Does “Shamanism” Matter ?

                  Shamanism is the original prototype for non-local healing and hence when discussed in todays paradigm, I am broadening the real definition to include any healing that may involve the “Big Five.”  (Dean Radin; who works at Noetic Sciences has convincingly proven these five paranormal phenomena:)

Telepathy

Precognition

Clairvoyance/audience/sentience

Remote viewing (and one could include diagnosis here)
(If distant healing - now also proven - and remote viewing are real, so too must be distant diagnosis.)

Telekinesis.

In other words I am including all healers who are able to access paranormal events not localized in space and time as having shamanic like powers.

All shamans use altered or ecstatic states of consciousness and even out of body spirit flight to gain knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of the disease or problem at hand. This unique ability may be hereditarily transmitted, arise spontaneously out of a dream or vision (bestowed by the spirit world,) or occur because of election by the tribe. Sometimes the calling arises out of a deformity, disability, illness or even a form of psychosis. In other words, a “wound” may create the shaman thus generating the true “wounded healer” archetype. Some shamans are self-chosen but they do not usually wield as much power. Most shamans have been “called” by the spirit world to do the work they do. 

In Southern Africa this often leads to an infirmity, the cause of which cannot be explained when investigated by Western medicine.  This is called Thwasa or the "ancestor sickness," for instance, incessant headaches or bizarre body pain. When the  individual responds to the calling the illness mysteriously disappears.

         To understand how paranormal healing first began it is vital to appreciate the concept of the shamanic healer. Herein begin the roots of healing which still hold to this day. This is the original medicine!

The shaman represents a contradictory polarity to healing when compared to our modern allopathic paradigm. A psychological or physical wound may cause a member of a tribe to become a shaman. (The average medical student differs in that she may have no overt wound when she begins the training but is usually wounded in the process.) The shaman embraces mystique rather than methodology, the compassionate and the empathetic rather than the objective and the impersonal, the intuitive rather than the rational. Shamanic techniques are a vital part of healing that have been almost totally ignored by Western medicine. The marriage of science and shamanism creates equilibrium and fulfills the requirement of balancing the opposites for more complete healing. The recently created term, medical intuitive is a polite and acceptable term for a Westerner with shamanic or psychic powers. Ideally the physician should not only be cognizant of the latest technology but be part shaman as well since the psycho-spiritual effects of sickness also usually need to be addressed. However, if they find their shamanic abilities lacking, they should at least be open to the fact that these talents can be extremely useful.

Shamanic medicine is medicine not localized in space and time. This might best be understood by an imaginary visit to see a Zulu shaman or sangoma for divination with the “bones.” One would sit on the floor of her healing hut and the sangoma might throw “bones” to divine the status of your health that would go beyond the physical and into the social and psycho-spiritual realm as well. For instance she might tell you what was happening to your son who was living in New York though you are sitting in Kwazulu, South Africa. This is medicine not localized in space. She might tell you what happened to you at an early age which has a profound influence on your current health status. This would be information relevant to your healing not localized in time. C.A.M. or complimentary and alternative medicine, also called integrative medicine is heading painfully slowly  towards medicine not localized in space and time. There are now numerous controlled studies proving that remote non-local healing given by healers without the knowledge of the patient is highly effective. The healer does not need to know the patient and can do the healing from thousands of miles away.