Baba Yaga, Shamanism, and Emergence

As more of our social systems break down, and the world makes less sense with each passing day, the era of the shaman is once again upon us.

Each of us is a collection of interconnected systems, situated inside a web of connections with every other living thing, remaking itself into ever complex wholes in every moment. And again now. And now. And now.

Some shamanic practices have made their way into mainstream culture, such as ayahuasca ceremonies, breathwork, and meditation. In these chaotic times, we can all learn something from these.

The shamanic view values the sacredness of all life and sees a spiritual interconnectedness between all living things.

Historically, this role of abyss gazing, of peering over the edge of the unknown and bringing something useful back, was held by shamans. To our ancestors, who relied on this knowledge for their survival, the shamans played an essential role in society.

When the unknown starts to overshadow the known, we are forced to abandon our habituated ways of thinking and doing things, and look to new ways. If we don’t, we risk descending into chaos, authoritarianims, or worse - extinction.

Emergence comes to the forefront of our minds when things are in flux.
This is where our ancestors were after the end of the last Ice Age, and this where we are now.

Emergence is happening all the time. The interconnectedness of all things is constantly producing strange phenomena. Life is always recreating itself into new wholes that do all sorts of unusual things.