- I was told that you dance with a tambourine and kamla.
- Often. The tambourine will probably enter the arsenal of doctors of the future.
- For what?
- Most diseases occur due to a person's desynchronization with his world. Dancing and songs with a tambourine help the person to sync again.
Vladimir Serkin, "Laughter of the Shaman"
What associations do you have when you mention shamans? My imagination draws a gloomy man wrapped in skins with thin braids descending to his chest. On the head there is either a skin or an ornament made of feathers, and in the hands there is a mandatory tambourine, painted with intricate figures, the meaning of which is known only to the owner. Rituals by the fire, wild dances, incomprehensible guttural chants, the purpose of which is to connect the shaman with the spirit world so that he receives the necessary information. Sometimes - a fainting spell on the basis of a trance and a mad look, informing the others that it is better not to approach now, for it is more dear to yourself. But this is just my imagination - I have never encountered shamans in person, and perhaps this is just a phantom appearance imposed by society. In any case, I have painted only the external "signs", but what is hidden in the spiritual world of the shaman,so far hidden from others.
It is believed that the word “shaman” (another variant is “saman”) takes its roots from the language of the Evenks. There are much more variations: the Tungus, Manchus, Orochi, Nanai and other Turkic and Mongolian peoples prefer their own local pronunciation. Apparently, shamanism in northern Asia was the main form of communication with the other world. Some enthusiasts from research centers argue that the word did not originate from these peoples, but from neighbors who cautiously called the Mongoloids “shaitans,” that is, demons and demons. However, philologists do not agree with this point of view: it was possible to throw an insulting word in relation to the entire people, and this hardly applied to its elected representatives, quietly rushing around the fire. This is confirmed by the association of shamans from Mongolia - they have always considered spiritual craftsmen with a tambourine no less than priests.
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Traces of other peoples
Shamanism is rightfully considered one of the oldest religious practices in the world, and it is unlikely that a nation will be found who has managed to bypass it "in a curved arc." Almost from the time of the Stone Age, the shaman was one of the most influential people in the tribe, participated in all important events of his life, from the birth of children and seeing off the dead on their last journey, to communicating with the gods and predicting the weather according to the flight of a fly. To get good luck in the hunt, to cure a sore (well, or to finish it off, so as not to suffer) - all this lay on the shaman's shoulders, covered with a shaggy skin. Also, the shaman's duties included keeping the legends and myths prevalent in his people or tribe, and, of course, influencing the people or animals around him at the magical level. Otherwise, what kind of shaman is he?
But not all researchers agree with the statement that shamanism was widespread everywhere, and consider it exclusively the prerogative of northern Asia, linking it to the Mongoloid race. And then a real battle of giants begins: some are sure that only the listed peoples had shamans, others oppose them with red-skinned “colleagues”, and in response they receive something like “yes, they are relatives!”. Maybe so, maybe there is some degree of kinship between American Indians and Siberian shamans, but then what about the sorcerers of the “black continent”? They cannot be linked to kinship in any way, and even the sins of the great-great-grandmother cannot get rid of. Nor should the Australian Aborigines be swept aside. Shamanists believe that a shaman and a sorcerer from Africa or Australia are very different, and to compare them,trying to put in one line is at least silly.
Be that as it may, but shamanism still has a geographic reference, and this is Siberia, and with it - some republics of the former Union, a piece of China and Mongolia. Mentions of shamans are found along the entire route of Genghis Khan. The Slavic peoples, who encountered shamans during their rituals and sacred rites, did not become wise with the names and called them simply - sorcerers.
And here is what is remarkable: until about the 13th century, Northern Europe was also familiar with shamanism. At different times, envoys from the Vatican, who visited the headquarters of the Mongols, reported about shamans. The Sami brought shamanism with them to another part of the world, and a characteristic feature often mentioned in historical records - ritualism - does not allow this trend to be confused with anything else.
Fly
Shamanism's ideas about the structure of the world are very reminiscent of Nav, Yav and Prav. There, too, there are three worlds: in the upper one there are gods and good spirits, in the lower one - evil entities. The middle world, in addition to people, is inhabited by spirits of different "estates" that can both harm a person and help in difficult times. Lost souls live here who cannot find their way. If spirits can travel from the lower and upper worlds to the middle, then souls are attached to it for an indefinite period. Naturally, the shaman is considered a link between all the transparent brethren from three levels.
An immutable covenant is that everything around is alive, with its own soul and attitude to what is happening. Including trees, grass, living things, and that pretty pebble. Yes, the water is also alive. When an inhabitant of the middle world dies, then he has a serious chance to become a spirit in any of the worlds. Got into the upper one - forget about the mortal flesh, and try to enter the divine palaces. Found yourself in the bottom? It could have been better, but what can you do - you just have to endure. According to the ideas of shamanism, patience will not be enough for a long time - a free spirit experiences only torment in the lower world, and, as a result, it soon becomes saturated with an atmosphere of constant suffering and becomes the same evil creature as its “neighbors in a communal apartment.” As soon as the reincarnation is over, angry the essence acquires the ability to be in the middle world and dirty the living. The shaman always runs the risk of losing his body - guests from the lower world are looking for weaker souls in order to seize the moment and "knock" them out of the body, break the connecting thread and take someone else's place. A soul that has lost this connection is doomed to wandering. There is a chance to inhabit another living creature at the moment of its death, but who will like to become a stone? “And you will be a baobab for a thousand years, until you die.” Therefore, the shaman must be very attentive, and possess remarkable spiritual strength, so as not to be in such an awkward-suspended state during astral travel.but who likes to be a stone? “And you will be a baobab for a thousand years, until you die.” Therefore, the shaman must be very attentive, and possess remarkable spiritual strength, so as not to be in such an awkward-suspended state during astral travel.but who likes to be a stone? “And you will be a baobab for a thousand years, until you die.” Therefore, the shaman must be very attentive, and possess remarkable spiritual strength, so as not to be in such an awkward-suspended state during astral travel.
