Black Shaman Blog » Spirituality

I had to kill a locust this afternoon

Alex Webley — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:28:18 +0000

I had to kill a locust this afternoon – it was missing one leg after having been caught and mauled by the cat.

I apologised to the locust that it had been suffering for some hours. Earlier, I had to go out in a hurry and was not sure where the cat had left it.

When I returned, I looked for and eventually found the locust.

Then, with compassion, I crushed it quickly under a flat flower pot stand so it would not suffer anymore.

I was interested to note the level of compassion I had and that it was not from me, but from Spirit. All credit to Spirit. I am grateful that my character has changed for the better. Not through some set of rules, religious dogma or similar; but through relationship with Spirit.

I recall how earlier in my life I would have just thrown it out into the garden (where it would have died slowly) without a second thought.

There is hope for you too.

Am now asking myself: how important was it that I had to leave so quickly?

And in case you haven’t picked up on it….this post is not just about being nice to locusts (who in large numbers in some parts of the world cause terrible human suffering), it is about developing character and becoming attuned to the suffering of beings – whether they be human or otherwise. It is easier to entertain kind thoughts for cuddly looking creatures. But what about the impersonal – the depersonalized (such as insects tend to be)?

If you are cruel to insects then that says much about you. For those who still haven’t got the point…. I am not saying we should not kill locusts, mozzies or other insect pests – it is our attitude and character which matters.

I had to kill a locust this afternoon is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

What, then, is enlightenment from a Shamanic point of view?

Alex Webley — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:50:56 +0000

What, then, is enlightenment from a Shamanic point of view?

Recently I received this email (Name of sender removed for privacy reasons).

Dear Alex,

******* here. I bumped into your own Black Shaman blog by mere chance, and what a chance?!!

To me, you seem to be a very, very honest and profound person. I feel connected to you in a way. I don’t know how and why.

Your smile in the photo depicted on your website along with the small beautiful kitten you had in your hands sends shills down my spine.

I wanted also to ask you a question, “What does shamanism think of enlightenment? What, then, is enlightenment from a shamanic point of view?”

Thank you so much for your beauty and profoundness.

Yours,

******* :-)

Here is my reply:

Hello *******,

Thanks so much for your email and compliments.

Enlightenment is such a profound area that it is not possible to do it justice with the written word. It has to be experienced because it involves things which are not of our physical dimension and which can only be understood by actual knowing/experience.

Simply speaking, it includes:

the knowledge of our dependence upon Spirit and Spirits

an ability to have a ‘foot in both worlds’ and move there easily and at will

interaction with Spirit and Spirits – knowing them

a deep awareness that one is loved by Spirit

a healthy, balanced and considered love for others, environment and fauna

a deep dependence upon Spirit (deep humility and recognition that Spirit is the Source of all)

awareness that as we will pass into Spirit upon death we should live in Spirit now. Why wait?

knowledge and acceptance that the will of Spirit should prevail

wariness of our own opinion & ego

love for truth – not ‘my truth’ (contradictory), a brand of truth or such like; but reality

trust of Spirit

experiential joy

deep knowledge (living experience) that Spirit is our rock. When we are ‘burned’ there is nothing left standing but Spirit

emotional & mental health

an awareness that Shamanic techniques/phenomena can and do heal both bodies and minds

There is more.

Please also bear in mind that Shamanism is humanity’s original spirituality dating back tens of thousands of years before man and religion messed so much up.

Warm Regards,

Alex Webley
Life Coach | Counsellor | Corporate/Business Coach | Shaman
Personal Development Magic

“Fixes For Mind, Emotion, Soul And Spirit”

Mobile/Cell: +61-421 27 28 29 Fax: +61-7 5677 0279

PO Box 9303, GCMC, Bundall, Qld 4217, Australia
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Contact me on Skype: alexwebley

What, then, is enlightenment from a Shamanic point of view? is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

Fancy being a Shaman? Perhaps not.

Alex Webley — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:24:35 +0000

Today I came across a fantastic article by Galina Krasskova.

A somewhat unusual article, Devotion is a Warrior’s Art touches on a number of important areas.

