Week 3 - Jane Kwak

Stephanie Marohn’s “What a Shaman Sees in a Mental Hospital” article with Malidoma Patrice Some discusses how Westerners, in contrast to Dagara people, view certain illnesses.  In the Western culture, a mental illness is not “normal” and must be treated in order for the patient to return to “normal.”  They see it as a problem that needs to be fixed.  Dagara culture views mental illness as “good news from the other world,” because the person undergoing the changes has been chosen to serve as a communicator with the spirit realm by the merging of energies (2).  The energy from the spirit realm must be accepted by the chosen one with the help of a mentor.  Mental disorders as well as behavioral disorders manifest when the person does not get assistance when dealing with the spirit realm. 

It is not surprising that people accustomed to Western cultures have such contrasting opinions about mental illnesses compared to Dagara people or shamans.  In Western cultures, anything that is not consistent with the norm is considered broken and something to shun. There is a sense of narrow mindedness as well as fear in being different compared to the majority of people around you.  This is something I believe we need to change.  Everyone has individual differences due to environmental and biological influences.  We need to learn to accept these differences and come together to acknowledge and manage these mental or behavioral disorders whether it be through medication or by accepting and receiving guidance from someone who knows about the spirit realm.  If they are able to, this should be a decision that the affected person makes. They can choose it as their fate to serve as a communicator between this world and the spirit world or suppress it through medication or therapy.

Question:

If Westerners were more educated about shamanistic practices, would they be more accepting of mental and behavioral disorders?

Reference:

Marohn, Stephanie. “What a Shaman Sees in a Mental Hospital.” The Mind Unleashed: Uncover Your True Potential. 2014.

Visual:

http://cyntcodinghealthinformationservices.blogspot.com/2015/02/coding-yesterdays-nomenclature-today.html