As for the latter, the shaman can send his soul for a walk at any time and place, and in the literal sense. For the ethereal spirit, there are no restrictions that restrain the flesh, so Dobby is free. However, before "flying out" to the interdimensional promenade, the shaman must undergo some training and practice for a very long time. He will need different kinds of practice afterwards. Those with which the rest of humanity is rumored to be familiar - ritual, that is, a certain kind of dance and throat singing, with which the shaman introduces himself into a state of trance. Shamans are excellent herbalists, and therefore carefully preserve the knowledge about herbs and roots, which will help them "quickly and efficiently" enter a trance. And then there is magic. The motionless body of the shaman remains on the ground, and the spirit “leaves for business”. How long he can stay in a trance - he will not even say for sure himself, for everything depends on the type of activity of the spirit in the astral world. It can be communication with other spirits and receiving certain information from them, or maybe a fight with an evil entity that interferes with the lives of fellow tribesmen. Nothing is impossible.
USE for neophytes
How is knowledge transferred?
Most peoples have their own opinion on this matter. Some pass on everything important from father to son, and firmly believe that all abilities are hereditary. True, there is also a reservation - if the child does not show either interest or talent for his father's occupation, then a more intelligent student is taken in his place, who is being prepared as the successor to the old shaman. This is exactly what happens in most countries where shamanism is practiced: a “pro” chooses a child with the appropriate abilities, and purposefully transfers to him all the accumulated baggage of knowledge. But it also happens in another way: a person lived, did not touch anyone, lived to his advanced (well, or not so) years, and then again! starts out of the blue, kamlan. Or shows a penchant for it. If such a neophyte independently tries to learn all facets of shamanism, then it can end very badly - he simply will not come out of a trance. A kind of artificial coma, almost on their own. And no doctor will help.
A prepared student must also enter a trance, and not just "there - and immediately back", but perform some task of the mentor there. A kind of prom. The choice is impressive: you go out “into the astral plane” and do what is required, or you go out, you don’t do it, and you cannot go back. The "exam" takes place in complete solitude, in an area where there is no risk of bumping into an outsider and no one will disturb the practically lifeless body of a young shaman. They did not give him weapons (and why, if a possible battle takes place in the subtle world), and all his clothes - someone's shaggy skin. The scenario is something like this: a shaman enlists the support of good entities from his own and the upper world, and with their help defeats a particular byaka.
In return for his exploits, the shaman received constant respect and fear. The first - from fellow tribesmen, the second - from enemies. Both that, and another did not prevent him from living his life and following the chosen path. Of course, such a title gives a lot of privileges, but there are more than enough responsibilities. A cart and a small cart are collected some predictions - and people will be protected from epidemics, and the weather will be “established”, and will be learned when the invasion of ants will begin.
The best place to connect with the other world is the top of a mountain or hill. This is probably why there are so many sacred peaks in Siberia. The shaman did not care about his protection - he was guarded by the spirits of his ancestors, but as for the protection of his fellow tribesmen, actions of a certain nature were taken here. So, in order not to let a murderer or a person who plans something bad, the shaman made two bonfires in front of the tents of the heads of the village. It was assumed that if an intruder-intruder passed between two fires, then their sacred power would erase negative thoughts, and, perhaps, destroy this person's weapon. It all depends on the strength of the shaman.
Wherever the people settled, the shaman always built an altar on this place. On it, the inhabitants dragged gifts intended for the spirits of ancestors and deities who protect the tribe. The role of the shaman was to calculate the best time for such offerings, and actually make them, in rare cases - the slaughter of the sacrificial animal. On such days, the shaman asked the gods about everything that interests the inhabitants, and conveyed their answers to the addressees. Of course, the whole camp was going to such a performance, because everyone was interested in learning the opinion of the spirits and watching the ritual actions of the shaman. It also happened that he soberly assessed his strength to perform some kind of ritual, and was forced to seek help from “colleagues in the shop”. This meant a collective ritual, which is both interesting and fearful to watch from the outside.
Almost until the 1917 revolution, shamans had real power and authority among their peoples, but nothing lasts forever under the moon. In the twentieth century, all this was lost, authority, it would seem, was irretrievably lost, but with the collapse of the USSR, the followers of Siberians again took up tambourines and shaggy skins. Of course, I am exaggerating, but this does not change the essence. True, if earlier the shaman was a psychologist, and a doctor, and a fortuneteller, and a mentor for his people, now he has lost all these "duties", and in most cases is an ordinary charlatan who earns his penny by acting.
