A Brief History of Shamanism
'We have only to follow the thread of the hero's path and where we had though to find an abomination, we shall find a god. And where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with all the world.' (Joseph Campbell)
Shamanism is the world's oldest spiritual practice, dating back at least 30,000 years and possibly much longer. It has been called the first technique for engaging with the numinous - that which is greater than, beyond, or above the ordinary and realising our relationship to all that is. It is also a surprisingly simple technique for everyday problem-solving.
An animistic tradition, shamanism teaches that every-thing is one and that everything that is, organic and inorganic, living and dead, earthly and unearthly, has an individual spirit and consciousness. Shamans also believe that dimensions and realities exist beyond this one that we see around us and that it is possible to access other, normally hidden worlds to find practical help, physical healing and spiritual guidance. More and more women and men from many cultures and different religious backgrounds, or none, are returning to the practices of their remote ancestors and finding inspiration there.
Reference: goddesses-and-gods.blogspot.com
