Alexandra MacKinzie (mizmak) used under Flickr Creative Commons License

I subscribe to a daily science news feed. It is always interesting to me to read about studies of the natural world from the scientist's perspective, particularly those studies which attempt to understand the inner lives of animals. A recent study looked at the behavior of Western scrub jays, who apparently summon other jays to screech over their dead, holding these noisy "funerals" for up to 30 minutes. There have been many reports of other animals, including elephants, chimpanzees, and crows responding to the dead of their species, but few experimental studies. UC Davis graduate student Teresa Iglesias, who undertook the study, said: "While reactions of animals to their dead are sometimes called 'funerals,' that does not imply that there is an emotional or ritual element to the behavior. We simply don't know enough about the emotional life of animals to understand that." But, she continues: "I think there's a huge possibility that there is much more to learn about the social and emotional lives of birds." 

 

The shaman would not be surprised to learn that animals mourn their dead or have emotional lives. When faced with a puzzling animal behavior, the shaman could undertake his or her own experiment by journeying to the animal's spirit to ask; or the shaman could merge with the animal, become one with it and know it by experiencing it. The true scientist and the shaman are not so different. But the shaman's way of knowing would be discounted by many in Western culture. So, I appreciate open-minded studies undertaken by researchers such as Iglesias -- because they are "scientific" they are not so easily discarded. The scientist can work toward the truth from one perspective and the shaman from another -- until such time as we awaken to our fundamental unity and honor and celebrate all beings. Then, when the jays mourn their dead, we will mourn with them. (Scrub Jays React to Their Dead)  

 

Susan Mokelke

Editor

 

2012 - 2013 RESIDENTIAL AND ADVANCED WORKSHOPS

♦ The East Coast Two Week Shamanic Healing Intensive, taught by David Corbin and Nan Moss, assisted by Elaine Egidio, will be held October 21 - November 1, 2012, in Madison, Virginia. The Two Week Intensive, offered on the West (see below) or East Coast, is the best preparation for the FSS Three Year program.

♦ The 5th North American Three-Year Program in Advanced Initiations in Shamanism and Shamanic Healing with Alicia L. Gates, assisted by Amanda Foulger, will begin October 28 - November 2, 2012 in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.

♦ The West Coast Two Week Shamanic Healing Intensive, taught by Alicia L. Gates will be held May 26-Jun 06, 2013 in the San Francisco Bay area, California. 

♦ Harner Shamanic Counseling with April Tuck, CSC, will be held July 14 - 19, 2013 in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Residential.

 

Please check the website for PREREQUISITES for these advanced shamanic training programs as some have changed 

 

For details and to REGISTER for the above programs, contact registrar Michael Flanagin: flanagin4@msn.com, (503) 282-6315.

     

FIRST SHAMANISM PRACTICUM™ WORKSHOP HELD
The first public offering of the new advanced weekend workshop Shamanism Practicum: Guidelines for a Healthy Shamanic Practice developed by Susan Mokelke was held in July. Through journeys, sharing, and interactive experiences, an enthusiastic group of both experienced and beginning shamanic practitioners explored the ethical practice of shamanic healing and divination; legal considerations; what to say to potential clients; the screening process; payment issues; useful forms to have; organization of your practice; and other pragmatic matters related to practicing shamanism in an ethical, professional, and effective way. Participants reflected:

"Excellent and extremely useful workshop in exactly the right time for me!  A lot of information with good pacing of journeys and activities.  I like the role-playing in particular."

"Thank you for offering this aspect of shamanic healing as a practicum through the Foundation. I learned a lot and felt it was useful and informative. It is an area of the training of shamanic practitioners--at least for those who are navigating through the modern (Western) world--that has been inadequately addressed until now. As shamanism becomes more integrated into mainstream awareness and complementary healing options, these considerations become more vital." 

A second workshop is planned for the San Francisco Bay area January 12 - 13, 2013. Check the website for dates and locations for this workshop from the FSS faculty. Prerequisite: Basic Workshop: The Way of the Shaman®.

