Shamanism

Rather than begin with telling of my lessons, I would like to bring forth some of my opinions and ideas that may improve the course. First, I believe that the length of the course should be included in the on-line description along with the mention of a final exam. Also, 20 weeks seems like a long time for this discourse. It may be more beneficial to send the entire course in the form of a booklet and when the individual feels they have had sufficient time to study and grasp the material, then they can notify you and you can administer the essay requirements prior to issuing the certificate of completion. I found that a week between lessons was too long a period for myself to retain information from one class to another. And I found many, many typographical and grammatical errors in the courses.  Now with that off my chest I would remark that it came as a great surprise the vast information you supplied in regards to Shaman. Regrettably, I was of the incorrect mind set that Shamanism was solely Native American based. I was equally surprised to find that Shamanism was not restricted to just males but rather originated from females. I found it truly remarkable to learn that Shaman exist in almost all countries. I also learned that there were different types of Shaman such as Shaman healers, Shaman, and medicine men and that they are all different but could also be the same. I certainly never expected to learn that Egyptians and Greeks has Shaman. In all honesty, when I enrolled in this course I was attempting to learn more about Native American Shamanism. I think that a more detailed course should be created along this area of study. I also would like to see more detail of the actual ceremonies performed and the purpose behind each. It was, however, interesting to learn of the different meaning and purposes of the robes and masks and drums that Shaman utilize. I still have questions as to whether a Shaman is someone who has learned the trade, inherited the tradition or was simply born into it. I am curious as to whether Shamanism can, in fact, be learned and applied in today's modern society. So although the course was extremely interesting and informative, there are still many questions that I personally would like to have resolved. I also realize that this may never happen in totality. Rev. Alan Kelly ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar