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I am no 'sir'. I am no shaman. I am 5 different major roles (and a bunch of other minor ones) of which 'psychedelic explorer' is one. I cannot name the others as they are too distinctive and as a list of them would absolutely identify me since no one else i have ever met plays all these 5 bizarre roles. One of the other roles I play places me equally on the 'outside' of society as my psychedelic experience. Another is a source of 15-year long daily committed spiritual practice. The other 2 are socially validated but regarded as eccentric by most people. Two of my roles earn me money but one of those is in the 'outside' zone (some would say the 'dark' zone). Only a small handful of people in my life know all my 5 aspects. I am also someone's girlfriend but i don't really see that a 'role' and it crosses over into all my other ones [mega lucky me:d :d :d ]
Those of you who believe the word shaman means something would no doubt see me as not qualifying a) because I am a woman b) because I don't have enough credence in elves, gods or aliens c) because I am a nerdy intellectual a lot of the time d) because I don't use the term myself.
Correct?
Sorry to irritate or provoke. Irritation definitely NOT my intention. Provocation perhaps, but not of the non-constructive kind. I enjoy having my assumptions challenged and seeing how others' beliefs map out, often surprisingly. Dialogue is for learning and expanding our horizons, our perceptions of possibility. I feel enriched by this thread, even if i don't agree with everything said in it or 'won over' to anyone else's view. Nor am I hoping others will be won over to mine. I do though feel complexified in my own and inclined to rethink, pose different kinds of questions and refrain from judgement. And that is the effect i hope the dialogue will have on others. I never took my own judgement about the word 'shaman' very seriously, but i also DID want to have a meaningful conversation about its validity. Sometimes provocation is a good way to cut through the bullshit (mine as well) and ensure the pressure is on to say exactly what you mean - and that pressure is especially on the provoker.

One thing dMT really helped me to appreciate is that dichotomies are there to be broken down. They are useful tools...to be played with then discarded, fractured into a thousand pieces and blown to the wind where you can then marvel at the kaleidoscopic patterns they create, duplicating and replicating themselves, exploding and reforming thousands of times over in an endless succession of unfolding webs of meaning. [and here i really notice the lack of smiley face to represent a kind of epiphanous psychedelic wonderment and awe]

Shaman, not a shaman, he says he's a shaman, what does that mean to him? does shaman mean anything socially (as opposed to personally)?, can someone be a shaman if they don't believe in the term? does calling yourself a shaman make you one in the sense that it is afterall a kind of identification more than anything? is the term gendered? can someone's cat be a shaman? does the cat care? how old does something need to be before we recognise that is has a tradition behind it? Does 'juvenile' refer to the age of the participants or the childlike aliveness of their enthusiasm? These are the kinds of fun thoughts i have enjoyed from this thread:lol:

