement the Gospel according to whomsoever was revising the “good book” at the time; any which way and with as much force as it would take to convert the poor daemon worshipping, simple minded souls they encountered on their way, who had the audacity to believe that they knew more about their spiritual needs than these new guys in frocks, who couldn’t speak their language, couldn’t cope with their weather and conditions and instead of being gracious guests became tyrannical overseers.
While doing this pushed most pure Shamanic traditions to past the point of extinction in places, it only succeeded to bestialise and ridicule its practise in others, though still chasing it underground and ensuring that only the most inaccessible places on this earth kept a pure tradition. Were it not for some of the more open of European minds the Native American Culture would have been totally lost to a Hebrew God whose testament has been bastardised and politically spun throughout the ages - not least by the first Pope who had converted from a Pagan background, and in his wisdom decided what the poor plebs could handle and what they could not; so it was the Gospel according to Constantine not God.
Still taking into consideration the pantheon of God/Goddess’ from various traditions, Greek, Roman, Celtic, Nordic/Heathen. Shamanic resonance can be seen in all of these, even unto the Bible. The bible
Teaches Druidic theology, the sacrificing of oneself for the good of the many, for the good of the land, this was taught by the Druid priests since there were people on this island. The King who was and will be again, risen from the dead to lead his people to freedom of suppression is not just the remit of the bible. Every child knows the Arthurian legends. Every mainstream religion is based upon the messiah concept. The de- possessing of spirit’s, the common sense that has been lost in translation, the trial on the mount the feeding of the 5,000, the vision quest in the desert 40 days and 40 nights. Go tell it to a Native American Brave, that is before the missionaries came to make him over in Gods own image, before they came to destroy and bully a people who were so connected to the land they lived and died for it. A people whose Medicine men treated not just the wounds of their people but the traumas of their souls, by connecting to the land that sustained them.
Shamen have power over fire, time and space, the weather, and particularly they have great power in healing arts and in psychopomping ; the assisting of souls crossing over to a new
Dimension, or state of being. These days our lives are full of arts and means to keep death at bay. Death is the ultimate change and we, although having a tendency to embrace change when we can see the outcome, have less and less intention to accept and embrace death. Somehow we have come to see it as an end to ourselves, in our human form we are so self obsessed. Western Society by and large does not take to spirituality unless there is a crisis in the offing. A Tsunami will do it for some, though less of praying for the dead and more of rifling the wallet takes place, there are a few people who put aside their everyday lives and trials and for some reason have an all encompassing urge to do something - something they would never normally think of.
People go on holiday every day to places like Thailand and India and the Maldives. They see the poverty, they see the potential for destruction and loss of life but they don’t own it, it is not their problem. They’re doing their bit by visiting the place and brining in much needed tourist money. Most of them go home having had a great time and not realising or even registering the fact that there are people who live on the edge every single day, that their tourist money is actually not doing much good, because the more they visit the more hotels have to be built therefore the more land is cleared. Natural breakwaters, natural barriers no longer exist. The government spends no money on early warning systems because it’s not as important as the next new resort for rich Westerners to come and spend their money.
And the indigenous peoples, they live with death every day. Their rights are taken from them by faceless foreigners who want their land and resources but these are finite resources. The real gold is in the fact that indigenous peoples have treatments for cancers that we don’t know about. They don’t get the kind of cancers and diseases that we have. That they have good health and longevity that we can only dream of. That they know a peace and contentment that we shall never see again, lest we go back to real basics remembering who we are and that we need each other, not another car, not a bigger house, not a pool; we need to connect.
It is known as a magico - religious practise, whose practitioners bring on an ecstatic trance state, through dance, chanting, journeying and meditation. Some practitioners use psychotropic drugs, these are not necessary for all.
Shamanic practise is more than 50,000 years old. It is not a religion of itself but can be found interwoven into many religions; not excluding the main known orthodox beliefs. A part of, but apart from the major religions of the world. It is singular and of itself, and is remarkable in that although developed by many separate cultures, it has a central core that is common to all these indigenous traditions.
From the Australian Aborigine to the Tibetan Monks, from Siberia to Africa, from North and South America to Northern Europe. From Santa Claus to Arch Angels, Shamanism is alive and well and becoming more and more apparent as the Universe shifts back the spiritual balance to the individual; be it person, tribe, clan or village, the Universe is calling its warriors to arms, the Warriors of the Shadow, the Shapeshifters, the Healers, the Pyromancers, the Psychopompers, those who have eyes to see in the dark.
Le Barre said that there were Shamen before there were Gods, this is understandable as it would behove that a Shaman would be the one with access to the other words; other realities and different dimensions. Only when one found the way to enter these dimensions would it be possible for them to communicate with the beings/spirits therein. How they chose the first Shamen is still a mystery.
Supposedly, the original travellers to space and time had no pre - conceived ideas of what to expect and therefore, the fact that the Shamens’ individual (and very separate) experiences have so much in common has allowed them to connect with others such as themselves, that a belief system of ‘other worlds, of other dimensions, of other realities of has evolved from a core experience and recounting of these.
