May 01, 2003
Back during the old-time 70s feminist days, there was a lot being written about women and depression, women and repressed anger (depression being anger turned inward). Lots of us opted to let our anger out – at men, at the “establishment” etc. etc. It didn’t change anything much, and it didn’t help us to understand what we really wanted and how to get it.
Being a poet, I tended to have an outlet for my anger, and I was lucky to cross paths with another poet who also is a therapist who works in a shamanic tradition – which means that he truly understands the power of personal metaphor and myth – of creating art and artifacts that seem to “magically” dissolve the blinders that the rational, literal, logical mind uses to keep out dangerous awarenesses. Being a word-person, I could talk and write reams of reasonably intelligent analyses of what was bothering me, how my past experiences contributed to my current discomfort. I could -- and did -- read all kinds of books that purported to explain the causes of my dysfunctions. But blaming the past and analyzing the present only takes you so far toward ridding yourself of those old paralyzing demons. Knowing that you want to change things about your life and actually making the changes are two very different things.
At first glance, shamanic therapy smacks too much of new age nonsense. For some, like me, who don’t believe in any personal Great Spirit, it might seem too traditionally spiritual. But I approached the whole experience as ritual theater, as symbolic expression, as an end-run around my rational, controlling brain – and, when you come right down to it, as damned good psychology. You don’t have to believe in a god or a soul or an afterlife; you just have to acknowledge that there is some part of your consciousness, your understanding, that keeps eluding you. We dream without control at night and sometimes in our daydreams. Shamanic therapy takes us into our dreamtime, where the complex metaphors and symbols of our unconscious lives hide waiting to take forms that hold truths too powerful or painful for our literal minds to willingly embrace.
From: http://www.shamanism.org
Over tens of thousands of years, our ancient ancestors all over the world discovered how to maximize human abilities of mind and spirit for healing and problem-solving. The remarkable system of methods they developed is today known as "shamanism," a term that comes from a Siberian tribal word for its practitioners: "shaman" (pronounced SHAH-mahn). Shamans are a type of medicine man or woman especially distinguished by the use of journeys to hidden worlds otherwise mainly known through myth, dream, and near-death experiences.
One of the most enlightening experiences I had was taking a workshop with Eligio Stephen Gallegos, whose book Personal Totem Pole: Animal Imagery the Chakras and Psychotherapy explains the process. And that’s what we did – we went on guided imagery “vision quests” in search of our animal totems – visual metaphors for parts of ourselves that we needed to communicate with better. What my Osprey told me, what my miniature Dragon showed me, made more sense and gave me more sense of direction than hours of talk (or silence) in a traditional therapist’s office. So, when I blog about meeting a Skunk, it’s not just an attempt at cute story telling. There is something stirring in me that I need to pay attention to.
Expressive arts therapy works the same way, helping us to access our right brain smarts – the ones that are NOT linear and literal and rational, the ones that see right through those left-brain blinders.
When I read what webloggers at slumberland. and notsosimple and even rageboy write about their struggles to find a way to live lives that feel satisfying and connected as well as challenging and stimulating, I want to tell them that there are other ways – ways that make the journey of self-discovery a real adventuresome and creative trip. And you don’t need drugs to do it.
But first you have to be willing to let your demons take form and meet you face to face in dreamtime. And, if you give them a chance, they'll even learn to dance with you.
Some other relevant info of interest on the web:
http://www.tranceform.org/ShamanicCure.html
http://www.iue.edu/Departments/Social_Work/s300.htm
http://www.expressivetherapy.com/htmls/directory.html
http://www.healthy.net/agi/index_ie.html
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Old Comments (4)
r@d@r on 01 May 2003
i take it you are already familiar with sandra ingerman's soul retrieval. i've been meaning to re-read that one, i need it bad right about now.
you actually remind me of the women i used to work with at gaia bookstore in berkeley in the mid-90's. i was one of two "token males" [said tongue in cheek of course] at a ecofeminist/women's spirituality book/art store in berkeley, ca. it was some of the most fun i've had in my whole life. the store had to go out of business but i think the former owner, patrice wynne, is still coordinating huge conferences with famous authors, and is still working on building a community center. if you google patrice you'll find her book, "the womanspirit sourcebook", somewhere out there. she was a great boss. we used to start and end staff meetings by sitting in a circle, holding hands and meditating.
Elaine on 01 May 2003
Wow. A guy whose really comfortable working within a circle of wild and wyrd women! Now that's a rarity in my world.
I've heard of Sandra Ingerman's book but I haven't read it. My problem is that I really balk at approaches that really believe in "soul" or "higher power." For me, all of that is ME, parts of me that I don't know very well. As a poet, I really revel in symbols, methaphors, myths, but I don't take their representation literally. And while I appreciate the good feelings of "loving affirmations,' I often get pretty bored with too much of that. I like the inner adventures that shamanic therapy leads me into -- the chance to step into my own personal mythos and get swept away into those deep caverns of my psyche that are not accessible any other way. For me, that's the place where personal power simmers, the hearthfire around which those sweet demons linger, waiting to be revealed, loved, and released.
jeneane on 01 May 2003
Elaine, in this one paragraph, you make several damning assumptions. I think you'd be well advise to re-read:
"When I read what webloggers at slumberland. and notsosimple and even rageboy write about their struggles to find a way to live lives that feel satisfying and connected as well as challenging and stimulating, I want to tell them that there are other ways – ways that make the journey of self-discovery a real adventuresome and creative trip. And you don’t need drugs to do it."
You're assuming a whole hell of a lot:
1) that their lives don't feel satisfying or connected.
2) that their lives don't feel stimulating
3) that they are on some sort of magnificent journey.
4) that their particular journeys thus far are neither adventurous or creative
5) that you know what an adventurous and creative trip is
6) that they are on drugs
I think the real issues there for you have something to do with their relative youth and popularity.
In addition, in this post you imply that most new agers believe in God or some sort of spirit source, and that you're not a new ager because you don't believe in God. Those attracted to the fanatical fringes of new ageism (I would argue that most of it is fanatical) aren't there looking for God. They are there looking for them "selves" so to speak because they never developed one in the first place. Not their fault. But a magnet for the disordered.
Like I always say:
The people on meds are on them because the people who should be aren't.
AND, of course,
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a narcissist.
(double posted on blog sisters--the comments were not working there).
Elaine on 02 May 2003
Jeneane, You're making a lot of assumptions about my making assumptions (none of which are true) and implying that I made implications I never made. Given our past altercation, I can't help but assume it's all because I mentioned rageboy, and you felt obligated to come to his rescue again. I, myself, take an anti-depressant (for the very reason you cite), and I do recognize that there are psychological conditions that require prescription medications. I was referring to non-prescription drugs that alter states of consciousness and I should have been more clear on that point.
The web sites I cite happen to be those that include relatively recent posts that reflect "struggles to find a way to live lives that feel satisfying and connected as well as challenging and stimulating." (Don't we all?) They even refer to going to therapists. So I'm not jumping to any conclusions about their being dissatisfied with fundamental aspects of their lives.
Jeaouls of my new Blog Sisters' youth and popularity? If I were, why would I give them links to send even more readers their way? This is not a competition going on here. This is a sharing of experiences and information. Chill out, girl. I know things have been rough for you lately.