Shamanism and Our True Self
Consensual (socially agreed/shared) reality strongly influences the manner in which an individual comes to understand, experience and know one’s self. Shamanic reality challenges the everyday consensus, including the very nature of oneself! How one conceives of oneself varies tremendously. Thus, what one experiences and learns to relate to as their ‘self’ varies as well. What one experiences as reality is, in the final analysis, always a personal construction. The ‘self’ is one such, personally constructed aspect of reality.
I have never met a person who was not aware of sometimes behaving differently from how he or she believed that deep down inside, they truly were. Shamanic practitioners and their clients are both subject to a cultural and personal history that can constrain, or even fail to recognize the full expression of a healthy, vital person.
The full and authentic expression is known as the ‘true self. This is the complete expression of the qualities and aspects that are one’s best and essential nature. Whether you are engaged in developing yourself as a shamanic practitioner or helping a client pursue shamanic healing and information, any work that strengthens a relationship with, and fullness of one’s true self is crucial.
Our true self, in the same manner as a spirit teacher or spirit helper in animal form (power animal), is a powerful aid and help in innumerable ways. It is felt that securing a relationship with their true self allows anyone to withstand tremendous pressures.
Strong, steady, and loving, the actual shape, age, and form of the true self varies widely. Our true self steps forward as our perfect self: a manifestation of our bright promise and our ancestral heritage, a ‘blueprint’ of who we really are.
The True Self can be considered our closest source of empowerment and healing.