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WICCAN SHAMANISM
by
Selena Fox
typed by Lewis for P.A.N.
508-795-7628
Shamanism exists intribal cultures aroundthe world and hasdone so
for centuries. Yet, in reading most anthropological texts on Shamanism,
there is little, if any reference made to shamanism in Europe. However
Shamanism has existed among the peoples of Europe not only in ancient
times, but also through the present day. During the Middle Ages, the Old
Ways largely disappeared from public view because of persecution. Yet they
were not eradicated but took a more underground existence. Today, there
are some of us of European ancestry that are bringing Shamanic ways rooted
in pre-Christian Europe back into the light.
Wiccan Shamanism is a term I began using several years ago in an
attempt to describe my own path of magick and spirituality in relation to
the other forms of Shamanism on the Planet. Wiccan Shamanism draws on the
Old but it is not simply an attempt re-construction and revival of the Old
Ways of tribal Europe. Wiccan Shamanism blends both the Old and the New to
suit the modern times in which we live. Although emphasis is on European
symbology and traditions Wiccan Shamanism is multi-cultural, incorporating
ways of other healers and magick workers from many places and eras.
What follows is a glimpse into Wiccan Shamanism as I know it and
practice it. While Jim,Dennis, and others who help with various aspects
of CIRCLES work may share many of these concepts, I speak here only for
myself - for at the heart of this spiritual approach is the idea that each
person must seek their own connection with the Divine, within their own
Self, rather than having me or anyone else do this for them. This is not a
path of a leader with followers, but a path where each becomes their own
leader.
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I call to thePowers of the Four Quarters-- to Earth in theNorth which
is the Realm of the Physical Body and Material Plane, to Air in the East
which is the Realm of Thoughts and Intellect, to Fire in the South which is
the Realm of Will Power and Action, and Water in the West which is the
Realm of Emotions and Intuition. My Medicine Wheel is the Magick Circle
which connects the Four Quarters. The sacred places I frequent include a
high rock, a crystal clear spring fed pool n a hidden valley and a circle
of stones in a grove of Oak and Birch on a mound.
I am achannel between Planet Earth beneath myfeet and the Heavens
above my head. I become the World tree when I Shamanize, linking the
transforming Dark of the Underworld with the Awakening Light of the
Upperworld.
I am theCrystal LIght that isat the Center ofthe Circle and isthe
fifth Element Spirit. I seek always to act out of MY own Inner Self which
is at the enter of MY being, for my Inner Self in the Balance of all the
Elements, of my Female and Male sides, of my Lunar and Solar natures of my
intellect and intuition my Inner Self is my doorway into the realm where
All is One.
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Isee the Circleof Life from theCenter. Iwatch the Seasons change
as the Wheel of the Year turns and I celebrate the 8 sabbats. I connect
with the dance of Night and Day, of Fair and Stormy Weathers, of the Waxing
and Waning Moon. I see the cycle of Birth, Growth, Maturity, Death, and
Rebirth in all of Nature. I examine the cycles of my own life and of the
lives of those who seek healing aid from me.
I amthe traveler between theWorld of Daily Lifeand the Otherworld
which is the land of Dreams, visions and Spirits. I am a Consciousness
Explorer. the Otherworldis as real and as important to me as the Day-to-Day
World. I bridge the Worlds rather than seeking to dwell solely in one or
the other. I journey into the Otherworld for a reason -- to bring back
healing and knowledge to apply to Daily Life, helping others, myself and
the Planet.
Isee the Divine in all things. My friends and allies include not
only humans but also plants, animals, rocks, winds, waters, fire, stars,
and other life forms. I commune with the Source some call "God" as both
Mother Goddess and Father God, for both aspects are necessary for the
Unity.
The main focus of my Shamanic work is Healing. I was calledto this
path as a young child in dreams and Out-of-Body experiences, but I didn't
begin my work until my adult years when I started Healing myself. To do
this I journeyed alone into the Pit of my Shadow Self and came face-to-face
with my problems and hang-ups; my doubts fears, disillusionments,
rejections, angers and hurts; with all MY false self images. Words can not
begin to express the misery, the utter despair the powerlessness I felt
during this time. Yet coming apart was essential; it enabled me to break
through the barriers which I had formed and let others form in my psyche
that had kept me from being one with my True Self. In the deepest
Darkness, I felt the Light of my own Inner Self beginning to shine through.
I focused on the Light and slowly emerged from the Pit, stronger and more
integrated than ever before and with the power to heal others as well as
myself. As a result of this transformation process, my life's work became
clear. I now help others from their own pits of negativity and become
whole again.
163
Yetmy work also extends tomore than Humankind; it involves bringing
Healing to the Planet as a whole. In my communing with the Land, I have
heard the cries of the Earth mother, sorrowing over the self-centered,
greedy, intolerant, and destructive behaviors of many of Her human
children, who are polluting the soiled, waters, and air; who are playing
power games with nuclear fire; and who are polluting the spiritual
atmosphere of the entire world with their narrow mindedness and hate. I am
deeply concerned about survival -- not of the Planer Herself for all the
humans in the world can not destroy Her even with all their weapons; She is
too strong and powerful for that to happen. What I am concerned about is
the survival of the human race. -- will we annihilate ourselves and many of
the life forms around us, or will we wake up in time to see the larger
picture, find and implement creative solutions to the worlds problems, and
enter a New Age of expanded consciousness?
The Balance of Life can be restored on Planet Earth; Harmony can be
restored between humankind and other life forms; Love consciousness can
increase and be prevalent on the Earth. I, along with numerous other
healers and ministers from a variety of spiritual traditions around the
world today have responded to the upset of Mother Earth by dedicating our
lives to this Planetary Healing Work, each in our own way. It is this
Great Work that underlies all the healing and other things I do. It is the
Heart of Wiccan Shamanism.
First published in fall 1984 CIRCLE NETWORK NEWS;
(C) 1984, CIRCLE, Box 219, Mt. Horeb WI 53572 USA.;
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