Shamanism

The ability to **perceive, contact, and bargain or control the spiritual world**. Variation of Faith Magic. Pure version of Spiritualism. Users of this power are known as *Shamans*.

## Also Called

* Shamanic Magic
* The Clever Craft (Norse mythology)
* Seiðr (pronounced say-ther) (Norse mythology)
* Spá (Norse mythology)
* Galdr (Norse mythology)

## Capabilities

User can perceive, contact, and bargain or control the spiritual world through shamanism.

Even before going into what a shaman *is* and *does*, one has to understand shamanistic worldview, which is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by invisible forces and/or spirits which affect the lives of the living, the elements and nature in general. Thus everything/anything either has or has potential to gain awareness and/or consciousness. Secondly, there are several levels of existence, worlds of the mortals being one of them. Others include the Underworld, where the dead go, and the Upperworld, where great spirits/gods live.

A shaman is someone who has both ability and training/knowledge to both perceive the spirits and their effects *and* how to contact and manipulate them, either by bargaining, tricking, or forcing them to abide by the shaman's will. Thus the users main ability is how to contact the spirits and how to send their spirits outside to roam the world or enter other levels of existence. By manipulating the spirit-world, shamans can direct the spirits use of their abilities and powers for their behalf in a vast variety of ways. In fact, there isn't much that a skilled shaman with patience and right contacts in the spirit world can't do, as long as they are willing to pay the price.

## Applications

* Sending spirit out:
	+ Astral Projection/Clairvoyance
	+ Psychic Navigation

* Sensing the spirits and their effects:
	+ Astral Vision
	+ Aura Reading
	+ Clairvoyance
	+ Danger Intuition
	+ Death Sense
	+ Ecological Empathy
	+ Power Detection
	+ Supernatural Detection

* Spirit manipulation includes:
	+ Ancestral Evocation
	+ Astral Manipulation
	+ Astral Trapping
	+ Banishment
	+ Contract Bestowal
	+ Contract Nullification
	+ Guidance
	+ Magical Energy Absorption
	+ Mediumship
	+ Possession
	+ Totemism
	+ Summoning

Spirits themselves have vast variety of abilities, but some of the more common include:

* Healing
* Intuitive Aptitude
* Nature Manipulation
* Precognition/Retrocognition

Some may be able to:

* Ley Line Manipulation
* Power Activation
* Power Bestowal
* Power Erasure

## Variations

* Black Shamanism
* Dreamtime Manipulation
* Phantasm Manipulation

## Associations

* Magic
	+ Druidic Magic
	+ Mysticism
	+ Onmyōdō
	+ Spirit Magic
	+ Voodoo
* Spiritualism

## Limitations

* Magic Negation/Magic Destruction
* Requires training to master.
* Spirits vary in power, area of control and abilities, finding the right one may be difficult.
* Must be careful with a spirits, who range from friendly to indifferent to aggressive to enemies.
* Has to somehow get the spirits do their bidding:
	+ Bargaining demands equal exchange.
	+ Tricking may get what you want but the spirits might decide to trick you back... or simply grant your wish in an inconvenient way.
	+ Forcing *will* give you an enemy.

## Real-World Knowledge

The knowledge of shamanism dates back as far as ancient times and every culture as a version of the practice. Even today, It is a well-known practice of guidance and development for Neo-Pagans.