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10AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE2FALL2014ESSAYManyarecalledbutewwanttochoosemightbethemottooclassicalshamanismwhichinmanyculturesde-mandedarduouseortsbypractitioners-to-be.Tisiswhythecallwasotenresistedusuallywithoutsuccess.Terewaslittlemoneyinthepracticeyouwereoncall247yourpersonalliewasturnedupsidedownyouwereattackedbydarkorcesslimedevenandtenurewasoutothequestionsincethepowercouldleaveyouatanytime.IwouldntwishthislieonanyonesaidmyfrstteacherandnowIunderstandwhy.Butinmanytraditionsithecallwerereusedbadthingscouldensuesuchasinsanitydementiaweaknessterriblelucksicknessandevendeath.1Iyouacceptedthecallyouwerelikelynotallowedeventopracticethecratwithoutalongandarduousapprentice-shiplastinganywhereromsixmonthstotwoyearsandinsomeculturesevenlongerthreeyearsamongtheAsanteandseveralyearsamongtheMongoliansuntiltheninthlevelwasreached.Tetrainingwasacrashcourseinasceticismhighlydisciplinedausteritieswithasacredpurposeotenmeaningcoldnightsintheorestlittleornooodmemorizationohundredsolinesopowersongsandsoon.TowardsaNewNewAgeButdowehavetorepeatthepastIliketoputitthiswayMythreemostimpressiveteachersthosewiththemostjujurepeatedlyemphasizedtheimportanceoatleastonehourostrenuousphysicalexerciseeverydaynoexceptions.JustacoincidenceNotlikely.Accordingtotheclassicalviewtheabilitiesoshamansderiveatleastinpartromtheirarduoustrainingregimen.Butsomeotodaysshamanicpractitionersappeartohavelittleinterestinasceticismandormanyunderstandablereasons.Historicallytheshamanicrenewalthatstartedinthe1960swaspartoalargersuper-movementthatreactedagainstmilitarismandtheexcessesobureaucraticreligionespeciallypuritanicalsexualrepressionwhichinturnosteredaNewAgeaccordingtosomeasel-indulgentone.Asceticismhadlittleplace.Inactoverallmodernculturehasmoreandmoreavoredcomortoverexertion.PhilosophicallytheEnlightenmentthrewoutthespiritualitybabywiththereligiousbathwaterandwithitthrewouttheasceticpracticesthatinormedthatspirituality.Sel-denialhasseemedillogical.otheutilitar-iansandpragmatistsorexamplehowcansueringpossiblybringthegreatesthappinesstothegreatestnumberBiologi-callyasceticismappearstocontradicttheevolutionarysurvivaldrivestoeatdrinkandsleepinwarmshelters.Sociologicallysolitudehasbeensuspectashumansaresupposedtoactlikesocializedcreatures.Economicallyeverylabor-savingdeviceandprogramisseenasprogresswhilethecostsoasedentaryliestylehavebeenignored.Psychologicallyasceticismmightwellbeseenasmasochismorsel-loathing.Buttimesarechangingandwecandetectarenewedrespectortraditionalways.TeNewAgehasbecomeOldAge.Lethalsexuallytransmitteddiseasestheobesityepidemictheprovenvalueomeditationresearchfndingsonthehealthbeneftsovoluntarilyworkingorothersandthelikeareorc-ingareshlookatthehardlie.ShamanicBootCampOld-timebasictrainingorshamanapprenticeswasanordealtowhichtheyweresubjectedoracquiringpowerandwisdomtoservetheirpeople.2IntheJapaneseshugendotraditionorexamplethemostimportantpracticesaremoun-tainausterities.Teshugenjagouptothemountainspracticeausteritiesthencomebackdownwithparanormalabilitiespsiorhelpingtheirpeople.3TeBuryatshamanwillinglysuersinordertoreturntohistruesoul-selandhispurposeorliving.4Tatsthegistoitallsel-denialorthesakeoempoweredandenlightenedservice.OnecaneasilyfndaBigSevensetoausteritiesacrosstheworldandthemillennia.Fastingromoodalcoholandotheringestivepleasuresismostcommon.Tepracticeoinedieliterallynoteatingbutinsteadlivingorawearthenergyhasbeenassociatedwithparanormalabilitiesasseeninthemedi-evalEuropeanholyanorexicmysticsnotanorexianervosabutanorexiamirabilisormiraculousanorexia.5ExtremeShamanicAsceticismAncientPracticesforEnhancingtheCraftByDavidKowalewskiPh.D.