Click here (YouTube) for a New Age take on an ancient phenomenon... What are your initial reactions to this person's definitions and descriptions of shamanism? What questions does the discussion raise for you?
7 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I found this very interesting and part 2 was also good to watch. Very informative.
I took the liberty of watching part 2 of this video and a few thins came to mind as I was listening. Martha Lucier states that shamanism is not a religion and it does not have a leader. It is kind of contradicting when she later mentions that a shaman sort of takes on a leadership role in a community because they're insight was used a means of survival for hunters to find food. If there is no leader, then who is responsible for starting it? Someone had to lead it for others to follow and practice it as well.
I found Martha Lucier's definition and discussion of shamanism to be very precise. She was able to talk about shamanism as she and those around her practice in a way that left little to interpretation. Also, to touch on Katrina's point about leaders - I don't think that anyone necessarily had to start it. That would require rules, which Lucier says do not exist to govern shamanism. I feel that because shamanism is something that arises out of a connection to the natural world, perhaps the role of shaman could best be described as vocational. Perhaps an interesting topic to discuss in class.
I find it interesting that at the beginning of her talk Martha Lucier makes it clear that this is not a religion because as she says there are no laws or leaders. This was interesting to me because as she describes shamanism she describes it in religious terms by way of describing rituals and how people are taught to become a shaman. A good question that this brings up is why is she afraid of the word religion?
Good insights and provocative questions, folks. Questions about how shamanism originated and how it gets transmitted continue to be discussed/debated. Is 'shamanism' somehow more intuitive to human beings than 'religion'? Is the former a subdivision of the latter? Or is the latter an offshoot of the former? How are we even defining our terms?? Many questions!
Skepticism and shamanic ritual run tandem with one another. Shamans invoke their journey with drumming patterns and by hallucinogenic ingestion. I find the practice of drumming and mind alteration to be organic, and the experiences valid. Those who may have yet to have similar experiences may be resigned to disbelief. Disbelief is the essence of skepticism. How can one believe if they cannot see?
7 comments:
I found this very interesting and part 2 was also good to watch. Very informative.
Bob
I had trouble hearing them talk.
I found it very interesting.
Lisa C. Miller
I took the liberty of watching part 2 of this video and a few thins came to mind as I was listening. Martha Lucier states that shamanism is not a religion and it does not have a leader. It is kind of contradicting when she later mentions that a shaman sort of takes on a leadership role in a community because they're insight was used a means of survival for hunters to find food. If there is no leader, then who is responsible for starting it? Someone had to lead it for others to follow and practice it as well.
Katrina A.
I found Martha Lucier's definition and discussion of shamanism to be very precise. She was able to talk about shamanism as she and those around her practice in a way that left little to interpretation.
Also, to touch on Katrina's point about leaders - I don't think that anyone necessarily had to start it. That would require rules, which Lucier says do not exist to govern shamanism. I feel that because shamanism is something that arises out of a connection to the natural world, perhaps the role of shaman could best be described as vocational. Perhaps an interesting topic to discuss in class.
Sophia
I find it interesting that at the beginning of her talk Martha Lucier makes it clear that this is not a religion because as she says there are no laws or leaders. This was interesting to me because as she describes shamanism she describes it in religious terms by way of describing rituals and how people are taught to become a shaman. A good question that this brings up is why is she afraid of the word religion?
Michael
Good insights and provocative questions, folks. Questions about how shamanism originated and how it gets transmitted continue to be discussed/debated. Is 'shamanism' somehow more intuitive to human beings than 'religion'? Is the former a subdivision of the latter? Or is the latter an offshoot of the former? How are we even defining our terms?? Many questions!
pdk
Skepticism and shamanic ritual run tandem with one another. Shamans invoke their journey with drumming patterns and by hallucinogenic ingestion. I find the practice of drumming and mind alteration to be organic, and the experiences valid. Those who may have yet to have similar experiences may be resigned to disbelief. Disbelief is the essence of skepticism. How can one believe if they cannot see?
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