I was wondering if there was a differance between a shaman and a witch doctor,is a witch doctor really a witch or is witch doctor just a fancy name for a shaman or do they practice a mix between shamanism and witchcraft?
Shamanism is closely associated with magic, but the difference lies in the fact that magic is directed to artificial changes in the world at will, while the shaman relies on natural forces. The shaman is a conduit rather natural forces than the drive of the world and rituals conducted by shamans to be associated with bringing the customer in accordance with nature and spirits.
Witch Doctor. In the ancient world believed that the people involved in healing are able to remove the damage, cure disease and to direct them, healers associated with evil spirits. Nowadays, the word witch doctor is associated with - a person applying herbs, teas, tinctures conspiracies and various other rituals for the treatment of diseases.
I am a little disappointed and ashamed by your statement, Marfa.
"Shamanism is closely associated with magic, but the difference lies in the fact that magic is directed to artificial changes in the world at will, while the shaman relies on natural forces."
Shamanism is not closely related with magic because Shamans use magic just as much as any other type of practitioner. The path is heavily influenced by nature, and natural energy but magic in of itself is natural. You said that magic is directed towards artificial changes in the world, I strongly disagree considering magic is for more or less about directing energy such as will, desire, and passion and using it to manifest such energy into reality. Yes there are many traditions, beliefs, methods, techniques and so on, but one form of magic does not forsake all forms of magic. Magic takes its shape in many ways, and even though we may all not know of or practice one type of magic doesn't make it any more or less real and significant than any other.
Now to answer your question a witch doctor is someone who heals people of sickness, disease, and ailments thought to be caused by the use of witchcraft, sorcery, and dark magics. A Shaman is a spiritual person who follows a specific path both spiritually and religiously however their role as a shaman is not limited to healing work alone. The role a shaman plays is determined by the people within his or her community and usually varies from belief and culture, especially regional differences. I personally am a shaman and I have found that it doesn't matter what path you follow as long as you form your own beliefs, morals, and ethics and then you abide by them. You learn to walk where your feet take you and you adapt to the situations and what have you that life puts in front of you. There are specific Shamanic cultures that follow a very specific path and follow old traditions, but I think one of the key aspects of Shamanism is that you work with nature, you don't work within nature, you don't work aside it, but you really work with it, because you too are a part of nature.
Anyway I can keep writing about this subject until I fall asleep, but I hope this helps answer your question and helps clarify any misinformation that may have been given.
Thank you for your question agitated OthalasWind . How much anguish and feelings in your words. You are a lawyer rather than a shaman. You are in such matters do not put himself above God. I am also ashamed of you!
Mircea Eliade - (1907-1986) Romanian writer and scholar of mythology historian of religions. Professor, University of Chicago since 1957. Author of more than 30, and any scientific, literary and philosophical works, translated into 18 languages around the world. Fluent in ten languages.
Gabriel Gruber (German Gabriel Gruber (1740-1805) was a highly qualified engineer, specialist in the field of mechanics and hydrodynamics, versed in architecture, mathematics and navigation. In 1769 he began teaching at the Graduate School of Engineering in Ljubljana. He built the Palace of the project Gruber (now the building of the Archives of Slovenia), Ljubljana, and Gruber created the channel. Gruber Palace was used as a laboratory for the study
mechanics and hydraulics.
THIS IS SOME OF THEIR INTERPRETATION SHAMANISM
Shamanism in the strict sense - is primarily a Siberian and Central Asian religious phenomenon. This word came to us through the Russian language from the Tungus shaman. In other languages of Central and North Asia, its corresponding terms are Yakut oyun, Mongolian god (in dialects - bo), and udagan (there are also Buryat and Yakut udagan as a designation of female shamans), Turco-Tatar stone (Altai stone, din kami Mongol etc.). There have been attempts to explain the Tungus word Pali itself, and to the possible etymology (it refers to the vast problems of the Indian influences on Siberian religions), we return to the last chapter of the book. Throughout the vast territory of Central and Northern Asia magico-religious life of society centers around the shaman. Of course, this does not mean that it is the only one who has access to the sacred, or that he assumed control over all religious activity. In many tribes, along with a shaman and a priest-zhertvoprinositel, not counting the fact that each head of household is also head of the house of worship. Nevertheless, the shaman is the central figure, as in this whole area, where the ecstatic experience is highly religious, shaman, and only the shaman is the undisputed master of ecstasy. Because the first and probably the least risky to the definition of this complex phenomenon is the formula: Shamanism - a technique of ecstasy.
