I have been speaking to people of my community and was sad to hear some of the comments they had to say.
People have told me that they had no where to go to speak with people. They felt that all religious and spiritual places wanted either power from them or money or both. They didn't feel there was any real spiritual place where they could go or someone to speak with that just would let them be themselves and provide a sense of community. Some didn't want to go to pagan places because they also felt that they were going to tell them what to do or how they better believe or take up precious time they didn't have or other resources they didn't have.
Because of what I have heard, I am making two new additions to my website. The first is put up in the shamanic healing section of my website free blessings. Please be aware that what is asked for needs to be ballanced. I will not bless for the distruction of Earth or animals, or other people. But I will bless for good health, happeness, peace, ability to get along with others and the environment, to have sustainance, etc. I will bless for good things.
Also, because people have not had anyone to talk to I will start a free - I'm There For You - line. I can not always be available and only during the daylight hours for people in the United States. I still have to take care of my family and so on. Also, I need to pray a lot and meditate, and feed my ongons etc and perform other ceremonies as needed. So be patient and phone back if you need help. Also, I can not stay on the phone for hours. Please use me for fifteen minutes.
The number for the -I'm There For You Line is 505-832-2242.
Also people made comments about not wanting to belong to pagan churches etc. Shamanism is not a church. Sarangerel in her book Riding Windhorses says it best: "Accepting personal responsibility is the tird important asspect of Mongolian shamanist philosophy. This is often expressed in the Buryat expression "tenger medne," which means "Father Heaven knows." The ultimate relationship every person has is with Father Heaven; there are no holy books, no priests, and not even shamans can come between this basic relationship. This means that every person is responsible for his or her own actions, and Tenger (Father Heaven) sees all that is done and is the ultimate judge and shaper of destiny. While shamanism has long been misunderstood as being superstition, it is actually a very sophisticated form of religion. It is very free, and very modern. I say this because each individual, in seeking his or her own relationship with the Sacred, becomes personally responsible for what happens in his or her life, and is required to know his or her own self."
So what is a Shaman and what are they for?
Shaman was an important person in communities. It's hard to understand in our modern American society. Everything in our society is separated and everything is paid for, and the people you get services from are strangers who don't have anything to do with you besides the service they provide for you and the money they get from you.
The Shamanic societies were different. People knew each other and they knew the people they got services from. The Shaman was important in the community for keeping the balance and performing community ceremonies. The Shaman really didn't have to ask a price to have food, shelter, and clothing. The people of the community supported him/her as a very important person in their community that they needed.
Unfortunately, culture is very important for how societies are structured, for whom is important or what is important, etc. In our modern American society it is hard to be a true Shaman. How does one get around the fact that you need to live, to pay morgage, phone bill, food, clothes, etc. and still leave the people the choice to support you?
So I am leaving these services free to help the community. May the spirit people honor what I do and the people who use the services and don't forget to share of your bounty so I may continue to serve my community.
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