One of the most important moments in shamanism is the relationship between helping spirits and the shaman. Without them, the shaman cannot perform his amazing miracles, unable to heal, travel between worlds, and so on. So who are they – helping spirits?

The essence of the relationship between helping spirits and the shaman

In short, the essence of the relationship between the helping spirits and the shaman lies in their close, almost personal, connection. Thus, the shaman, unlike magicians or sorcerers, does not “summon” spirits in the Western sense and does not distance himself from them. On the contrary, his relationships are largely personal in nature, and sometimes so close that in some shamanic traditions the shaman even enters into sexual contacts with his helping spirits.

The relationship between a shaman and his spirits can be very different and include such models as patron-ward, servant-master, and even husband-wife or lover-mistress.

Also, another feature of the relationship between a shaman and spirits is that the number of the latter is, as a rule, limited. The specificity of the connection between the shaman and the helping spirits lies in their close interaction, which gives “quality”. Therefore, what is important for a shaman is not how many helping spirits he has, but how powerful they are, because his personal strength depends on this.

Although, it should be said that in some shamanic traditions, the number of helping spirits still plays a role. For example, among the Alaskan Eskimos, the “power” of a shaman is directly proportional to the number of spirits that are under his command, so powerful shamans always have a lot of them. But even this “many” still has a limit, and rarely exceeds more than 10 or 20.

Not in all cases the spirits with which the shaman is closely associated live on his own territory, although this is the most common. Sometimes shamans call on their assistants from all over the world. They arrive one by one and talk - each in their own voice and even in different languages.

Why does a shaman need helping spirits?

Helping spirits empower the shaman magical powers and occult knowledge. They transfer the shaman’s soul to other worlds, protect him, help in healing and rituals. Helping spirits often carry out various tasks for the shaman - they fly to find out about something or someone, bring him magical artifacts, help him find missing objects, guide souls with him to the afterlife, and so on.

Almost everything that a shaman does within the tradition of shamanism is, in one way or another, possible only thanks to his close relationship with his helping spirits.

Appearance of the shaman's helping spirits

The appearance of helping spirits varies from region to region and from the personal characteristics of the shaman himself. As a rule, helping spirits look like birds (eagle, raven) or like an animal (snake, wolf, fox), sometimes they look like people (old man, woman, child), sometimes in the form of a plant or tree, and sometimes a helping spirit the shaman looks like some kind of natural phenomenon, for example, fog, wind, rain, crystal, and so on.

Most often, images of the shaman's helping spirits are found among hunting peoples.

Particularly noteworthy is the category of helping spirits who themselves were shamans in the past. These are the souls of ancient shamans who help the chosen ones on their shamanic path. In some traditions, they take a direct part in the fate of the future shaman: they not only elect a new candidate, but also give him initiation. True, sometimes the role of the spirit of the deceased is reduced only to preparing the future shaman for subsequent journeys to other worlds, and the helping spirits themselves do the rest.

“Professional specificity” of helping spirits

The appearance of the shaman’s helping spirits often reflects his “professional specificity,” that is, what exactly he does - descends to the Lower Worlds or ascends to Heaven, searches for missing objects or helps heal people.

How a shaman receives helping spirits

Building relationships between the shaman and his spirit helpers occurs in different ways, ranging from the shamanic tradition to individual characteristics, both the shaman himself and those helping spirits with whom he is connected.

The most common option is that helping spirits themselves choose the future shaman and appear to him, pushing him to take the path of the shaman. If the future shaman resists this, then this period of communication with helping spirits can be very painful, which even got its name “shamanic disease.”

A shaman can also receive helper spirits during his initiation. For example, among shamans in South America they “incorporate” into the shaman, often in the form of crystals. This is how one of the shamans describes receiving his helping spirits: “After initiation, I felt in my body and head bright light. To ordinary people he was not visible, but the spirits could see him. They flocked to this world to me from all over the world. Another one of my spirit helpers, a shark, also appeared to me when I was fishing in the sea one day. A shark swam up to me and called my name.”

Among Eskimo shamans, helping spirits appear of their own free will if the candidate deserves it.

Among the Jakun shamans, helping spirits come in dreams or are inherited from other shamans.

Shamanic spirit helpers and werewolf work

One of the most amazing abilities of shamanic helping spirits is that they have the ability to become a wolf, that is, the fact that the helping spirit appears in the form of, say, a wolf does not mean that it itself is a wolf, but about that he is capable of transforming into it. And what is typical is that the shaman himself also learns the ability to transform into this or that animal or phenomenon. Thus, a shaman who has an eagle helping spirit can transform into this bird of prey and so on.

How a shaman calls upon spirit helpers

The most common form of invoking a helping or tutelary spirit is to recite its name and imitate its nature. This is especially true for spirits that have the appearance of animals. For example, in order to summon his helper spirit in the form of a snake, the Tunguska shaman tries to depict its smooth, writhing movements during a session. Shamans whose spirits are birds tend to imitate their calls and wave their arms, imitating the flapping of their wings.

For some helping spirits, the shaman creates a “home”, a kind of container where the helping spirit resides before the shaman needs it. Often such a container is a bell. And then the shaman just needs to call it for the helping spirit to appear.

Usually the shaman places containers for helping spirits on his ritual shamanic costume.

