There is, of course, a flip side, a photo negative, to these Guides and helpers; the wrench in the works, the ghost in the machine. Entities whose sole purpose is to derail us and keep us from living in our light and reaching our full potential. Sometimes these entities are accumulated in bad relationships. Other times, from unhappy work environments. And other times, through the ill feelings and desires of others towards us. Sometimes they attach from unhealthy physical locations; locations in which the dead have not moved on or have become confused and capable of doing harm. In these situations, the shaman, using the tools unique to this trade and always, always with the assistance of his Guides and helpers, is in a unique position to be able to improve the situation almost immediately. The living are always in control of their environments; sometimes they just aren't sure of how. No situation is irreparable, even those in which the living are being physically harmed by something they can't see. And these situations can be brought to an immediate halt sometimes in a matter of minutes.
In today's modern world, not a lot of time or thought is given to spirit. We are faced with distractions too numerous to mention and oftentimes find that we are rushing through life just trying to keep up. In that state of being, spirit becomes less of a priority than consciousness. But spirit and consciousness go hand in hand; if spirit is not healthy, everything suffers. We don't sleep well. We gain weight. We begin to have pain in areas that have never experienced trauma. Sometimes, we go from specialist to specialist searching for an answer to why we are in so much pain...why we feel so disconnected...why we are so fundamentally unhappy. Oftentimes, the answer is as simple as reconnecting our spirit to bodies. Sometimes the answer is a bit more complex as our experiences and lessons can accumulate toxicity in our tissues that can be removed passively by a practiced shaman, allowing us to regain strength and whole-body wellness.
Uncommon Shaman
Shamanism is one of the oldest forms of healing. It has been documented for thousands of years with evidence of its existence found on every continent. Shamanism embodies the belief that almost all physical difficulties are rooted in spirit. Spirit is affected by the vagaries of life: Not just the one in which we find ourselves now, but oftentimes in lives we've left behind. Imbalance of spirit, regardless of which life it was obtained, can have very real affects on the human body and psyche, from chronic pain, illness without strong diagnosis, and even chronically bad relationships. When all other "reasonable" avenues have been explored, it's time to look at areas we may not have considered before; and it is in this space that healing can often be found.
a Modern Practitioner for Today's World
Life is not meant to be lived in fear. Fear, in all its forms, causes imbalance. And that imbalance leads to illness, physical pain, and a life that is difficult to live. When we reach the end of all the we know to be true, it is our responsibility to keep looking. And it is in this ancient form of healing that answers are found.
We've not been left to fend for ourselves as we move through life. There are Others, working in the background right alongside us who guide, instruct, and sometimes stand there shaking their heads. But the one constant: They love us infinitely and desire us to live happy, healthy, fulfilling lives in which we reach our highest potential. These Beings include our Guides, teachers who have lived at least one incarnation in human form and know first-hand the issues that we face, to Animal Spirits, another form of teacher who work alongside us as protectors and instructors offering us their unique perspective on all aspects of life, to our own Ancestors who have passed and have a vested interest in our well-being as they share our family tree, as well as angels and beings for whom we do not have names.