My Great Endeavors : September 2023

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Tengrim

Introduction

It is a Central Asian religion with a rich history. This is the native religion Turkish, Mongol, and Yeniseian. It has its own creation story, deities, beliefs, rituals, ethics, sacred animals, and holidays. Practitioners knows about the about the 3 world of shamanism. There are 2 types of shamans in this religion. How's it doing in modern times?

Definition

This religion is very shamanic and the practitioners are animists. It is a mixture of various folk religions of Central Asia. Ancestral veneration is very important in this religion. They know humans are part of nature and we should be in harmony with the universe. Humanity is sustained by heaven, earth, ancestral spirits, and deities.

Deities

Kok Tengri: He is the "Eternal Blue Sky." He is the supreme being.

Umay: Mother goddess that "protects and educates babies." She can separate a soul from a corpse.

Erklig: He is the god of space and causes planets to move. He has a soft spot 4 Venus.

Ineshsit: She is the goddess of childbirth and labor.

Erlik: He is the god of death and he rules the underworld.

Yel Ana: She is the Hungarian goddess of the wind.

Kuara: God of thunder and son of Tengri.

Od iyesi: She is the goddess of fire and marriage.

Ay Ata: His name means "Grandfather Moon God." He is married to Gun Ana.

Gun Ana: Her name means Sun Mother. "The goddess of life and fertility, warmth and health."

Mergen: He is the god of wisdom, abundance and archery.

Ak Ana: She is the water goddess and Umay older sister, maybe.

Kyzaghan: He is a war god and the Huns were big on him.

Zarlik: She is the goddess of tights, justice and judgement. She is similar to Maat.

There are many other deities, but this will suffice.

Shamans

Sum people are called to be shamans and it usually runs in the family. They help people have a betta understanding of the spiritual world. Their responsibilities are as follows: healing, divination and helping solve disputes people have with spirits. There are 2 types of shaman in this religion. They are as follows: white shaman and the black shaman. White shamans deal with calm spirits and heal people. Black shamans deal with aggressive spirits. They protect and empower warriors in battle.

Beliefs

Tengri is the supreme being, he caused the universe to come into existence. Ancestral spirits bless their descendants, because they venerate them. They are the link between humans and the divine. There are 3 worlds: upper, middle, and lower worlds. You would find this same belief in shamanism. The Tree of Life connects all 3 worlds. That reminds me of the world tree in Norse mythology. It's connected to 9 realms. Humans have 3 souls, which corresponds to the 3 worlds. Humans should always respect nature, 4 we are apart of it. Righteous people go to Ucmag by flying there or being taken there. It's like heaven in Christian theology. Evil people go to Tamag, which is like hell.

Rituals

The people that follow this religion pray to Tengri. They do it as a way of saying thank you and 4 help. Offerings are given to the various deities. Those offerings are as follows: food, incense, drink, etc.

Ritual Bath: This cleanses the individual of negative energy.

Fire Ceremonies: This purifies the environment, turn away negative energy and 'invite blessings from spirits.'

Smoke Cleansing: It cleanses the atmosphere and bring prayers to heaven.

There are ceremonies 4 birth, adulthood, marriage, and death.

Ethics

Humans are to respect nature and protect animals. All things are interconnected. People should be honest and neva try 2 deceive each other. We should all take time to betta understand each other and always be kind. We should be concerned about each other, and be able to put ourselves into someone's else shoes. Everyone is responsible 4 their own actions. People should give 2 those in need. Every person as inherent value, so they should be treat with the utmost respect!!!

Scared Animals

White Horse: It symbolizes the human soul.

Wolf: It represents loyalty, strength and courage.

Bear: It represents healing, protection, wisdom, and divine femininity.

Holidays

Navrus: This is the spring equinox; it's a new years celebration. They eat, dance and sing during this holiday 4 the return of the sun and Tengri blessings.

Tengri Ayt: This is the summer solstice. People play games and thank the sun.