© Alexey Korneev

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There are quite a lot of varieties. For example, the so-called “spirits of illness” are identified. This is how the shamans themselves describe them:

“The flu spirit looks like a simple worm. Slimy, fat, sedentary. It would seem that it would be easy to deal with them, but that was not the case! There are one or two, but most of them hide and wait for the shaman to leave. After he has removed the first batch, he must dive again and take again and again until there is no one left. If he did everything correctly, then at the moment when the main part is removed, the patient’s temperature drops, he becomes wet and immediately falls asleep. The brain stroke spirit is like a snake. If a patient has not gotten up for a long time, then you need to be a very strong shaman to cure him. But if you start treating the patient at a very early stage, when the stroke is still quite small, then there is a good chance to stop or delay the development of the disease.”

All the cult actions that the shaman performs, and all the results for which he achieves, are also carried out with the help of spirits called by the shaman to himself at the beginning of each ritual. According to the beliefs of the Yakuts, shamans are helped by spirit assistants who come at their requests in various forms - animals, birds, anthropomorphic creatures, etc. Helping spirits can look like animals, birds, insects or reptiles. Depending on how they look, you can guess what kind of character they have and what habits they have. Helping spirits are obtained during travel. The shaman feels the moment when it is necessary to go in search of helping spirits. The spirits obtained by the shaman are wonderful creatures. It is very important to know the names of the spirits. These names should not be told to anyone, nor should they be written down. Spirits can protect the shaman from anyone, anywhere. Distance doesn't matter to them. The shaman needs to keep his emotions under control so as not to inadvertently direct his spirits against someone. If a shaman behaves unworthily, the spirits turn away from him and stop helping him. Treatment without spirit helpers is a very dangerous activity. But every real shaman must go through this stage, otherwise he will not appreciate and know what the power of the Spirits really is.

A number of myths tell about the actions of these supernatural creatures. For example, one myth tells about the bloodthirstiness of the helping spirits of the shaman Matryona, who even ate, i.e. killed her nephews. According to Yakut beliefs, shamans placed supernatural crossbows on the paths of their opponents - shamans and spirits. Such invisible weapons were allegedly enormous in size - their string stretched from the top of one mountain to the top of another. Sometimes myths stated that the shaman received part of his attributes from his patron spirit. For example, the spirit who called him to become a shaman sent the Sabyryka guy the handle of a tambourine with all the metal pendants through a raven with a half-white head.

The kama (shamans) call their personal guard a shell (kujak) or a hoop (kurchu), since they wrap around his head, torso, arms and legs. Some of them deliver a sacrifice to a deity or spirit, carrying vessels with sacrificial drinks, leading a double of the victim, helping to get to the deity or spirit, and conducting a dialogue with him.

Each shaman has his own spirits, and they are heterogeneous in composition. Spirits are divided into strata. Two strata of spirits became common to all shamans: patrons and helpers. Patrons are high-ranking spirits personified by deities: ulgen and his sons, the deity of fire, the owners of sacred mountains. Helping spirits form two groups. The ancestors of the shaman, who were kama during their lifetime, are united into one, called ts. The second group includes ministering spirits, summoned before the ritual by striking a tambourine.

These spirits fill the tambourine and accompany the shaman during his journey to one or another sphere of the Universe. The serving spirits of the tambourine (chalular) constitute the real power of the shaman. The shaman values ​​and strives to increase these spirits, including their shamanic ancestors in their ranks. The personal spirits attracted by the shaman determine his cult and magical capabilities. Give them detailed description impossible due to abundance. For each kama, they - especially small, serving spirits in the form of animals, birds, etc. - are purely individual.

Among the patrons of shamans, the deity of fire stands out. Among the Altaians it appears under the name Ot-Ana (Fire-Mother). This deity entered the pantheon of Altai shamanism from the heritage ancient eras. Altai kama begin any ritual by honoring and treating Ot-An with sprinkling, turning to her with appeals. The shamans ask Ot-An to provide assistants and companions in the upcoming journeys of the ritual and always receive this help.

Ot-Ana also acts as an intermediary between the kam and a higher-ranking deity. But Mother Fire is not a servant of the shaman. She is their patroness and only in this capacity provides assistance to the Kams. The deity of fire helps the shaman if he honors him, makes sacrifices, and obeys him unquestioningly. But it can also take punitive actions, punishing disrespect, neglect, and especially desecration.

The high patrons who help shamans include the owners of sacred mountains. From them the shamans receive their tambourines. They are given special prayer rituals. They are approached with various requests for the well-being of the clan, ulus, and individual people.

Among the helping spirits of Altai shamans, the ancestor spirits of the shamans themselves stand out. From them the kamas receive a shamanic calling and a shamanic gift, passed on by inheritance. If an Altai person shows signs of a shamanic calling, they say about him: “Tosi (spirits of ancestors) are advancing, pressing.” The cult of ancestor shamans ensures the continuity of shamanism and explains the mechanism of the emergence and formation of shamans.

The tosi of deceased shamans, like the master spirits of mountains and waters, forests and valleys, animals and birds, belong to the category of earthly spirits, for after death the shamans' doubles do not move to the land of the dead, but remain on earth. The double of the deceased shaman goes to his aru tos (pure toshu) under whose protection he was during his lifetime. Most often this is a sacred mountain from which the deceased shaman received his tambourine.

THE SHAMAN'S UNIVERSE - HELPING SPIRITS

shamanic artist Pablo Amaringo.

Helping spirits are obtained during travel to gain additional knowledge. And the more difficult the road, the greater the success of the enterprise. The moment comes when the shaman feels the need to search for a Spirit - an assistant.

