Shamanism and Buddhism

Shamanism and Buddhism: Shamanism has an affinity with Buddhism, due to the fact that both aim to achieve a state of tolerance of life without metaphysics (at least, for moments at a time). In the case of Buddhism, one transcends the ego. In the case of shamanism, one trains to tolerate the ambiguities inherent in immanence (nature, animality, chaos, states involving various forms of destruction).


The point is not to become animal or destructive principle permanently, but to learn something from these states. Obviously, there is nothing transcendentally positive about tolerating immanence, or indeed, about various manifestations of immanence.

Precisely what one may learn from shamanistic immersion is that morality is in fact needed under certain circumstances. The point here is that one learns one's lessons for oneself. Indeed, one initiates one's own lessons for self-teaching. From an intellectual shamanistic point of view, this is better than simply adapting to the demands of authorities and trusting them implicitly. There's more honor to be had when one thinks this way -- and possibly more rigor.