Shamanism Without Borders

I am writing on behalf of the SSP members who are planning the annual conference in Santa Cruz County, California.
The theme of the conference is “Shamanism Without Borders,” a multi-faceted concept that has inspired many shamanic practitioners for a number of years.  If I had to pinpoint a moment when this concept became vital for a large number of us, I would say it was on September 11, 2001. I was teaching in the Swiss Alps, and in the late afternoon (late morning in New York), we knew instinctively how we would spend our evening session. We would go to New York.  It didn’t occur to me until later that night how remarkable and natural this experience had been. Central European shamanic practitioners were among the “first responders” to a tragedy thousands of miles away.  Of course we were not the only ones. There were many there that night and they continued to be present shamanically for days and weeks to come.

I am writing to try to clear up some of the misunderstandings that have arisen recently about what we plan to do in Santa Cruz, particularly the rumor that we are planning to send teams of SSP members into foreign countries.
While it’s true that the French organization Doctors Without Borders sends medical teams into disaster areas around the world to assist local rescue efforts, we know that a shamanic organization will most likely look and operate very differently.  Nevertheless we believe that our unique shamanic perspectives could assist in tending the suffering of land, animals, and people when a disaster occurs.  We feel strongly that a shamanic presence, whether physical or in spirit, can help those who find their “normal” life patterns seriously disrupted by either natural occurrences or those created by human activities.  We have scouted out a number of sites where disasters have struck Santa Cruz County over the years.   We will select several of these and create teams of practitioners to visit these sites to see what kind of shamanic tending they still need.  Some of our work will be on site; some will be done remotely from the conference center.

Do we know what we will do yet?
No.

There are many important issues to consider when a team of us, or even one of us, uses our shamanic skills to alleviate suffering and help restore balance to disrupted life.
We don’t yet know exactly what procedures will seem appropriate for different crisis scenarios. The conference will be an invaluable opportunity to address these issues theoretically and practically by working in stressed environments. The conference will be a learning experience for all of us.

First we must discover what’s present at these sites—what Beings and life forms need tending, need a shamanic presence.
Then we must learn what the place itself—the people, animals, land, spirits—expect or ask of us. Last we must discover how to use shamanism for the good of the Beings who dwell in these areas.  Carol Proudfoot Edgar, who has lived and practiced shamanism in Santa Cruz for many years, and Susan Gilliland, who lives in nearby San Jose, are our guides and are mapping out the areas where we will work.  We know that what we do in this one small part of the world that has had some devastating natural disruptions over the years could serve as a model for similar work in other areas, perhaps even near our own homes.  We will learn what to do, what not to do, and how to transcend our personal borders and boundaries that prevent our shamanic practice from developing and reaching out into new and challenging areas of need.   In a world that is becoming more globalized every day, some of us should be using our skills and wisdom in a global context.

We expect that some or many of our assumptions about what is “correct shamanic practice” may need to be rethought.
For example, what ethical considerations apply and do not apply in the midst of death, chaos, and confusion? What Beings need to give their consent before we can work with them or their land?  If we were physically present at a disaster in a land with a strong shamanic tradition, could we find ways to cooperate with local shamans, assuming they were not killed or injured? How do we work in areas that may never have had a strong tradition of shamanism or no longer have one? What kinds of shamanic tending can we do remotely?  What ethical guidelines apply or do not apply when working remotely at a time of crisis?  Are there ways to provide shamanic assistance to people of a different culture than our own with their own understandings of life, death, spirits, and wellbeing? What kinds of shamanic activities could be helpful during the disaster, after the disaster, during the recovery, and to mark the anniversaries of these events?

These questions and others may look different every time we go into unfamiliar terrain even if it’s only a few miles from where we live.
Each crisis calls for unique responses but grounded in experience.  Emergencies demand that people transcend their boundaries of comfort, safety, and action.  We may have to overcome our culture’s fear of making mistakes and not doing everything perfectly.

I’d like to share with you comments made by one of Mongolia’s famous and revered shamans, Zaarin Byambadorj Dondog (in the current Shaman’s Drum, #82, p. 38):

At the present time, the human race is out of touch with mother earth, father heaven, and the natural world. . . .There is great danger of fire, snowstorms, floods, and earthquakes. For this reason, the shamans of the earth need to work together to bring cleansing and healing to the earth, and to do rituals together to restore balance.  Because this cleansing and healing has not been done, the present state of the earth is causing many problems and illnesses.  This is the great work that shamans are now required to do.

At this year’s conference in Santa Cruz we hope to learn ways to carry out this strong directive.

From Tom Cowan, PhD
On behalf of the Conference Faculty and the SSP Board of Directors