The spirits obtained by the shaman are wonderful creatures. Some of them heal, others protect the shaman. It is very important to know the names of the Spirits. These names should not be told to anyone, nor should they be written down. When treating patients with the participation of Spirit Helpers, it is a pleasure to watch their work.

Spirits can protect the shaman from anyone, anywhere. Even if someone yelled at the shaman, or spoke badly about him (even not in his presence), then the Spirits attack this person. Distance doesn't matter to them. The shaman needs to keep his emotions under control so as not to inadvertently direct his Spirits against someone.

If a shaman behaves unworthily and carelessly, then the Spirits turn away from him and stop helping him. To be rude, cruel, to do outright evil - all this is not worthy of a shaman. The shaman must logically justify each of his actions to himself before performing it. Thus, he seems to consult with his Spirits. If the Spirits agreed with the shaman, then the success of the enterprise will be ensured.

Shaman spirits are the most wonderful and devoted creatures in the world. With their friends they are affectionate and helpful. They have loving eyes, they caress the shaman and talk with him. To everyone else, they are merciless and suspicious as they are to any “stranger.”

Healing without Spirits is a very dangerous activity.. At the same time, you have to experience heavy loads. These stresses are not only mental, but also physical. Every real shaman must go through this stage, otherwise he will not appreciate and know what the power of the Spirits really is. People, like spirits, live in the same world.

What do people and spirits have in common? Maybe it's time? After all, we can communicate with each other while living in the same time. One characteristic feature, uniting spirits - this is a clear position in the society of spirits. A person often changes under pressure and the influence of circumstances, but the spirit is constant. He is always the same and we, having made friends with him, can rely on him more than on ourselves. The spirit by its nature cannot be two-faced. He's either like this or not like that. And no amount of time will change its essence. Only changes in ourselves can either move certain spirits away from us or bring them closer to us.

How do Spirits communicate? Surely their relationship began a long time ago, and there are no issues of confrontation for them. Each Spirit occupies a certain place, since it is constant. He is constant and self-sufficient - this is His strength. He does not need to follow the path, develop, he is already perfect and cannot change. Man is a battlefield for spirits. They are constantly trying to lure a person. Apparently that’s why a person is like a weather vane in the wind. He is like a dry leaf on the road along which spirits walk.

Perhaps man is a newly born Spirit? He can become as strong as any spirit, but several dozen spirits are constantly fighting within him. Everyone pulls him towards themselves. If a person does not choose a direction for himself during his short life, then he will die. He will die without becoming anything.

Each person can have different spirits as friends. But these people don't choose spirits - spirits choose people.

The time comes when the shaman feels the need for a new Spirit.

Go in search of the Spirit - helper - better during the day. Less problems. You won’t get lost, you won’t cause sidelong glances from your relatives. Of course, perfect option this is evening, silence and a fire. Then the Spirit himself can come “to the light” and all that remains is to offer him a treat and get to know him. But we did not do this, but looked for Spirits only during the day. "Day Spirits" are more soulful. But this is not for everyone. As for shamanic travel for treatment or clarification of any questions, late evening is quite a good time.

In the forest, the shaman most often comes into contact with trees. Each tree (not a tree species, but each tree) has its own Spirit. It, however, may belong to a certain tree species as a whole, but it will already be a “collective, specific image.” First of all, there must be a need for the Spirit of a particular tree. This is primarily necessary for those shamans who are directly involved in treating patients. Shamans who do not practice therapy are unlikely to need these Spirits.

So, if you decide that the Spirit of the Tree is necessary, then it’s time to get ready for the road. The tree spirit will not come knocking on your door. We must look for him. The shaman gets ready and goes into the forest. Not every trip can be successful. Never mind, better luck next time.

The shaman enters the forest. Before entering the forest, do not forget to greet the forest and tell “it” the purpose of your journey. After that, go in and let your feet lead you. Try to concentrate. At the beginning of the journey, it is impossible to stop the flow of thoughts. Gradually, step by step, the flow of thoughts turns into a trickle.

Then comes the moment of loss of orientation in time and even place. Don't get lost! It's like you're stepping into the void. During these moments, you meet the Spirit, who decided to meet you, and therefore get to know you. Don't get lost! Meet us! If possible, play with him, they can be very mischievous. If the acquaintance takes place and you agree, then the new Spirit will accompany you until you leave the forest, and sometimes even to your home.

Remember, you don’t need to drag and lure the Spirit after you. Leave him in the forest. Say goodbye to him at the exit from the forest. It is much safer for Spirits to remain in the forest than to follow you past houses, people, dogs and cats. If the Spirit tags along, then you will have to accompany him back to the forest. Don't torture him, leave him in the forest right away. The spirit will still remain in your heart and will be there until you decide to part with each other.

When the new Spirit appears in your heart, you will feel even more reliable and confident. It is difficult to express in words what high feelings a shaman experiences when he meets a new assistant! You can't get used to such feelings. It's like magic. Imagine: in the middle of a bare forest, suddenly a Living being! It's like meeting a loved one after a long separation. Such events are not forgotten.

The world of the shaman is mysterious, enigmatic and hidden from prying eyes. A true shaman has nothing in common with a psychic, magician or sorcerer. A shaman is a completely different level, different views, goals and a different philosophy.

Who and how becomes a shaman in real life?

