An Artist, Photographer, Writer, Poet

Category Archives: Carpe Diem: Trans Siberian Railroad

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both photos from Carpe Diem post# 385

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English Dictionary defines shaman  meaning as “a priest or witch-doctor [sic] 

of (a) class claiming to have sole contact with gods etc.” 

It says the word comes from the Russian “shaman” and is a translation 

of the Tungusion word “saman.” In Siberia and Mongolia, 

shamanism was known as Tengerism, meaning a reverence for sky spirits. 

It reflected an animistic belief system where everything in the natural world

 was alive, permeated by spirit force or, in simple terms, inhabited by spirits.

 

In this lesson we are taught about the world of the shaman, the spirits,

reason for the rituals, the yurt, shaman’s beliefs and more.

Shamans can also fly through the air when they spirit travel, either by shape

shifting into the form of birds (such as geese) or by riding on the back of 

a flying deer, horse or some other large animal

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starry night guides

eagles on winged prayers

drums beat ~ moon beams lead

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Siberian Shaman from Carpe Diem post.  The term ‘shaman’ originated in Siberia.

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The story continues:

Where we are on a rock not so far from the shore to experience a shaman ritual.
It doesn’t really matter if the shaman is a male or a female,
 because they sure have the same powers,
maybe the female shamans have even stronger powers than the male ones,
but that’s not the point here.

The shaman is lighting a fire in a hollow dug in the ground

to protect the flames from the wind that continues to blow.
He places a kind of drum next to the fire and opens a bottle containing some unfamiliar liquid.
….The shaman starts beating on the drum gradually getting faster and faster.
The wind is getting stronger…..
The flames dance wildly about,
but do not go out.
The drumming grows more furios.
The shaman is trying to make his heart keep time
with the beating of his hand on the leather skin,
the bottom part of the drum being left open to let in the spirits.
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fire blazes ~ wind blows  
bare feet meet with Mother Earth
Shaman’s Black Dragon*
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another lifetime past
paths crossed in the light of stars
drum beats hearts beating
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drums to all souls hearts
hearts beat together as one
river flows before all
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*   The Chinese name for this river, Heilong Jiang, 

means Black Dragon River in English, 
and its Mongolian name, Khar mörön , means Black River.
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(c) 2013 Saradunn by the shore of Somesville Sound

As we read on in “Aleph” we read that Paulo and Yao

are visiting a Shaman who can talk with the wife of Yao, 

who past away several years ago, 

and by whom Yao was in an earlier stage of his life. 

Hilal 

has asked if she could go with them, 

but 

the tradition of the shamans doesn’t allow women at their rituals 

so Hilal has to stay alone accompanied by a few other women. 

 

Yao says to her: 

‘You cannot go with us, but stay here on the shore of the lake. 

You will be part of the ritual … 

just open your mind and you will feel if you were really there’

Hilal accepts that she cannot go and stays on the shore.

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Past traditions hold
women support the lonely
feeling the unknown
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Men’s rituals
women only imagine
seeing the unknown 
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rites back in the day 
women unworthy to share 
alone together

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 (c) 2013 Saradunn by the shore of Somesville Sound

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(c) Saradunn 2014

I receive your love and I give you mine.

Not the love of a man for a woman,

not the love of a father  for a child,

not the love of God for His creatures,

but a love with no name and no explanation,

like a river that cannot explain

why it follows a particular course,

but simply flows onwards.

A love that asks for nothing

and gives nothing in return,

it is simply there. […]

(Source: “Aleph” by Paulo Coelho)

From todays lesson on the TSR arriving in  Chita.

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My thought turns to the word “Agape” for love

and I wrote in response:

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Everlasting love
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river with no name but yours
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loving kindness love

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