I had recently a very good conversation with my friend and co-blogger Domesticated Primate Organism. One of the topics we covered was what problems we perceived there to be in the (neo)shamanism scene in our country. One matter seems to be, surprisingly, power animals.
A very popular method is so-called Core Shamanism, which was developed by Michael Harner in the 1970s based on methods he learned from tribal shamans (See Michael Harner, The Way of the Shaman, 1990). It is basically a method of doing shamanic journeys, where you place your trust on spirit guide called a power animal. I begun my own magical career with Core Shamanism, so I have much practical experience with that method. I admit that Core Shamanism can often be very beneficial, but there appears to be some problematic side effects. Many of these problems may have root in the basic method of placing almost complete trust on the power animal.
Unenlightened spirits
I am not here claiming that the power animal were evil or something like that. According to my personal experience they can give a lot of help, and be quite fun very often. Let us look at the matter from the viewpoint of my Buddhist side. The problem itself is much more subtle but simple: power animal are not enlightened beings. They are as much trapped in the cycle of samsara as we are. Therefore their judgement is typical dualistic judgement and is not necessarily any better than out own, even if they could understand the spiritual realm better.
What does it really matter are the power animals enlightened or not? Yes definitely, if you place your total trust on them, it does matter how wide perspective they have. The question is, do you want to be driven by their own neurotic patterns? Would you rather place your trust primarily on beings who would have greater wisdom and perspective?
This is especially important because many people who have worked with power animals do adopt parts of their personalities. I have been no exception. These things of course raise some enlightening question about the nature of self, but that is another matter entirely. Maybe I write about it later.
Enlightened beings
One good alternative to power animals is to gain contact to some enlightened being instead. In vajrayana buddhism at least there are meditational deities called yidam – though the tricky thing is that you have to have receive a transmission from a lama. There are many yidams with different personalities. Some can be nice and peaceful, and some can be wrathful.
In the western magical tradition, there is at least the so-called Holy Guardian Angel. I have gained contact to my HGA using the method of Alan Chapman. Good thing with the Alan’s method is that you can try it out on your own.
There is of course the challenge. Having contact to either the yidams or HGA requires more hard work than the power animals. At the very least you have to have a daily routine of mediation. On the other hand, this work can be worthwhile. At least for me, after I gained contact to my HGA, the nature of my magical practice changed. I became less inclined to satisfy my obsessions and begun to use my energy toward more useful matters.
Healthier approach
I would suggest that people who deal with power animals to think about the following approach. I do not suggest that you just cut yourself of from the power animal because that might be too rough. Would you leave your friend just because you want to be more specific what your limits are?
- 1. Get to know the power animal. Are you sure that you really know who he is? Do you know what he wants?
- 2. Do the work to make a contact to an enlightened being.
- 3. Be more clear with the power animal in which matters you trust them and in which you do not.
- 4. Make a contact with an enlightened being.
- 5. Figure out what will be your new relationship, if any, with the power animal.
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