Human appearances for divine beings instead of power animals?

[agorman]

I'm nowadays in a sui generis Christianity, but sometimes I feel I'm being guided by God/Great Spirit to Shamanism. Maybe because my Christianity has so many differences with the traditional one, that it's almost no Christianity!

But I end up always feeling uncomfortable praying/talking to animals. I prefer human appearances. Do shamans also call spirits with human shapes?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'm nowadays in a sui generis Christianity, but sometimes I feel I'm being guided by God/Great Spirit to Shamanism. Maybe because my Christianity has so many differences with the traditional one, that it's almost no Christianity!

But I end up always feeling uncomfortable praying/talking to animals. I prefer human appearances. Do shamans also call spirits with human shapes?

I can't speak for shamans, as I'm not one. But as an animist, and one who believes that shamans are one of the many roles a person can take on in interacting with the other-than-human persons in the environment, I would say that shamans do sometimes call spirits with human shapes...indeed, in many animistic and shamanistic traditions, it's believed that when humans and other species "take off their skins" to interact with each other in the Dream/Otherworlds, they are all of the same appearance underneath. Not that they always do this, by the way...

To my understanding, animism and shamanism is about entering into relationships with the other-than-human persons who also exist in the world. If you're called to a path along these lines, you will have to learn to understand them as fellow persons and not as animals, necessarily.

 

[David T]

I can't speak for shamans, as I'm not one. But as an animist, and one who believes that shamans are one of the many roles a person can take on in interacting with the other-than-human persons in the environment, I would say that shamans do sometimes call spirits with human shapes...indeed, in many animistic and shamanistic traditions, it's believed that when humans and other species "take off their skins" to interact with each other in the Dream/Otherworlds, they are all of the same appearance underneath. Not that they always do this, by the way...

To my understanding, animism and shamanism is about entering into relationships with the other-than-human persons who also exist in the world. If you're called to a path along these lines, you will have to learn to understand them as fellow persons and not as animals, necessarily.

What does belief have to do with animism??? I have zero clue how that even coexists!!! It's like anti animism and animism coexisting in a single cranium bizarre. Like I am chopping on an apple and I should spit the apple out but the apple helps me know I should spit it out? I have zero understamding of how belief has anything to do with animism At all In any form what so ever except if you are a normal who defaults to intellect. I believe, I donT believe, I am agnostic. Nature alive or extinction that's it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

What does belief have to do with animism??? I have zero clue how that even coexists!!! It's like anti animism and animism coexisting in a single cranium bizarre. Like I am chopping on an apple and I should spit the apple out but the apple helps me know I should spit it out? I have zero understamding of how belief has anything to do with animism At all In any form what so ever except if you are a normal who defaults to intellect. I believe, I donT believe, I am agnostic. Nature alive or extinction that's it.

You're welcome to have whatever beliefs and limitations on animism that you have. Sorry you can't wrap your head around what I've written. Not everyone experiences everything the same way. No worries!

 

[David T]

You're welcome to have whatever beliefs and limitations on animism that you have. Sorry you can't wrap your head around what I've written. Not everyone experiences everything the same way. No worries!

It is RF ridiculous forum EXACTLY.

 

[sojourner]

Spirit guides are spirit guides. The form in which each may appear to you is metaphoric and is taken to help you in some way. I generally equate spirit guides (whether in animal or human form) with angels — messengers and guides sent from Spirit.