SHAMANISM AND SHAMANIC JOURNEYING
Shamans can be found on all inhabited continents, in all countries, and in all of our ancestral lines whether your descendants are European, African, Australian, Asian, East Indian, or a native of the Americas. The word "shaman" originated with the Siberian Tungus people and referred to a person who makes "journeys" to non-ordinary reality in an altered state of consciousness. Many cultures have their own name for these wise men/women, also known as holy men/women, like the Yatiri of South America, Mudangs of Korea, Bean Feasas from Ireland, male Böös and female Udgans in Mongolia, Szeptuns found in Polish heritage -- the list continues and is long and ancient. Anthropologists adopted the term "shaman" cross-culturally to include all male and female spiritual healers who access and connect to non-ordinary states for wisdom and healing.
After years of extensive research, Mircea Eliade, in his book, "Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy," concluded that shamanism underlays all the other spiritual traditions on the planet and that the most distinctive feature of shamanism is the
journey to other realms in an altered state of consciousness. This altered state of consciousness is known as the "shamanic state of consciousness" (SSC) in core shamanism -- the type of shamanism Amara practices. SSC is a level of consciousness outside of normal time and physical reality.
The shaman's journey is sometimes called the "magical flight" or "soul journey." It is a consciousness shifting journey to another reality with a very disciplined intent and purpose to obtain knowledge and help from the spirit world. Using a monotonous, rapid drum beat (or another percussion tool) of about 205-220 beats per minute, the shamanic practitioner can move their consciousness into a light or deep theta state. It is within this SSC where a shamanic practitioner can push their physical world biases aside and seek help from those that have ascended our physical world of suffering, confusion, and ego and seek assistance for those in need of help within our physical realm.