Tamga: This is the fall equinox. People thank the spirits 4 harvest and give them offerings.

History

This religion started in the Bronze Age, which is ova 3,000 year ago!!! It is very shamanic and it incorporates animism. That's the belief everything has a spirit. Women has always played a major role in in this religion. Sum of them were shamans and they had a important role in ceremonies. This religion promoted gender equality. Mongols and Turks spread this religion as they they migrated across Asia. It has several similarities 2 Indo-European religions; they may have a common origin. Tengrism was the religion of the first Turkic empire. Gokturk was the name of that empire. This was the religion of the Huns, Magyars, and Bulgars. They brought with them 2 Europe, then they became Christians. The Uyghur empire was the 2nd Central Asian empire that embraced Tengrism. They mixed Zoroastrian, Buddhist, and Mani beliefs into it. Genghis Khan was a "devote follower" of this religion. The rulers of these empires saw themselves as sons of Tengri, which remind me of the mandate of heaven in China. Even when Central Asians became Christian and Muslim they still had on to Tengrist beliefs and rituals. The Soviets suppressed it, but it still lingered.

Present Day

Tengrism became popular again after the Soviet Union collapsed. Central Asians wanted to follow that old time religion, so they did. They liked that it promoted "ecological sustainability." Scholars began to research this religion; which encouraged people to practice it. Temples and scared sites that was in disarray were restored.

People

This is the the religion of Mongols, Turks, and Yeniseian people. Even though they follow the same religion, their beliefs are somewhat different. Mongols believe in 99 spirits, while the Turks believe in 17. Yeniseians were apart of the Huns centuries ago and they are related to some American Indian tribes. @ one time the Mongols had the biggest empire in the world!!!! Sum Turks became Islamic and tookova Byzantine!!!!

Conclusion

Tengrism is a Central Asian religion that was created b4 the bible. It is the folk religion of Mongols, Turks and Yeniseians. It has many deities and shamans play a huge role in it. They believe everything has a spirit and they share some of the same beliefs of Indo-Europeans. There are rituals, a code of conduct, sacred animals and 3 major holidays. Turks and Mongols spread the religion when they became imperial. It is still being practiced today!

References

wikipedia.org

https://slife.org/tengrism/

https://spiritualgrowthguide.com/tengri-shamanism/

https://defencehub.live/threads/tengrism-and-ancient-turkic-mythology-symbols.2758/

Tengrism: Embracing the Sky and Earth: A Comprehensive Guide to an Ancient Spiritual Tradition

duckduckgo.com

Monday, September 4, 2023

Curanderismo

Introduction

This is a form of shamanism that is practiced in Latin America. There are different modes of healing and types of healers. Herbs are used heavily in this practice. It has its own nosology and a very rich history. You can learn this traditionally or take classes. Certain countries are poppin with Curanderismo.

Definition

This is a mixture of (native) American, African, Catholic, Unani, and Jewish healing practices. Allopathic medicine as been incorporated into it later on. Females that do this form of shamanism are called curanderas & males that do it are called curaderos. They can heal your mind, body and spirit. This form of medicine is holistic and diverse. It deals with the whole person, not just the disease. Different practitioners have different methods of healing.

Modes of Healing

There are forms of healing that are physical, mental, or spiritual. Physical healing consist of rituals. Mental healing comes from psychic powers. Spiritual healing is mediumship and/or astral projection. Each curandera/o specializes in @ least one of these areas.

Physical Rituals

Baby Healing: They can be given a massage and oil can be used. I thought of this years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Platica: This is a 'heart 2 heart' conversation. The patient tell the curandero/a their issues. This is done b4 any rituals. It is similar to talk therapy.

Limpia: It is a spiritual cleansing; it removes negative energy. There are many different ways of doing it. Some people use cleansing herbs, rum and call upon ancestral spirits of the patient. Sum even use the energy of the stars!!!!! After you receive this you will be happier.

