Shamanism and Wicca

Shamanism is the oldest religion, according to most modern anthropologists. In its pure form, it is the precursor of all Pagan religions (including Wicca) and is the root of most of the neo-Pagan movements found in society today. Shamans, both male and female, held the power in their cultures, because they had the knowledge, and they used it. Knowledge was power, just as it is in the modern world.

Early Shamanic Practices

The earliest Shamans gained their knowledge, their power, through altered states of consciousness, brought on through many different tools. These included fasts, trances, meditation, pain, and even hallucinogenic substances. The specific method used was generally controlled by what the end goal of the shaman was, and the geographical location of the shaman. Through these 'altered states,’ all magickal and spiritual knowledge was obtained. This knowledge was gained through communication with spirits, animals, and even deities. Only some of this knowledge was shared with the general populace, while the rest was reserved for the Shamans themselves.

As time went on, Shamans developed new tools to obtain 'altered states' of consciousness. The introduction of such things as music, dance, and chanting was the very beginning of ritual magick, the practice of which continues today.

In fact, the most effective of magickal rites, even in modern times, are often a combination of the natural and the artificial. Flickering firelight, steady music, darkness, and chanting are still usually more than enough to bring about an 'altered state' and allow modern pagans to access vast amounts of natural energy, the same natural energies once used by the ancient shamans. Ritual is not only found in pagan religions, but in all religions throughout the world. One has only to attend a Catholic service to see that ritual is alive and well in even the most organized or religions.

The very first Shamanic ritual practices gave rise to all 'magickal religions’, including Wicca. It follows, then, that Wicca is a Shamanic religion, despite the fact that it is considered by most to be a ‘new religion’. Though modern Wicca has, for the most part, abandoned the use of pain and hallucinogens, the use of ritual magick allows the same results: a spiritual connection with the divine.

Reincarnation in Wicca and Shamanism

As with most pagan traditions, Wicca embraces the idea of reincarnation, much as the ancient shamans did. It is important to note that, in general, Wicca teaches that we are reborn into another human body, unlike some Eastern philosophies, which hold that we can be reborn into many different forms. There are some exceptions to this rule of Wicca, but they are few and far between. Ancient shamanistic cultures also differ in their view of reincarnation.

Wicca, like ancient shamanism, holds firm to the idea that reincarnation should not be a subject of 'belief.' Rather, through tools such as meditation and past-life regression, reincarnation should be studied until it can be accepted as more than belief, but as an undisputed fact.

For the most part, Wiccans do not believe in destiny or fate. Instead, Wiccans take responsibility for their actions, or lack thereof. In addition, Wiccans take responsibility for their reactions to those things done to them, but certainly not for the actions of others.

Many of the basic beliefs in Wicca come from shamanism, including reincarnation and the use of ritual magick. Though no direct line between ancient shamanistic practices and modern Wicca exists, the striking similarities cannot be denied. While it would be inaccurate to say that Wicca is a truly ancient religion, it is easy to see how it could be said that Wicca, as a modern religion, does indeed include the basic elements of Shamanistic practice.

An Introduction to Wicca: Wiccan Beliefs and Practices

Wicca is a spiritual path that combines an attunement to the divine with the practice of magick. Many factors make Wicca so appealing: its ancient roots, acceptance of magick, and mysterious nature all draw many seekers. However, it’s probably Wicca's versatility that is responsible for its popularity.

Basic Beliefs of Wicca

Wicca is a contemporary, Earth-based spiritual path, acknowledging both a Goddess and God. The divine is usually seen as both within and around all living things. In Wicca, it is believed that the divine is present in every living thing, and so all life is perceived as sacred and interconnected, and leads to a reverence for nature. Wiccans don’t treat the earth as an object to be used for gain alone. Rather, nature is seen as sacred, and Wiccans treat the earth accordingly.

Wiccans acknowledge that the divine is feminine as well as masculine, and the Goddess is essential to Wiccan worship. The power of the Goddess is also seen in many aspects of nature, such as the moon, and the very earth itself. The honoring of the feminine divine is one of the reasons for the very rapid growth in the popularity of Wicca.

