Can yoga or tantra be considered as shamanism?

[Guest guest]

> I'm sorry but I would have to disagree somewhat with this statment.

> The Himalayan Yogis have always had a tradition of being healers/medicine

> men/shamans.

> This continues to this day.

 

The word 'yoga' is also used in St. Petersburg. That does not mean that it

either has or has not a russian foundation. Shamanism is an international

word. Like Gd and sex. With shamanism people understand a person - either

traditional or modern - who can retrieve information from 'the other

world' - perhaps in some kind of a light or deep trance. This trance may

well be a meditation. Nothing is said about the state of consciousness of

the shaman or the imposter. Anyone who writes about shamanism, yoga and

especially tantra can be an imposter. But who is not an imposter? Somebody

with impressive scriptural knowledge?

A shaman is not necessarily an academic. He may partake in an egroup with

or she may not possess a computer at all.

 

There are many different practitioners of yoga. Some are surely also a

shaman. Others clearly not. Many tantric practitioners and masters are

clearly a shaman. This is not so for people who study tantra as a student.

Perhaps on this list there is somebody who is both a tantric or yogic master

and a shaman as well who can comment?

 

Ralph Nataraj

Trika, philosophy of Wonder.

 

 

 

-

Arjuna Taranandanatha

Sunday, March 26, 2006 2:26 PM

Re: Yoga, Chi Kung, Huna, Reiki ~ Comparisons

and Contrasts

 

 

93

 

Who said Yoga is shamanistic? It is as much distant from shamanism as it

could be! Up to my

knowledge neither Chi Kung nor Reiki has anything to do with shamanism as

well.

U either have no clear idea of shamanism or of mentioned systems.

 

While Yoga is (i speak of Yoga and not yoga-fitness) aimed at Liberation,

shamanism is

perhaps not. And in any case methods are totally and essentially

different.

 

 

Shamanism is perhaps not aimed at liberation? Perhaps it has a bigger cause.

Perhaps it is even more mysterious or powerful as yoga.

 

 

A

 

, "Dharma Mitra" <dharmamitra2

wrote:

>

> Yoga, Chi Kung, Huna, Reiki and other shamanistic practices for

attaining

> liberation, cultivating our subtler realms, our human essence.

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

Both Yoga and Shamanism fascinate me, though I have more experience with

Yoga. Both rely on altering normal consciousness and gain suprasenuous

knowledge. However, Shamanism focuses on achieving the state of Ecstasy -

literally being outside oneself. Yoga, in comparison, focuses on Entasy -

going deep inside oneself and making spiritual discoveries.

 

Mircea Eliade wrote some very good books comparing and contrasting these two

paths, and I would recommend them to anyone.

 

Jai Maa.

--

-Santo

"Aum Shanti Shanti Shantih."