You cannot become a shaman just like that, “at your own will.” And few people show a special desire to be a real shaman. The responsibility for the people who need to be helped is too great. In addition, the shaman practically does not obey himself, his desires. His whole life is serving others through the world of spirits.

Only someone who sees a significant dream can become a shaman. In this dream, some event must happen that marks the shaman about the discovery of his gift. This dream comes suddenly, and not at a certain age. It's impossible to predict.

It is believed that a dream is a sign from the spirits that they have chosen a person. No one can become a shaman without the “approval” of the spirits. The content of the dream may be different, however, each family knows what exactly should be dreamed as a sign.

Sometimes one becomes a shaman not only after having a dream. Cases when a person suddenly hears a voice that sings and speaks to him are not uncommon among the Eskimos. It is there that shamanism and everything connected with it are especially developed. The voice means that the spirit is calling the future shaman. Following him, a person often goes into the forest and there passes the first step of the path of a real shaman.

A shaman most often becomes one in whose family there have already been similar cases. The ability is inherited. There are stories where a person became a shaman, no one in his family previously had such a gift. However, such a shaman is considered quite weak.

Thus, only the spirits decide who will become a shaman and who will not. It will not be possible to resist their decision. The chosen one can only come to terms with the choice higher powers and go towards a new mission.

The shaman acts as the chosen one, the representative of the spirits on earth. Through it they convey information to people, help and warn them. A shaman is a person who is called upon to help and heal people. He cannot refuse or refuse to accept anyone who turns to him for help. This is why it is considered very difficult to be a shaman.

Although the shaman is respected and revered in the family, he does not have privileges. He often lives in poverty, since he has practically no time to do his household chores. He accepts those in need of help and does not have time to help himself and his family.

Shaman lives ordinary life, starts a family, children. Until the moment of election, the shaman is practically unaware of his future fate. And even after he becomes a shaman, he lives like everyone else. Except at the moment of commission.

Shamans are often classified as mentally ill. This is wrong. This misconception arose due to the fact that the rituals of shamans are similar to attacks of madness. In fact, this is required by entering a special state that allows the shaman.

Shamans live all over the world. Since ancient times, many peoples have been adherents of the belief in the power of shamans. Settlements, tribes, peoples who since ancient times believed in the ability of a shaman to protect them from disease, drought or painful death cannot do without them. Largest quantity shamans live in such countries as:

• Australia;
• Russia;
• Austria;
• African countries;
• New Zealand;
• Countries of Southeast Asia.

Shamans in each country, region and nationality differ according to a number of criteria. Some take part in sacrifices, some don't. Some functions, subtleties of performing rituals and nuances of initiation differ. One thing unites them for sure, they are healers and protectors human soul.

A shaman's training in practice and rituals takes place throughout his life. Initially, when he is not yet aware of his purpose, he gradually involuntarily learns it. This shows up:

• in unity with nature, the area in which the shaman lives;
• in the appearance of visions, dreams, the gradual emergence of the skill to cope with them, to interpret them.

Among some peoples, the chosen one is taught shamanic practices from birth. This does not guarantee that he will become a shaman. Everything will depend on the predisposition and choice of perfume.

Most often there is no training. A person first realizes that the choice has fallen on him. Then, having gone through all the torment, he studies with a more experienced shaman. However, he does not teach the beginner all the subtleties of performing rituals. Learning does not take place as at school at a desk. Everything is comprehended through communication with spirits and practice.

Old shamans teach young shamans to beat a tambourine so that the spirits hear this call. Beat in such a way as to attract the necessary spirits. Sometimes training lasts for hours, days without a break. This skill is considered fundamental for a shaman. Without the ability to handle a tambourine, the spirits will not understand the calls and requests of the shaman.

Training in directly performing rituals is also not provided. A true shaman comprehends this task himself.

There is still some help. Among shamans who are just beginning their journey, the practice of “invisible canoe” is common. The old and young shaman create an imaginary canoe, get into it and travel. Such trips last for several days in a row. During them, shamans are in an intermediate state. They sometimes dream and sometimes return to reality.

At the time when the shaman visits dreams, a meeting with spirits takes place in them. The shaman is looking for a protective spirit and finds him. At the moment of returning to reality, the shaman leaves the canoe and leaves him in some place for a while. When returning to the sleep state, the shaman pushes the canoe from this place and swims further.

After the journey, the shamans share their visions and feelings. In this exchange, the young shaman is taught the practice.

In almost any city you can now find a lot of schools and courses teaching shamanic practices. They offer to learn everything that shamans can do. It is definitely impossible to become a true shaman thanks to such schools. The shaman is the chosen one of the spirits. You can only get one thousandth closer to the mysterious and enigmatic world of shamans.

Initiation into the secrets of the Magi

Initiation into shamans is preceded by a long and difficult period of “shamanic illness.” This disease manifests itself more as madness, schizophrenia. The future shaman sometimes behaves inappropriately, sees hallucinations, dreams, and hears voices. In addition to his psyche, his body suffers. He gets sick, loses consciousness, and has epileptic seizures. This can be explained simply - the spirits insist that the chosen one become a shaman.

It is almost impossible to resist them. To get rid of this suffering, the only way out is to accept the offer of the spirits and undergo a rite of passage.

The beginning of the ritual is the confession of the chosen one to the old shamans that he hears the call of the spirits. After that, he goes into the forest, taiga and undergoes a hunger test there. It can last 5, 7, or 9 days. At this moment, the future shaman is especially weak. During dreams and visions, spirits come to him and literally turn him into a different person.