Wicca combines ancient beliefs with modern practices which are designed to help its practitioners to attune to the natural rhythms of the universe. This connection to nature is personal, and leads to an equally personal relationship with the divine. This relationship is not facilitated by another, but is instead unique and sacred to the individual. Wiccans honor nature as a great spiritual teacher, and many devote themselves to the study of the power inherent in the natural cycles of the universe. These include, but are not limited to, the cycles of the seasons and the moon.

Ethics in Wicca

Wiccans have no central doctrine, however, there is one fundamental principle: 'An ye harm none, do as ye will.' This means that a Wiccan can do as he or she pleases, provided it does no harm to themselves or others. This honors the freedom of individual, while stressing the responsibility for choices and actions made willingly. Being individuals, each Wiccan decides for him or herself what exactly 'harm' means. As a consequence, Wiccans have very different opinions when it comes to many issues, including abortion, war, vegetarianism, and capital punishment.

Wicca is an ever-changing, completely accessible system of teachings, which allows each individual to form a relationship with the divine. Most Wiccans, though certainly not all, view their learning process as a priesthood, taking years of training and involving several initiations.

Spiritual Practices of Wicca

Wiccan spiritual practices are a combination of ancient and modern techniques for shifting states of consciousness at will in order to achieve many different ends. Sometimes these techniques are used for purposes such as divination, blessing, healing, and other uses that involve the raising of energy. The specific techniques are many and varied, including dancing, chanting, meditation, ritual, song, and prayer. To properly execute these techniques requires much practice, study, patience, and faith. Wiccans may perform spiritual work for others, such as healing or divination, but only with their expressed and informed consent.

Ultimately, Wicca's greatest strength, in the past, present, and future, is its diversity, its adaptability, and its vitality. While its core beliefs, spiritual practices, philosophy, and ethics may remain the same, there is much room for interpretation and individuality. This encouragement of individual expression continues to attract many new seekers.

Using Bach Flower Remedies

Bach Flower Remedies are a series of natural remedies derived from flower essences. They treat a variety of emotional and spiritual difficulties, and are surprisingly easy to use.

The Meaning and Classification of Bach’s Flower Remedies

Bach Flower Remedies have the ability to bring emotions into balance, but often the question becomes: "Which remedy do I use?" Hopefully, the following presentation will assist in answering that question.

The 38 remedies are divided into seven traditional groups, based upon what emotional difficulties are treated. These groups are: fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, oversensitivity to influences and ideas, despair, and over-care for the welfare of others. The Rescue Remedy, which is a combination of five remedies, is not considered to be in any of these groups, and so is covered separately.

Within each group, the individual remedies have very different effects. With that in mind, it is very important to first determine which emotional difficulty, or difficulties, are present before beginning treatment.

The group that treats fear contains five remedies:

• mimulus — fear of unknown things/shyness
• rock rose — terror/panic
• cherry plum — fear of the mind giving away
• aspen — fear and worries of an unknown origin
• red chestnut — over-concern for others

The group that treats uncertainty contains six remedies:

• cerato — seeks too much advice and confirmation from others
• sclerathus — indecision
• gentian — discouragement/despondency with a known reason
• gorse — hopelessness/giving up
• hornbeam — that “Monday morning” feeling
• wild oat — uncertainty as to the correct path in life

The group that treats insufficient interest in present circumstances contains seven remedies:

• clematis — dreaminess, lack of interest in the present
• honeysuckle — living in the past
• wild rose — resignation/apathy
• olive — lack of vital energy
• white chestnut — unwanted thoughts/mental arguments
• chestnut bud — failure to learn from past mistakes
• mustard — sadness with no origin

The group that treats loneliness contains three remedies:

• water violet — proud/aloof
• impatiens — impatience
• heather — self-centredness/self-concern

The group that treats oversensitivity to influences and ideas contains four remedies:

• agrimony — mental torment behind a cheerful face
• centaury — weak-willed and subservient
• walnut — protection from change and outside influences (past and present)
• holly — hatred/envy/jealousy

The group that treats despair contains eight remedies:

• larch — lack of confidence
• pine — self-guilt
• elm — overwhelmed by responsibility
• sweet chestnut — extreme mental anguish
• Star of Bethlehem — experiencing mental/emotional shock
• willow — resentment
• oak — exhausted by struggles
• crab apple — self-hatred/sense of uncleanliness

The group that treats over-care for the welfare of others contains five remedies:

• chicory — selfishly possessive
• vervain — over-enthusiasm
• vine — domineering/inflexible
• beech — intolerance
• rock water — self-repression/self-denial

Bach’s Rescue Remedy is probably the most famous of all the remedies. In fact, it’s not a remedy at all, but a combination of five different remedies: cherry plum, clematis, impatiens, rock rose, and Star of Bethlehem. This combination helps to deal with any emergency or stressful situation. It is good for students taking an exam, public speaking, or before a job interview, among many other uses.

