Right after the earthquake struck Chile this past weekend, I was watching the unfolding news while also checking my email (I'm such the multitasker). News reports were predicting a possible major tsunami headed across the Pacific, potentially hitting Hawaii. Given my skepticism about praying or otherwise affecting the outcome of things like this, I could only watch. That may sound harsh, but--well, that is the nature of life. We may not like it, but we humans are often powerless, especially in the face of nature, whether it takes the form of major storms or some virus taking over our bodies. We like to think it doesn't work that way--but when has it ever been any different? Of course, all our religions and spiritual traditions teach that if you pray just right or dance in a circle or sacrifice the prettiest virgin, then *poof!* all is well!
Shamanic traditions are full of this sort of thing, too. Contrary to what you might think, I don't believe that shaking a bone is going to halt a hurricane any more than praying to Jesus. I'm attracted to shamanism because I think it has wisdom that can help us powerless humans learn to live with things as they are. Instead of resisting snowstorms and hurricanes and illnesses, how can we adapt, learn from these natural occurrences--and survive? I think most of how we interact with the wider world is based on illusion, and I think shamanism can help shatter those illusions. This means, unfortunately, that floods will come, people will get sick and die, earthquakes will rattle our homes and brains--why should it be any different? The expectation that it should be different is what drives our panic, our suffering, and I think if we can let that go, we can live happier lives, for as long as we have them.
But back to my story. So I opened an email message from the man who led the shamanic mystery school I attended recently--and I was truly disappointed. In the message, he asked us to send "shamanic energy" out to stop the tsunami from striking Hawaii. I respect this man on many levels, but I think he's wrong on this. It bothered me for several reasons. First, if it's possible to do this, then we're really no different than Pat Robertson when he talks of moving hurricanes away from a city--or when he says God sent another storm to punish America for homosexuality. Second, there are lots of other little islands out there in the Pacific, most not as prepared as Hawaii would be. Hawaii is one of my teacher's favorite spots, but it would have been more, I don't know, "loving" of him to include the entire Pacific. And besides, even if we could "protect" Hawaii, wouldn't it just deflect the waves to neighboring islands, endangering them even more? I mean, I at least believe that energy has to GO somewhere.
Then, once the threat had passed, another email went out, thanking us all for protecting Hawaii. Seriously? How about an email asking us to send some kind of help to those poor people in Chile? You'd think if shamanism really works in this way, then some kind of sixth sense would have awakened us in the middle of the night--just like dogs often bark before a quake--so that we could all synchronize our energy fields and shut that quake down. But no, that didn't happen. Chile split open. What's the point of preventing a tsunami if you can't stop an 8.8 earthquake? And it's so simple-minded to say, when things go as we hope, "Look, we saved Hawaii!" But what if it had turned out differently? What would we say then?
I'm glad a tsunami didn't inundate Hawaii or Tahitit or the Marquesas or Easter Island--but I think it had more to do with tectonic plates and ocean floors and waves and even the tug of our own moon than a handful of people having nice thoughts. I'd like to believe things like this are possible. It's just that I've never seen it happen. Not as a Christian way back when and not as a shaman now. The problem here, again, is power. I don't believe being a Christian makes you God's favorite, who then works powerful things on your behalf. I don't believe shamanism gives you special powers, either, over nature or people or things. The only power we can ever achieve, regardless of our belief system, is power over ourselves.
When empowered, we can help those injured in the Chilean earthquake rebuild their lives, or we might work together to improve seismic monitoring technology in the Pacific. We might be empowered to improve building codes and construction technology or evacuation procedures. And we might comfort someone who lost a relative or their home, helping them grieve and helping them find closure. We might also help them to remember that all of this is part of life, part of the world we live in--and it's still good. Shaking our fists makes no difference, nor do futile displays of invoking gods, chanting or praying, or beaming thoughts. Yet, this does not fill me with despair. That's what I want--to see the truth, to shatter all the illusions and still be filled with joy. That is freedom. That is spirit. And that makes life worth living no matter what happens to us.
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