Shamanism is one of the oldest spiritual practices known to mankind. The shaman is a messenger and helper between the spirit world and the material world. The shaman works as a medicine man or woman, to help restore health and cultivate spiritual as well as physical prosperity for him/herself, and the community. When the shaman works, he or she works in a sacred space through ritual.
What does it mean to work in a shamanic way?
Working in a shamanic way can be as simple as connecting to nature around you, and listen. All things are inter-connected, and everything is alive. This means, that even things that we in ordinary reality consider 'dead', (a house or a car), has a spirit, has a soul. And it is this spirit, and the spirit af all things that we connect with and communicate with, when we work as shamans.
To work in a shamanic way, means working from an understanding that everything is connected. What I do today, influences tomorrow. We cannot separate ourselves from belonging here on this planet and the roles we play. We each have a responsibility, a power and a voice. And we are all heard. To work in a shamanic way is to respect life in whatever form, and include in the whole picture.
What is shamanic art?
Shamanic art is about acknowledging and appreciating life. Artworks are created as blessings and tributes to the spirit world, sometimes in collaboration with spirit helpers.
Shamanic artwork can also be tools; drums, rattles, bead-work.
Or I can create artwork that help me understand and integrate spirit encounters and teachings. Shamanic art can be depictions of spirit, a god, and appreciations of places.
Shamanic art might be a painting or picture that illustrates a scene from a shamanic journey or experience. It might be a depiction of a person seen in spiritual light, a plant or tree. Some shamanic artwork is figurative, and easy to translate into words. It might be depicting a vision or a dream. Perhaps it is a spirit teaching transformed into a picture for others to see.
"Very often with shamanic art, I find that I am moved in in-describable ways, ways that are hidden to my ordinary consciousness and awareness. It is simply my body, my spirit, something behind the words, that is moved. I am taken to another place. Understood. Sometimes healed. Blessed or even changed. When I allow these images move through me, without my knowing, I find myself mastering a universal language".
Lone Aabrink
No comments:
Post a Comment