Macrina Mackan - Week 3

Week 3 was all about Shaminism. The readings explored this topic, but were different in that they discussed different people, different situations, and different cultures. We learned about the many different practices used by shamans in class, and the readings brought all these ideas together. The spiritual journey of Pa Lor was the most touching, especially since she grew up only 35 miles from my hometown. The close proximity of this story made me realize that Shamanism is everywhere, and that it is something not too far from my grasp. We learned how Lor suffered 5 years of undiagnosed, chronic pain, which we later find out the reason behind her sickness was the calling to become a shaman. This has me thinking, if Lor ignored her calling and never became a shaman, would the pain continue? Would there be other, more severe consequences? She did end up becoming a shaman, and we were given a first-hand look at her journey. As a person who is not spiritual, I had no idea why the rituals of every shaman were different. I understood why they could vary from culture to culture, but I did not understand why rituals within cultures contained many variations. Lor explains it all, stating that there are no instruction manuals or classes to take. She recalls the visions she had as she began her journey to become a shaman, and how they became the basis for her ritual. I was able to understand that every shaman has their own method, but that they share one goal: to heal. I am still left wondering whether shamans are on different levels or if they are all the same. Is one shaman stronger than another? Can one shaman heal faster than another? Are all shamans capable of the same things, no matter the experience?  Learning about Shamanism in Asian cultures has advanced my understanding of spirituality. It reminds me of my own culture. Growing up, I heard about Mexican spiritual healers and how they use different techniques to help the sick. In class we were presented with many different videos and pictures of Shamans from Asian cultures, so here is a picture of the Mexican equivalent (notice how different they dress compared to healers from Asian cultures!)