Blog number 2

I have heard of shamans before but never had an understanding of what they did. I always had is associated with Indian healers but they are so much more than that. On example of what made me come up with that identification is the healer from Pocahontas. When the man she is supposed to marry is shot the healer of the village comes and performs spells over him to heal him and spirits of animals come out (I believe this is what happens, I know it is something like that I just haven’t seen the movie in a while). I always thought that it would be pretty cool to be able to communicate with animal spirits and I never would have considered circus trainers or musicians as types of shamans until Hughes mentioned them.

I could see why this type of research would cause a certain amount of controversy. It would be hard for an academic to successfully describe what it would be like for a shaman without actually attempting to become one. As Hughes and Walsh both stated, it is difficult to become one. Not everyone has a near death experience that can vault them into that type of consciousness. Plus the amount of 'mushrooms' and other types of drugs they take in order to reach their ability to communicate with spirits and healing power would be more than likely frowened upon in academia.

Being a shaman has a power over everyone else but it also carries a great responsibility. Walsh mentions a shaman that cut his animal skins head off and he lost his power. The animal was never to come to him again because he violated it and as a shaman you are supposed to respect your animal. Not all people are cut out for this type of responsibility like this particular shaman.