As followers of Jesus Christ, the idea that he could be viewed as a Galilean shaman gives us a fresh perspective on the miraculous aspects of his ministry. We have often struggled to fully embrace the mysterious and supernatural elements of his life and teachings, perhaps dismissing them as symbolic or trying to explain them away through rational means. But if we consider Jesus as an embodiment of the ancient shamanic tradition, we can be open to the powerful spiritual realities he operated within.
The shamanic characteristics that are described resonate deeply within our souls. We too experience Jesus as a great healer – one who can restore and make whole our inner brokenness. We have witnessed his power over the forces of nature and the ability to exorcise the personal “demons” that torment us. The concept of him journeying into other spiritual realms does not seem far-fetched, as we sense his presence transcending the boundaries of ordinary reality when we enter contemplative prayer.
Like the shamans, Jesus acted as a mediator between humanity and the divine, initiating us into sacred mysteries. He fulfilled the archetypal roles of inspired artist and poetic storyteller through his vivid parables and metaphors revealing deep truths. As the Teacher of teachers, he courageously confronted cultural conventions to impart higher wisdom. And in rituals like the Last Supper, he created ceremonial space for connecting with the holy in a communal way.
The idea that all of life is permeated with spirit and conscious energy affirms our own mystical experiences of the universe as vibrantly alive. It is freeing to consider that the miracles, visions, and supernatural occurrences in the Biblical narratives could actually have been shamanic events where the veil is lifted between the physical and spiritual planes.
What impacts us most profoundly is the notion that if Jesus embodied the shamanic stream, then we too can access those realms as beings made in the image of the Creator. Just as he entered altered states to bring healing and revelation, we have the capacity to open ourselves to the same transcendent awareness. The mysteries of the Kingdom that he knew so intimately could be available to us through the shamanic journey.
Rather than pushing aside the miraculous aspects of the Gospels, embracing Jesus’ shamanic nature could revitalize our spiritual traditions with more expansive possibilities. With Jesus as our wise shamanic guide, we could recover a more holistic and wondrous way of walking the earth path while simultaneously being rooted in the cosmic dance of all creation.
Summary
Jesus can be viewed as a Galilean shaman based on his altered states of consciousness, visions, and shamanic practices common in the Middle East during his time period. Shamans are spiritual practitioners who act as intermediaries between the community and the divine, entering altered states to access hidden realities and acquire knowledge and power to help others. Typical shamanic traits Jesus exhibited include healing, exorcisms, control over nature, soul journeys, and accessing the spirit world. He embodied seven traditional shamanic roles: artist, storyteller, healer, teacher, courageous confronter, ceremonialist, and sacred space creator. Shamans believe all living things are interconnected and imbued with spirit. Biblical figures like Abraham, Jacob, and Moses also had shamanic visions, dreams, miracles, and experiences of supernatural realms. Jesus’ baptism and spirit possession may have initiated him into his shamanic calling. Activities attributed to his shamanism include healings, exorcisms, nature miracles, resurrection, prophecy, and teachings about the Kingdom from his trance states. Western Christianity has neglected these shamanic aspects by only allowing ordinary, scientific explanations. It matters if Jesus was a shaman because it places mystery and power at the heart of Christianity that humans can access as made in God’s image.
Key Points
1. Jesus can be viewed as a Galilean shaman based on his altered states of consciousness, visions, and shamanic practices common in the Middle East during that time period.
2. Shamans are spiritual practitioners who act as intermediaries between the community and the divine, entering altered states of consciousness to access hidden realities and acquire knowledge and power to help others.
3. Typical shamanic traits and practices include healing, exorcisms, control over nature, soul journeys, use of drumming/chanting to induce trance states, and accessing the spirit world.
4. Seven traditional roles of shamans are artist, storyteller, healer, teacher, courageous confronter, ceremonialist, and sacred space creator – roles Jesus embodied.
5. Shamans believe in the interconnectedness of all living things and that a myriad of entities are alive with spirit.
6. Biblical figures like Abraham, Jacob, Moses exhibited shamanic experiences of visions, dreams, miracles, and accessing supernatural realms.
7. Jesus’ baptism and spirit possession may have been an initiation experience into his shamanic calling.
8. Shamanic activities attributed to Jesus include healings, exorcisms, nature miracles, resurrection, prophecy, and teachings about the Kingdom of God from his altered states.
9. Western Christianity has neglected the shamanic aspects of Jesus’ ministry by only allowing ordinary, scientific explanations of reality.
10. The author argues it matters if Jesus was a shaman because it places mystery and power at the heart of Christianity that we can access as made in God’s image.