One area I want to highlight today is this, and I quote:

I worry when I encounter people who are drawn to the idea of being a God-servant or becoming a shaman. Those of us who have been through the breaking, the dying, the reforging answer those innocent queries with “no, you really don’t. You don’t know what it entails. Run now, while you still have the freedom to do so.” Watching novices jumping headlong into “shamanism” without any preparation, without any idea of what ‘shamanism’ really entails chills me to the core. They don’t understand that they may not survive the journey. Those who do this without a strong devotional practice, without a strong connection to a specific Deity (who will also look after the person in question) makes it that much more difficult. Devotion may involve openness of heart, and surrender of spirit but with that it calls for tremendous courage. Rather than explore ‘shamanism’ I’d encourage any would be spirit worker to first get their spiritual “house” in order. Begin with devotion. Allow devotion to lead to strength, discipline, and other essential training. This is a fundamental all too often neglected. It’s not the only thing one needs to survive, not by a long shot, but it certainly ups the odds.

Are you one of those people which this segment describes?

If you are, you might not survive.

Becoming a Shaman is not some kind of game, weekend thrill, or fashion. People can, and have, died.

Becoming a Shaman will change you markedly. It is not something undertaken lightly.

I survived, but only just. And I am ‘called’.

Once on the other side of the – fire – valley of death – abyss – the joy, wisdom, peace and sense/experience of being loved is literally out of this world. It is more than worth it.

But are you ready? Really ready?

If not….you might not make it back.

Fancy being a Shaman? Perhaps not. is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

Some things a significant number of Christians don’t know.

Alex Webley — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:28:43 +0000

Recently on my Facebook personal profile I had cause to respond to someone’s post about a Noah/Flood cartoon…

….here are my comments. Not fully referenced, however you can find out more if you wish by using a search engine.

Some things a significant number of Christians don’t know:

1) The Sumerian Deluge story pre dates Noah. Deluge story is common to many ancient cultures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deluge_myth

2) The original Hebrew in the Old Testament Genesis speaks of an Earth which was formless & void, BUT which once was. Many Christians try to explain the conflict between the age of the earth and the Bible with no knowledge of the ancient Hebrew. (The ‘which once was’ part).

3) A passage in the Bible says that God sits above the circle of the earth. It was written long before humans knew the earth was round. Birds of course have known this since the beginning.

4) That God did not say don’t use a condom.

PS: I’m not a Christian, nor a Christian apologist. According to many of them, people like me are ‘servants of Satan’. That is how they REALLY see many of you, although they might be smiley and polite to your face. What I can’t work out is that if we “unbelievers” are servants of Satan, then how can they bear to shake our hands?

Some things a significant number of Christians don’t know. is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

Hard hitting video on Catholic pedophiles, religion & troop deployments, featuring Christopher Hitchens, Journalist

Alex Webley — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 03:00:54 +0000

Christopher Hitchens, a journalist, has commented on the Pope, Catholic Church, Child Abuse, religion and troop deployments in this video interview on “Real Time With Bill Maher”

I like the way that he is so pointed and succinct. Hitchens phrases key points in a dynamic but easily understood way, with some occasional humor.

Reference:

Christopher Hitchens: Catholic Church Wants ‘Wiggle Room’ For Rape And Torture Of Children

Hard hitting video on Catholic pedophiles, religion & troop deployments, featuring Christopher Hitchens, Journalist is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

Fix the problems on the inside, then the rest takes care of itself.

Alex Webley — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:31:16 +0000

Fake love in churches

The antics of the Christian churches never cease to provide food for thought, especially bearing in mind how many people are affected by them.

Recently we read of :

Ute beauty: $1.5m to promote Jesus

One of the key aspects of this is that the Churches are trying to get people to focus on Jesus, as opposed to the Churches and the people in them. Research has been conducted which revealed:

“all the problems that were associated with the church were being raised, and there was a lot of bad press. The church was anathema but Jesus was fine.”

This approach is interesting because it misses the point.

You see, Christian doctrine teaches that we can have a personal relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ.

Christian doctrine also tells us that being in a relationship with God will improve our character and make us nicer people.

Now, when I have a personal relationship with someone I can hear what they say, sense what they feel and have a good understanding of them.

