Wu Shamanism: Just a Rumination
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- The two branches of Wu when we say Wu shamanism:
1. Wu shamanistic-historical Traditions
2. Wu shu
"能以舞降神者為巫"
Néng yǐ wǔ jiàng shén zhě wéi wū
-- That is the proverbial axiom defining what the 巫 (wu) is.
-- Translation: The one who can use dance (or ritual) to placate the spirits is called the 巫 (wu).
Pre-order my forthcoming book, I Ching, The Oracle (North Atlantic Books, September 26, 2023): www.amazon.com...
Word List for Reference:
Li Zehou (1930-2021) 李澤厚
Wu shu 巫術
Xian gu 仙姑
Wu puo 巫婆
Shen han 神漢
Shen puo 神婆
Shen tong 神童
Yang Shao 仰韶
Zhunti Pusa 準提菩薩
Marici 摩利支天
Matsu 媽祖
Xi Wang Mu (Queen Mother of the West) 西王母
Jiu Tian Xuan Nu (Lady of the Nine Heavens) 九天玄女
Eight Forms of Wu Shu 巫術:
1. Incantations and ritual sacrifices
2. Petitions to gods or spirits for divine justice [original: hexes & curses]
3. Divination; the ability to interpret signs and omens
4. Warding off evil and curing spiritual sickness
5. Exorcism, soul retrieval rituals
6. Fu talismans and spell-crafting
7. Metaphysical uses of herbs [original: poison magic 蠱道]
8. Mediumship; ability to communicate and negotiate with spirit entities
I didn't cover this in the video chat, but another way that Forms of Shu are characterized is as the Five Mystical Arts 五術:
1. Spiritual Cultivation 仙學
2. Divinatory Arts 卜筮
3. Study of Appearances (ex. face reading, palmistry) 相學
4. Study of Fate (ex. astrology) 命學
5. Study of Healing Arts 醫學
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I'd also like to signal boost David Shi's Spirit Voices published earlier this year by Weiser Books.
If this is a topic that interests you, you'll love Spirit Voices. It covers North Asian traditions and legacies of shamanism, with a focus on Mongolic and Tungusic practices. Shi himself is of Manchu ancestry (one of the 56 ethnic groups of China). #aapiheritagemonth
a.co/d/9q6xipe
#aapimpact #aapivoice #asianamerican
This explains a lot.
My vajrayana practice has awakened my wu powers. It is a deep comfort to know my art has been a fundament to the cradle of chinese culture.
I am also recognising my indigeneity as an ethnic wu; my tongue, art, food, dynasty are all wu; my bones and my blood and my ears are my teachers. I listen to the voice of my ancestors through my inner universe. Through my mother 觀世音，i hear the sounds of the world.
Thank you.
It just goes to show that the only constant is change. Language and culture are alive, and they change. History is the thing that doesn't change, but boy, do we like to change how we interpret it.
hah. well said
White magic is the same thing as prayer, that some can carry a tune such the cosmos will dance with them, where others lack the soul for this kind of thing is as real as some getting high IQ test results where other do not; That we focus upon IQ and not the more holistic forms of intelligence, and that this can not be discuss as being such in areas of philosophy and science within academia, is I think, symptomatic of linguistic and cultural regression, in the Occident.
I've recently discovered the importance of wu in this philosophy, in the Chinese tradition, how it kind of relates to OM in the indian schools of thought, and am tickled now every time that I hear some one in English, dismissing any logic that exists outside some rather strict notions of rationalism, as being 'woo', this really is quite funny, I can at least now give an explanation as to what wu is, and highlight its philosophical importance!
Once Again Dear SiMu you have shared such precious wisdom🙏🙏🙏👍🏼👍🏼❤️☯️🕉️☸️-Just a thought. Maybe in the future, some info on Chinese Hakka “Wu”?
I've been searching for a while to learn more about Wu Shamanism. I've spent years trying to decode Chinese esoteric concepts while not speaking or reading Chinese. I follow other western authors who claim lineages and am involved in a westernized ceremonial Daoist esotericism community but most of us are lost. Although the nice thing is, quite a few Chinese and Taiwanese have joined us on our journey so as a white guy with .02% Chinese (yes, my DNA test literally found that hahaha) I am able to slowly unravel my passion and I suppose ancient heritage.
