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Do People need symbols to feel healed?
By Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls*
One of my students sent this very good question and I think the answer is worth sharing.
Oh my goodness, YES!
And Shamans (see Shamanism) know this
very well. For me to do a soul extraction from here and tell you in an email
that it has been done does not compare to me coming to your house, having
you lie down on a table and pulling hidden chicken guts out of my sleeve
and telling you that I removed this sickness from your body!
Shamans count on symbolism to send home the healing! In third world countries
where people cannot read and write, they need something to hold onto in
order to believe. They need to drink the blood of a chicken or be washed
in the sacred river or given an amulet or
voodoo doll. Why right in our
grocery stores you can buy a candle to the saint of your choice for a favor.
It is human nature to want a symbol, especially to show that something tangible
has occurred for sure that they can see and hold. We tend to believe with
our eyes and not with our hearts and souls. We can be healed through prayer
but not accept that healing until the priest comes to our hospital bed and
puts oil on our foreheads.
Oh that people would not need this kind of "seeing is believing"!
But I don't think we will ever reach that place. So the Shaman understands
this and is willing to give symbols if that is necessary to effect a healing.
What kind of symbols? Perhaps a leaf of a healing plant, or a stone or amulet,
perhaps a picture of a saint or ascended master. Perhaps a feather or something
more profound like painting the patients body or washing his face or tying
a bandage around his leg. The symbol can be anything that reaffirms the
healing for the patient. If you know your patient, you know what symbol
to give.
As long as people only believe what they see, the Shaman will use symbols
to allow the person to see their healing and have something to show that
it has occurred. And the Shaman will charge money for that healing because
that is another seeing is believing symbol. The money traded value for the
healing. Now the healing has value because the client traded something of
value for it. Healings given for free are worthless to the healee. Again
just human nature. Again I wish that this were not true. But in general,
one way to get the client to believe in the healing is to give value by
charging for it in money, or barter. All Shamans know this and do this.
We have to work within the common reality in which we live. And in the common
reality is the belief in symbols as a powerful means of healing, understanding,
growth, exploring mysteries, badges of accomplishment, badges of authority
and other things. So we use the tools at hand to do the work we need to
do. Don't be obsessed with it but count it as a tool in your medicine bag.
*About the Author:
Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls has been a practicing Shaman for over 50 years.
She recently received a dispensation to reach out to those who have a desire
to learn about a Shaman's path and now offers an online course at www.shamanelder.com. Many people on this
earth have been Shamans in other lives and only need to reconnect with their
lost knowledge and skills to bring shamanic healing back to Mother Earth
and its peoples. This is Shaman Elder's goal. Please visit her website at
www.shamanelder.com or write her
an email for a free consultation at shaman@shamanelder.com
Copyright 2004 Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls. All Rights Reserved.