The source of shamanistic powers

The key discipline of shamanism -- and I would say it is the health-giving discipline at that -- is that one learns to tolerate ambiguity. For instance, when a situation is ambiguous, one can rest with that, and allow it to be so, until such a time when the nature of things becomes clearer. It is the capacity to accept life as it is, in the moment, without pressing for a shake-down so that everything gives up its meaning to you in a kind of positivistic and absolutist manner, that is the source of shamanistic wisdom. One realises that ambiguity is in the nature of things, and that when one attributes meaning, it is not because there is meaning already present to the situation, but rather one is creating the very meanings that one bestows (which is not to fall into extremely relativistic thinking -- some interpretations are far more fitting to a situation than others will be.)

But it is the capacity to withhold judgment, until one is sure about the interpretation that one ought to give, that allows one to experience more of reality in terms of its complexities and nuances. This, too, is enriching and health-giving.

Giving in to any pressing need to immediately have "answers" only produces intellectual and strategic errors. It is this tendency that puts a person who is less shamanistic at a disadvantage in relation to one who is more shamanistic in orientation. For the one who reveals his interpretation of a situation reveals a great deal about himself -- and if the interpretation is at all premature, it will be made up of a greater proportion of projection as compared to the proportion of genuine understanding of the situation's nuances. The weakness of the beholder's mind is shown in leaping towards a premature resolution of the ambiguity in favour of either one aspect, or the other aspect of reality being true. He resolves the issue prematurely, in his mind, because he cannot stand the tension that is bestowed by the apparent ambiguity.

This leads to the other point -- the shaman's "strength of mind". It consists in the capacity to endure great tension in accepting ambiguity, whilst patiently waiting (not passively, but actively), for insights to develop. Weakness of mind, conversely, is manifest by those who have some kind of "received truth", which causes them to jump to conclusions prematurely -- which, in turn, puts them at a disadvantage in relation to complex reality.

Also, there are certain aspects to shamanism that are downright ascetic, despite Eliade's claim that shamanism is "ancient techniques of ecstasy."

But there are some aspects that are very much akin to me working out in the gym and really sweating it in order to enhance my strength. Sure, there are endorphins involved in this kind of preparation -- but it is also kind of ascetic.

The journey back to the pre-Oedipal level, for instance, in BLACK SUNLIGHT, is really about developing one's toleration of lack of meaning and ambiguity, whilst coping under the pressure of heightened emotional states (terror and sexual arousal).

It is really, I think, akin to doing a mental strengthening exercise in martial arts, putting oneself under a lot of pressure, for the specific purpose of developing the mind's toleration of ambiguity which is the source of shamanic power.

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