Kuksu Shamans

In our presernt culture, labeling some practise or person as shamanistic serves to diminish.  In fact we are taught to simply dismiss it all.

What we now know to be true is that the other side is physically real as is our serious difficulty in communicating with the other side.  It is the New World without so much as a caraval.

Shamans world wide work toward some form of direct communication usually through cooperative ancestral spirits.  As this is all physucally real and a living attachment also exists, it is certainly an excellent place to start.

It is also true that this body of knowledge was shared world wide by captives, slaves et al forever.  We shared other knowledge this way.

The future of all spiritual practise is communion with cooperative spirits, particularly Earth Angels

The Kuksu Shamans of Northern California

Shamanism is a practice that spans across many cultures of the world.

Shamanistic practices can be found in Siberia, Native American tribes, Africa and even aboriginal tribes in Australia.

Shamanism involves a practitioner reaching an altered state of consciousness through a variety of methods such as meditation, sweating or drumming.

This allows the Shaman to access other dimensions where they can encounter spirits and ask them for guidance, assistance, etc.

Shamans have many skills associated with their practices which are essential for bridging the gap between reality and other dimensions.

Shamans must be able to effectively communicate with animals, plants, rocks and other natural elements.

Shamans draw power from these different aspects of nature and then apply them to their Shamanic practice.

Shamans must also have expertise in herbal medicine, shamanic rituals, dance and music.

Shaman are integral members of the community because they are the only ones who can communicate with divine forces and interpret their messages.

Shamanism itself is a complex concept which involves connecting with spirits.

Because Shamanism has links to animism there is no division between nature and spirits.

Shamanistic societies often venerate animal spirits, their ancestors and guardians.

The Shaman draws power from these spirits when they are in a trance inducing state.

Shamans are typically well respected members of the community that serve as intercessors between the spiritual world, natural elements and human society.

Shamans are not just religious figures. The Shaman's primary role is as healer and guide.

Shamanism is not just about seeing spirits. The Shaman's role is to guide and interpret messages from these spirits.

For example, Kuksu is a Californian Native America Shamanistic cult which was prevalent from approximately 1500-1850 AD.

The Kuksu religion was practiced by Central Valley Yokuts and had its roots in Maidu Native American culture.

The origin of the Kuksu society are not completely known but archaeology studies have suggested that it had been in existence since at least 2,000 BC.

Kuksu Shamanism plays a major role in Kuksu culture.

Kuksu Shamans were collectively respected for their ability to mediate between the world of humans and the spirit realm.

The practice of the Kuksu religion included very elaborate rituals and ceremonies which were performed just like magical rituals on certain days at certain times throughout the year.

The Shamanic practices included elaborate narrative ceremonial dances with specific magical regalia known as fetishes.

The men of the tribe practiced these rituals to ensure good health, bountiful harvests, hunts, fertility, and good weather.

Kuksu religion was practiced by men who assumed important ritual roles as mediums between human society and the world of the supernatural.

Ceremonies included an annual mourning ceremony, rites of passage, and intervention with the spirit world.

Kuksu were personified as Red beaked supernatural beings that lived in a sweat house at the southern end of the world according to their mythology.

The role of the red beaked supernatural being fell to the medicine man and he dressed in this manner when attending to the sick.

Shamanistic belief systems are alive and well in some cultures.

Shamanistic societies are still present throughout Asia, Africa and South America but they have been reduced to small minorities.

The Kuksu society never died but parts of its belief system merged into other religions such as Christianity.

Only the Shamans themselves seemingly survived, and this is how we still have enough knowledge about their rituals and ceremonies and shamanistic practices to this day which live on in the indigenous American tribal communities.

Shamanism is reviving in the United States as through the Core Shamanism work of James Harner and others, as well as through various Shamanic influenced religious movements such as the Native American Church (NAC) and the Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC).