Shamanism is the oldest recorded spiritual practise found in cultures all over the world, including my own (Chinese Taiwanese). Through entering into a non-rational mind space via a number of tools such as altered breath, ecstatic dance, chanting, rattling and drumming, and the consumption of specific plants (in my case, non-entheogenic plants), the practitioner can tap into a reality (and set of brainwaves) that is broader than the mundane and access the Unseen and the Otherwordly to receive beneficial messages and then deliver them to those asking for help.
In my own practise, which I have mostly called shamanism or core shamanism (cross cultural shamanism) for simplicity, it’s more than this practise alone. Wu or Wuism (巫) also embodies divination, ancestral reverence and necromancy (connecting with the dead), magick and ritual, and working with plants (as physical medicine and also in spell work). In Wu practises, all the modalities I listed are part of the wholeness of a wu puo or witch.
On the daily or weekly:
I speak with humans and non-humans (including animal spirits, plant spirits, ancestors and others who have passed on, and nature elements such as Water or the Wind).
I drink medicines, Tea (Camellia sinensis) one of the most ancient and revered medicines of China and other non-entheogenic herbs that support my wellbeing but also so I can channel their wisdom and archetypal wisdom. When I write, I am most frequently channeling Tea’s messages. It is a remarkable collaborative process that cannot be understood via the rational / intellectual mind; rather, it’s about accessing the Life Force that exists in all that exists and letting this force take me places where I need to go.
I spirit travel (called journeying) to visit the Unseen. I bring back messages for those around me and for clients.
I invite my ancestors to cook and dine with me.
When I have questions that are better suited to use divinatory tools such as the I Ching, I consult with.
I make potions. On the surface, they are called skincare and aura care, but they really are potions: made of healing and magickal plants designed to help us in our personal healing.
I honour my menses. In fact, my calendar revolves around my menses, even when I am not in my bleeding days. My menses (Yueh Jing) is literally the Moon’s Power translated from Mandarin.
I listen to my dreams and my children’s dreams. We have a morning practise during practise when we go around and share and ask each other what we learned. My children’s dreams are teachers I am constantly learning from. They hold such important insights and feedback on how I am parenting and I adjust accordingly, as best as I can.
These are just some of the components in my practice. I share all this because there is nuance and diversity in the spectrum of cores shamanism as a practice, and it varies from culture to culture. My hopes is by reading this, you can get a glimpse of my life, my practice, and my work.
In appreciation,
Mimi XO
founder, spirit communicator + shamanic intuitive
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