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Foundation for Shamanic Studies E-Newsletter
www.shamanism.org
December 2009/
January 2010

Vol. 3, Issue 6
In This Issue
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The most important practical teaching in both core and indigenous shamanism is not to be found in published literature, not only because it has largely occurred in non-literate cultures, but also because it is done by person to person experientially based instruction, by example, by direct communication from the spirits, and through personal experimentation and practice. Furthermore, much of this experiential learning is ineffable or near ineffable and thus has not been easily communicable to Western anthropologists and observers.
– Michael Harner &
Sandra Harner, "
Core Practices in the Shamanic Treatment of Illness," Copyright © 2000 Foundation for Shamanic Studies Shamanism, Vol. 13, Nos. 1 & 2, pp. 19-30.





Members of the Circle of the Foundation:
Please help us by renewing your membership promptly and online, if possible. Paper mailings are not only costly, they hurt the trees – and we would like to spare as many as we can! Thank you.

Editor:
Susan Mokelke


Contributing Editor:
Timothy Flynn

Greetings
Tuvan Petroglyph

It is shaping up to be an exciting year of international opportunities to help foster and to revive shamanism. So far this year, the Foundation has received requests from India, Laos (Asia), Africa, and the Ukraine to offer programs, cooperate, or to help people preserve or regain shamanic traditions. Many cultures have lost their shamanic practices through missionary activity, destruction or annexation of their lands, or political upheaval. It is gratifying to see a growing respect among many for indigenous cultures and of the value of ancient shamanic knowledge in contemporary society, as with the revival of shamanism in Taiwan and Mongolia. Your support for the Foundation makes it possible for us to respond to some of these requests, like the Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization, and to continue to foster this global shamanic renewal. With your ongoing support we can do even more — we invite you to make a charitable investment and to join with us to make 2010 the best year ever for shamanism worldwide. Thank you.

Susan Mokelke
Executive Director

Submit your ideas and news for the Articles and Healing Words sections to the Editor.

My Windhorse <br>by Joy
Markgraf My Windhorse
by Joy Markgraf
Advanced Residential Workshops in 2010. The West Coast Two Week Shamanic Healing Intensive*, with Alicia L. Gates, will be held April 12 - 23, 2010 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The East Coast Two Week Shamanic Healing Intensive*, with David Corbin & Nan Moss, will be held October 24 - November 4, 2010 in Madison, Virginia.
The Two Week Intensive, offered on the West or East Coast, is the best preparation for the FSS Three Year program.
The new 4th North American Three-Year Program in Advanced Initiations in Shamanism and Shamanic Healing will start October 17 - 22, 2010 in northern Marin, San Francisco Bay Area. It will be taught by Alicia L. Gates.
*SPECIAL BENEFIT - Free one year Council Membership ($500 value) to those who complete the West or East Coast Two Week Intensive or begin the 4th North American Three-Year training in 2010.
FSS Three-Year Graduates: Don't miss the opportunity to renew and deepen your shamanic training at the Post-Graduate Healing Practices for FSS Three-Year Program Graduates with Alicia L. Gates, now on the East Coast, May 23 - 28, 2010 in Madison, Virginia. Registration is now open - this may be the last year to experience this program in this format. Harner Shamanic Counseling with April Tuck, will be held August 7 - 12, 2010 near Portland, Oregon. Note: The Basic Workshop, which is a prerequisite for all advanced FSS workshops, will be held in various locations throughout the year.

A Letter from Pau Rhichoe to the Membership
Pau Rhichoe Pau Rhichoe. Photo by Sarah Sifers.
Foundation Field Associate for Nepal, Dr. Sarah C. Sifers, recently returned from the refugee camp where the Foundation's Tibetan Living Treasures reside. Pau Pasang Rhichoe asked that this letter to Michael Harner, expressing his appreciation, be passed on to the FSS membership.

Dear Michael,
Tashi selek,
I have no words to truly express how thankful I am for your kindness. It is a great honor to be chosen as a Living Treasure. Please convey my thank you to all of the members of your Foundation.
With much respect and love,
Pau Pasang Rhichoe

Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization
As reported in our last issue, the Foundation is honored to support the Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization, which includes the filming and creation of a documentary record of snuff-jaguar shaman Mandu da Silva's practice and knowledge;
Inside
Shamans' House Inside the Shamans' House. Photo by Michel Wright.
organizing meetings to discuss aspects of indigenous culture and shamanic traditions; and the construction of a Shamans' House (now complete), which will serve as a catalyst for activities to strengthen and revitalize indigenous culture of the Baniwa people of the Aiary River.

