The Shaman Archetype

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The Shaman Interactive NFT

Card Meaning

The Shaman lives in a magical world where he casts his spell on the world. The Shaman has vision and can see the unseen world. 

Shaman Symbols

How does the Shaman See the World?

The Shaman sees the world as a mysterious and frightening place and is controlled by mystical spirit beings that need to be satisfied and pleased. This is the first wave to deal with forces of nature and other beings and the first to foster relationships with family and clan members.

People at this stage seek harmony and communication with the powers of nature, and in an effort to secure safety and blessings for the self and the family. Shamans devise spells, customs, sacred places, and rituals to appeal to the spirit world for their blessings. 

The Shaman experiences a heightened intuition and a mystical sense of cause and effect. Myths, superstitions, legends, and parables become explanations of experiences and carriers for the collective memories of the clan. The line between reality and fantasy, however, is often blurred and Shaman consciousness can therefore confuse fables with fact.  

At their height, Shamans can tap into the collective consciousness, have heightened intuition, and the ability to use the irrational and emotional as instruments to tune into people and situations. She expresses trust in the inner voice and embodies the kind of “passive, receptive principle” that is essential in certain spiritual and magical workings. She senses correlations, comprehends dreams, and has premonitions of developments to come.

Characteristics of The Shaman:

  • Magical
  • Animistic
  • Tribalistic
  • Spirits
  • Sensual
  • Playful
  • Imaginative
  • Family
  • Sacredness
  • Mystery
  • Truth
  • Warmth
  • Belonging
  • Camaraderie 
  • Closeness
  • Love

What are the Shaman’s Values?

Bottom line: Safety via traditions, rituals, and the tribe.

Basic theme: The world is a dangerous and magical place. There is a constant and vague sense of threat and insecurity is ever-present. Anything can happen and to ensure our safety we must band together, listen to our elders and get guidance from the spirits. 

Where seen: Children, Tribe Cultures, Voodoo, etc

What is the Shaman’s Self Identity?

Main focus: Avoid pain and danger, seek pleasure, safety, and release.

Description: Sense of self is tied up with the greater community. Survival depends on the tribe at the expense of individual pursuits. Conformity to customs, tradition, the elders is a natural way of life.

How influences others: The power lies in the elders. Influence comes from visions, insights, talking to the spirits.

Ego Development

At this stage, the Ego has a first-person perspective. The ego focuses on ‘what I want’, ‘what is mine’, and impulsively goes after pleasureful experiences. Other people are simply seen as objects who can gratify their needs, not as people with their own needs. Good people give to me, bad ones don’t.

Magical ideas prevail and a sense of unlimited power exists only curbed by punishment from or withdrawal by those who have more power than you. Punishment is perceived as random or retaliatory. 

Expanded 1st Person Perspective:​

  • Social: Respect the community, elders, 
  • Feelings: Sense of dread and imminent danger
  • Cognition: See the world symbolic and do not yet understand concrete logic, cannot mentally manipulate information, and are unable to take the point of view of other people, which he termed egocentrism.

What are Healthy Expressions of the Shaman?

Peace. Natural. Grounded. Safe. Discrete. Emotional. Creates trust. The relational connection is based on what happened in the past, which gives trust for the future. A very clear and deep understanding about who we are and what needs to be done.

What are Unhealthy Expressions of the Shaman?

Closed. Evasive. Fearful. Conservative. Stick together in close groups and gossip.
Keep everything within the boundaries of the community. The like knows like mentality is outplayed at the cost of the organization or the system. Secure wayside shrines. Continuously creating an in-group and an out-group feeling.

Sources

  • Spiral Dynamics: Stage Purple 
  • Ken Wilber’s AQAL: Stage Magenta
  • Cognitive Development: Symbolic and Pre-Operational
  • Ego Development Stage: Impulsive (2)
  • Kegan: Imperial

Take the Test & Discover your Values

If you haven’t taken our Free Psychometrics test, you can do so below. Upon completion, you will get your Personality Card and Values Card and then be introduced to our community and the Game of Life. 

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