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6AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE1SPRING2014WeWesternersliveinaworldofcontinualandunrelentingdistraction.Ourdaysbeginwiththenewspapersinthemorningourworkworldduringthedayandtelevisionotherentertain-mentsortheinternetintheevenings.Inadditionthereareourself-promotingschemesandoureverchanginglifestylesrepletewithfamiliesandfriendsrestaurantsandfilmsandvariousculturalandendlesssportingeventsallofwhicharepartofthemulti-leveledtemplateofdistractionthatwecalllife.Accordinglythroughoutourdaysandournightsourmindsarenevereverstill.Theinternalchatterinourheadscon-tinuestosurgethiswayandthatdealingwithourproblemsandourfearsandourwidely-flungnetworksofrelationshipswitheveryoneeverywhere.InresponsetoallofthisweWesternersworry...andweworryalot.TheIndigenousWorldThisbringsmetoconsideraquitedifferentstateofbeingonethattheindigenouspeoplesoftheworldknowwellastatethatfewintheWesternworldrememberalthoughasImakethisstatementIhavetoacknowl-edgethatthoseworthieswhohaveameditationoryogapracticewillknowexactlywhatImtalkingabout.AmongsomeoftheAustralianAboriginalpeoplesthisstateofbeingisknownasdadirriatermthatliterallytranslatesintoEnglishasdeeplistening.SomeinformationaboutthisisincludedinHYPERLINKhttpwww.sharedwisdom.comproductawakening-spirit-worldAwakeningtotheSpiritWorldbySandraIngermanandHankWesselman2010.SeveralyearsagoIreceivedanemailfromsomeunknownsoulanunexpectedmissivethatincludedthewordsofanAus-tralianAboriginaleldernamedMiriamRoseUngunmerr-Bau-mann.IhadneverheardofherbeforebutasIreadthroughherbriefstatementIrealizedthathernarrativewasfilledwithpowerinitssimplicityanddirectness.MiriamRosesmessageisclearlyforallofusandsoIsharesomeofitwithyouhereenhancedbysomeadditionalinformationaboutAboriginalthought.ForstartersMiriamRosedefinestheabilitycalleddadirriasaspecialqualitythatallowseachofustomakecontactwithadeepspringthatlieswithinus.Toconnectwiththatspringrequiresthatweachieveastateofquietstillawareness.ItissimilartowhatweWesternerscallcontemplationormeditation.Sha-manicpractitionersknowitwell.DadirriForthetraditionalAboriginalsMiriamRoseproclaimsthatthiscontemplativefocuspermeatestheirentirewayoflifetheirwholebeingthatdadirricontinuallyrenewsthemonadaytodaybasisbringingthempeacecreatingharmonywherethereisdisharmonyproducingbalancewherethereisimbalancerestoringhealthwherethereisillness.TherearenogreathiddentruthsherenosecretknowledgehiddenawayforcenturieswaitingforabunchofNewAgecharismaticswithPowerPointpresentationstorediscoverthemexcavatethemandwriteabookaboutthemproclaimingthemasthesolutiontoallourproblemspersonalandcollective.ThiswomansmessageconveysasimpleandunmistakabletruththatthepracticeofdadirrimakestheAboriginalsfeelwholeagain.Shesharesthattheycannotlivegoodandusefullivesunlesstheypracticedadirriandthattheylearnedhowtodothisfromtheirancestors.AsaWesternanthropologistwhohasdoneconsiderabletimeintheindigenousworldIcanappreciatethistraditionalwomanswords.DuringmyyearsspentamongthetribalpeoplesofAfricaoneofthethingsthatIlearnedisthattheyarenotthreatenedbysilence.Tothecontrarytheyarecompletelyathomeinit.Theirtraditionalwayshavetaughtthemhowtobestillandhowtolistentothesilence.Accordinglytheydonottrytohurrythingsup.Rathertheyallowthemtofollowtheirnaturalcoursesliketheseasons...andtheywait.SotheAboriginalwomansmessagefromAustraliaconveysafamiliarmessageaswellasanextraordinaryclaimthatthoseAboriginalsstilllivingintheirtraditionallifewaysdontworry...thattheyneverworry.Theyknowthatinthepracticeofdadirrithedeeplisteningandquietstillnessofthesoulthatallwayswillbemadecleartothemintime.SHAMANICPRACTICEAustralianAboriginalWisdomByHankWesselmanPhD.