Shamanism.

[Rorschach]

Is any one interested in or come across practices that would roughly fall under the banner of 'Shamanism'? I'm quite happy to tell what I know of it both as a result of knowing people who follow Neo-shamanism, as well as more conventional anthropological perspectives. Its really a very interesting subject that deals with ancient schools of thought from as far afield as Siberia to Latin America.

The thought came up as I recently linked up with a friend via myspace who has experienced the pychiatric system and is also very interested in Shamanism.

 

[Lydie]

Shamanism

Hi

I read your entry on Shamanism and wondered whether you had heard about someone called Odi Okaka Oquosa? I met him a year or so ago and he's a remarkable person. He describes himself as a Shaman, artist, dancer and Survivor. He's a survivor of both the mental health system in England and also terrible torture in Nigeria.

Odi has a website: [email protected] if you want to look him up. There's also loads of links if you google him.

As well as a survivor of the mental health system, he has also been taken on by Brighton mental health (nhs) trust - as a consultant on mental health issues.

Hope this is of use. All the best.

 

[mischief]

Welcome Lydie

Hi

I read your entry on Shamanism and wondered whether you had heard about someone called Odi Okaka Oquosa? I met him a year or so ago and he's a remarkable person. He describes himself as a Shaman, artist, dancer and Survivor. He's a survivor of both the mental health system in England and also terrible torture in Nigeria.

Odi has a website: [email protected] if you want to look him up. There's also loads of links if you google him.

As well as a survivor of the mental health system, he has also been taken on by Brighton mental health (nhs) trust - as a consultant on mental health issues.

Hope this is of use. All the best.

We'll get some links up to him in our links section. Thanks!

 

[Rorschach]

Hi

I read your entry on Shamanism and wondered whether you had heard about someone called Odi Okaka Oquosa? I met him a year or so ago and he's a remarkable person. He describes himself as a Shaman, artist, dancer and Survivor. He's a survivor of both the mental health system in England and also terrible torture in Nigeria.

Odi has a website: [email protected] if you want to look him up. There's also loads of links if you google him.

As well as a survivor of the mental health system, he has also been taken on by Brighton mental health (nhs) trust - as a consultant on mental health issues.

Hope this is of use. All the best.

I'm in work at the moment Lydie, but will have a look at when I get home. And of course

 

[Rorschach]

Just had a look again Lydie, couldn't find much the other day, and not done much better since...will be happy to read some info if you can direct me...

 

[Apotheosis]

Hello Rorschach

I am very interested in Shamanism & the links with psychotic experience, especially in regard the "ego death" & associated experiences of dismemberment/dissolution leading to reintegration; the wounded healer.

I am very much into Jung & his ideas, which have a very spiritual take on mental illness.

Just recently I have been Googling; "schizophrenia & shamanism" - try it, it brings up some interesting results.

I also found this Blog;

http://www.blogger.com/profile/16283478682307609903

The above page links to the following blogs & a wealth of info;

Voices of Recovery, Spiritual Recovery, & Spiritual Emergency.

I also like this web site;

http://www.jungcircle.com/

I have received allot of help from a Reiki/Shamanic healer, which has been highly effective. I have also trained in Reiki myself & received allot of benefit from this practise.

 

[Rorschach]

Read this before mate, just got around the answering it, sorry . Talking about the death - rebirth cycle and Jungian perspectives, I have been hung up on alchemy for a while, and I was browsing through Amazon t'other day and what do I find but 'Jung on Alchemy'...en route as we speak/type.

The wounded healer paradigm is a strong one, makes heaps of sense to me, one of the reason I'm so attracted to this site; its survivors discussing their trials and tribulations, but also weaved through it hints of how they overcame.

I have been thinking about experiencing the amazonian 'little death'/ayahuasca for a few years now. Had an ex girlfriend who lives out in Australia say it was mind blowing and very cleansing. I have read quite a bit on the 'soul vine' but have been advised by a group that runs rituals over in the Netherlands that it can clash with psychiatric medication, so I'd probably have to stop meds for a few weeks prior. That said it might not clash with my current meds, would have to discuss it with a shrink, and I've just binned mine That said I'm taking up postgrad studies in Sept. and one of my tutors is a prof of psychiatry, so perhaps I could run it by him.

There are some great books on Shamanism, and I have quite a little collection on my shelf. The theme crops up often in both medical anthropology and the anthropology of religion. I find the whole idea of 'magical flight' very resonant

 

[Rorschach]

Just had a peek through the blog. Did that test 'what do you know about Schizophrenia', I didn't realise that some types of schizophrenia include neurodegenerative components effecting a part of the brain meaning people cannot relate to their experiences as illness. Make a whole heap of sense of some things that have been going on, and should mind me to go a bit easier on people

That blog looks excellent and I'm going to make some time to read through it properly, as I will with the Jung site which also looks v. interesting. Will get back to you if anything jumps out at me re: the sites.

 

[SomersetScorpio]

The problem

GREED AND POWER FREAKS

What do you mean, Clever?
That within shamanism you come across 'practitioners' who are power freaks and greedy?
If so, I think you're right. You get the good honest people, but you also get those who consciously or not, have other agendas.
It does bother me that people who are mentally ill who genuinely are seeking out healing and an alternative way of approaching things could end up unwittingly in claws of somebody who is controlling and power-tripping.

 

[Kerome]

I was also a bit mystified, by the relevance of the quote in particular? Where are the greedy and the power freaks in that quote, seems an innocent enough set of shamanistic and Jungian blogs.

 

[calypso]

This is added onto a 2008 thread! Would you like to start your own? It might help more to be clear what you feel.