Shamanism - (from Evenk - shaman, Saman - excited, frenzied person) - an early, pagan form of religion. She absorbed the religious and philosophical ideas of the people of the Stone Age, among which the main one is the deification of the forces of nature and deceased ancestors (mainly shamans). Buryat shamanism (polytheism) is genetically related to Central Asian shamanism; it is a product of a complex historical process, in which various Turkic, Mongol-Oirat, Tungus and other ethnic elements took part. In the shamanism of the Buryats and the Turkic peoples of Siberia, there are similarities not only in basic elements, but also in details. The annexation of Buryatia to Russia in the middle of the 17th century is a turning point in the history of Buryat shamanism. During this period, shamanism in Buryatia, as it were, "spun off" from the Central Asian shamanism and develops in accordance with the new historical destinies of the Buryat tribes, acquiring its own special form and content.
Buryat shamanism has developed a whole system of emotionally rich ceremonies and ritual actions that can have a huge impact on the psyche of a believer. Shamans skillfully used the power of aesthetic and verbal influence - the beauty of nature, images of gods and spirits, appeals to them, darkness or semi-light, incense, prayers, singing, poetry, music, shamanic attributes and more. This was most vividly and effectively combined in a kind of dramatic performance - rituals.
shamanka.jpg Only among the Buryats, several thousand (or tens of thousands) people gathered for prayers, where, under the leadership of one or several shamans, collective sacrifices were made to tribal or national spirits-deities (ezhins). This phenomenon was not observed among any people of Siberia, therefore the traditional shamanism of the Buryats is a unique phenomenon of spiritual culture. Since the Buryat people formed near Lake Baikal, local geographic objects played a major role in its formation. The actions of the heroes of myths and legends, the deities of the shamanic pantheon, ideas about the universe are associated with Lake Baikal, the Selenga, Angara, Irkut rivers, the Eastern Sayan and Khamar-Daban ranges, the Barguzin and Tunkinskaya valleys, the Olkhon island and other places.
Shamanists, unlike Christians, Buddhists or Muslims, did not have specially built buildings for the administration of services. Public and collective prayers were held in the open air, at the top or at the foot of the mountains, on the banks of a river or lake, at a spring, an extraordinary rock or tree, at the burial place of a shaman. A complex system of rituals was developed in shamanism, each ritual had its own special purpose, and was carried out in a specific place for this. Places of sacrifices were permanent and, being revered, belonged to the shrines of the ulus, clan, department, a whole tribe and people. On the territory subject to the ulus-clan community, the department had its own list of cult places (from two or three to one and a half dozen), each of them had its own ezhin owner. Some places of worship were widely known and served as centers of a kind of pilgrimage for especially important oaths. These places included the rock at the source of the Angara, the top of Mount Baitag, the Bukhanoyon rock in the Tunkinskaya valley, the Shishkinsky rocks on the Lena, the Baragkhan mountain in the Barguzin valley, the Burin-Khan mountain in Dzhida, the shaman grove near the Taras ulus in the Ida department and a huge number of others. places. 
The pantheon of shamanic deities is built in a hierarchical order, headed by the supreme deity Huhe Munhe Tengri (Eternal Blue Sky). The formed shamanistic views and rituals did not supplant the earlier layer of beliefs (hunting magic, the cult of fertility, the cult of fire, cults of the sun and moon, totemism, the doctrine of the five elements). Blacksmiths occupied a special place in the cult system. As in other pagan religions, shamanism has developed its own ideas about the afterlife, which is considered a continuation of earthly life in the other world. Closely related to these ideas are the ideas of the soul and life force (hulde). In the practice of shamanism, a number of specific concepts have arisen that make up its vocabulary.
