Weather Shamanism

Weather is a primary tool of Creation. Weather makes and remakes our world. An expression and force of Nature, weather creates, nurtures, shapes - and reconfigures - the Earth. We are all touched by the weather as it continually affects our physiological and emotional well-being. We relate to weather through every moment of our lives on this beautiful planet.

Our ancestors managed to thrive for tens of thousands of years, without the use of modern technology, by adapting to a wide variety of environments and climatic changes. The key to their success was an intelligent, aware, respectful, and resourceful relationship with Nature. They knew that the rocks, animals, plants, waters, fires, rains, winds, storms, and clouds were as alive as ourselves. Unlike most of us in our culture today, the ancestors were supported and strengthened by a world-view that saw the truth of a spiritual reality. They understood that we were all in this world together, in a great circle dance, each holding a place in the grand scheme of things.

The world-view of a spirited and responsive reality served both the old ones and Earth well. When they fell out of balance with life, there was still a healthy environment to support them. However, the vitality of the environment has degraded in the past few hundred years to the point where it is questionable whether or not we have much leeway left in our balancing acts.

Historical records and traditional teachings of indigenous peoples today show us that for the majority of our existence, we recognized and related to the weather as a "family" of elemental spirits who respond to human thoughts, emotions, and acts. Knowing this, some of our elders felt a genuine desire to develop and maintain good relationships with these powerful forces of Nature.

During those earlier times people practiced community ceremonies to honor the weather. Certain individuals felt inspired to relate more intensively with the elements of weather and dedicated their lives to this calling. These were the weather shamans.

Weather shamans held the responsibility of working with the elements on behalf of their communities. Through intense dedication to their calling, some of those practicing weather shamanism are said to have demonstrated unusual - and even miraculous - powers. These individuals were recognized for their abilities to call in rain, or to stop rain, and to work with wind and storm.

The alliances of weather shamans with the forces of Nature and weather did not automatically insure their emotional maturity, nor did their prowess protect the individual or the community from a potentially damaging fascination with Power. It was not unheard of for weather shamans to enter into contests demonstrating their abilities to influence weather. There were also those who used their influence with the elements to harm their enemies. On the other hand, appropriate demonstrations of a weather shaman's good relationships with the spiritual forces of earth and atmosphere helped the people have confidence in their shaman's abilities.

Like weather shamanism, weatherdancing, a path of compassion, is based upon a spiritual collaboration that supports the balance and vitality of our world. It is an intentional alliance with the spirit world that humans can seek and are capable of creating - something that we can offer to the living Earth and those of her realms - as we aim to enlist the help, the willingness of the helping spirits to enter into an active relationship with us.

Weatherdancing is weather shamanism at its best. Its core is an ethical alliance between humans and the spiritual forces of Nature and her weathers. As a spiritual path and practice dedicated to healing our world and our hearts, weatherdancing requires respectful interactions between humans and all our relations. There is no room for personal gain. There is no intended harm to others. This is neither a path nor a relationship of "power-over." It is never about controlling the weather. Weatherdancing is about the right use of power. As such it is a collaboration with compassionate beings on behalf of all life on Earth.

Shamans are healers and we can begin by healing our relationships with Nature. Perhaps you, too, will hear the calling to revive an ancestral shamanic tradition, and together, through the practice of weather shamanism, we can tap into the incredible potential that awaits us all for creating and restoring balance and well-being to our lives and planet. As weather shamans we can harmonize our connections with the elements - bridging earth and sky for love of the world.