Incense Burning: There are different incense burners, which symbolize different ideas. They ask permission from the 4 directions b4 they light the incense. Fire has transformative properties. "It nurtures us, warms us, reinvents us, forges 'us', and destroys us." This ritual harmonizes and cleanses the body. They send positive energy to the patient. The incense is moved upward from the feet of the patient, while they blow it on them.

Temazcal: It represents the womb of our mother and the womb of Mother Earth. This is a sweatlodge; it's very therapeutic. B4 entering the sweatlodge a ceremony is done @ the altar. They ask permission from the 4 directions, heaven and earth. They used rattles when they create sacred space. I did something similar in shamanic healing class. While in the sweatlodge the participants sing, hit themselves with herbs and yell to get negative energy out. After it ova the participants drink water charged with positive energy. A baby can be blessed in the temazcal. The Mayans created this form of healing and taught to the Aztec.

Ventosas: This is fire cupping.

Feather Healing: They are used to get negative energy out the aura. They are also used in conjunction with incense.

Tonalli: It is a cleansing; it gets negative energy out of someone. It involves massaging different parts of the body. They rub out the knots in the patients body. The knots are energy blockages.

Juice Therapy: Various fruits & vegetables can cure the body of illness. Grapefruit and Papaya juice is good 4 the digestive system. Papaya juice is also good 4 you lymphatic and circulatory systems as well. Pineapple, celery parsley, and hibiscus flower are great 4 your kidneys. You can mix them together or drink them separately.

Geotherapy: It involves the use of Earth (dirt, sand, clay) 2 heal. The patient can be buried in the Earth to get rid of fever. There's a certain kinds of clay that is antibiotic and it makes the body more open to healing energies. It can also pull toxins out of the body.

Risaterapia: This is laugh therapy. They breath, relax and do different movements and laughs. It will help the patient relief stress throughout their body; which lessen the chance of them getting a disease. It is also a pain reliever.

Hidroterapia: This is water healing, commonly called hydrotherapy. You put herb in hot water and inhale the fumes. You can make a herbal tea as well and/or take a herbal bath. A herb can be used as a warm compress.

Sound Therapy: Spirits of the directions are used to heal in this modality. The practitioner get permission from your ancestors to heal you. Colyer conch shell is used; it represents the east. The east is protected by Quetzalcoatl. He's the god of transformation and gnosis. He communicates through the shell and helps the patient harmonize there life. Black Obsidian represents the north. It helps us understand the emotions that is causing us sickness. The north is protected by Tezcatilpoca. He shows us are true enemy, which is ourselves.

Music Therapy: It can help many people heal. "The drum is the heartbeat of Mother Earth." Rattles are used and some of them sound like rain. Flutes have a strong sound and can take you to another dimension. Some of them sound like birds. Sum sounds soothes and others awakens. Singing someone name helps them heal. In certain ceremonies drums are used to bring down the spirits. Sometimes people dance, which also attracts spirits. In sum rituals the 4 directions and 4 elements (earth, water, air, fire) are used. The elements represent physical reality and certain ideas. Illness can be sent back to wherever it came from.

Healing of the Elderly: Fire cupping is good 4 them and they are given dietary advice.

Mental Healing

This is talk therapy, it is psychology. The curandera/o give the patient advice on their reasoning, emotions and/or behavior. They help the patient improve their life. Talk therapy is very effective in helping people betta themselves.

Spiritual Healing

Meditation: Helps them get in touch with spirits and/or make healing energy stronger.

Visualization: They can visualize the patient being healing by energy.

Concentration: They can focus on the disease dissipating.

Trance: The practitioner shuts the conscious mind down so they can get possessed by a spirit. Then the spirit will heal the patient through curandera/o.

Astral Projection: They go in the spirit world and get the cure 4 the disease.

Types of Healers

Partera: These are midwives, they help mothers in labor and childbirth. They also help newborn babies.

Conejero/a: They help patients by listening 2 their problems and giving them advice.