He feels like he's being torn apart and put back together. The shaman experiences real death at the emotional level. After everything he has experienced, he is “reborn,” but as a different person. Then the shaman has 2 options:

• understand the intricacies of shamanism yourself;
• learn from the old shaman.

Most often the second method is chosen. The initiation into shamans does not end there. This is a long process that lasts for months, and sometimes even years. Training in practices, ways of communicating with spirits, rituals is still to come.

There is no formal initiation of a shaman. There is no specific action or ceremony after which we can say that initiation has taken place. It is believed that this is meaningless, since the shaman was initiated into the spirits long before he himself realized this.

Responsibilities, tasks and role of the sorcerer

The shaman in the human world performs many functions and plays an important role in the life of entire nations.

The main tasks of the shaman are:

• treatment of people;
• searching for the soul that has left the body and returning it, if possible;
• accompanying the soul to another world;
• protection of the soul from demons, evil spirits.

It becomes clear that the shaman has little to do with the daily life of a person. Its specificity is the soul. Shamans are not present at weddings, for example. However, they are called when there is a difficult birth. The role of the shaman in helping people.

– the main profile of a shaman. It is believed that illness occurs not in the body, but in the soul. The shaman is called upon to make a diagnosis, find ways to get rid of the disease and return a person to a healthy body and spirit.

In addition to treatment specific people, the shaman plays a role in the normal functioning of the entire clan:

• foresees droughts, rains, etc.;
• when the number of animals decreases, people ask the shaman to help;
• helps and participates in the process of sacrifice.

Contrary to the opinion of ordinary people, the shaman is not the person who performs sacrifices. Most often, if he takes part in this, it is only to guide the soul of the murdered victim along the right path. He knows this way.

Thus, a shaman is a person chosen by the spirits for this role. No consent or refusal is required. Shamans serve as protectors and assistants to their people. They protect against pestilence, drought, hunger, and disease. A strong shaman is a great joy and help. It is impossible to learn to be a shaman “just for yourself.” A shaman is a person who is constantly on the edge between the world of people and the world of spirits.

The elders of the world, the women of the waters, who live in this world, who have become khans and ezens, I call you with a powerful call. You have come along the golden road, Starting from the rocky peaks... O elders, women, Looking at this world, the (rocky) world, Walking with all vigil... From the forest you give me feeling, From the taiga you give me reason, You remind me of what I have forgotten.

Invoking the natural spirits of the Buryat Bulagats, from the book: Dioszegi and Sharakshinova. "Songs of Buiagat Burial Shamans"

Whether you realized it or not, you have already begun communicating with the shamanic spirits that have been calling to you throughout your life. And now you have only confirmed their presence and are ready to develop relations with them. This chapter will explain some types of spirit assistants to the shaman and how they communicate with the shaman.

Helping spirits call on the shaman and cooperate with him cordially and reverently. They are akin to friends or family members, and each of them is unique as a person. The shaman establishes a real relationship with the spirits, and, like people, the spirits demand respect and attention, giving in return their participation, protection and granting power.

Udha, animal protectors and beloved spirits

In Buryat shamanism, as in some other Siberian shamanic traditions, each shaman has his own special shamanic spirit, responsible for the calling of the shaman. He is known as different names: udha (Mong. “meaning”, “meaning”), onggor, sakhius (Mong. “guardian”) and many others, but for simplicity I will use the Buryat word “udha”. "Utsha is usually the soul (sulde) of a person who lived, perhaps hundreds or thousands of years ago. A person's sulde is a non-reincarnating part of the triad of souls that every person has. After death, a sulde usually settles among nature in the form of the spirit of ancestors. Some sulde become udha and choose one of the people as future shamans.

Udha, during her incarnation as a person, may not have been a shaman. Usually udha is guided by something in its desire to serve this or that person; each of them has its own destiny, its own temper, which the shaman learns about as the relationship begins. With each new meeting, Udha becomes wiser. Even now, with the increase in population and the need for new shamans, new udhis appear. Nevertheless, there are many lonely and unnoticed spirits of udha, busy searching for new confidants, even if they are far from the culture where udha lived, incarnated in human form. In Siberia, it is not so uncommon for an udha to switch to another nationality; for example, a Tuvan udha can choose a Buryat as its confidant and vice versa.

Udha’s choice of you as her confidant is a great honor, but also a huge responsibility. In different ways, udha becomes like an external soul for the one with whom it connects. This is a great benefit for the shaman, since udha carries with it the collective memory of all the shamans with whom it entered into an alliance, that series of memories that the Mongols call sunsni mur, “trace of the spirit.” Often the udha becomes the focus of the accompanying spirits with which it collaborated during the lives of previous shamans, so that the shaman may actually inherit a whole family of spirits, although the original udha will be dominant2.

In his field, the shaman can supplement the existing family of helping spirits with others, if they are compatible with his udha. For example, I currently have nine helping spirits, including two original udha spirits, two totemic animal spirits, and one composite spirit (several spirits acting as one). The oldest and dominant among them is the Buryat spirit, but the family also includes Evenki and Yakut spirits.

