Shamanism: Traditional and Modern Shamans
Even at this new age, shamans are still on the work of continuously helping the community in meeting the basic and marvelous human requirements that this age of technology could not fully satisfy. There are shamans who remained in the old practices while there are those who adapted to the modernization and changes that accompanies man’s growth and progress, they are the Modern/Urban Shamans. While the traditional shamans are those who are more engaged in using the indigenous, cultural and religious bounded techniques, the urban shamans are focused on transcendental states of consciousness. Nevertheless, both the urban shaman and the traditional practitioners have the same aim, and that is to intentionally acquire and control an extraordinary state of consciousness. (1)
Existing Traditional Shamans
Despite the arrival of new learning and discoveries that deal with the wide ranging curiosity and needs of the modern man, the concept of shamanism remains alive and appreciated all over the world. In North, Central and South America, there are still many indigenous shamans who continue in their practice. There is the so-called Ayahuasquero, the Amazonian shaman who engages in wide range of traditional uses of the plant Ayahuasca. They do healing, diagnosing causes of illness, determining cures, predicting the future, sending messages to other groups, contacting distant relatives, determining if one’s spouse is unfaithful, discovering plans of the enemy, identifying sorcerers, and practicing love magic. (1) There are also tabaqueros, who use tobacco; camalongueros, who use camalonga (unidentified); toeros, who use toé (Brugmansiasp) and paleros, who use different palos, or trees. There are also Amazonian shamans who are called oracionistas: they execute their tasks through the usage of prayers, many from books including La Santa Cruz de Caravaca, widely used by healers in Latin American countries; perfumeros, who use the essence of various flowers; and
Existing Traditional Shamans
Despite the arrival of new learning and discoveries that deal with the wide ranging curiosity and needs of the modern man, the concept of shamanism remains alive and appreciated all over the world. In North, Central and South America, there are still many indigenous shamans who continue in their practice. There is the so-called Ayahuasquero, the Amazonian shaman who engages in wide range of traditional uses of the plant Ayahuasca. They do healing, diagnosing causes of illness, determining cures, predicting the future, sending messages to other groups, contacting distant relatives, determining if one’s spouse is unfaithful, discovering plans of the enemy, identifying sorcerers, and practicing love magic. (1) There are also tabaqueros, who use tobacco; camalongueros, who use camalonga (unidentified); toeros, who use toé (Brugmansiasp) and paleros, who use different palos, or trees. There are also Amazonian shamans who are called oracionistas: they execute their tasks through the usage of prayers, many from books including La Santa Cruz de Caravaca, widely used by healers in Latin American countries; perfumeros, who use the essence of various flowers; and
References: (2) ---- 2004. Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology: Health and Illness in the World 's Cultures. Ed. Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004 (3) http://ksuanth.wetpaint.com/page/%22Yanomamo+Society%22 (6) Cariaso, Bella. 2012. “Albularyo, espritista, magtatawas, atbp.” Bandera Blogs. May 9, 2012. url: http://banderablogs.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/albularyo-espiritista-magtatawas-atbp/ (7) Tan, Michael (8) Licauco, Jaime T. 2012. “Psychic surgery as a spiritual practice”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 8, 2012 url: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/46843/psychic-surgery-as-a-spiritual-practice (9) http://www.stuartxchange.com/Albularyo.html#DIVINERS (10) McGeown, Kate. 2012. “Healing rituals and bad spirits on a Philippine Island.” BBC News Philippines. February 4, 2012 url: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16871785 (11) Tirol, Jes