Quick Links
| Featured |
|
Read an excerpt from Shannon Kelly's book, Initiation. Click here
Price: US$15.95 |
|
|
Soul Truth Shamanic Center
and Community
5400 NE 30th #102
Portland, Oregon
PO Box 11342, Portland, OR 97211-0342
Cara Bauer, Shannon Kelly, Barb Gorman, Sarah Fein
|
Community and Diversity in Shamanism
By Cara Lee Bauer
As we’re defining and refining the structure for the Soul Truth Shamanic Center, I’ve been pondering what makes a group a community. Groups are often formed based on one or more similarities. In order to be a community, I believe that differences are necessary, too. A vibrant community holds the differences to be as important as the similarities that brought them together. Differences are not merely overlooked, but are honored and valued for the richness they bring to the group. In creating a shamanic center we are striving to create and maintain a healthy, vibrant community in which we can be ourselves together. This is very different from the solitary existence of the ancient tribal shaman. Instead of one shaman per tribe, we are creating a tribe of shaman and people stepping into their shamanic gifts.
There are some key elements necessary for this tribe. In this tribe there cannot be dogma. What is true for one is not true for all. Members are free to have their own belief structure. In this tribe, ego must be released. If one member needed to be right then one or more would be made wrong. All ideas and viewpoints must be honored, valued and expressed within safe boundaries. No one can sacrifice their identity to belong to the tribe. There must be freedom and acceptance for individuality. This tribe must also be dynamic. Members are free to grow and change over time and be in or out of the community at will. This allows the tribe to grow and change as a whole, mirroring the growth of the individuals. These are our intentions in creating this shamanic center.
The foundation for this center is our shamanic work, in which we are each in the process of accepting ourselves and our own gifts. The more we accept ourselves, the more we can accept each other. As we continue to go deeper into our own magick, our paths become more unique and focused. When we are each doing our own thing there isn’t any competition. It’s not about who can do one thing better, but what each person can do and what we can do together.
The structure for the practitioners here is a conscious collective or cooperative. It is a strong and flexible structure that allows us to do our own work and also work together. We each own our individual strengths and weaknesses. Students and clients are free to work with any and all of us and are encouraged to do so on their path to see different perspectives. Rather than being seen as competition or a threat, we value different practices. As a collective we are more than the sum of our parts. We need diversity to thrive on all levels as practitioners and as a tribe.
As a community we honor and value diversity. We welcome all people who are willing to step into their own magick.
This includes people of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexuality, age, ability, religion, spirituality and any other characteristic.
Thank you for your interest in our work. May your path be illuminated with light and peace.
|
|