Hierbero: These are herbalists, they use many different herbs to heal their patients.

Sobadoro/a: They are something like massage therapists.

Huesero: They manipulate bones like an chiropractor and osteopaths. They also have similarities to a physical therapist too. They can help you if you have joint problems.

Acupuntarista/o: They put needles in certain parts of the body for energy flow. This practice helps people heal faster and relive or alleviate sum disorders.

Senor/Senoras: They are tarot card readers and they use other methods to divine as well.

Espiritualista: They are mediums that may be able to astral project.

Herbs

You should connect to the plant b4 using it. You do this by talking to it. You can make teas, tinctures, oils, and baths with these herbs. Herbal smoke can cure or relieve disorders too.

Tobacco: It is a portal 2 the spirit world. It helps get negative energy out of the body. The juice helps get rid of rashes and wounds. The smoke is a road opener and it protects.

Calendula: It helps get rid of inflammation. Sum people use it in massage oil. You can rub on your belly, so you can see your shadow.

Dandelion: This is good against breast cancer. It can used in massage oil and it cleans the lymphatic system.

Mullein: It's improves the thyroid, lungs and menopause.

Sweetgrass: It is good 4 smudging, attracting positivity, and protection.

Watermelon: It is good @ cleansing and improving the root chakra. If you drink it for 7 days it will cleanse your whole body.

Yerba mate: It's good for the colon, stomach and throat.

Pin Pitch: They get it from a desert pine tree. It helps get rid of rashes, wounds and infections.

Silk Tassel: It's good 4 all kinds of cramps.

Aloe Vera: It's good 4 constipation and skin disorders.

Chili Pepper: Improves the digestive and circulatory system.

Rosemary: Improves the mind, liver, skin and hair.

Ginkgo Bilbao and Gotu Kola helps the brain get more oxygen. Basil can help you sleep if you have insomnia.

Nosology

Practitioners have discovered different diseases and ways of healing it. Fear can hurt the kidneys and anger can hurt the liver. Sum of the diseases correspond to illnesses in allopathic medicine. That's amazing people knew about mental problems for millennia!!!!!!! There is much to learn from this form of shamanism.

Susto: It is a traumatic experience that may cause soul lose and PTSD. Music healing and limpias are effective in getting rid of this.

Mel De Ojo: This is the evil eye, which is caused by someone looking @ you menacingly. A limpia may be able to get rid of this too.

Melarchico: This is depression, which could weaken your immune system. Risaterapia and seeing a conejero/a will help alleviate that.

Billis: This is surpassed anger, which is bad 4 the heart. A herbal bath can get rid of anger, also you write a poem when you are angry. That's a positive to express that powerful emotion.

Empacho: This is a intestinal obstruction. Juice Therapy and Mayan Abdominal massage can get rid of that.

Mal Aire: That means bad air, which is cold air or switching from cold to warm air to quickly. Negative energy can be transmitted through the air. This illness can lead to death! This illness can be cured by certain herbs and incense burning.

Mollera Caida: This is a fallen fontanel. This illness affects infants. You can get rid of it with Juice and Hydrotherapy.

Maleficio: These are curses, which could ruin your life! Hidroterapia and sound therapy could knock that right out.

Student

The traditional way of learning Curanderismo is to be mentored by a curandera/o. If you are unable to do that. You can take a in-person and/or online class. There are many of them. Coursera.org has 4 of them. Some colleges in southwest U.S. offer classes as well.

Poppin

It practiced all ova Latin America, but it's most popular in Mexico. Many people practice it in southwest U.S. as well. You can also find it in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, and Honduras. Curanderismo is very diverse, so it is done differently in every country.

Conclusion

Curanderismo is a form of shamanism popular in Latin America. It has 3 different modes of healing and various types of healers. There many magical and medicinal herbs used in healing people. It has its own nosology, sum of which agrees with modern medicine. There 3 main ways of learning it and you can find it in Mexico, Central & South America.