Day ClassCurrent moon phase Friday, 21-Nov-2008 11:31:44 CST
Shamanism in 25 Easy Steps
These questions and answers were adapted from By Oak, Ash and Thorn: Modern Celtic Shamanism by D. J. Conway, ©1995, ISBN 1-56718-166-X.
Please take the time to answer each of these questions. The link at the bottom will take you to some suggested answers.
What are your real, deep reasons for wanting to practice Shamanism?
Can you discipline yourself to follow through on plans and goals?
Have you balanced your life mentally, physically, and spiritually?
What changes can you make to achieve this balance?
Do you fear the unknown? The non-physical? Why?
Have you had psychic experiences? Hunches or gut feelings that led you to make the right decision even thought he visible facts may not have supported that decision?
How sympathetic are you towards others? Too much? Too little?
Can you temper advice to fit another's religious beliefs if that belief is different than yours? Can you avoid giving advice?
Are you used by "friends" who arrive feeling depressed and leave feeling wonderful, while you end up being down and/or exhausted?
Have you faced and accepted responsibility for what has happened in your life, or are you still laying blame on others, such as parents, teachers, companions, etc.?
Have you let go of the past, or do you still talk emotionally about old hurts?
Do you use the victim role, helplessness, illness, or guilt to manipulate and control others? Be brutally honest on this point.
Do you have trouble with patience when your desires are not met immediately?
What effect does a sunset have on you in a moment of calmness? The sight of moonlight on fresh snow? When you see beautiful nature scenes, does something in you yearn to express itself, yet you can not find adequate words?
Do you believe in a Supreme Power that created everything in the universe, yet feel uncomfortable with the accepted orthodox explanations?
Do the phases of the Moon affect your moods? Cause bouts of nervousness or lethargy?
Do certain seasons of the year appeal to you more than others?
Do you have precognitive dreams? Sometimes these are clear immediately, other times cloaked in symbology that can be interpreted only at a later date?
Have you had a severe illness, a life0threatening surgery, great personal loss, or near-death experience that caused you to change your opinions on the spiritual?
Do you have an affinity with animals? Can you communicate with them in some way?
Do you consider yourself liberal, moderate, or conservative when assessing accepting new ideas?
Is it important to you to attain/maintain a certain social position, or do you value privacy and personal expression above what others think of your lifestyle?
Can you keep silent about your personal life, beliefs, and actions, or do you rush to share them with anyone who will listen?
If someone tells you something in confidence, can you keep the secret?
Can you be happy spending time by yourself, or do you feel the need to be surrounded by others?
After you have considered each of the preceeding questions, compare your answers with these.
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