:? I could vote either way on this, (because I've learned much from my Spirit Guides) but chose to vote for the necessity of studying with an indigenous shaman because, as a Native American, who has studied with indigenous shaman in many parts of the world, I see the difference in their level of power and understanding and the level of power and understanding of today's neo-shaman. And the difference is large.

How many neo-shaman can drum for 8 hours at a stretch and heal 8 people with SERIOUS dis-eases during that ceremony? I studied with Grandma Mingo of the Ulchi tribe of Siberia, and watched her do just that in the Kamlanya ceremonies. How many neo-shaman can take people into a Sweat Lodge and call the Spirits and have them enter the Lodge with blue, green, red, yellow balls of light dancing around? I've seen it when my old Medicine Man Martin High Bear poured Lodge - and because I studied with him, it's happened in my Lodge as well.

Neo-shamanism is a beautiful path, and some of its practitioners are powerful and wonderful, balanced healers. Many others are still children, playing at power. I'm still a child myself, learning as I go, and I've been studying with indigenous shaman for over thirty years. Many of the things I saw my elders do at will and upon command, only happen with me when the Spirits decide I need help. And yet, I wouldn't even have access to that if I hadn't had the incredible indigenous teachers I have had.

On top of that, there's a thing here about 'respect'. All the things neo-shaman practice came from indigenous cultures in the first place. To pretend they didn't, and yet to take their teachings without acknowledgment and a sincere desire to connect with and honor those from whom the teachings came, is disrespectful as far as I'm concerned. In our Native way, we always give credit to those whose teachings and lineage we follow. This keeps the boundaries clear, in this dimension and others. . . and not doing so continues to dishonor the Spirits who guide indigenous elders/shaman, the original peoples themselves, and to de-value their long, inter-generational wisdom, experience and connection to All Our Relations.

In a way, it makes them 'invisible' - which is something Native people have been fighting against all over the world. Part of the reason so many indigenous cultures are dying is because others usurp their knowledge, traditions and culture w/o permission in order to feed their own thirst and hunger, then claim that knowledge as their own from the position of ego. Meanwhile, the indigenous people fade away and disappear; their wisdom is discounted; they are stuck on reservations or meager land where they cannot practice their own subsistence living - and they die. We who live in comfort and use their teachings, have some responsibility to them, don't you think?

One can say they're practicing shamanism, and they learned their practices from the Spirits - but if you have any shamanic teacher at all on the physical plane, the things you are learning came from the original peoples, the ancient lineages. I can't agree with discounting that.

By using the very title of 'shamanism' one is claiming the wisdom of the ancient peoples, so how can one say there's 'no need' to study with and acknowledge them? To me, that's the heighth of arrogance and ego, and part of the reason that our planet is in so much trouble today. As long as we selfishly claim ourselves to be this or that without acknowledging and honoring our connection to All Beings, and that the knowledge we have received came from those who have practiced these ways for millenium, we're missing the point. We've forgotten that we are ALL part of the Web of Creation, and we are all connected and in need of each other.

Instead, if we want to take on titles like "shaman" and "shamanic practitioner", it seems to me that we need to be searching out those very cultures from which the wisdom came, acknowledging and honoring those who have passed down the wisdom and continue to share those teachings, and help them and their people to have everything they need to live in the ways that create balance and harmony upon our Mother Earth.

Otherwise, we're just pretenders, who are not fulfilling the true, Spirit-imposed job description that goes with the title. A 'shaman', in the ways I've been taught, is not here to glorify oneself. Rather a shaman's purpose is to help heal others; to do ceremonies to help balance Mother Earth and All Our Relations; to inspire peace and a joyful, loving heart in all with whom they come in contact; to journey with and for others to assist them in retrieving lost essence, so that those people can also contribute to the perfection of balance and beauty upon the planet.

So, while I do believe that people can learn shamanic practices without working with an indigenous teacher, I am saddened that many people would willingly miss an opportunity to do so because they don't think its 'necessary'. For me, its an absolute necessity. There's an old saying, "What goes out, comes around." If we don't honor the wisdom which created us, how will that same wisdom be able to honor us?