Skip to main content

Why Me?


I received an interesting question a few weeks ago from someone who’s been walking a Shamanic path but is not Aboriginal. The man’s question was: “Why have I been chosen to do this work when I have no knowledge whatsoever of the Aboriginal way?” After some digging into the man’s story, I uncovered that he started doing healing work almost two decades ago when his life wasn’t moving anywhere. He lived in the city, had no love relationships, worked with the elderly and was hoping for a change. He said that a trip to Costa Rica and a meeting with a therapist who did ritualistic, adventure trips got him questioning some of his beliefs. It seems that from that point on one synchronic event over another brought him to people and to experiences which helped him learn about healing and introduced him to his present shamanic path.

CS explained that he often feels guilty that he’s working on Aboriginal people but he’s not Aboriginal. He’s found some guidance towards answering this question but doesn’t feel yet whole when it comes to the work he does. What I found interesting with his e-mail and his story was that it resembled many other e-mails that I’ve received in the last 2 decades. Lots of people who walk a shamanic path are not Aboriginal and they often wonder why they were called to this spiritual life especially those who have come to connect to Aboriginal elders and who have come to work with Aboriginal communities.

I find that behind this question there is often a lot of programmed cultural judgments and expectations. I remember my Aboriginal grand-mother telling me as a child that “I should never tell anyone of my cultural roots because they would eventually call me a savage and hurt my feelings.” I didn’t live on any reserve and went to private school (catholic convent). After learning history from catholic nuns and hearing their bias perspectives on Indians, I too after a while developed this self-preserving attitude that inevitably meant the loss of my cultural identify. My perception of my ancestors was tainted by the perspective of others. In the last two decades I’ve noticed the complete opposite happening amongst many white people. They have painted a perfect picture of ancient Aboriginal living which they quickly associate to the Aboriginal people of today. Often they expect today’s First Nation People to behave according to the beliefs that they’ve adopted of their ancestors. The fact remains – not all Aboriginal people live on reserves; not all Aboriginal people follow the old religion; not all Aboriginal people know about totems, drums or even care about pow-wows. Like any other cultural group out there First Nation people are as diversified in thought, emotion and belief.

How do we begin to stop judging each other according to stereotypes? How do we begin to accept people according to their story and their personal or communal experiences rather than search to meet our expectations? These are definitely challenges and objectives for the society of today and tomorrow. We are no longer people who are separated all over the globes into distinct linguistic, cultural and religious groups. We are a melting pot of people who are struggling more and more with identity.

It doesn’t matter if you are Aboriginal or not; or if you have knowledge of Aboriginal culture. If you can make a difference by just being who you are then shouldn’t you become more and more aware and confident of you as a person. If you are accepted, valued, respected and appreciated then why ask yourself questions. If you’re feeling guilty and unfulfilled it’s not about what people are thinking or expecting – it’s about how you are processing the interaction. Don’t every stop working on your issues and growing. Be the very best that you can be no matter who or what you are. In the end, we’re not different people we are meant to be ONE.

So next time you ask yourself the question: WHY ME?

Give yourself the answer: WHY NOT?

My 5 cents on the matter.

P.S. I made the beaded rosette at the top of my blog entry. I chose this picture for this topic because my grand-mother once said "beaded rosettes were made when individuals were sick. They represented the dream so to speak of the illness (the whole process). Rosettes were later given as gifts to the healers -- so that they wouldn't be sick with the ailments they cured or healed." I made this particular rosette when I was ill with a kidney infection. I gave it to my doctor when I recovered. Old ways don't have to disappear they can be used in new ways and for new awareness.