Shamanism played a huge role in the life of the Buryat tribes before the arrival of Buddhism and Christianity. With their arrival, he was almost ousted from the public life of Cisbaikalia and Transbaikalia, which was facilitated by the secular authorities. At the same time, many elements of shamanism were assimilated into Buddhism, in addition, the phenomenon of double-godhood and tritheism arose, which persisted until the second half of the 1980s, when Buryat shamanism began to revive again. Currently, there is a manifestation of both "pure" shamanism (in Tunka, Baikal-Kudar, Barguzin) and mixed with Buddhism (in all other regions). Believers increasingly began to send their spiritual needs, not only attending datsans, or inviting Buddhist lamas home, but also to turn to shamans and fortune-tellers. The practice of initiating young people into shamans is being restored. Various compatriot groups arrange their own tailagans. All-Buryat and territorial tribal tailagans took place on Olkhon, in Ulan-Ude. The All-Buryat Association of Shamans was established in Buryatia.
The revival of shamanism is, on the one hand, a return to archaic religion, on the other hand, it is an expression of the desire to renew life, to creativity, to freedom, a return to the bosom of nature. Modern shamanism is not associated with the old mysticism and unaccountable fear. For a number of functional properties, in particular, healing, psychoenergetic, moral, it serves as a positive factor for many people, its role in the unity of certain groups is becoming more and more significant.
Buryat shamanism, along with Buddhism, arouses great interest among visitors to the republic. Visiting shamanic places, attendance at shamanic rituals is included in tourist programs, and this gives tourists an opportunity to get a deeper and more complete understanding of the history and culture of Buryatia.
Shaman initiation stages
In order for the complex system of Buryat shamanism to function, people who were professionally engaged in cult activities were needed. They were shamans who still amaze with their psychic abilities and other "miracles".
According to archeology, the first professional shamans, religious beliefs and rituals appeared in the Neolithic era. There is another point of view that they appeared even earlier, and the first among them were women-shamans who were obliged to watch the fire and perform "domestic" cults.
Shamans and shamans as mediators between believers, on the one hand, and supernatural forces, on the other, were considered the chosen ones of heaven or God. The first and indispensable condition for becoming a shaman was the presence of "udha" - shamanic origin or root. Several types of udha were distinguished: on the paternal side, on the maternal side, neryer udha, darkhan (blacksmith) udha, etc.
The most preferable was the origin on the father's side, and then on the mother's side. But it is impossible to become a shaman at will. Spirits came to the elect themselves, not obeying anyone's will. Confirmation of "chosenness" was any distinctive mark on the body - tengerin temdeg (divine mark): an unusual spot on the skin, forked fingers, odd behavior. It was believed that a true shaman had to have an extra bone and that only people whose souls learned shamanic writing in the next world could become good shamans. Shamanic roots were divided into "white" and "black". Formally, it was believed that shamans of "white" origin serve the light, kind deities, shamans of the "black" root - black, evil.
The Buryat shaman is one of the brightest and universal exponents of the culture of his people. All those attributes that shamans possessed are part of the material culture of the people, and many of them are directly related to their spiritual culture and art. Their functions were diverse: the performance of rituals, magic, fortune telling, treatment of the sick, fortune telling, poetic creativity, performing artistic roles, knowledge of genealogy, rituals and traditions, knowledge and performance of works of oral folk art - uligers, myths, legends, legends, proverbs, etc. sayings in the role of a storyteller, rhapsode, singer, knowledge and control of the observance of customary law, training of fellow tribesmen, their instruction, development of ideology. Often shamans performed the functions of guiding a clan or tribe.
Shamanism has its own hierarchy. As his gift develops, the shaman undergoes a number of degrees of professional growth until he reaches the highest, ninth degree of initiation, which is called "saarin". The word "zaarin" means a complex of concepts directly related to the shamanic function of the medium. Its meaning can be interpreted in the European tradition as "the transition from the particular to the absolute", or in philosophical terminology - "transcendence". One of the Buryat shamans, who was at the same time the abbot of the Buddhist datsan, said that "zaarin" is a "transition of consciousness" and that the purple-lilac color, which the mountains are painted immediately after sunset, is the color "zaarin" - the color of "transition of consciousness".