In the Siberian tradition, udha is responsible for attracting animals of power (totem animals, or animal helpers). Totem animals are spirits that have taken on the appearance and properties of a specific animal. Such an animal can be a mammal, bird, reptile, fish, amphibian, even invertebrate creatures like insects (although more often mammals or birds act as animals of power). These animal spirits act as the collective consciousness of the species they represent, possessing great witchcraft powers. Attracting totem animals to oneself can happen long before a person realizes himself as a shaman. Have you ever been attracted to certain animals? Did they appear in your dreams or manifest themselves in some other way? Most likely, this is a sign that the udha is luring this animal as a totem. When embarking on your shamanic journey, you can take the form of an animal and see the world through its eyes, flying or running in its flesh. In the Yakut tradition, the animal of power is also known as the mother animal (Yakut, iye kila), which bestows the warmth of the relationship established by the shaman with his animal helper. Despite all the warmth of these relationships, the animal itself is far from tame. It remains freedom-loving wild beast, demanding full respect due to such a creature. In the Siberian tradition, some animals serve as totems for all shamans. These are a bear, a wolf, an eagle, a raven and an owl.

In rare cases, the shaman's helping spirit, sometimes even the udha itself, becomes the shaman's beloved spirit. Communication with the spirit can be accompanied by love experiences, and the shaman may have visions of intercourse with the spirit. There is nothing unusual about this. According to some legends, these spiritual virgins or men turn out to be especially powerful helping spirits. This kind of experience is probably spoken of in European legends about incubi and succubi coming at night for lovemaking with sleeping people. If you have a helping spirit who does this kind of work, try to be open-minded about this experience4.

Signs of communication with spirits

Your spirit helpers have probably tried to establish a relationship with you in one way or another before. But at that time, you most likely did not recognize the meaning of the messages they were sending. Below I will describe some of the ways in which spirits notify their shamanic confidant. You will probably then see some of your experiences as messages from your udha, power animal, or other spirits.

Messages through dreams

Of all human experiences, dreams are the closest to shamanic journeys, so it is not surprising that messages from spirits often come in dreams. (In the next chapter I will describe some techniques for developing your ability to use dreams as a means of receiving information from spirits.)

Most of us recognize that there are two types of dreams. Many dreams simply turn out to be psychic noise, randomly emerging images of our previous experiences, containing or not containing a coherent story. But we have all also seen dreams or fragments of dreams that are clear, coherent and clear, like pictures Everyday life. These dreams are used by spirits to convey information to the shaman.

Has the image of a certain animal been repeated in your dreams? Did it communicate something to you in a special way when it met you, perhaps by talking to you or accompanying you in your dream? It could be one of your animal helpers trying to contact you at the behest of your udhi spirit. If you dreamed of pictures of the past or future, of a distant land or a foreign culture, it means that you were visited by visions of a sunni mur, a spiritual trace.

Many shamans liken the sunsny mur to a river. This shamanic river turns out to be a tributary of the world river Dolbor (Talbar), where times and consciousness plunge. Sunshine Mur lies beyond the limits of time; you can actually see events from the life of the shamans with whom Udha previously entered into an alliance, or from the life of Udha herself when she was a person. The most amazing thing is that you can see pictures from the life of shamans with whom udha will unite in the future, after he leaves you. These dreams, telling about the past and the future, serve as the beginning of the teachings that udha will teach you.

Your udha or one of your helping spirits may appear to you in your dreams as a mentor, an elder, or even as a common person, but the message conveyed by him will be very lively, standing out among everything else you dreamed about. Pay attention to these faces that appear in your dreams. If they occur frequently, you can be sure that this is evidence of their efforts to connect with you.

Random encounters and signs

From your training in shamanic craft, you can conclude that this is not accidental. Time is immaterial in shamanism, which means that nothing happens spontaneously. What seems connected to each other, even if separated in time, is connected by a semantic thread and spiritual purpose. Coincidences turn out to be another way for spirits to communicate with you.

Have you noticed how often in your life a chance encounter or a well-timed interest brings you into contact with a person or provides information vital to your spiritual growth? The spirits will send you people in your life who will teach you something important, who will convey, without realizing it, the message that the spirits are trying to convey to you. In the same way, your udha will send you the required shaman-mentor, even if you did not intentionally search for him.

Talking about coincidences reminded me of a former student who was first introduced to the concept of shamanism by reading an article in a local New Age newspaper.

She didn't know where to start, so she went to the bookstore in search of further information. In the section of spiritual literature, a book by Michael Harner “Way of the Shaman” fell from the shelf at her feet. The coincidence puzzled her very much, and she realized that this was a sign of the spirits. Do you remember the first time you learned about shamanism? From a book that came to you by chance or from an article helpfully slipped by a friend? Or perhaps you heard on the radio or saw a program about shamans on television, and it stuck in your memory? The spirits will show you in every possible way to your calling and give you the knowledge necessary for your growth.

Animal forces will manifest themselves in a similar way, periodically appearing not only in a dream, but also witnessing themselves in reality, in the bosom of nature. Expect unusual wildlife sightings and repeated appearances of a particular species. I remember when I first became aware of my shamanic calling, I encountered eagles several times in various places, including the rare white eagle. This was especially clear, since, according to the Buryat tradition, the eagle was the first shaman and is therefore considered the totem of all shamans. The appearance of animals and the interpretation of the meaning of such meetings is important component shamanic craft.

Unconscious attractions

Spirits often also communicate through unconscious attractions they evoke in us. As you mature as a shaman, you become aware of some of your inner urges that are direct messages from your spirit helpers. This can be expressed in the form of unexpected insights when discussing an issue related to healing, or suddenly revealed information previously unknown to you, that is, what is sometimes called clairvoyance. Cases of deja vu (already seen) are among them.