Eliade notes that shamanism - is, first of all, the socio-religious phenomenon. Throughout Central and North Asia magico-religious life of society centers around the shaman. He performs primarily social function is, in modern parlance, social psychologist. This does not mean that it is the only one who has access to the sacred, or that he took over control of the entire religious and social activities. In many tribes, along with a shaman and a priest-zhertvoprinositel, not counting the fact that each head of household is the head of household cult.
Shaman - a mediator between humans and beings from other worlds, the keeper of customary law, myths and customs. He has the support of universal knowledge. [30] Mifokosmologiya Shamanism is based on the partitioning of the universe to the upper, middle and lower worlds, united by a common axis - the world tree. Shaman are available clairvoyance, bilocal (simultaneous presence of two worlds), and other manifestations of "paranormal", he is able at will to change the weight and volume of the body. The shaman acts as a mediator between culture and nature, between the world of humans and the animal world, the world of the living and the dead. Becoming a shaman is accompanied by the initiation (initiation), and his activities - sessions, ritual, during which the special role played by the rhythm, suggestion and auto-suggestion, the use of hallucinogenic drugs. The usual content of shamanistic visions - a journey into the upper and lower worlds, in a different reality. E.Gruber says the state is characteristic of shamanism "predpoznaniya", which imparts to it the character of a "psihoarheologii". [31] The elements of shamanism, and presenting his ideas, his technique, resulting in a hunting culture, entered the religious systems of early civilizations and world religions .
In the opinion of M.Eliade, shaman rites, in which event reaktualizuyutsya mythology, symbolizing the destruction of historical time and return to the sacred time of the mythical past. This characteristic, however, not only for shamanism, it is a property of many forms of ritual and religious activities, starting with the ceremonies on time dreaming of the aborigines of Australia.
PS Be Friends tolerance in their statements. And do not catch me on the word. I just started to learn English.
It is a pity that you do not speak Russian. The origin of words - a shaman, shamanism, the medicine man, znaharchestvo are RUSSIAN. And because of our different languages, I can not give you all the values and differences between words. If English-sea. That the Russian language - the ocean.
My ancestors are a group shamans, but the invocation induction much of the spirit of the wild, so path closely associated with animalistic spiritualism may do so being in command but they always required some ransom payment of your self infliction, which turns out yourself unprotected to animal spirit infliction.
But its all in the command, once you get to lockdown your spells in a command of words that you could understood that they mean yourself no harm, that of which you being the master rather than they own you. Most spellcaster get inflicted through their own appearance, and a perfect caster usually doesn't backfire to self by altering best describe, your behaviour as path of the animalistic spirits.
To command it is at due, you must direct lockdown. No sacrifices required but the bidding of either casting is a successive one or not less that they wouldn't let you harm. Shamans command both the spirit of the dead, some are well alive roaming, as long as your agreement that you write with them, are LOCKED in win-win situation.
think it through, especially your words, because they respond through it, and may do so have different agreement. There is alot to study about it, especially if you're intending to master in Wild spirits.
I had no issue about your speaking skills and your grammar.. I do speak some Russian, but I am not that fluent anymore. My issue was rather with the way that you said that magic is closely related to Shamanism. and then went on to say that magic is artificial. I personally believe that shamans practice magic everyday just like any other practitioner. You made it seem or implied that they are opposites of each other or one is greater and more valid than the other, and that is not the way it is, unless of course you were speaking directly from a personal belief or opinion which I would respect.
I think you are quite intelligent, and you do make an effort to post what you know. But I do recognize the cultural differences that occur, that do account for most of the differences in opinion. But at the same time I notice that you are dead set in your beliefs and ways of thinking, and because such you treat things like fact, when most of the things you say are beliefs or opinions. The information you do give is presented in such a manner that makes people think that your way is the right way, but in addition and what's worse is that you act is if your way is the only way.
I have learned that one person can be wrong while the other is right. I have also learned that two people can both be right, and that they can both be wrong. I am not a lawyer, I am a therapist, so I generally think in terms of balance where there is always more than what we see. I do know that the modern day word Shaman comes from northern Siberia, and it has prominent roots there, Shamanism itself isn't a religion, its a path and a journey, a person may be of any religion and be a shaman as well. My point that I am making here is that while maybe your culture is rooted in strict rules of conduct and spiritualism, the rest of the world isn't so strict, as belief is belief, not fact.
Anyway again I can keep writing on this discussion until I am blue in the face.One more quick note of observation for you Marfa, is that a lot of your information and data you use is somewhat outdated, It would help in a well rounded discussion if you read up on or used more current and relevant material. I hope that you can be able to not only share what you know, but learn from others as well. Blessings.