I struggle with the western concept of boxing religious philosophies. In particular, my struggle with Daoism, Chinese Folk Religion and Buddhism is the sort of conflict regarding Samsara (presumably). If the consciousness reincarnates into many lifetimes, what ancestors could hear us from the spirit realm? Do they share the consciousness? Does it sort of imprint and move on to other lives while a soul remains collecting lifetime after lifetime but also running on its own sentience?
I also appreciate your mention of the divine feminine sort of figures. I worked with Juntian Xuannu for some time before I found you, although we seem to have paused for a time. I discovered Guan Yin and Amitabha through Pure Land practice and curiosity after losing my younger brother. I was about to attempt a ritual to send money to the afterlife but failed because of my living situation, where can I burn joss money? I live in an apartment that doesn't allow smoking and has a 15 ft from the building burn restriction in the fire code.
Anyway, yeah so then I dived into Buddhism, especially Mahayana head first and then stumbled on Tara. So now I am planning to set up an altar and will try to perform some rituals working with Tara.
What a journey, but yeah Wu is where it all starts, the OG sorcerers of Chinese history, the ones who had all of the truly ancient secrets.
That's a really good mic so you must have something wrong with your audio programs. Way too compressed it sounds like a 2008 RUclips recording.
Yeah I have no idea why my audio is so bad. I use a now defunct version of Windows MovieMaker to edit my videos. Not sure if that's partially to blame.
Wow this is so interesting and important knowledge for me to know as a first-generation Chinese American! I am planning on becoming an Eastern-oriented mental health therapist and understanding the origins of Indigenous esoteric practices is super grounding for me. Thank you for sharing this knowledge with us all Benebell!
We are both shamans. I respect you and you respect me. That is real shamanism.
Just a rumination ? It's magick to my ears ! Perhaps I should say Wu Shamanism to my ears... ? My silly comments (no need to read them) are mere offerings to the gods of algorythms in favour of your channel and my way to say, once again, thank you ! 🙂
It's been SO interesting to watch this as someone who is not Chinese and not interested in these topics as a spiritual practitioner, but someone with a deep interest in understanding the nuances of the various, differing, yet at-times interweaving faiths that existed across the landscape of China across the millennia. When I see 巫 my first thought definitely was 九歌 and the first sections of Chu Ci in general-- and, I reckon the terminology would be different, since I don't think it would be the word they'd use in Shang dynasty, but the kind of "shamans" whose task would be to bridge and communicate with the realm beyond. I forgot where this rough paraphrase of a quote is from, but something about how the world was actually a chaotic mess prior to the separation of the mortal/physical realm and the metaphysical realm, because the lack of separation meant that no "respect" for the deities and ancestors *needed* to exist-- communicating with them is as simple as giving a holler, so to speak, and that anyone, their mom, and their dog could do it. And that only after the realms were separated was order established, because then only "special people" (ie. holding power, given how closely political and religious powers were intertwined during Shang-Zhou and arguably beyond/across the vast majority of cultures) could communicate with deities and ancestors. The idea that separation between the base and the exalted as what is cosmologically "proper" fascinates me.
Thanks to that, 巫 to me always held a sense of "political" power in a way 仙 doesn't-- wu makes me think of gatekeepers. Not in the sense that they stop you from being able to access the realm beyond; more like... They're the post office workers and if they won't deliver your package, you're out of luck. Meanwhile, xian feels more distantly related to political power (perhaps because a lot of early practices of this tradition involves removing yourself from society?) and, in a way, can be seen as "purer". Of course in reality things are more complex than that, but that's just my thoughts as someone with a small (big) obsession with early Chinese religions in particular.
Looking for Buddhist equivalents of Wu Goddesses - yes that sounds plausible but that's also perhapes missing how Vajrayana in it's original Indic form is already putting more emphasis on feminie deities than standard monastic Mahayana. Of course the earlier Chinese Vajrayana lineages were arguably less on the female side that the later 11th+ century Sarma tantric schools that went directly into Tibet exclusively and would have only come to the attention to the Chinese elites of later non-Han dynasties.
