gatekeepers of the soul
Its nothing less than ironic that the white privileged age of next level seekers are going back to the ancient and ‘primitive’ sources. While the traditions and ways of these once protected villages and tribes are quickly covered in coca-cola and nike logos. Grass is greener? Even the mystics can’t deny their desire for new world luxury. This cross-pollution met with ageing wisdom keepers who are no longer passing along the secrets puts more emphasis and value on the best shamans of today.
Stories of these mystical beings- Shamans, Maestros, Gurus, are expansive around the world and outselling the bible’s commandments 10 to 1 in our ‘new age’ effort to get answers archaic dictators behind the pulp of Christianity have failed us in.
Who are they? How do we trust our most sacred and precious parts of ourselves into a period of time and place you haven’t given any other human access to? Desperation or belief? Exotica or return to one? Some of the questions pondered on my journey.
Recently the national library of Brazil burned down and taking with it infinite records on the local tribes. Only about 1% of the plant healing properties from these wisdom keepers is known. And yet we get further away with corrupt government, greedy destruction of these lands/people, and now basic murder of records once kept. Mostly written language isn’t their record to begin with. The shipibo tribes for instance stitch their songs “icaros” into their sacred garments which live and breathe with their every day lives. They understand the codes are to be brought to life and lived in fullness. Evolved and shared. But only with the willing.
To become a shaman might be one of the hardest gigs in the planet. A new shaman position is coming up in a local tribe and three sons have the opportunity for the frightful and awesome role. Only pre-requisition is to be hit by lightening. Not once, not twice, but thrice. Believe it or not, but all three have successfully absorbed two hits.
Such is this heroes journey for the rest of her/his life. Always in isolation and mostly between realms. This allows his inner light & shadows to become his weapons. Tools to defend us against the armies of that which no longer serves us. Helping those who have lost the light. Connecting with our darkness to bring us home.
Traditionally it was only the shaman who took the medicine, similar to Monks praying in Eastern cultures, so is the great Western way of participation that is relatively new. Hopefully our white heroes don’t rise up too quickly and claim this world for themselves as we are tend to do. Cock-eyed know it alls who spent a few months in the jungles and come out Shamans. God save us from them and lead us to the Shaman.