Death And The Shaman Part III

Death – the cessation of life – or not...

Normally we do not like to think about death. We would rather think about life. Why reflect on death? When you start preparing for death you soon realise that you must look into your life...now...and come to face the truth of your self. Death is like a mirror in which the true meaning of life is reflected.
Sogyal Rinpoche.
Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, “Did you bring joy?” The second was, “Did you find joy?”
Leo Buscaglia.
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Psychopomping
For most people it is not the fact of death that they fear it is the mode of transport, and in some cases the concept of blame, also known as guilt.
Fear is a powerful driver; add to that the tag team of guilt and blame and you have a Bermuda Triangle effect, where everyone gets lost. People’s beliefs tend to become more adamant than ever when the perception of death is nigh or imminent.
This can be quite a turn around for some as they have perhaps eschewed all religious belief consciously. Toward the end of life the unknown inspires a search for a common thread of security. This they will find more often than not in a re-visiting of the beliefs of their elders; with the caveat that it will very much depend upon the values that are personally held most dear. It is not unusual to find someone who says that they are not particularly religious. That is until someone steps onto the toes of their values and a surprising effect will occur, a knee jerk reaction; surprising most of all to the person concerned.
Beliefs are very important in all aspects of life but most especially when it comes to death.
In saying that of course the one thing that transcends all belief is the fact that we shall all die.
In that respect we are all of us animal, vegetable and human, equal.
This is where the talent of the Psychopomper comes into play. How many of you have experience of, or have heard someone say, that having said their goodbyes and assured the dying person (even when that person is in a coma) that everyone will be looked after and all affaires managed appropriately, have reported that very soon afterward, if not immediately, the person has died.
We can call it co- incidence but then what is co-incidence? Again, it will depend upon your beliefs not only in religion but in your connection to the deceased.
What has this to do with it? Well, what has just been described is a form of Psychopomping.
At times the Shaman is called, compelled even, to areas of disaster or major accidents and incidents, which due to their very nature cause a lot of confusion not least to the newly deceased who can be lost and wandering in a state of shock having been evicted from their bodies so violently and unexpectedly.
The Shaman journeys to these incidents and becomes a guide for the souls of the deceased, comforting them and facilitating their transition.
Where there is terminal illness, a Shaman may be brought in to allay any fear. By acclimatising the patient to the concept of changing states and introducing them to their body on a metaphysical level they are encouraged to journey to the seat of their illness and to communicate with their bodies, connecting to the divine, by whatever name they choose to call Spirit.
Since the act of journeying involves trance this is beneficial in a lot of ways as this can relieve pain (which will also tend to increase with fear). This in itself is positively therapeutic. In the latter stages of terminal illnesses the patient, may feel totally isolated and alone; lost in a sea of doctors, nurses, beeping and flashing machinery, talked over but not spoken to, de-personalised. By giving them resources to enable them to regain control over some part of their situation it allows them to get as much as possible out of the time they have left in this reality.
Too often the visitors that come are already grieving and perceive loss first and foremost, forgetting that their loved one is still within this reality. They fail to understand that this is not happening to them it is happening to the person in front of them. If we manage in some small part to facilitate an awareness of how to be in the present and to celebrate what the dying person has brought not just to their lives but to those of the extended family and how it has enabled them to go forward and thank them for being – just for being, then perhaps everyone can accept the ultimate change and understand its place in the scheme of things.
It is crucial that this is done for children in this situation. A child reads the emotion of those around them. If they are reading fear and grief they will spend the short time they have left in that state. Sometimes they will be very brave for the adults and be congratulated for being so, but still are not given the space and respect to express their own emotions. They may feel responsible for the morale of the adults around them; children can take on a lot of responsibility without our catching on. All this will be age related and not surprisingly, it is from children that amazing feats of emotional strength are witnessed. It is also at this time in their lives that dogma and fear can be installed to great detriment. We can also steal strength from them, unwitting we feed our guilt on their courage. They will allow us to do so without rancour because they love us and they look to us for guidance and answers. Ironically, it is they who probably know more than we will ever comprehend. Connected still to their inner self so bright and strong, they move between worlds on a daily basis naturally. It is an ability so many of us lack and we should allow them to keep that to their advantage.
“Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.”
John Muir