Welcome and blessings to all in our community
Dear Shamanic Community of Austin,
Join us in October as we take the opportunity to explore our connections to our Ancestors, and how this connection can impact our daily lives
Bill shares an article with us this month about belief in the afterlife.
Thinking about Shamanism: What Do You Believe?
I got asked that question by a Christian friend. I wanted to answer, but the question didn’t fit. While belief is central to Christian thinking, it’s not to Shamanic practice. Belief is defined as convincing yourself that something is true without experiencing it. It’s sometimes called ‘faith’ as in ‘, faith in the unseen. So, when my friend followed up with, “Do you believe in Heaven or some kind of afterlife?”, he thought he was asking about what I believe is true but hidden from me. My answer shocked him.
Shamanic practice is based on experience, not beliefs. We don’t believe the world is alive, we experience it every day. There’s no need to believe in Spirit Guides. We talk to them on Shamanic journeys. So, my answer to whether I believed in an afterlife was, “I don’t need to believe it, I’ve been there.” He laughed, then realized I wasn’t joking. “I’ve journeyed to the Land of the Death and spoken with them,” I told him, “It’s not a belief I hope to know for sure someday; it’s something I know now, from experience.” *
So, if you’re new to Shamanism, you might be tempted to ‘believe’ or ‘fake it until you make it’. Let me suggest you don’t. The problem with belief is that it can bias or even shut down direct experience. Belief becomes a struggle about which authority to follow or how to survive intellectually while thinking something is true while not knowing for sure. Shamanic practice isn’t like that. Instead of believing, we open ourselves to knowing through experience. That experience might come during a Shamanic journey or just sitting in our backyard. Either way, it’s hard and takes practice. Experiencing this world and the Spirit World deeply and directly is hard work and is the core of what it means to practice Shamanism.
* This is an advanced technique and not without risks. Please ask for help before attempting it.
Please take time this month to remember and honor those who have gone before. As you connect with the Ancestors, think about the impact they have had, and continue to have, on your daily life.
== The Leadership Team for the Shamanic Community of Austin
Learn More
We are partnering with The Shamanic Passages Institute to offer two virtual introductory courses especially designed for those new and relatively new to the shamanic journey. Council member Gerry Starnes, M.Ed., author and creator of the Institute, is offering a special 20% discount on two foundational courses. See the blog regarding Journey Courses For Beginners for more information.
The Shamanic Community of Austin website also has an educational library under the Resources page. You can find links to books by leading shamanic teachers and leaders.
The Leadership Council is working towards providing educational online videos for both new and continuing members to learn about our core values and mission. We are also looking to present our leadership team to the community through online videos to express each unique practice, expertise, and shamanic view.
Join the Shamanic Community of Austin Meetup site to keep up with all current event listings and to RSVP. We ask that you RSVP with integrity. A solid head-count before each event helps us better plan and better serve the entire community.
Please consider supporting the Shamanic Community of Austin through your contributions using PayPal or Venmo
We also would love to get your feedback! Please email us at contactus@shamaniccommunityaustin.com