Drugs, here Shaman and Spiritual Attainment

[Cl.Mennel]

Dear Soroush,

in your message,
You say

Please do not confuse the showmen, pretenders (who are eager to perform
for a TV team, greedy for the money they get for such a show) with the
true spiritual people. There are false fakirs, yogis, prophets,
preachers, hypocrites, showmen everywhere, in any religion, but does
that prove those spiritual paths wrong?

On 15 October 2000, I had the privilege to witness three shamans from
Tuva performing a shamonic ritual at Museum für Völkerkunde (Museum of
Mankind) in Hamburg. It was a spiritually uplifting event. The three
shamans, Saryglar Borbak-Ool, Nikolai Oorshak Munsukowitch and Nina
Syrat Wasiliewna, performed a ritual to clean the people present and
rooms of the museum from negative influences and to give peace, light
and positive vibrations. Those three were really outstanding spiritual
envoys of their religious path.

At first I was sceptical, but them I noticed that during their service
to the Good Spirit of the Universe, my eye turned upwards (as they do in
proper meditation), my body became calm and relaxed and my mind was very
awake and clear. In the heart I could feel the Universal Love that
engulfs us all, although we often aren't able to notice. I did NOT
experience any hypnosis or any otherwise altered state of mind. The
feeling could be compared to the one you experience after some hours of
meditation or deep prayer.

True Shamanism has NOTHING to do with a befuddled, dimmed state of mind.
It is a plus in consciousness, not the lack of it.

Of course no drugs were used. Candles, water of Seven Holy Springs of
their country, and juniper as incense were of symbolic meaning in their
ritual. They were singing, drumming and dancing, which is their way of
service to the Good Spirit and of asking for healing.

As far as religions and spiritual paths are concerned I prefer to look
at the true yogis, sufis, prophets, saints, masters and shamans.

Aude sapere (Hn)

Claudia