Shamanism is a spiritual practice, not a religious one. Spiritual practices are based on personal, direct experience, and are replicable by others who choose to undergo the practices and initiations. Religion, on the other hand, is based on belief.
But the shaman is different from the mystic, who can also go through a process of healing and discovery of the invisible world of energy and spirits. The shaman is dedicated to service to her community, whereas the mystic is dedicated to dwelling on her own experience of the divine, and let’s the world unfold as it may.
It is also important to differentiate the shaman from the sorcerer, even thought their paths and teachings are similar. The shaman accumulates personal power to serve his community. The sorcerer accumulates personal power for personal gain.
Alberto Villoldo
www.thefourwinds.com