In a true emergency, the Rescue Remedy can be taken straight from the bottle, four drops at a time, as needed. However, it is better to place the four drops in a glass of clear, natural water, and to sip as required.

Proper Application and Dosage of Bach Flower Remedies

Before applying Bach Flower Remedies, first there must be a clear identification of which remedy is required. This is done by deciding which feelings and emotions need treatment. Up to six remedies may be used at once, counting the Rescue Remedy as one remedy.

Regardless of the remedies chosen, the procedure for preparing the remedies will be the same. For occasional use, place two drops of each remedy in a glass of clear, non-gasified natural water. The exception to this is the Rescue Remedy, of which four drops should be added. This solution should be taken up to four times per day, as needed.

For chronic conditions, place two drops of each remedy (or four drops in the case of the Rescue Remedy) into a dark glass 30ml bottle with non-gasified natural water. Take four drops of this solution four times daily. Take this until a relief of the emotional stress is reached. Depending on the seriousness of the condition, this could take several weeks.

Understanding and using Bach’s Flower Remedies is simple and empowering. They give a method to controlling emotional stress, and they are readily available at most health food stores, and many local drug stores. In short, they allow the general public to get a sense of controlling their own emotions.

Exploring Bach Flower Remedies

The Bach Flower Remedies, discovered by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930s, are a series of natural remedies derived from flower essences. These remedies are designed to treat emotional and spiritual health, including depression, anxiety, and fear.

What are Bach Flower Remedies?

There are 38 Bach Flower Remedies, each one designed to treat a different feeling or emotional state. Of the 38, 37 are derived from wild shrubs and trees. However, rock water, one of the essences, is prepared with pure natural water of a fountain with healing properties.

One of these 38 remedies is very special. It is called the Rescue Remedy. It is the combination of five of Bach Flower Remedies. It is designed for those difficult situations that simply demand too much of people, and is still commonly used today.

Bach Flowers can aid in the managing of the emotional demands of everyday life. The Bach Flowers, as many natural medicines, treat the person, and not the disease or its symptoms. They act specifically on the emotional condition of the affected person. This being the case, two people with the same condition could benefit from two different Bach Flower Remedies. It is mostly dependent upon the emotional reaction to the disease.

As an example, two people could be suffering from arthritis. However, one may be resigned to the disease, while the other may simply be impatient with the disease. Therefore, a different Bach Flower Remedy would benefit each case.

It is important to note that the Bach Flower Remedies are not homeopathic in nature. The Remedies do not follow the fundamental precepts of homeopathy, including the law of similars, which states, in general, that like can be cured with like. In other words, that a symptom may be cured be the ingestion of a substance that can induce a similar symptom. This is not the case with Bach Flower Remedies.

How Do Bach Flower Remedies Work?

The idea behind Bach Flower Remedies is not to suppress negative attitudes. Rather, it is to transform these negative attitudes into positive attitudes. The Bach Flowers stimulate the body’s own ability to heal itself, fully and completely. The Bach Flowers help to rebalance the emotional state, freeing the body to fight the illness itself, instead of the stress and related emotional difficulties related to physical illness.

People don’t need to be physically ill to benefit from the effects of the Bach Flower Remedies. Fatigue, depression, and negative feelings are a part of life. When experiencing these feelings, Bach Flowers can be of much use in restoring emotional equilibrium before any specific physical symptoms appear.

It is important to note that the use of Bach Flower Remedies does not take the place of medical treatment. The Bach Remedies work subtly, across the psychic body. If a physical problem exists, it is important to seek medical advice.

The flower essences that make up the Bach Flower Remedies can be used in conjunction with other complementary or conventional medicines, without negative effects. Combining Bach Flower Remedies with other therapies can be an effective way to fight illness.

The use of Bach Flower Remedies to treat emotional and psychic stress is both effective and powerful. These natural remedies offer a wide range of treatments for almost any emotional difficulty, from fear and uncertainty to loneliness and despair.