Native American Medicine and Spiritual Healing Essay

Throughout time, mankind has persistently been seeking ways to maintain their health and to cure those that had not been so fortunate in that task. Just about everything has been experimented with as a cure for some type of illness; whether physical, spiritual or mental. There has always been evidence of spiritual healing and it will continue to be an important part of any healing process, large or small. In particular the roots of Native American Medicine men (often a woman in some cultures) may be traced back to ancient times referred to as Shaman. A special type of healer used by the Indians is referred to as a medicine man (comes from the French word medecin, meaning doctor). Shaman are known in many cultures, but are†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, In view of that, becoming a medicine man is a sanctified responsibility. Above all there are four key fundamentals for becoming a medicine man; a mediator between the people and the Great Spirit, comprehend that human life is sacred, a man of integrity that is always truthful, forbearance with his anger, intelligent in communication and methodical. To enter in to this sacred profession he prepares himself by fasting, prayer and isolation. Many times this is referred to as a â€Å"Vision Quest.† Subsequently, by dreaming or hallucinations, he discovers his guardian spirit which bestows upon him the mystic power to do his might works. North American Indian tribes require him to serve an apprenticeship studying under an older man. He will (Minor 228-29) For example medicine men interact with nature; they talk with animals and plants. This is accomplished however by an altered state of consciousness. Talking with plants, they gain knowledge of them and how to develop reme dies. It is not essential to have knowledge of plants, but normally they have a great comprehension of plants. On the other hand Inuit and Yupik angakok (shamans) work with other things because they of the restricted supply of plants. Which brings us to a very important issue: everything is available in the Dreamtime to the shaman, all that has been known and can be know. To explain it isShow MoreRelatedNative American Religion : Medicine And Spiritual Healing1694 Words   |  7 PagesErika Lenis-Abril REL-337 5/10/2015 Native American Religion: Medicine and Spiritual Healing Native American traditional medicine and spiritual healing rituals go back for thousands of years, these traditions often focus on different variations of alternative medicine. This knowledge is passed on throughout generations, many of the tribes learn that by mixing natural plants such as herbs and roots they can make remedies with healing properties. 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