Shamanism and nature worship Nature worship . There are two very distinct belief systems which stem from the worship of nature ; Druidism and Shamanism . While different in their effectuation , both belief systems share with each other their most basic concepts of animism , ancestor worship , and spirit guidance . Though both druid ism and shaman ism seem to be separated by a very fine line , the means by which they reach their ends can be classified in a fairly straightforward manner . Druids worship the spirits through plants , animals , and the fundamental spirit of the wilds . Conversely , shamans worship the spirits through the four fundamental elements of earth , fire , wind , and water . This essential spark of life is looked upon as a divine force , one more fundamental than the Holy Light worshiped by the Humans . The Orc s , Tauren , Night Elves , Trolls , and Draenei commune with the spirit world in search of knowledge , guidance , and power . Though these races do not discount the humans ' study and worship of the Light , they maintain the Light is merely the emergent characteristic of the interconnectivity of the spirit world , not a single person ' s connection with the universe . The belief that the paladin is a direct agent of the Light is a dismissal of the concept that each shaman is but a mere conduit through which the powers of the spirits flow . Truly , in their rush to embrace the Light , the humans missed the very point of its existence . Druidism . The druids live a very spiritual life : firstly acknowledging and honoring each spirit as an individual life ; secondly honoring the goddess Elune ( known to the Tauren as Mu ' sha ) , the only true deity on Azeroth . The druids seek guidance — or interference — from the spirits , asking the small spirits for small tasks and entreating Elune or one of the other wise and powerful spirits of the forests for more significant tasks . They see their forests as havens for living spirits , and as such are bound to defend them . It has become the highest priority for the Druid ' s Cenarion Circle to heal the corruption of their precious forests caused by the demonic and undead invasion of the Third War . As the spirits have served them for thousands of years , the druids seek to give back to the spirits by healing the very living woods . This close proximity to nature imbues the druid directly with the power of the spirits , allowing them to harness the power of nature , and assume the form of the animals they worship . Because of this direct power infusion , the druids can be seen as the purer parent of the humans ' paladin . Unlike the traditional paladin , however , druids still view themselves as servants of the divine , rather than agents . Shamanism . The shaman however , do not worship plant life and nature as the druids do . Instead , they honor the spirits of their own ancestors and the elemental forces . The shaman are not themselves imbued with the ascendency of the spirits , rather they harness it through ceremonial totems . They carve these totems to represent the spirits and animals from which they draw power , and it is within these totems that the true potency of a shaman lies . Tauren Tauren knows their own lineage - some spanning more than ten generations - and has been able to recite it since they were a calf . By learning the great tales of their ancestry , the Tauren will connect to one or two of their forefathers with whom they identify . Their lives therefore , become homages to their ancestors , and all through their life , the living Tauren will seek guidance from and serve in the name of the spirit of that forbearer and the Earth Mother . Orc Orcs have less dedication to their lineage , and focus more on the raw elements for their power . This can be attributed to the severing of the shamanistic line on Draenor in favor of foul demonic magic . The Burning Legion lured them from the powers of nature , and forced them into an ethnic cleansing against the Draenei . This action so upset the spirits of Oshu ' gun , that they severed their connections with the Orcs , stripping them of their shamanistic powers . Now , having recently shaken off their demonic yoke , the Orcs have engaged in a process of rediscovering their old traditions under the guidance of their Warchief Thrall and the Tauren race . The Orcs have traded dark unions for vision quests , summoning rituals with prayer , and defiled citadels for sweat lodges . Troll Much like the rebirth in Orcish culture , the Darkspear Tribe has found a savior in Thrall and the practices of shamanism . The old ways of voodoo hexes , cannibalism , and non - animal sacrifice are being replaced by a more divine set of beliefs . No longer do these trolls feast upon the corpses of their fallen as the undead do . However , they do still practice voodoo and they taught Hex to their allies . They have brought out a different elemental totem , as well as teaching Orcs and Tauren more about restoration and regeneration . They are finding , under the guidance of the older shamanistic races , more civilized ways to appease their bloodthirsty ancestry . As the Orcs found guidance towards the divine from the Tauren , so now do the Trolls find their path through the Orcs . Shamanistic magic . " The following conversations are from " Lord of the Clans " , written by Christie Golden , copyright 2001 by Blizzard Entertainment . " Conversation between Thrall and Grom Hellscream . < poem > Thrall : Isn ' t magic magic ? Grom : Yes and no . Sometimes the effect is the same . For instance , if a shaman was to summon lightning to strike his foes , they would be burned to death . If a warlock was to summon hell ' s flames