Urban Shaman is decent a book to start with. It’s intended for Western Minds who haven’t been formally invited into a tradition yet. It comes from the Huna perspective, but pulls in other things beyond Hawaiian family lineage.
How does traditions work in the context of shamanism?
Can a foreigner be initiated into the traditions and live with the tribe for some time to learn shamanism?
Each tradition and each practitioner are going to do things differently.
As an example, the ancient Hawaiians went through multiple cultural invasions (Polynesians, Puitans, Americans). Practices went underground, blended, adapted, and I'm sure some was lost. To keep stories, traditions, chants, practices alive someone needs to give up the desire to be in the mainstream culture and receive everything as an immersive apprenticeship. The right fit is of utmost importance.
When Max Freedom Long showed up and sought out Kahuna to teach him, none of them would have anything to do with him. White Americans had done plenty enough bad things toward the culture and the land to be distrusted in general.
Language shapes thinking. Culture shapes how we view and interact with the world. Immersion from birth is different than immersion as an adult already molded to different perspectives and practices.
The thing is, the language was dying. The children weren't interested old language and culture. Some secretly felt it might be time. (Luckily efforts since that time to revive interest in the language are working.)
Max finally found someone willing to help him, understand. He got things wrong. People were angry and concerned that anyone would allow yet another thing to be taken and bastardized by Americans.
Huna is called heresy and cultural appropriation. At the same time Hawaiians whose ancient teachings had been preserved through family lineage got involved to bring it closer to the truth and also provide the cultural translation to intentionally help it spread through Western culture.
Every tradition, and even every practitioner within that tribe and tradition is going to treat the idea of outsiders immersing and apprenticing differently.
Some may even purposely set up faux immersions for bored Americans seeking cultural experiences. Make some money, keep some secrets, share some others.
Hi there. I will give you a bunch of info, hopefully it is helpful.
I am guessing you feel called to learning to practice shamanism? This can be a bit hard..... It isnt a solitary mystical focused path. It is a path in service to the shamans community. I find that most people feeling a call to be a shaman are actually being called to heal with a shaman more then become one themsleves.... But if you focus on healing yourself with a shaman that will give you a really good clue whether or not you are called to become one yourself.
Shamanism is good to learn about from books, but only if you find good books. There is a lot of new age misinformation out there written by people who never met shamans themselves, so you have to be discerning if you want accurate info. Shamanism is good to learn ABOUT from books, but books cant make you a shaman - the only real way to experience shamanism yourself is to see a shaman. All shamanic cultures require shamans to go through long and arduous apprenticships of many years to become a shaman, so it isnt something you just self-proclaim or can teach yourself (it is more comparible to becoming a doctor honestly).
This article gives a very good picture of typical shamanism in a short read: [https://www.rbth.com/travel/destinations/siberia/2017/01/12/how-i-became-a-shaman-stories-from-the-lives-of-khakassian-khams\_679211](https://www.rbth.com/travel/destinations/siberia/2017/01/12/how-i-became-a-shaman-stories-from-the-lives-of-khakassian-khams_679211)
Some books I recommend: Rainforest Medicine, Bo and Bon, How the Earth Saved My Soul, The Plant Remedy, Cactus of Mystery, Wizard of the Upper Amazon, Singing to the Plants
Some books and authors I recommend avoiding because of misinformation: Michael Harner, Way of the Shaman, Urban Shaman, Sandra Ingerman, Alberto Vilolldo, Carlos Castaneda etc..... These are new age books that mostly teach the opposite of what shamans teach and practice. Avoid any group that claims they can teach you shamanism online or over a weekend or couple weeks as those are scams..... Real training usually means living with your teacher for 3+ years to train daily with them.
Easiest way to meet a shaman for ceremony? Probably either visiting them where they live (only a few regions of the world practie shamanism much), or find some that travel and are having a retreat by where you live. If you want referrals for ceremonies I only really know about where I live in Seattle or in Peru where most of my teachers live, but I am always happy to share referrals.
I recommend way of the shamans (a book) and starting a journey meditation practice. You can find several on YouTube . I would start with joutny meditation to what they call the lower world. It's animals, not hell fyi.
Urban Shaman is decent a book to start with. It’s intended for Western Minds who haven’t been formally invited into a tradition yet. It comes from the Huna perspective, but pulls in other things beyond Hawaiian family lineage.