It is very clear that even the leadership – pastors, priests, deacons and so on have a severe spiritual hearing problem. They clearly do not appear to hear from God.

Just one example of this is Pastor Michael Guglielmucci and the way he deceived hundreds of thousands of people, including many church leaders. I will rephrase the issue: people who claim to have a relationship with God and to hear from Him daily, failed to discern that Pastor Michael Guglielmucci was a liar and fraud. Strange eh!

Now the Churches want us to look at Jesus, not them!

Here’s another thing. Christian doctrine informs us that the church people are to be a living gospel and example to others. It also warns that church goers should not put stumbling blocks in peoples’ way (hindering their belief) and that they should avoid even the appearance of evil.

With this latest campaign, the Churches are missing the point yet again. If they concentrated on fixing THEMSELVES, then they would be not only much more in tune with Bible teachings (they claim to follow Biblical instruction), but they would attract more people to their way of life and make the world a better place. Fewer people would be abused or psychologically damaged.

Oh yeah…. I nearly forgot….why did the Churches need to conduct research? I thought they heard from God – the Master Architect and Planner?

You know you don’t really hear from God….don’t you.

PS: If you need help recovering from your ‘Christian experience’ or ‘Church experience’ I can help you. Once a Christian Minister, I have an in depth knowledge of many of the psychological and/or mental problems caused and exacerbated by the Churches, and the people in them.

Fix the problems on the inside, then the rest takes care of itself. is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

Shamanic Healing

Alex Webley — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:29:05 +0000

Shamanic healing – do you know anything about it?

A friend (“Ecuador Shaman”) told me about this site:

http://www.AmazonShaman.com

Check it out for yourself – there are several videos.

Find out more about Shamans and Shamanic healing.

Enjoy the beautiful South American scenery.

Hear from ‘ordinary’ people who have benefited from Shamanic healing.

Check out the tiny monkeys (pets).

Open yourself up to a different world….a real and very powerful world.

And before you scoff, or become sceptical….have you ever thought about your own spiritual beliefs logically?

Critically?

Have you analyzed the basis for your beliefs?

Just what might you be missing out on?

And why are intelligent, logical people, including businessmen, interested in Shamanic healing?

Find out today!

Shamanic Healing is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines for Life on Earth

Alex Webley — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:55:13 +0000

The Lost Language Of Plants is a highly unusual book.

It will be confronting to many.

The book contains a critique of technological medicine as well as a different take on Gaia Theory.

A mix of New Age spiritual understanding and hard science, The Lost Language Of Plants will affect both your reason and emotions.

If you have concerns about the state of our health care systems, the environment and our culture; then this book is an essential read.

The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines for Life on Earth is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

Shamanism and personal development

Alex Webley — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:38:05 +0000

Shamanism? What is it? And how is it relevant to personal development?

Shamanism, in simple terms, is the world’s oldest “religion” or spirituality. Evidence of the practice exists in ancient rock art dating back tens of thousands of years. Shamanism predates all the various religions of the world.

One could say that Shamanism is humankind’s natural spirituality. As time passes, I will write a number of articles on the subject which will illustrate this view more clearly.

If you want to find out more about Shamanism in general you can start by looking at the Wikipedia entry here. Please try not to get distracted by all the complex and unfamiliar concepts you will find there.

Back to the essence of my article…..

One of the key reasons why Shamanism is relevant to personal development is that aspects of the practice deal with the visual deep inner psyche (to speak simply).

You do not need to be a Shaman to practice Shamanism and you do not need to be a “member”, join a church, follow a “guru”, “priest” or any man/woman to benefit from Shamanic practice and techniques. You can benefit from Shamanism at any time simply because it is part of the natural order of the world – like the laws of gravity. It works in harmony with the way your mind, brain, psyche work because it is natural. There is no religious dogma to follow. Your mind is predisposed to work in a Shamanic manner.

Some aspects of what some people call “inner healing” are actually Shamanic in nature. For people who want to jump on ahead; check out Shamanic Journeying. I especially recommend the book below, which for the academically/scientifically minded, is well referenced.