<blockquote data-quote="Morphing Interstices" data-source="post: 3308484" data-attributes="member: 3615">I am no &#039;sir&#039;. I am no shaman. I am 5 different major roles (and a bunch of other minor ones) of which &#039;psychedelic explorer&#039; is one. I cannot name the others as they are too distinctive and as a list of them would absolutely identify me since no one else i have ever met plays all these 5 bizarre roles. One of the other roles I play places me equally on the &#039;outside&#039; of society as my psychedelic experience. Another is a source of 15-year long daily committed spiritual practice. The other 2 are socially validated but regarded as eccentric by most people. Two of my roles earn me money but one of those is in the &#039;outside&#039; zone (some would say the &#039;dark&#039; zone). Only a small handful of people in my life know all my 5 aspects. I am also someone&#039;s girlfriend but i don&#039;t really see that a &#039;role&#039; and it crosses over into all my other ones [mega lucky me:d :d :d ]Those of you who believe the word shaman means something would no doubt see me as not qualifying a) because I am a woman b) because I don&#039;t have enough credence in elves, gods or aliens c) because I am a nerdy intellectual a lot of the time d) because I don&#039;t use the term myself.Correct?Sorry to irritate or provoke. Irritation definitely NOT my intention. Provocation perhaps, but not of the non-constructive kind. I enjoy having my assumptions challenged and seeing how others&#039; beliefs map out, often surprisingly. Dialogue is for learning and expanding our horizons, our perceptions of possibility. I feel enriched by this thread, even if i don&#039;t agree with everything said in it or &#039;won over&#039; to&nbsp; anyone else&#039;s view. Nor am I hoping others will be won over to mine. I do though feel complexified in my own and inclined to rethink, pose different kinds of questions and refrain from judgement. And that is the effect i hope the dialogue will have on others. I never took my own judgement about the word &#039;shaman&#039; very seriously, but i also DID want to have a meaningful conversation about its validity. Sometimes provocation is a good way to cut through the bullshit (mine as well) and ensure the pressure is on to say exactly what you mean - and that pressure is especially on the provoker.<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite10" alt=":oops:" title="Oops!&nbsp; &nbsp; :oops:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":oops:" /> One thing dMT really helped me to appreciate is that dichotomies are there to be broken down. They are useful tools...to be played with then discarded, fractured into a thousand pieces and blown to the wind where you can then marvel at the kaleidoscopic patterns they create,&nbsp; duplicating and replicating themselves,&nbsp; exploding and reforming thousands of times over in an endless succession of unfolding webs of meaning. [and here i really notice the lack of smiley face to represent a kind of epiphanous psychedelic wonderment and awe]Shaman, not a shaman, he says he&#039;s a shaman, what does that mean to him? does shaman mean anything socially (as opposed to personally)?, can someone be a shaman if they don&#039;t believe in the term? does calling yourself a shaman make you one in the sense that it is afterall a kind of identification more than anything?&nbsp; is the term gendered? can someone&#039;s cat be a shaman? does the cat care? how old does something need to be before we recognise that is has a tradition behind it? Does &#039;juvenile&#039; refer to the age of the participants or the childlike aliveness of their enthusiasm? These are the kinds of fun thoughts i have enjoyed from this thread:lol:</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Morphing Interstices, post: 3308484, member: 3615"] I am no 'sir'. I am no shaman. I am 5 different major roles (and a bunch of other minor ones) of which 'psychedelic explorer' is one. I cannot name the others as they are too distinctive and as a list of them would absolutely identify me since no one else i have ever met plays all these 5 bizarre roles. One of the other roles I play places me equally on the 'outside' of society as my psychedelic experience. Another is a source of 15-year long daily committed spiritual practice. The other 2 are socially validated but regarded as eccentric by most people. Two of my roles earn me money but one of those is in the 'outside' zone (some would say the 'dark' zone). Only a small handful of people in my life know all my 5 aspects. I am also someone's girlfriend but i don't really see that a 'role' and it crosses over into all my other ones [mega lucky me:d :d :d ] Those of you who believe the word shaman means something would no doubt see me as not qualifying a) because I am a woman b) because I don't have enough credence in elves, gods or aliens c) because I am a nerdy intellectual a lot of the time d) because I don't use the term myself. Correct? Sorry to irritate or provoke. Irritation definitely NOT my intention. Provocation perhaps, but not of the non-constructive kind. I enjoy having my assumptions challenged and seeing how others' beliefs map out, often surprisingly. Dialogue is for learning and expanding our horizons, our perceptions of possibility. I feel enriched by this thread, even if i don't agree with everything said in it or 'won over' to anyone else's view. Nor am I hoping others will be won over to mine. I do though feel complexified in my own and inclined to rethink, pose different kinds of questions and refrain from judgement. And that is the effect i hope the dialogue will have on others. I never took my own judgement about the word 'shaman' very seriously, but i also DID want to have a meaningful conversation about its validity. Sometimes provocation is a good way to cut through the bullshit (mine as well) and ensure the pressure is on to say exactly what you mean - and that pressure is especially on the provoker.:oops: One thing dMT really helped me to appreciate is that dichotomies are there to be broken down. They are useful tools...to be played with then discarded, fractured into a thousand pieces and blown to the wind where you can then marvel at the kaleidoscopic patterns they create, duplicating and replicating themselves, exploding and reforming thousands of times over in an endless succession of unfolding webs of meaning. [and here i really notice the lack of smiley face to represent a kind of epiphanous psychedelic wonderment and awe] Shaman, not a shaman, he says he's a shaman, what does that mean to him? does shaman mean anything socially (as opposed to personally)?, can someone be a shaman if they don't believe in the term? does calling yourself a shaman make you one in the sense that it is afterall a kind of identification more than anything? is the term gendered? can someone's cat be a shaman? does the cat care? how old does something need to be before we recognise that is has a tradition behind it? Does 'juvenile' refer to the age of the participants or the childlike aliveness of their enthusiasm? These are the kinds of fun thoughts i have enjoyed from this thread:lol: [/QUOTE]