Shaman is a Tungus word from Central Asia referring to a person who uses a state of spiritual excitement to enter the normally imperceptible realities of the spirit world to enlist help for him- or herself and others. Students of language disagree over the exact etymology of the word. Among the early root words from which shaman may have been derived are words for "knowledge" and "heat" - two ideas that capture fully the rich traditions of classic shamanism and its modern counterparts. the shaman is someone who is on fire with certain kinds of knowledge that come from contact with the world of spirit.
In tribal cultures, shamans serve as healers, spiritual advisors, diviners, conductors of souls into the land of the dead, herbalists, dream interpreters, ceremonialists, storytellers and keepers of the folk memory. these "shamanic services" are secondary to and dependant upon the shaman's spiritual practice, for any power or skill for doing these things well is attributed to the shaman's relationship with his or her helping spirits. Clearly, one does not have to be a shaman or rely upon helping spirits to interpret dreams, prescribe healing herbs, lead ceremonies or tell stories. If a person performs these activities without the help of spiritual allies, then they are merely human services, not invested with the spiritual power that derives from shamanism. What distinguishes the shaman's ability to do these things is the shaman's intense relationship with helping spirits and the knowledge of how to proceed that is received from those spirit helpers. A shaman's power and reputation, therefore, is dependant upon his or her spiritual practice.
In animistic societies most people participate in visionary activities that involve contacting and communicating with spirits, such as vision quests, fasts, sweat ceremonies, night vigils, or extended periods of dancing and chanting during which participants unite with their personal spirits. Most people maintain ongoing relationships with their helping spirits throughout their lives by these means. What distinguishes the shaman from others is the intensity, seriousness, dedication and calling to this aspect of life which far outweighs those of others in the tribe. In this respect, shamans are not unlike monks, ministers and mystics in other religious traditions who may be engaged in the same spiritual practices as average men and women, but who have dedicated their lives to those practices and perform with more rigor and devotion, often out of a profound sense of calling or vocation.
At the heart of shamanism are the controlled visionary experiences that connect the practitioner with the spiritual beings who guide, guard, instruct and bless his or her life. the shaman moves between realities, a magical athlete of states of consciousness engaged in mythic feats. The shaman is an intermediary between ordinary and non-ordinary reality, a "power broker" in the sense of manipulating spiritual power in the service of life and creation.
The basic tools used for altering consciousness and journeying in the spirit realm are the drum and rattle. Siberian and other shamans sometimes refer to their drums as the "horse" or "canoe" that carries them along during the journey. The rapid, steady, and monotonous rythm of the drum acts like a carrier wave, evoking a light trance state and allowing the shaman to send his or her consciousness between the worlds - into the realm of spirit. The shaking rattle provides a higher frequency stimulation and serves, in part, to reinforce the drum.
Shamans have long believed their powers were the powers of the animals, of the plants, of the sun, of the basic energies of the universe. In the garden Earth they have drawn upon their assumed powers to provide strength in daily life, to assist others in uncertainty, illness and death, to commune with their fellow creatures, and to live a joyful existence in harmony with the totality of Nature.
It is no wonder that ancient people saw animals as deities, or forms of deity, possessing wisdom, knowledge, and an intuitive relationship with other life that humans have had to struggle hard to acquire, if at all. It is not surprising that our ancestors looked to animal spirits as teachers, companions, and guides through the mysteries of life. The ancient stories about human beings and animals sharing wisdom and knowledge before the Fall attest to the value of having animals as companions and teachers. The continuing folk and fairy tales about friendly animal companions on the hero's journey constitute a vestige of this older shamanic knowledge about our dependence upon animals. On some level, we sense that animals are exempt from many of the changes that took place when the Paradisal Age ended. Their calm self-assurance and continued practice of living according to the laws of nature, in balance and harmony with their environment, stand as a model for human beings, providing a standard for us, a reminder of natural laws.
Shamans speak of their helping spirits as power animals. This is not to imply that the spirit animal is physically large or strong - power here refers to spiritual power that derives from inherent knowledge and wisdom that the power animal willingly shares with its human companion. Every animal is imbued with power by virtue of its being a part of nature and an expression of divine creation. Particular animals seek out individuals to befriend because there is some mutual need between them, each being able to offer the other support and help in his or her journey throughout the many realms of existence.
Shamans have long felt that the power of the guardian or tutelary spirit makes one resistant to illness. The reason is simple: it provides a power-full body that resists the intrusion of external forces. Being power-full is like having a force field in and around you, for you are resistant to power intrusions, the shamanic equivalent of infections. Thus possession of guardian spirit power is fundamental to health. Serious illness is usually only possible when a person is dis-spirited, has lost this energizing force, the guardian spirit. When a person becomes depressed, weak, prone to illness, it is a symptom that they have lost their power animal and thus can no longer resist, or ward off the unwanted power intrusions.