FSS Field Associate Robin Wright recently returned from the inauguration of the Shamans' House. He says: "I am back from the inauguration and the initial goals of our project were fully realized. The Shamans' House of Knowledge is a beautiful construction, marvelous architecture that is like the Baniwa people's view of the cosmos materialized. They performed dances which I had never seen before - we filmed them all. Best of all, there is now a large group of apprentices (12) to the two head shamans. This revitalization project can be credited for having been responsible for that. This is not the end of the project by any means, but just the beginning; the Shamans' House of Knowledge has been inaugurated, and now we need to sustain it."

FSS will host an event Friday night January 29, 2010, in Mill Valley, California, for the FSS membership, where Robin Wright will provide the first public look at some of the inauguration video clips and share about his experience and his knowledge of the Baniwa people. Members will receive an email invitation. See the FSS news blog for updates on the project.

Note: The Foundation is working to raise funds to further support the Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization. If you would like to make a philanthropic investment in the future of Mandu and the Baniwa people, please click here. On the "To" line, please enter "Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization." THANK YOU!

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Michael Harner Honored by the AAA
Michael Harner
at AAA Dr. Harner at the AAA.
Michael Harner recently received special academic recognition through the presentation of sessions dedicated to him at the recent annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association in Philadelphia. Three organizations of the AAA joined together to recognize him for his "pioneering work" in shamanism "as an academic and advocate" and for his role during the last forty years in the "exponential growth in anthropological studies of the importance and significance" of shamanism. The organizations were the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness, the Society for Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology, and the Society for Humanistic Anthropology. Read more...

Michael Harner's Shamanic Journeying and Drumming CDs in the Shamanic Journeywork� series are now conveniently available for digital download. These powerful, effective, and time-tested recordings – designed by Michael Harner with serious journey work in mind – have been used successfully by thousands of shamanic practitioners worldwide. Proceeds from the sale of these recordings and other shamanic supplies offered through shamanism.org are used to support Foundation programs such as the Living Treasures of Shamanism and the Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization.

FSS Workshops Now Offered in Japan
FSS is pleased to announce that FSS Workshops are once again being offered in Japan, starting in March in Kyoto and Tokyo with the Basic Workshop, The Way of the Shaman. A warm welcome to Kevin Turner, FSS Guest Faculty for Japan.

Certificates of Completion
Certificates of Completion are available to all graduates of most of the FSS advanced residential training programs in shamanism and shamanic healing. Certificates of Completion acknowledge the considerable time and effort involved in the successful completion of FSS advanced trainings in core shamanism, such as the Two-Week Intensive and the Three-Year program. Request your White, Bronze, Silver, and Gold certificates online.

The support of members of the FSS Circle of the Foundation
Petroglyph
helps preserve the knowledge and practice of shamanism among indigenous peoples such as Mandu da Silva, jaguar-shaman of the Baniwa people, and Tibetan shamans Pau Rhichoe and Pau Dhondup, and the renewal of shamanism in a contemporary context. We invite you to join the Circle by making a donation. Receive exciting benefits, including the online Shamanic Services Listings (with a photo or graphic) and FSS Forum, access to archival talks by Michael Harner, and gifts of DVDs, books, and CDs - and support shamanism and shamanic healing worldwide. Thank you!

Members of the Circle of the Foundation
We invite you to submit a photo of one of your creative works related to shamanism. Periodically, we will select a few of these photos to post on the FSS website. Photos of works might include paintings, sculpture, drums/rattles, weavings, and photos of shamanic places, etc. (Submissions must follow the guidelines below.) Click here to view the video of some of the submissions. Share your work with us!

Guidelines for submission of photos of shamanic artwork:
1. Must be a member of the Circle of the Foundation;
2. Must be the creator of the work submitted and hold the copyright;
3. No photos of people, please, unless you have a written, signed release to publish the photo;
4. One photo only per person.
Please include your name and a one-sentence description or title of the work. Send the photo as an email attachment to the Editor, Susan Mokelke.

Newpaper Rock, Utah - �iStockphoto.com/Jeremy Edwards
Revival of Shamanism in Taiwan
Pressure to assimilate into mainstream society and the spread of Christianity led many of Taiwan's 14 recognized indigenous tribes to forsake their own traditions. Now, with aid of Taiwan's Council of Indigenous People, Executive Yuan, tribes are working to regain their traditional cultures and languages, including the practice of shamanism. Read the article, from Taiwan Today online. Submitted by Timothy Flynn, Three-Year Program graduate, Royal Oaks, California.

