How do you become a Shaman?
by Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls
According to most sources there are two primary ways of becoming a Shaman. Some carry Shamanism within their family in a lineage. It is a hereditary way to be a Shaman. The other primary way is by receiving the "call". Some people were born into this world at this time to be Shamans because we are losing our traditional Shamans and they are not being replaced by the natural hereditary practices. In both cases there are also two secondary considerations which are to be appointed to Shamanism or to choose to become a Shaman through your own free will.
Hereditary Shamanism means literally to have a Shaman in the family. This does not mean that your mother of father is a Shaman, but any family member will do, living or dead, close member or many times removed. Hereditary Shamans are found throughout most Shamanic cultures, even including neo-Shamans.
Sometimes when one is "called" to be a Shaman, that person might experience psychotic events, epileptic seizures, heart arrhythmia or other unexplainable physical manifestations as their spirits become somewhat disconnected with their current physical bodies and earth time realities. This is not to be confused with a mental disorder. The "call" is a temporary rift between realities that the apprentice experiences, and is usually brought under control once he or she accepts the "call". Refusing or delaying the call can force this rift to continue and the resulting mental and physical imbalance can result in a mental or physical illness if the call is avoided long enough. The "call" can also be marked by being attacked by an animal, struck by lightening or some other near death experience. I hope this course and any ensuing work with me in training will allow those of you who have felt this calling to be released from any mental or physical ramifications of not being able to find proper guidance in your Shaman apprenticeship.
Being appointed a Shaman involves either the tribal Shaman choosing an apprentice or the tribal leaders picking a youth who has demonstrated a "calling" by either some sort of physcial evidence such as a seizure, or a distinguishable difference in personality from other youths of his/her age. This difference may be seeking solitude, absent-mindedness, singing in one’s sleep, talking to unseen figures and other evidences
For those who choose to become a Shaman, a personal quest must be begun. This quest will not end in this lifetime even if the apprentice would become tired of the work and try to lay it aside. It cannot be put aside and will hound the apprentice often in a negative way until the apprentice again walks on his journey in Shamanism. So I want to strongly state here that taking up this trade is a permanent decision. If you accept this walking stick you will walk this path forever. Many of you have walked this path in other times and are "remembering" it again. It honors me to hold the light for you!
Copyright 2004 Shaman Elder. All Rights Reserved
