The Shamen

Change of plan...first the shamen. Here is some info...

The word shaman comes from the Russian and ultimately Tungusic saman which pervades into Sanskrit as samana ascetic. Shamanism is a form of communication with natural forms of conscious energy which may effect health and disease luck and misfortune and one's state of awareness in relation to natural phenomena usually involving entering a trance like state.

Shamanism is very widespread across human cultures, but has a distinct strong historical tradition sourcing from the Mongol areas from Siberia south. These traditions are very old, and run back into the paleolithic, having a roughly contempraneous emergence with the earliest fertility goddess figurines, and representing the skills of the hunt as seen in caves such as Lascaux. From this Mongol source area shamanistic practice spread west to Eastern Europe, south to Tibet, where Bön shamanism underlies Tibetan Buddhism and ever east and south, down the Americas. The correspondence between shaman and the ascetic in Sanscrit illustrates the deep relationship also between shamanism and Eastern mysticism. However the world over, in ethic tribal societies, shamanistic practices have been commonplace.

Common to shamanistic practice is entering a trance state, which may be induced by repetitious drumming, dance, hardship and deprivation, illness, madness or a variety of plant substances including the hallucinogens. A key aspect of shamanism is that it is a way which embraces a deep relationship with nature. It respects nature and the power of natural vision.

Could write mountains more on this but no time now...will come back to it. This was shot in the studio with live african drumming and subject attempted to enter a trance like state through dance and other means.

Got a variety of responses to this image.....honest constructive feedback more than appreciated. I think the light needs tweaking but have not had time to spend in photoshop yet .......next week I hope. I really like this one.