Techniques of attraction and wooing

Now that you have decided to pay attention to the call of the spirits, you can use a number of techniques to attract and courteous spirit helpers. Each shaman who undertakes training must develop important skills in developing purity of thoughts and the ability to pacify and concentrate the mind. If you have not studied meditation and self-hypnosis, then I advise you to familiarize yourself with some of their techniques by including them in your shamanic craft training program. The ability to bring your mind into a focused state is important for successful travel to other worlds and channeling spiritual energy used in healing and protective rites.

Brings mental clarity the best fruits when performing a shamanic ritual. In ancient times, Siberian shamans often used hallucinogens such as fly agaric (and some shamans from other traditions still use narcotic drugs during ritual performance), but they are not required. Some hallucinogens, such as those found in fly agaric mushrooms, promote concentration and sharpening of perception, but they can also cause mental distraction and an obstacle to achieving the state required for the work of the shaman. In addition, many of these drugs are very harmful to the body, and the shaman must try to keep his body healthy. Siberian shamans often use juniper smoke in rituals; it has a weak hallucinogenic effect, but does not poison the body. Many shamans drink alcohol during rituals, but one should limit it to small doses, since a drunken shaman dishonors both himself and the spirits he serves. It is unwise to start a ritual feeling tired; You need to start working only when you feel complete clarity of mind.

Focus and the ability to form intentions are an important part of the shamanic craft. Intention goes far beyond mere dreams or desires. It is charged with spiritual energy that can carry out your plans. The degree and level of the shaman's energy charge depends on his skill and experience, on the concentration of the mind where the intention originates, and on the power of the spirits helping the shaman. There are some techniques and tools you can use to focus on your intention.

The most effective technique, used almost everywhere among spiritual ascetics, is pronouncing the essence of intentions. Well-chosen and thoughtful words have the power to strengthen your intention. In the Mongolian and Siberian traditions, the power of the expressed intention is reinforced by the subsequent expression “Khurai, Khurai, Khurai!” This magical spell is probably related to the word huraakha, meaning "gathering." These words are accompanied by a threefold circular motion right hand clockwise. This gesture imitates the passage of the sun, collecting the energy of the universe and directing it towards the expressed intention. This expression is usually used in shamanic chants and prayers. Spoken intentions are so powerful that one should be careful what one wishes for; the expressed shamanic intention manifests all its favors or disfavours. That is why I advise you to carefully think about and construct such statements correctly.

Another technique for focusing on intentions is to create a talisman or amulet. Talismans are known in spiritual traditions all over the world. Another effective technique is to write down your intention on a square piece of paper (size does not matter). Starting at the top, write clockwise, folding the piece of paper toward the middle. Let me remind you that well-formulated, precise and thoughtful expressions additionally charge intention. It is better to write in red ink, because the color red represents strength in our tradition. Add symbols that are sacred to you - this will enhance the magic of words. After writing your intention, fold the top and bottom edges of the paper inward so that it is folded in thirds. Fold the side edges nine times. If the scrap is large, then fold it again, getting small square. Tie the paper with a red or blue thin elastic band or thread and keep it with you as long as your intention is valid.

Successful communication with spirits requires the right state of mind. As already mentioned, intoxication serves as an obstacle to the success of shamanic rituals. Achieving a clear and receptive state of mind will require certain skills, but once mastered, you will be able to enter this state at will, regardless of your surroundings. This is exactly what Siberian shamans do when working at the lower level (without resorting to travel) and in circumstances that make it difficult to use the tambourine.

To induce a focused state of consciousness, it is advisable to practice in an environment where there are no distractions or disturbances. If you work out indoors, turn off your phone. All shamans prefer to work in semi-darkness, which helps them concentrate: such an environment will be of great service to you in acquiring concentration skills.

Take a comfortable position, sitting or lying down, and try to free your mind from any thoughts. Try to imagine a white screen or a deep, calm, dark body of water. At first, your mind will probably be like a child demanding constant attention. Let your thoughts flow freely; don't focus on them. Imagine your mind as water poured into a glass - calm, transparent and pliable.

Repeated movements or noises often help achieve this state. Mongolian shamans often sway back and forth; such a movement is called twaapah. You need to swing effortlessly and easily so that the movements do not interfere with concentration.

The most common shamanic technique for entering a state of focused and receptive mind is beating a tambourine. If you intend to become a shaman, sooner or later you will need to purchase such a tool. The repetitive motion and sound of beating the tambourine helps focus the mind. This is indispensable when performing long-term shamanic actions such as traveling (through the worlds). A ratchet is also quite appropriate here. If you strike a tambourine or shake a rattle, do not try to maintain a constant rhythm; let your mind determine the speed and rhythm needed. Too frequent or monotonous beatings of the tambourine can be distracting; your arms may get tired, or you may stop, unable to maintain the speed imposed on yourself.

Music can also help develop skills to concentrate the mind. The type of music used to achieve the desired state of consciousness is different for everyone; the main thing is that it should be pleasant and conducive to relaxation, but not lulling. Lyrical songs in a language you understand can be distracting if you start to listen to their content, but you can use music of any genre - classical, rock, techno music or ethnic music. Music associated with shamanic practices and meditation is best suited. Buddhist chants, Indian ragas, Tuvan throat singing, Mongolian music and native American music are most effective in this case.