UPDATE - LIVING TREASURE MANDU DA SILVA 

Mandu (center) and Robin Wright (left)  at the inauguration of the Shamans House 2009.

In our last issue, at his request, the Foundation asked for assistance for FSS Living Treasure Mandu da Silva, snuff-jaguar shaman of the Baniwa people of Northwest Amazonia in order to complete recordings of his knowledge, so that it may be available for future generations of Baniwa shamans. Through Dr. Robin Wright, FSS Field Associate and coordinator of the project, Mandu reported that the stipend he received from the Brazilian government, for work he did some time ago to maintain an airstrip, was abruptly discontinued. Without the stipend, his living situation has become very difficult, making it hard to continue his work with the ongoing revitalization efforts. Thank you to all of you who donated to help Mandu. Through your generosity, the FSS was able to establish a special fund to assist him and the Baniwa Shamanic Revitalization over the short term with monthly supplemental payments, as long as the funding lasts.    

You may make a one-time donation or a monthly ongoing donation to help Mandu and continue the Baniwa revitalization. Any assistance is welcome and will make so much difference to Mandu and his people. Thank you. 
 

SHAMANS OF NORTHERN MONGOLIA   

Tsaatan Shaman. ©2011 John Lawrence.

John Lawrence, FSS Staff Associate, and Susan Grimaldi, FSS Audio-Visual Field Documentation, recently returned to Northern Mongolia (2012 Explorer's Club Flag Expedition #186) "In Search of Traditional Shamans of the East and West Taigas." In their first trip in July 2011, they visited FSS Living Treasure Siqingua, a Daur shaman of Inner Mongolia, China. (See the video.) Then they traveled in search of the band of nomadic reindeer herders known as the Tsaatan of the East Taiga. They presented their experience at the 2012 Council Gathering in January and in an article in the December 2011 issue of the Shamanism Annual. This summer, John and Susan revisited the Tsaatan of the East Taiga and then proceeded to an even more remote region in Northern Mongolia known as the West Taiga. They traveled many long days on horseback crossing mountain passes at 9,000 feet. While with the Tsaatan, the travelers interviewed the shamans and filmed their ceremonies. This additional material will be incorporated into their new video documentary, with media and documentation to be archived in the Foundation's Shamanic Knowledge Conservatory.   

NEW FSS BOARD OF TRUSTEE JEFFREY DAVID EHRENREICH

Photo courtesy of SALSA.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Jeffrey David Ehrenreich to the FSS Board of Trustees. Dr. Ehrenreich received his B.S. in economics from the University of Bridgeport, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from

the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research (now the New School University). He is an ethnographer who has lived and worked among numerous indigenous peoples, including the Awa of Ecuador, the Piaroa and Warao of Venezuela, and the Maya of Guatemala. Among his publications are a number of scholarly books and edited volumes. Between 1989 and 1994 he was the editor of The Latin American Anthropology Review (the journal of the Society for Latin American Anthropology), and between 2003 and 2007 he founded and was the editor of TIPITI (The journal of SALSA, The Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America). Since joining the faculty of the University of New Orleans, Professor Ehrenreich has engaged in ethnographic and photographic research among the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans and among local Vodou practitioners, which he wrote about in the Shamanism Annual (December 2010). Bio courtesy of the University of New Orleans.

CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION
Certificates of Completion are available to graduates of many of the FSS advanced residential training programs in shamanism and shamanic healing, including Harner Shamanic Counseling. Certificates of Completion acknowledge the considerable time and effort involved in the completion of FSS advanced trainings in core shamanism, such as the Two-Week Intensive and the Three-Year program. (Please note that these do not certify a person as a shaman.) Find out more and request your HSC, White, Bronze, Silver, and Gold certificates online.

ARTWORK OF MEMBERS OF THE CIRCLE OF THE FOUNDATION

Sovereign Queen of Her Own Heart. ©Susan Rossi.

Members of the Circle, we invite you to share your work with us by submitting 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. (Submissions must follow the guidelines below.) View the slide show Artwork of the Membership.
 
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 the title of the work, with a few words description. Send the photo as an email attachment to the Editor, Susan Mokelke.