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Shamanism
The name shaman can be traced back to Russian healers close to the region of Mongolia. Thus the originality of this lineage is linked with China and ancient Chinese spirituality. The name "shamanism" is now used by anthropologists to describe any pre-religious spiritual system.
It is more interesting to look at the similarities than the differences between one shamanic system and another. All are based upon nature and the cycles of energy seen in Nature. All use altered states of relality (such as meditation, trance or dreaming) in order to produce healing and insight.
Some would regard Taoism as a type of "Oriental Shamanism". Using the flow of chi (energy) through nature as its map, Taoism seeks to create harmonious flow throughout all areas of life. Chi gung (qigong) exercises focus on the flow of chi between "heaven" and "earth", the natural masculine and feminine forces. Many types of shamanism look at the realms of the upper world and the lower world in much the same way.
One of the focuses of shamanism is to remove the illusion of separation. This leads to wholeness or healing. Taoism also seeks to overcome the illusion of separation between opposites (yin and yang), so that we can live in the world freed from the pai of separation.
see our webpage www.shamanicspiral.com for more information about Shamanism and shamanic practices.
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