LISA

Comments

Michelle said…
WOW you really bring to light alot of the feelings i had growing up and in essence help me see "why me" and it is Why Not! your beaded rosette looks like it is moving to me when i first went on this blog the movement is hypnotic and beautiful Your blog fits so well into my topic for the module im doing on Cultural Strengths. thank you for your blog!!
Lisa F. Tardiff said…
Glad you liked it.
LISA
Wheelkeeper said…
I've been thinking a lot lately about being Metis and the expectations that people have of me since I do not look Aboriginal. I remember when I was called to this path, it just all kind of happened on its own. Later, I asked myself the same question.. who was I to do this kind of work, teach the wheel? How did I know what to do when I had very little introduction to it? Then I had dreams that confirmed that I was indeed on my path, doing what I was supposed to be doing.

Today, I listened to a program on CBC radio, an interview with a Spokane indian Sherman... He wrote a book called "The real true life story about a Part time Indian" or something like that..

He said something that really stayed with me. He said that Indians today are new immigrants to the modern society, meaning that we have to learn to adapt to this world as it is today. Reservations were originally meant to be death camps and that the smartest thing he ever did was get off the rez and find his own identity in the world.

I agree that it is not about culture, color, race or creed... its about what your soul calls you to be and do.
Lisa F. Tardiff said…
Mary Rose -- What great stuff! You're right. It's not about anything else but the soul. Culture, religion, social status etc... these are just tools for learning and healing. We're not meant to become possessive of the tools we use. We are meant to adapt and to evolve along with them. Thank you also for bringing to our attention (my attention) this new book and author. I'll definitely give it a peak.

LISA

Popular posts from this blog

Drums and Rattles.

Lately I’ve received a few e-mails and letters from people asking questions about drums and rattles. I don’t think I’ve written a blog on this topic yet. JB wrote in his e-mail: “I often read that Drums are connected to Shamanism and often the tool of choice for Shamans. How do Shamans use drums differently than anyone else who’s in Shamanism?” I thought it was a great question. For starters, one of the reasons why a drum is an interesting tool in Shamanism is because it can mimic a heartbeat and induce a state of trance. A rapid heartbeat can trigger nervousness, excitement and even aggression. A very slow heartbeat can help in relaxation, sleep and dreaming. Every rhythm can inspire an emotion and can bring about the memory of a past experience or a parallel reality. In Shamanic circles the drum can be instrumental in healing, teaching, ceremony or ritual, expansion of consciousness as well as dreaming and journeying. Almost a decade ago I participated in a Mohawk namin

Authentic Shamanism

I brought up the topic of “authentic Shamanism” at one of my classes / circles this week. I’ve noticed especially in the last three to four years that when people speak to me about Shamanism, they often make a distinction between what they are doing and what “is out there.”  These days if you are not into Ayahuasca you are not authentically into Shamanism.  So what is “Shamanism” if it changes its appearance every decade?  Is it about altered states of consciousness through hallucinogens? Is it about ceremonies and rituals; or about soul retrieval, dreaming and healing?  Since Shamanism isn’t a Religion and doesn’t have set doctrines, then how can you anyone be clear on what makes it “authentic?” When I brought up the question this week, I received a few interesting comments.   Many of the individuals in our circles have struggled with addictions and it’s because of the Medicine Wheel teachings that their lives are full and healthy again.   The idea of defining Shamanism as a j

The Seven Clans

Wow! I can’t believe that in the last three years, I haven’t written a single blog on the topic of “the seven clans” of the Medicine Wheel. For the last two months our Montreal circle has been exploring the subject. I think it’s the first time in fifteen years that I ask my students to go out into the World and experience the clans first hand. “Look at people and see which clan they can belong to; or look at behaviors and attitudes and try to connect them to one of the Clans.” We often speak of the clans as the seven faces of Creator. In Christianity or Judaism God can be angry, impatient, judgmental and destructive; but he can also be merciful, compassionate, forgiving and loving. The Medicine Wheel may not personalize Creator in the same way many Religions do, yet in many ways it accomplishes the same end result where we can see ourselves as children of divinity. Often in non-traditional circles the seven clans are understood as archetypes. Each clan holds particular att