Ever since i was little I had this unexplainable facination with indians and wolves. Now that I am older and know a little bit more *smiles* I have dicided to 'improve my inner me' by researching more into Native American Spirituality.
Native American Spirituality is a 'Pagan' religion. They honored the earth and all her creatures. They lived off the land, hunted only what they needed, and gave thanks to the spirits in times of plenty, and prayed to them in bad times as well.
The Native Americans really didn't have a 'main' god or goddess. They beleive that every plant and animal has a spirit. There were a few that were more reveared than others, but never the less they respected the spirit of the animal as part of or helper to the Great Mystery or The Creator.
The term "shamanism" has been misused for many years. Movies have used "medicine man" and "shaman" to describe holy men and women of Native America. So, people began to assume that "shaman" was a Native American word, and that "shamanism" was a universal Indian Religion -- there is no universal "Indian Religion." There are hundreds of Indian Nations in North America, each with its own culture, language, and spiritual beliefs. Many of these Nations are very different from one another in their religious traditions, and none of them describe their beliefs as shamanism.
~* I will try to refrain from refering to the Native American Medicine Men/ Women and Healers as Shamans.*~ |