The future shaman was trained under the guidance of an old experienced shaman, mastered the art of ritual and improvisation, secret cult activity. The training lasted two to three years or more, depending on the student's abilities. The one who passed the rite of passage received the right to practice shamanic art. Before these he took an oath: "I take an oath: to be a patron of babies and fathers to orphans. Do not leave the poor, sick, do not be seduced by rewards, do not shy away from aliens, do not please your relatives ... Do not rejoice at a big earnings, and do not be angry with a small gift. frighten".
The first stage of initiation: Yabagan-boo (beginner to learn shamanic science) This is usually the assistant of a more famous shaman. He could only make libations of milk or tea to simple spirits, pleasing them so that they would not interfere with anything.
Second stage: Duhalgan-boo (who has the right to address the spirits of fire, ezhins of the area and the spirits of ancestors). He could make libations in addition to milk and tea, tarasun and ghee.
Third stage: Hayalgyn-boo (who has the right to appeal to higher spirits - Haatam and sprinkle upwards). He had the right to make bloody sacrifices with a white ram.
Fourth stage: Yodoto-boo (lawful shaman). Taking an oath at a sacred place and having the right to make a sacrifice to all the spirits he knew. He was allowed to make a sacrifice, both white and black or any other ram.
Fifth stage: Husete-boo (who received a tambourine and is able to go into a trance). He could make a shamanic journey to heal the soul of a sick person and make a sacrifice with a ram or a goat of any color to all haats, zayans and ezhins.
Sixth stage: Horbotoy-boo (who received a shamanic staff with horse hooves). He had the right to make a sacrifice with a horse, a bull. He knew how to let the spirit into himself without a tambourine and without invocations, only concentrating a little.
Seventh step: (received an iron crown with antlers and a shamanic cloak with an iron cape). He had the right to do all the necessary rituals and initiated beginners into shamans. He could have up to three tambourines. Only after the seventh initiation did the shaman have the right to initiate other shamans into shamanic degrees.
Eighth step: (having everything). He had all the necessary shamanic paraphernalia and tambourines of different sizes. Outstanding shamans had dozens of tambourines each. He knew deeply all shamanic science and had the right to conduct complex shamanic rituals. Could cause rain and wind.
Ninth stage: (the highest order of initiation "zaarin", who cognized the truth in shamanism). He could be a messenger of Tenger, he was able to manifest various miracles, incl. levitate, climb above the treetops, prophesy and communicate freely with all spirits and travel between all worlds. The first zaarin shamans, according to ancient legends, flew in the clouds on their horses and performed miracles. This title was already a rarity in the 19th century. Modern shamans do not possess these abilities.
There were also shamans who had not passed the initiation rite. There were many of them, two or three times more of those who had passed the initiation.
There is a belief that a shaman cannot die without transferring his art to someone. They were buried differently from the rest of the people. Shamans were buried on wooden platforms, arangas, and this place was declared sacred, forbidden. Today, the places of shaman burials of the Buryats can be found not only by geographical names ("Shaman", "Shaman stone", "Shaman cape", etc.), but also by well-preserved forest groves and pine forests, since people were forbidden to cut trees there and even enter unnecessarily. In the Barguzin Valley, shamanic cemeteries are concentrated in the Upper Kuytuns and further to the headwaters of the Barguzin River: Barkhan-Under, Shenegalzhin, Baragkhan, Gurban Chisoga, Dunda Shisga, Shilmung, Zarmad, Sahuli. In the Tunka Valley, the necropolises of shamans are located in three districts - Burghe, Tagarkhai and Harbyaty (in the Torskaya steppe), in Tunka and Zhemchug. Probably, due to the different age of the cults of local dead shamans and their social significance, the necropolises began to bear a clan or tribal (common Buryat) character. The most famous and revered in the Barguzin Valley are the tombs of Dede-baabay, Solbon Khashkhi-noyon; in Tunkinskaya - Ulan-Moran-noyona, Khatan Shuluun-teebi or noito-teebi, Khan Shargai-noyona, Tooryn ezhina Hitarai, zaarina Mulma-noyona, Zhitan-taabai and others.