against an enemy , they would be burned to death . Thrall : So magic is magic . Grom : But lightning is a natural phenomenon . You call it by requesting it . With hell ' s fire , you make a bargain . It costs a little of yourself . Thrall : But you said that the shamans were disappearing . Doesn ' t that mean that the warlock ' s way was better ? Grom : The warlock ' s way was quicker , more effective , or so it seemed . But there comes a time when a price must be paid , and sometimes , it is dear indeed . < / poem > " This price can be seen in spells like Hellfire and Life Tap which provide a benefit to the Warlock at a cost . " See the Lethargy of the Orcs for the chronicle of the price paid by Orcs for embracing demonic powers . Conversation between Thrall and Drek ' Thar . DREK ' THAR : The wolves are not tamed , not as you might understand the word . They have come to be our friends because I invited them . It is a part of being a shaman . We have a bond with the things of the natural world , and strive always to work in harmony with them . Warlocks would term them spells , but we shamans simply term them calls . We ask , the powers we work with answer . Or not , as they will . I can call the snows , and wind , and lightning . The trees may bend to me when I ask . The rivers may flow where I ask them to . THRALL : If your power is so great , then why do you continue to live in such a harsh place ? If what you are saying is true , you could turn this barren mountaintop into a lush garden . Food would never be difficult to come by , your enemies would never find you — DREK ' THAR ( angrily ) : And I would violate the primary agreement with the elements , and nothing of nature would ever respond to me again ! Do you understand nothing ? Have the humans sunk their greedy talons in you so deeply that you cannot see what lies at the heart of a shaman ' s power ? I am granted these things because I " ask " , with respect in my heart , and I am willing to offer something in return . I request only the barest needs for myself and my people . At times , I ask great things , but only when the cause is good and just and wholesome . In return , I thank these powers , knowing they are borrowed only , never bought . They come to me because they choose to , not because I demand it ! These are not slaves , Thrall . They are powerful entities who come of their own free will , who are companions in my magic , not my servants . Pagh ! You will never understand . Thrall ' s Monologue from Rise of the Horde . THRALL : I am one of the second wave of shaman , just as I am the leader of the second , and I pray better and wiser incarnation of the Horde . I have spoken with the elements and spirits , and I have felt them working in harmony with me many times , and refusing their aid almost as often . But I have never seen the spirits of the ancestors , not even in my dreams ; my soul yearns for such a connection . Until very recently , those who once walked the path of the shaman did not even dream of being able to walk it again , and yet they do . Perhaps one day the barriers between us and the beloved dead , too , will be lifted . Perhaps . " In Thrall ' s case , the appeal of such an ability is obvious : he would be able to meet his parents , Durotan and Draka and other relatives , such as his other three grandparents . " Shamanistic philosophy . " Everything that is , is alive " All shamans gain their power from the Elemental Spirits , so most shamanic philosophy is the same no matter which race practices it . Access to the power of the shaman is borrowed , rather than taken . Unlike the rigid disciplines of the Holy Light which bends the power of the Light to its user through spells , shaman practitioners refer to the act of using their magic as " calls " , not spells . The power imparted by the elements to the shaman has a wide berth , and encompasses many forces . A shaman can diagnose and cure ailments , harness the power of the elements to defeat their opponents , and enhance the natural power of themselves and other . And these abilities are but a mere fraction of the ability of a shaman . By traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with the spirits , shaman have gained access to divination , dream interpretation , astral projection , control over the weather , and a near innumerable list of abilities . Shamanism is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by the invisible force of spirits that affect the living in a very strong and meaningful way . Shamanism can therefore be seen as the practical application of the concepts of animism through specialized knowledge and abilities . Shamanism is not , however , organized into full - time rituals or spiritual association as priests are . There exists a very distinct chasm between a Priest " serving " the Earthmother , and a Shaman " of " the Earthmother . The Spirits . The shamans call upon the Elements in their magic . There are five elements , or " Spirits " : Earth , Air , Fire , Water and the Wilds . At their simplest , the elements may cause an earthquake , summon a storm , conjure fire or finding water . As their most complex , the elements " are " the very world we live in . The Spirit of the Wilds is the most complex and least understood of the elements . This element is tied to life and the living things that grow when the other four elements are in harmony . The Wilds is rarely used by shaman , and lies more in the domain of the druid . It is invoked by the shaman only during the ritual of Ancestral Spirit , a call so powerful it can rewind the mortal coil , bringing life to the dead , and binding the spirit of a being back into their corporeal shell .