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Baniwa Shamans' School in the News
Inside Shamans'
House Snuff-Jaguar Shaman Manuel da Silva (center) talks of traditions at the inauguration of the Shamans' House. Robin Wright is at the left. Photo by Michel C. Wright.
The establishment of the Shamans' House of Knowledge, part of the Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization funded by FSS, has made the news in an article "School for Shamans to Save Culture from Extinction." This kind of recognition is a validation of the work of the Foundation and we are grateful for your support, which makes it possible to aid endangered indigenous shamanism and FSS Living Treasures like Mandu da Silva. Thank you to Dr. Robin Wright, FSS Field Associate, for bringing this important effort to our attention. Read the article, from Treehugger.com.

SUBMIT NEWS: We invite you to submit news about shamanism for our readers. Please submit no more than a few brief paragraphs, including the source of the news item to the Editor.

Core Practices in the Shamanic Treatment of Illness
This article is a classic description of the use of core shamanic methods to treat the spiritual aspects of illness, such as soul loss, loss of personal power or guardian spirits, and spiritual intrusions. Originally intended for inclusion in a textbook on complementary and alternative medicine by other editors, which was never published, it was written to help physicians understand shamanic healing work. Read the article by Michael Harner, Ph.D., and Sandra Harner, Ph.D. Copyright ©2000 Foundation for Shamanic Studies, Shamanism, Vol. 13, Nos. 1 & 2, pp. 19-30

Note: Each issue we plan to post on the website or provide a link to an article or other media with useful information about shamanism or shamanic healing. Check the Articles section for several varied perspectives on shamanism and shamanic healing, many from past issues of Shamanism and the Shamanism Annual, the Foundation's scholarly journal -- one of the exclusive benefits of the Circle of the Foundation.
Handprint �iStockphoto.com/Scott Cressman
Asking for a Cure
Healing requests come to me via email from various shamanic healing groups. Sometimes people request that we "envision" or "visualize" wholeness or pray for or "send light" for a person's restoration to health. While these modalities can certainly help in healing, they are not shamanic practices.

The shaman works with the helping spirits – powerful, all-knowing, compassionate beings – asking his or her helping spirits for healing for a client (at his or her request or with their permission). In shamanism, these spirits are brought or sent by the practitioner directly to the client to perform the healing. I think of it a bit like interceding on a client's behalf with a specific top-notch doctor with whom you have a personal relationship, asking this expert to go to work directly on the patient.

As shamanic healers, we need not worry about knowing what to do for the client; the spirits are the specialists and they know what is needed for the person's healing. We also need not be concerned about asking for a complete cure; the spirits will do what is best for the person's soul. Our task is to connect strongly and deeply with our helping spirits, which requires time and training in most cases, so that we have earned the privilege of calling upon them when there is a need. Then, when we call upon the spirits with the intention to help ease pain and suffering, miracles can occur and people are cured – healed in the truest sense of the word – which means that they are "made whole."

&ndash Susan Mokelke

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NOTE: "Healing Words" contains helpful practices, ideas and suggestions from shamanic healers, answers to questions of concern to those practicing shamanism, and inspiring stories. FSS presents them as a service to the shamanic community without endorsement; as always, each shamanic healer is responsible for using these ideas in a responsible and ethical manner. If you would like to SUBMIT A HELPFUL TIP, email the Editor. (A few succinct paragraphs, please.)

About FSS
Internationally renowned anthropologist Michael Harner pioneered the return of shamanism and the shamanic journey to contemporary life. In 1979, Michael and Sandra Harner established the Center for Shamanic Studies, the precursor to the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, which merged with the FSS in the mid-eighties. FSS is dedicated to the preservation, study, and teaching of shamanic knowledge for the benefit of the Planet and its inhabitants. www.shamanism.org

Join the thousands of people each year who take the Foundation's rigorous training in Core Shamanism, the universal and near universal principles and practices of shamanism not bound to any specific cultural group or perspective. The training program has been carefully developed by Dr. Harner and thoroughly tested to provide an authentic shamanic experience and practical results.

About the E-Newsletter
The Foundation for Shamanic Studies E-newsletter is issued bimonthly and contains information and articles about shamanism, shamanic healing, and the Foundation's activities. It is designed to offer interesting and practical information for shamanic healers, students, and those interested in shamanism. We welcome your feedback and ideas. Please contact the Editor, Susan Mokelke.

NOTE: You are receiving this email from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies because you are a member-donor or have taken a Foundation course or otherwise indicated your interest. For environmental and economic reasons, FSS will send out less paper communications. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, including course schedules and information relevant to the practice of shamanism, add [email protected] to your address book today. You may also update your email address by clicking on the Update Profile/Email Address link below.

Thank you!

Copyright � 2000-2010 Foundation for Shamanic Studies, a non-profit public charitable and educational organization.


Editor: Susan Mokelke
Foundation for Shamanic Studies

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