Shamanism is not a religion, it is not a philosophy. It is a group of ideas that are 20 – 40 000 years old and applicable today, in modern life.
Here is a short interview with nagual Uchu from Southern America about shamanism and most of all, about ourselves.
Ego steals 90% of your energy. People are aware only of 1% of their possibilities.
»Shaman is someone who walks with one foot in this reality and with the other foot in the spiritual reality. We are not only our physicality. We have our spiritual, energetic self. Going inwards through shamanic rituals, ceremonies and practices can wake us up to our real nature.”
Anybody that “peeks” into shamanism will meet expressions such as the Underworld, animal power, soul retrieval… What is “the Underworld”?
The real shaman will teach you how to do it – he is not going to do it for you instead of you.
We call it “the invisible reality”. There is a parallel reality that you exist in which is not physical in nature. The shamans divide it in the lower world, the middle world and the upper world. But none of these worlds is better than the other ones in the sense of hierarchy.
In the lower world certain energies, self-aware consciousness, guide you through the path of life. It can take shape of animals, plants, or other shapes. You can communicate with these spirits to get guidance in your daily, normal life.
It is not another world, not a place you go to, we just call it “other world”. It is actually a part of your consciousness that exists in a non physical realm! All these worlds are inside yourself: the journey is inwards!
Does everybody have animal power, guide?
Yes. Everybody has a part of the consciousness that interacts in non physical realms as you are a multidimensional being.
In shamanic terms physical (our) world is called the tonal and the upper (spiritual) world is called the nagual. Until you do not bridge, connect these two worlds that coexist inside yourself, you are split. You are not a total being. Your awareness is only focused on one part of yourself. That is why nobody knows themselves entirely.
Bridging, bringing both worlds into your personal reality means gaining access to certain wisdom inside yourself that you cannot access in normal states of consciousness.
At the beginning I help people to access this part of themselves and I give them first push. It is like a car that runs out of battery and you need somebody to push it. Then it starts running on its own. My energetic condition allows me to enter people’s “lower world” easily to give them this push: this means I see where pieces of people’s energy are being used, where they are lost… I help them bring it back and teach them how. The real shaman will teach you how to do it – he is not going to do it for you instead of you.
You mentioned your energetic condition. You are a nagual. What does it mean?
Nagual is a quality of one’s energetic field configuration. Not in the sense of hierarchy. It is not a rank or a position, it means having more responsibilities (laughing). Most of people use only one of 4 available energy compartments of their energetic body. Some people have two active compartments, some (Castaneda for example) 3 and when one has 4 active compartments, he/she is considered a nagual.
Tell us how did your shamanic journey begin?
It was part of my spiritual quest. I tried many things and when I was 19 I met one shaman. From there on I travelled to Mexico, lived with the natives, spent many years in Brazil, Peru, Argentina. In Argentina I met Castaneda’s circle and worked with them.
The need to know more is something that is embedded in us – the feeling that there is more to life than it appears to be, the need to empower ourselves, not to be so reactive to life, but more responsive.
What is the difference between reactive and responsive?
Well, reactive comes from your robotic self. Everybody has so called “robotic self” – automatic self. Since you are born, you are being programmed by beliefs, by television, by governments, parents… Everybody wants something different out of you. When you act from your robotic personality, you react to triggers automatically, predictably. You lose your personal power, meaning yourself.
Your responsive self, on the other hand, is the one that evaluates the situation, any given situation at any moment and responds spontaneously – provides fresh responses every time. It means to be child-like, not heavily programmed.
Would you say the majority of the population is reactive at this point?
Yes.
How much energy does our ego steal?
At least 90% of your energy is used in your ego personality. Ego itself is not a bad thing, it is needed for life. Ego personality is the part of yourself that interacts in what I call the tabloid reality (consensus reality). That’s why people are always tired, unhappy, they do not find answers… It puts you in a loop and keeps you there. If you observe your life or other people’s life you will see that things repeat over and over, most people are caught within a loop.
People are not aware of the power of intent, I guess.
They don’t even know what intent is! They think intent is wishing, or wanting, like the law of attraction and these things. Nothing of these work, because your intent comes from a place in your being that most people don’t have access to!
How do we gain access to that part? Through practices you were describing?
Yes, that is one of the many ways. Imagine a circle, a 10 cm diameter circle. That is your being. That is your consciousness. But there is a small dot somewhere inside this circle that is your awareness. You are aware only of 1% of the whole circle, of your possibilities. And you cannot access to any other part of this circle because your awareness is not wide enough or high enough if you will. Through shamanic practices you can expand your awareness and the knowledge of Self which directly influences your reality here.
Thank you for this talk, Uchu!
Thank you!
If you know anybody that would be interested feel free to share this information!
Workshop with Uchu in Ljubljana, 21st September 2013: More info here:
http://en.arianasyard.com/shamanic-workshop-with-nagual-uchu-in-ljubljana/
Two short movies: a talk with Uchu: