My english ancestor from 1847 was described as working as a 'shaman'. what is this? a psychic of some sort?

Answer 1

That is interesting. I am taking a class this semester called "World Religion" and we just went over this.

A Shaman, is a "Technician of the holy." Meaning they know all there is to know about the religion, and they are the person in charge of communicating with the supernatural. While every religion is different you will come up with many different "images" of the Shaman. To each his own I guess...

Shaman "a person who is especially attuned to the spirit world and called upon to deal with it on behalf of others." (That is how my book describes it)

That is a very interesting ancestor!!!

Answer 2

I'm a shaman along with my Buddhism (the two do not disagree, as a matter of fact Buddhism has improved my shaman activities). Fundamentally, Shamanism has nothing to do with the supernatural. It's about using your mind to access "planes" or "dimensions" of existence which co-exist with the world of "ordinary" physical existence, to heal, do divination, help people in various ways, etc. Stuff that normally people don't perceive, or understand in their usual day-to-day goings-on, but it's there. People label this stuff as "supernatural" or "psychic" but that's not really true because there's nothing "super"-natural to it... it's natural, it's just that people can't directly perceive it so they THINK it's super-natural. There's quite a lot to it actually so...

You'd be best served by picking up a few books on the subject, some are quite good, like the "Complete Idiot's Guides" believe it or not... and there are others available for purchase too. These books will help you understand much better, than I can in such a small space. May you find what you seek.

_()_

Answer 3

How odd. I've never heard is described as a job description.

A shaman is a person who practices shamanism, a pagan, animistic belief system that reveres nature and ancestor spirits. Shamans often use trance states or mind-altering substances to intercede with the spirits to heal the sick. This is known as shamanic journeying. In anthropology, shamans are synonymous with witch doctors or medicine men of tribal peoples. A shaman may have a great deal of knowledge of herbs, tribal history and mythology. They were the lore-keepers of their tribe, priests and healers. Shamanism is said to be the oldest form of religion. Neolithic cave painters often depict shamanistic acts.

It is highly unusual that a Nineteeth Century Englishman should describe himself as such. Perhaps he was a traveller? Definitely worth some research.

Answer 4

Originally, medicine man in small bands & tribes. Priest & doctor rolled into one. It usually was the crazy one. Since your English ancester lived as late as 1847 it might have been a derogatory remark as opposed to a descriptive one. Also Native Americans were popular with Europeans at that time. It also depends on where he worked since shamans still exist in some cultures.

Answer 5

A word derived from the Tungas language of Siberia, it is a generic term for healers and spiritual leaders in tribal societies. Traditional shamans induced trance states through drums, dancing, ingesting hallucinogens, self-mutilation and deprivation and virtually any means by which one might achieve an altered state of consciousness. While in such a trance, the shaman crosses over into another world to get information for his people such as the cause of illnesses and other misfortunes.

Are you sure it was England?

Answer 6

shaman
/shaymn, shammn/

• noun (pl. shamans) (especially among some peoples of northern Asia and North America) a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits.

— DERIVATIVES shamanic /shmannik/ adjective shamanism noun shamanistic adjective.

— ORIGIN Tungus (a language of Siberia).

Answer 7

A shaman or `shatman` was the proprietor of a mobile toilet booth who frequented markets in the middle ages.

Answer 8

A shaman is something like a holy man or witch doctor but it isn't a profession that would have been common in Victorian England.

Answer 9

A shaman is a medicine man, healer or other type of religious figure. It is typically associated with Native American culture.

Answer 10

well from what i hear a shaman is somewhat of a man or women that is so in touch with himself and teh worl and can manipulate things by makin concuctions or potions out of lliving herbs and what not like mushrooms pot etc.