I know many cultures civilizations philosophies religions and beliefs. after more than 30 years of searching for knowledge. Taoism is the philosophy that I recognize as the most remarkable truth among the truths in the world.
Definitely going to follow this Chinese occultism rabbit hole. Very interesting.
We can communicate with animals as wushu practicerners ;Tiger, Metal tiger ; Para psychology paranormal science ? What am I writing and why , one: Sorcery, magic Mysticism is returning to the Earth...... The Heaven is at odds with Mankind, all Nations.
☯☯🦇👻
Poison magic... does this include drugs to induce a trance ?
Hey there, wu shamanism runs in my family especially the great to great great grandparents lines, as well as my aunt I believe. I've been on a trek to find more practice in it to be closer to those roots with the things I've dabbled and practiced over the years and return to original roots. Where can I find or practice more information and practice into wu shamanism. I've been on this hunt for some years. Being in Texas and even in communities here, it is kinda shunned if not rarely spoke of and no goes near it besides few traditional things and superstitions. I would love hook up and learn more and get deeper with it.
What is the difference between wu shu and fang shi?
I have mentioned this " lost in translation thing to many people when it comes to languages and older( generational) and other cultural ways of thought, its complicated, some languages dont have words that we use in English so they translate to a meaning that is close to it ,but Chinese ( I dont know the languages but want to learn) even just same word slight tone difference can mean something much different ,when I was trying to learn it I cant remember what I said or was trying to say ,but I was speaking to a person very fluent in Chinese I think it was Mandarin, she smiled almost laughed and said oh you mean this speaking he same word with a slight higher pitch then she told me what I was actually saying which at that point I stopped learning and only say things like thank you (she she) because I am not around many people that speak the languages for me to learn, now that my long winded explanation is ove,es words used can mean different things
an example for the first part of this vid I thought that you were saying Wu ( WOO)Shu ( SHOO) which is martial arts.
I would love to check out and possible learn Chinese shamanism I have read a few books but at that time I dont think I fully understood them .
I do know that shen is spirit ( loosely translated ) I leaned that years back when I started practicing Tai Chi and Chi Gong.
I like the shaman Hiah Park from Korea.
Great video, thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing and teaching me from Shelly N.
This was a really fascinating talk. I wasn't familiar with the history of the term and appreciate you sharing the information.
Also, I think the near obsession with the labels themselves is causing a lot of the concepts behind them to be misinterpreted or completely lost. I'm not certain if it's a general western thing or primarily a US thing, but I definitely noticed it too and was glad that you mentioned it.
@@josephe.5792 No, I owe you an apology. I thought that you were the same person I had come across bullying others in some of these esoteric spaces. My reply was an effort to keep the person preoccupied with me so they wouldn't start targeting others on this channel. It was vile enough that I had reported the person for harrassment after the last exchange I witnessed. I hope YT have since booted them, but I don't know what became of it.
So, I do apologize for my initial reply and will delete it. I should have taken a better look at your username. I would have realized that the back part was quite different if I had.
@@kityac9810 No worries at all. I hope this person gets what's coming to them!
Groogle says 仙姑 means fairy.
Thanks for all the work you do
Aw shucks, Vocatus. Thank you!! 😍❤️
Thanks! Just read your advertisement post. Here's a small donation. Hopefully it won't cause you greif!🙏🙏
Love that the family carry the talismans you crafted. Very touching thanks for sharing.
💖 Edit: Love the talisman story. 😭
Love your new hairdo ❤
Super interesting 💫💫
Interesting🍀😊🍀🌳
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge so freely. Im curious if the word poison is a direct translation or is there more nuance from the Chinese word to the English word?
this was very interesting
I look forward to your book on the I Ching-though I imagine it'll be a while before I pick it up as I just got a copy of your Holistic Tarot and your Spirit Keeper deck recently. So I'd like to get through them, alongside my other readings (focused more on story-writing). Though admittedly I find myself recently more intrigued by the I Ching, both because I'm realizing the extent it has influence other aspects-as well as its historical reach.
At any rate, I appreciate your unique voice and the efforts you've placed into your words and work. I look forward to working with them myself. Thank you and best wishes & fortune--always.