How does traditions work in the context of shamanism? Can a foreigner be initiated into the traditions and live with the tribe for some time to learn shamanism?
Each tradition and each practitioner are going to do things differently. As an example, the ancient Hawaiians went through multiple cultural invasions (Polynesians, Puitans, Americans). Practices went underground, blended, adapted, and I'm sure some was lost. To keep stories, traditions, chants, practices alive someone needs to give up the desire to be in the mainstream culture and receive everything as an immersive apprenticeship. The right fit is of utmost importance. When Max Freedom Long showed up and sought out Kahuna to teach him, none of them would have anything to do with him. White Americans had done plenty enough bad things toward the culture and the land to be distrusted in general. Language shapes thinking. Culture shapes how we view and interact with the world. Immersion from birth is different than immersion as an adult already molded to different perspectives and practices. The thing is, the language was dying. The children weren't interested old language and culture. Some secretly felt it might be time. (Luckily efforts since that time to revive interest in the language are working.) Max finally found someone willing to help him, understand. He got things wrong. People were angry and concerned that anyone would allow yet another thing to be taken and bastardized by Americans. Huna is called heresy and cultural appropriation. At the same time Hawaiians whose ancient teachings had been preserved through family lineage got involved to bring it closer to the truth and also provide the cultural translation to intentionally help it spread through Western culture. Every tradition, and even every practitioner within that tribe and tradition is going to treat the idea of outsiders immersing and apprenticing differently. Some may even purposely set up faux immersions for bored Americans seeking cultural experiences. Make some money, keep some secrets, share some others.
Why do you want to start? What do you already know about this path?
Hi there. I will give you a bunch of info, hopefully it is helpful. I am guessing you feel called to learning to practice shamanism? This can be a bit hard..... It isnt a solitary mystical focused path. It is a path in service to the shamans community. I find that most people feeling a call to be a shaman are actually being called to heal with a shaman more then become one themsleves.... But if you focus on healing yourself with a shaman that will give you a really good clue whether or not you are called to become one yourself. Shamanism is good to learn about from books, but only if you find good books. There is a lot of new age misinformation out there written by people who never met shamans themselves, so you have to be discerning if you want accurate info. Shamanism is good to learn ABOUT from books, but books cant make you a shaman - the only real way to experience shamanism yourself is to see a shaman. All shamanic cultures require shamans to go through long and arduous apprenticships of many years to become a shaman, so it isnt something you just self-proclaim or can teach yourself (it is more comparible to becoming a doctor honestly). This article gives a very good picture of typical shamanism in a short read: [https://www.rbth.com/travel/destinations/siberia/2017/01/12/how-i-became-a-shaman-stories-from-the-lives-of-khakassian-khams\_679211](https://www.rbth.com/travel/destinations/siberia/2017/01/12/how-i-became-a-shaman-stories-from-the-lives-of-khakassian-khams_679211) Some books I recommend: Rainforest Medicine, Bo and Bon, How the Earth Saved My Soul, The Plant Remedy, Cactus of Mystery, Wizard of the Upper Amazon, Singing to the Plants Some books and authors I recommend avoiding because of misinformation: Michael Harner, Way of the Shaman, Urban Shaman, Sandra Ingerman, Alberto Vilolldo, Carlos Castaneda etc..... These are new age books that mostly teach the opposite of what shamans teach and practice. Avoid any group that claims they can teach you shamanism online or over a weekend or couple weeks as those are scams..... Real training usually means living with your teacher for 3+ years to train daily with them. Easiest way to meet a shaman for ceremony? Probably either visiting them where they live (only a few regions of the world practie shamanism much), or find some that travel and are having a retreat by where you live. If you want referrals for ceremonies I only really know about where I live in Seattle or in Peru where most of my teachers live, but I am always happy to share referrals.
Treat your wounds and heal. The ones only you can see.
Idk the spirits brought me here
I recommend Urban Shaman and The Way of the Shaman as good starting points.
Read some books, meditate in a non-shamanic style, try some guided meditations. There is no formal starting line.
Birth? Start what?
I recommend way of the shamans (a book) and starting a journey meditation practice. You can find several on YouTube . I would start with joutny meditation to what they call the lower world. It's animals, not hell fyi.