Why You May Need a Protection Specialist for Your Shamanic Work
(rev.1)
Matt Burgess
In Shamanic work you may at times need to journey to the non-ordinary aspect of Middle World to perform one of a few healing practices. Non-ordinary Middle World is a "mixed bag" when it comes the sort of spirits you may encounter. Here it is possible to find powerful and ill-intentioned spirits. You're not going to constantly encounter these but there is the possibility.
Even if you are doing healing requiring no journey work whatsoever, the moment you engage in the work of a shaman you set up a field of energetic magic which may draw the attention of various spirits. Their intentions may vary. I feel this effect should be viewed as axiomatic in shamanic work.
Workshops teaching shamanism and which do not address the wisdom of cultivating a Spirit Helper who is a protection specialist,might beputting trainees at risk. If you have Spirit Helpers who offer protection, that is well and good. But why, for instance, would you rely on a Spirit Helper who is especially adept at assisting you with extractionsto double up as a protector?Of course you may not adhere to the notion of "spirit specialists" at all for that matter. That's fine, but they are available nonetheless.
Thetypical Westernized presentation of non-ordinary Middle World seems prone to a kind of whitewashing regarding its spiritual characteristics. The reasons for this are complex but have to do with a need to psychologically project Western spiritual cosmologies precisely where they do not belong. I believe this unfortunate effort also represents a level of Westernarrogance. Also at play is the foolish New Age assumption that almostany world spiritual or religious practice, or set of practices, can be reconfigured into a kind ofoperational "happy mush."
There is a deity who is found in both Hinduism and Buddhism. He is often viewed as a great protector. In some Tantric traditions he is also seen as a kind of "eater" of suffering which he then transmutes into a healing effortfor the initiate. Though one his aspects is that of the Compassionate Goddess,his typicalmulti-handed presentations are truly ferocious and often supremely frightening. He can kick your ass. Here I am speaking of Mahākāla. For an excellent elucidation of Mahākāla I suggest William Stablien's book, Healing Image: the Great Black One(1991).
I mention this deity for an important reason. Firstly I very much doubt that Mahākāla concerns himself with any Western shamanicparadigm which would suggest just when or where he is permitted to venture into the Three Worlds. He alsoprobably doesn't find much need to refer to a copy of the latest and popularshamanic instructional book in order to delineate his powers.
I'll admit to a little over-the-top sarcasm here. But please take my point which is this: Western shamanic paradigms may have hidden agendas. One of these agendas may be to avoid anything which will "turn-off" the target demographic. Read any of the well known ethnologies describing indigenous shamanic cosmologies and a certain conundrum may become obvious.It is this: Why aren't the originalhighly dualistic aspects of the Three Worlds properly represented in many of the modern Western descriptions?
It is disingenuous, to say the least, to eradicate from any Western shamanic class orworkshop,which concerns the fundamentals of shamanism, anaccurate representation of the subject matter. But this seems to be the common approach I believe.
The true nature of the Three Worlds should never be "edited" to suit the tastes ofspiritually curious persons who have been weaned on New Age interpretationsthat seek to denude sacred realities of their true essences. Such efforts do not serve the needs of those working to become shamans, nor do they serve the efforts of any student who wishes to be taught the true scope of the subject matter.
Through all of Mahākāla's ferocious presentations he remains the essence of supreme Love. Still, if you dishonor him by invoking him with careless ritual, he may remind you in no uncertain terms just who you are dealing with. Mahākāla's ultimate intent is always healing transformation. So far left out of this discussion is any recommended general approach tothose spirits which you may encounter(in your shamanic work)who's true intentionsmay range from unsavory to downright dangerous.
Here is where I believe it makes sense to cultivate a spirit helper who is a protection specialist. The practice is not entirely uncommon with indigenous shamans. From my experience though, Western students and practitioners just assume that one or anotherof their Spirit Helpers will automaticallytake on the function of protector(if such persons are even aware that may need a protector). If this has been working for you fine. But to my eye such an assumption hints at a disregard, or at best, a lack of appreciation for the true power, scope and reality of shamanism.
References
Stablien, William. 1991. Healing Image: the Great Black One. Berkeley: SLG Books.
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Why You May Need a Protection Specialist for Your Shamanic Work