Comments on: Shamans and Herbalists http://www.singingtotheplants.com/2008/02/shamans-and-herbalists/ A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:33:35 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Chuntaro's Corner http://www.singingtotheplants.com/2008/02/shamans-and-herbalists/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Chuntaro's Corner Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:49:00 +0000 http://www.singingtotheplants.com/2008/02/shamans-and-herbalists/#comment-80 In Central America up to northern Mexico we have various terms like yerbero, huesero, limpador, chupador, they were also called curanderos or doctors. However these people are not healers of the soul and chronic disease. In the Chichimeca and Mexica tradition we made a distinction based in the specialty of the tlamakazkes as well.<br/><br/>Tlamakazke Xipe totec: these people studied plants and what could be seen nowadays as generic medicine. They were great surgeons as well and living encyclopedias of the plants and the human body and its ailments<br/> <br/>Tlamakazke tezcatlipoca: These people studied the deeper levels of disease, especially of the head and soul, not only they cured, they were therapists and psychoanalysts. These would be the people to go on vision quests and would use hikuri and ololiuqui, teonanacatl and toloache. They called them brujos and upon the conquest were the first ones to be exterminated. They were known for tattooing their whole body black. Their face paint made them very unique as well. You did not want to cross their path, they would be able to analyze you in a second, much different creatures that the quetzalcoatls, their opposite tlamakaskes. As part of the ometeotl they worked together and many times they work overlapped<br/> <br/>In various communities in the US I see people that know of plant remedies, are massage therapists or know things such as reiki, calling themselves healers in a way that they also claim to be ceremonial leaders, medicine people or shamans. I am not saying this is not possible, but it is more complex that the ability to being able to take away stress with a good massage or valerian tea. Those skills do not come handy when is time to blow cancer away from a person or when having to consult with spirits. I have nothing against herbalist, body practitioners and even reiki masters, but the role of indigenous ceremonial leader and healer is a hard one to get and once there, it is harder to upkeep. Know your role and contribute as much as you can with it to the health and happiness of your community. In Central America up to northern Mexico we have various terms like yerbero, huesero, limpador, chupador, they were also called curanderos or doctors. However these people are not healers of the soul and chronic disease. In the Chichimeca and Mexica tradition we made a distinction based in the specialty of the tlamakazkes as well.

Tlamakazke Xipe totec: these people studied plants and what could be seen nowadays as generic medicine. They were great surgeons as well and living encyclopedias of the plants and the human body and its ailments

Tlamakazke tezcatlipoca: These people studied the deeper levels of disease, especially of the head and soul, not only they cured, they were therapists and psychoanalysts. These would be the people to go on vision quests and would use hikuri and ololiuqui, teonanacatl and toloache. They called them brujos and upon the conquest were the first ones to be exterminated. They were known for tattooing their whole body black. Their face paint made them very unique as well. You did not want to cross their path, they would be able to analyze you in a second, much different creatures that the quetzalcoatls, their opposite tlamakaskes. As part of the ometeotl they worked together and many times they work overlapped

In various communities in the US I see people that know of plant remedies, are massage therapists or know things such as reiki, calling themselves healers in a way that they also claim to be ceremonial leaders, medicine people or shamans. I am not saying this is not possible, but it is more complex that the ability to being able to take away stress with a good massage or valerian tea. Those skills do not come handy when is time to blow cancer away from a person or when having to consult with spirits. I have nothing against herbalist, body practitioners and even reiki masters, but the role of indigenous ceremonial leader and healer is a hard one to get and once there, it is harder to upkeep. Know your role and contribute as much as you can with it to the health and happiness of your community.

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