Their relating of journeys to otherworldly realms, the purpose of which was to find good hunting, good shelter, or more prosaically - an honourable victory over a Shaman from a rival tribe. From the birth of new members of the tribes, what their souls would bring to their people, what gifts would be brought by this new life, to the guidance of souls passing through the veils of shadow lands back into the void. The Shamen were the ones who knew how, and each one through ritual and wisdom passed down by elder Shamen to the chosen few, would have the responsibility of the lives and fortunes of all those within the tribe.
The similarities and the success of these rituals and ceremonials are testament not only to the wisdom and aptitude of the individual, but are an indication to a shared knowledge of something most of the Western world can only dream of. Thankfully, some of us still do dream of it and though even fewer of us act upon those dreams, the few are increasing in number as we as humans begin to realise that there is a finite amount of money, carbon based fuel and land.
This brings us to our main belief systems today, which have collected that which suited and rejected as evil that which did not, allowed the creation of Heaven and Hell, and who is to go to whichever the ’priest’ decreed through his knowledge of the new mysteries; 2,000 years young. The basis of which was made upon texts translated from Aramaic and Sanskrit into Greek and then Latin. No matter that the academic prowess, and therefore the competence of the priests was suspect as long as they were zealous, pure, pious, knew the fundamentals and were willing to implement the Gospel according to whomsoever was revising the “good book” at the time; any which way and with as much force as it would take to convert the poor daemon worshipping, simple minded souls they encountered on their way, who had the audacity to believe that they knew more about their spiritual needs than these new guys in frocks, who couldn’t speak their language, couldn’t cope with their weather and conditions and instead of being gracious guests became tyrannical overseers.
While doing this pushed most pure Shamanic traditions to past the point of extinction in places, it only succeeded to bestialise and ridicule its practise in others, though still chasing it underground and ensuring that only the most inaccessible places on this earth kept a pure tradition. Were it not for some of the more open of European minds the Native American Culture would have been totally lost to a Hebrew God whose testament has been bastardised and politically spun throughout the ages - not least by the first Pope who had converted from a Pagan background, and in his wisdom decided what the poor plebs could handle and what they could not; so it was the Gospel according to Constantine not God.
Still taking into consideration the pantheon of God/Goddess’ from various traditions, Greek, Roman, Celtic, Nordic/Heathen. Shamanic resonance can be seen in all of these, even unto the Bible. The bible
Teaches Druidic theology, the sacrificing of oneself for the good of the many, for the good of the land, this was taught by the Druid priests since there were people on this island. The King who was and will be again, risen from the dead to lead his people to freedom of suppression is not just the remit of the bible. Every child knows the Arthurian legends. Every mainstream religion is based upon the messiah concept. The de- possessing of spirit’s, the common sense that has been lost in translation, the trial on the mount the feeding of the 5,000, the vision quest in the desert 40 days and 40 nights. Go tell it to a Native American Brave, that is before the missionaries came to make him over in Gods own image, before they came to destroy and bully a people who were so connected to the land they lived and died for it. A people whose Medicine men treated not just the wounds of their people but the traumas of their souls, by connecting to the land that sustained them.
Shamen have power over fire, time and space, the weather, and particularly they have great power in healing arts and in psychopomping ; the assisting of souls crossing over to a new
Dimension, or state of being. These days our lives are full of arts and means to keep death at bay. Death is the ultimate change and we, although having a tendency to embrace change when we can see the outcome, have less and less intention to accept and embrace death. Somehow we have come to see it as an end to ourselves, in our human form we are so self obsessed. Western Society by and large does not take to spirituality unless there is a crisis in the offing. A Tsunami will do it for some, though less of praying for the dead and more of rifling the wallet takes place, there are a few people who put aside their everyday lives and trials and for some reason have an all encompassing urge to do something - something they would never normally think of.
People go on holiday every day to places like Thailand and India and the Maldives. They see the poverty, they see the potential for destruction and loss of life but they don’t own it, it is not their problem. They’re doing their bit by visiting the place and brining in much needed tourist money. Most of them go home having had a great time and not realising or even registering the fact that there are people who live on the edge every single day, that their tourist money is actually not doing much good, because the more they visit the more hotels have to be built therefore the more land is cleared. Natural breakwaters, natural barriers no longer exist. The government spends no money on early warning systems because it’s not as important as the next new resort for rich Westerners to come and spend their money.
And the indigenous peoples, they live with death every day. Their rights are taken from them by faceless foreigners who want their land and resources but these are finite resources. The real gold is in the fact that indigenous peoples have treatments for cancers that we don’t know about. They don’t get the kind of cancers and diseases that we have. That they have good health and longevity that we can only dream of. That they know a peace and contentment that we shall never see again, lest we go back to real basics remembering who we are and that we need each other, not another car, not a bigger house, not a pool; we need to connect.
It is known as a magico - religious practise, whose practitioners bring on an ecstatic trance state, through dance, chanting, journeying and meditation. Some practitioners use psychotropic drugs, these are not necessary for all.
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