Little Bit of Shamanism: An Introduction to Shamanic Journeying by Ana Campos

Author:Ana Campos
Language: eng
Format: epub

9

THE WOUNDED

HEALER

ARCHETYPE AND

SOUL SONGS

OUR BODIES AND OUR SELVES ARE THE PRIMARY and most important ceremonial tools at our disposal. As such, we must learn to honor ourselves and better integrate our bodies, the material self, and our souls, the immaterial self. Learning to be in harmony with and within ourselves is one of the key processes of shamanic healing.

When people are called to Shamanism, they are generally seeking to heal profound wounds. They come to Shamanism to resolve aspects of their lives that are not in harmony. As we move through life, we experience trauma of varying degrees. Trauma chips away at our souls. It is common for people to come to Shamanism after experiencing particularly profound trauma, the kind that disrupts our foundation. The resulting wound becomes a catalyst for change, functioning as an initiation rite of sorts. This is the underlying concept of the Wounded Healer archetype: we grow and learn through suffering.

The archetype of the wounded healer is a recurring concept in many shamanic traditions, as well as other spiritual paths. Even though Jung coined the term, this concept can be seen in mythology throughout the world. Stories of wounded healers date as far back as Ancient Greece, seen in the myth of the centaur Chiron, as well as the legend of Asclepius. This archetype describes a being who has gone through a journey of self-transformation triggered by trauma. Within this concept is the understanding that from the wound comes a gift in the form of growth. More specifically, this gift generally manifests as a call for the wounded healer to help others heal their own wounds. The trauma results in a significant personal shift that allows us to gain wisdom that can be used in service of others.

Trauma is something that is overcome through a dynamic, multistage process. The wound urges us to transform, which in turn shifts the wound, encouraging another shift within ourselves. To face and accept a wound and embrace its teachings, as opposed to resorting to avoidance, is a key internal process for the shamanic practitioner. The trauma may awaken something new inside us, calling us to a new path, such as Shamanism. Through shamanic practice, we are able to start mending not only the original trauma, but our other traumas.

Suffering is such a transformative experience that some cultures, both shamanic and non-shamanic, will engage in intentional suffering within ceremonial context as a way to trigger internal shifts. While I cannot disclose specific details, I have in my own initiatory rites experienced extended isolation, sleep deprivation, binding, and other forms of voluntary suffering. These experiences are powerful and transforming, but should not be entered lightly. In his book Cave and Cosmos, Michael Harner discusses the use of intentional suffering as a way to gain personal power from the helping spirits, describing examples of such rites among the Inuit, the Shuar, the indigenous tribes of the North American Great Plains, and tribes in the Upper Amazon region. This information is not provided to

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