I will continue with this theme in future articles, but for now will leave you with this thought: Quite recently, I came across some information that scientists have recently discovered that DNA (which has apparent inherent healing properties) can be affected in a positive (healing inducing) manner by imagery, especially that which is charged with strong emotion. Unfortunately I cannot recall the reference and overlooked writing it down. Imagery, especially that charged with strong emotion, can be a key facet of Shamanic work. What scientists are now discovering appears to tie in nicely with principles that have been untilized for tens of thousands of years.

Here is the link to the book I mentioned:

And here are some reviews of the book (I will be doing my own review in due course).

Amazon.com Review
Jeannette Gagan’s Journeying is a must-read for those who are interested in shamanism but have been turned off by fuzzy-headed mystical claims or sloppy exposition. In this well-written and eminently useful manual, shamanism, “perhaps the oldest form of practical spirituality in the world,” is explained in a straightforward, scholarly manner by a respected licensed psychologist. Gagan succinctly summarizes the procedures, philosophies, and purposes of modern psychology, illuminating the common areas occupied between the two. She builds a strong case for the introduction of shamanistic journeying into the retinue of healing modalities for the modern psychotherapist. For those intent on healing the psyches of themselves or others, shamanism may well work where other modalities have failed. For example, long-repressed anger can be processed while journeying without fear of upsetting the neighbors, or one day awakening to the horrible realization that you just kicked the dog. –Randall Cohan

Review
A landmark application of shamanic wisdom to early developmental wounding where the ills of society begin. – Larry Dossey,MD, author of Prayer is Good Medicine

Examining modern social concerns such as inadequate bonding in infancy and the effects of violence, brain research, and the consequences of altered states of consciousness, Gagan applies the ancient technique of journeying to the intellectual structure of psychological theory. Her approach is refreshingly original, the goal being to encourage rapid self-discovery and self-healing. – NAPRA REVIEW, Vol. 9, No. #, 1998

Gagan uses transformative imagery and symbolism as she probes the depths of inadequate bonding in infancy, violence in adulthood, the imprint of violence on the collective psyche. Gagan masterfully tells us why we need the power of shamanic healing in our lives, how psychology would benefit from a marriage of the two, and how even shamanism stands to gain from psychology’s theoretical positioning. Highly recommended for practitioners and lay persons alike – LEADING EDGE REVIEW, Summer, 1998

Here is an author who clearly knows her subject. . . .Gagan’s book is nothing short of fascinating. It doesn’t ask you to reject modern psychology, only to consider augmenting the discipline with a deeper plane of consciousness. – THE NEW MEXICAN, March 8, 1998

Shamans in indigenous cultures were and are also the psychologists of the communityl. – Sandra Ingerman, author of Soul Retrieval and Fall to Grace

This phenomenal book…shows how the separating and controlling energy of violence transforms into healing unity. – Twylah Nitsch, Seneca Elder

Shamanism and personal development is a post from: Black Shaman Blog

What is the shamanic perception of wellbeing?

Alex Webley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:54:47 +0000

Throughout the world there are varying definitions of wellbeing.

Some of these definitions are connected to negative outcomes for some of the affected. Some include intense greed, at times at the expense of others. Some are rooted in fear. Others are based on religion. Most are rooted in disconnection from true Spirit. Some are found in the bottom of a bottle or at the end of a needle.

What light does Shamanism, which is humanity’s original spirituality, throw on this issue?

Piers Vitebsky, who is an anthropologist and Head of Social Science at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, England, comments:

The shamanic perception of wellbeing does not only encompass physical health in the medical sense, nor is it restricted to mental health in the psychiatric sense. It includes good nutrition, good friendship, prosperity, and successful business and warfare. All of these things depend on ideas of balance, flow and equilibrium in the environment, and on ideas of giving and withholding, love and anger, and motivation and intention among the spirits which animate this environment.

(Vitebsky, Shamanism, 2001, 99-100)

Vitebsky, who has extensive knowledge and understanding of ‘indigenous’ shamanism has summed up the situation beautifully.

Interestingly, the above conclusion is one which I have arrived at during my own personal life journey – without ‘learning’ it from spiritual texts or verbal instruction.

Every word which Vitebsky has written above is rich in meaning, and power.

Read more here in Vitebsky’s book: Shamanism.

What is the shamanic perception of wellbeing? is a post from: Black Shaman Blog