Be persistent. It's easy to give in to the misleading impression that you can't concentrate, that you're not experiencing anything, and become impatient. Your experience will be unlike any other, because each shaman cooperates only with his own spirits. Try the different concentration techniques I've described until you find something that works for you.

For the success of your work, the selection of certain ritual objects or items of clothing that are used only when performing shamanic actions is very important. The shaman's personal belongings, sacred objects and vestments provide continuity of experiences, becoming part of the ritual action and thereby imprinting successful journeys and healings in memory. When starting work, take some of the things you wear or keep near you during meditation or playing a tambourine. It could be precious decoration, headband or hat, favorite crystal or other sacred object. When you are not practicing shamanism, put them in a special place. For example, I have a headdress that I wear when performing a shamanic ritual. It became a kind of trigger for my mind: as soon as I put on the shaman’s cap, my consciousness begins to tune in to the state of concentration necessary for the shamanic action.

A turning point in the relationship

The essence of Mongolian and Siberian shamanism is to give helping spirits and animals the strength to penetrate the shaman to perform certain tasks. This requires deeper communication with spirits rather than inducing sudden epiphanies. Described by me different types You can use spirit communication to establish a relationship with your spirit family.

Perhaps you have had random and fleeting encounters that indicate the spirits are calling you to become their accomplices in shamanic work. Now I will present a ritual that transforms the communication between you and your shamanic spirits to completely new level. I described techniques for mentally focusing and expressing one's intention with this very goal in mind. By gaining a state of mental focus and perception, you can establish direct communication with your spirit helpers and thereby begin your inner shamanic initiation.

Ritual of inviting spirits

This ritual is somewhat similar to the ritual presented at the end of the previous chapter, but it will allow you to communicate more closely with your helping spirits. Perhaps the communication you are seeking has already happened before, and yet I advise you to perform this rite, since the relationship established with your family of spirits does not stand still, and to continue your training, regardless of your experience, to any shaman you just need to contact your spirits. Mastering the craft of a shaman through the instructions of spirits continues throughout life, and the knowledge gained will be the legacy that you pass on to your successors who follow the “trail of the spirits.”

For this ritual, it is not necessary to arrange a ritual space, but you can do this, since the arrangement itself as an action contributes to the emergence of a state of consciousness that facilitates communication with spirits. And this is the task of the ritual itself. A ritual is a series of sacred rites that affect the mental state of the person performing the ritual. Any shaman must be able to evoke the necessary state of consciousness to communicate with spirits without the help of ritual action. The mind itself becomes a ritual space. While still a beginner, you learn to induce such states of mind at will, and the ritual turns out to be good help to get comfortable with what comes with communicating with spirits.

So you can arrange a ritual space for yourself; otherwise sit in convenient location, where no one will disturb you. The best option- carry out a ritual action in nature, where the experiences themselves acquire a special shade.

For this ritual, in order to concentrate the mind, I recommend using a tambourine or rattle. The tambourine is used in almost all shamanic cultures as a tool for focusing attention. When hitting a tambourine, you may want to close your eyes and focus on the sound of the tambourine, drowning out all other stimuli. The blows should not be loud; Hard and fast strikes can cause fatigue in your hands and distract you when performing the ritual.

Before you begin, fumigate yourself, clearing your spiritual body of the influences of all spirits other than those you are going to invoke. Begin the ritual by calling on your spirits, trying to gather them around you. Be persistent in your desire to communicate directly with them, in the hope of receiving signals from them.

Sit comfortably and begin to gently and leisurely knock on the tambourine, focusing all your attention on the desire to enter into communication with your spirits. Let your attention focus exclusively on this desire and the sound of the tambourine, as if embodying it. Let the sound of the tambourine lift your thoughts to the spirits. Imagine the spirits gathering around you. If you are already familiar with some of them or with animals of power, try to imagine them, but it is better to give up all expectations, since your family of spirits may have a different appearance that you have not yet recognized. Freed from unnecessary expectations, you will be ready for any surprises.

Continue beating the tambourine, charging your entire being with your aspiration, keeping your mind calm and receptive. Signs of your spirits may appear suddenly. This could be an inner voice, visions or other sensations. You may see one or more of the spirits, see where they came from, or receive information about their name or what they wish to accomplish through you. Perhaps you will see pictures from the lives of former shamans in your udha’s family tree, or you will hear shamanic singing. Once you feel the connection, express your willingness to become confidantes of the spirits, accept their guidance and allow them to work through you. Perhaps you will continue to beat the tambourine or allow yourself to relax and surrender to the experiences that have captured you.

Continue to communicate with spirits for as long as you wish. Do not set a time frame, although it may turn out that the elapsed time is much shorter than what you felt in your shamanic experiences. If the spirits take you with them on a journey, do not refuse, because you are safe with them. If you wish, write down your experiences later. From now on, your cooperation with your helping spirits begins, your formation as a shaman begins.

Notes:

Translated “New age” sounds like “New time”, “ New era" The name "Age of Aquarius" is also used

The cornerstone of Indian music is ragas (Sanskrit, from the verb ranj - “to color”), or fixed melodies. The six basic pars branch into one hundred and twenty-six derivatives of ragini (wives) and putra (sons). Each pare has a minimum of five notes: a leading note (vadi or king), a second note (samvadi or vizier), auxiliary notes (anuvadi or servants) and a dissonant note (avadi or enemy).