Shamanic ritual
c_img1244.jpg Shamanic ritual is a whole complex of theatrical cult actions using words, music, singing, fine arts (ongons), incense, alcohol, light, fire and others. Influence with words was one of the main tools used by shamans to influence believers. Their singing, reading prayers, reciting, playing the khura, striking a tambourine, strumming dozens of iron, bone and other appendages on a costume and headdress, dancing, virtuoso tricks, hypnotizing made a strong impression on the masses, excited, educated and developed religiosity in them. ...
There is a strict procedure for the ritual. The location of the shaman and guests is also of great importance in the ritual. Shamans performing the ritual are located to the west - the bright side of the world in the Buryat cosmography. The eastern coast of Lake Baikal is of particular importance for shamanic ceremonies, since the ritual occurs when the shaman turns directly to the west and, at the same time, towards Lake Baikal. On both sides of the shamans are guests, forming a corridor open to the west. Shamans do not advise pregnant women to stand alongside other guests during the ritual. All guests were not recommended to look to the west and to Baikal during the ceremony, to leave their seats during the shaman's move; it was strictly forbidden to cross the space in front of the shamans who were kamlivaya. They explain these prohibitions by the fact that during the ritual the shaman attracts and creates a very strong energy that can harm the guests. The palms of all guests should be open to receive the emanation of the light gods descending from the heavenly spheres into the space of the energy ritual.
“With regard to his duties, a shaman is a priest, a doctor and a sorcerer, or a fortuneteller,” testified Dorzhi Banzarov in the middle of the last century and named the cases when the shaman came into action. This is the beginning of any business, the expulsion of diseases, the death of livestock and the raids of wolves, a libation to Heaven about the first spring thunder and thunderstorm. More often than others, the help of a shaman was resorted to in case of illness. Here is how the scientist described it: “The shaman declared which god or evil spirit is the fault of the disease and what he demands from a person. by rituals and antics, he transfers the demon from his body to the animal, and in himself first transfers the spirit from the patient ... The increasing frenzy enthralls the shaman: he gets up, leaves the tambourine, begins to dance, jump, spin, beat, uttering incantations and emitting terrible screams, so that foam comes out of the mouth. the spirit from the patient's body passes to the shaman and the patient recovers from that. "
Sacrifices
During the sacrifices, various gifts were offered: dripping or sprinkling of milk, wine, vodka; offering of products of animal husbandry, agriculture, hunting and fishing; offering money, tobacco; hanging multi-colored pieces of fabric on ritual objects, ongons, sacred places, at the source; making a fire; incense of aromatic plants - juniper, Bogorodskaya grass, fir bark; dedication of live animals, birds, fish; slaughter of sacrificial animals, exposing them to death. In the distant past, human life was sacrificed.
Sacrifices can be divided into traditional (permanent) and casual (forced).
The first group includes social and individual (family) ceremonies, which have become traditional and mandatory in the annual and life period of a person. These include sacrifices in spring, summer and autumn thailagans. An individual, family or group of relatives annually dedicated a prayer service to their ancestors or territorial ezhins, patrons or "buudals" (stones descended from the sky at the will of the tengerins). The rituals of "feeding" the ongons, which were present in many, both at home and on the territory of the ulus, near the sacred mountain, were of an individual, family or ulus-clan character and were also traditional.
The second group consisted of ceremonies arranged on some unexpected occasion - illness of people, death of livestock, fire, lightning, and more.
Taylagan
The word "taylagan" (takhil) comes from the ancient common Mongolian form "takhihu", which means "honoring" the gods. Tailagans were held from mid-May to late autumn. Each tailagan was dedicated to a specific deity - ezhin. The timing and goals of their implementation were determined by the cycle of agricultural work, the time of the nomadic wanderings. The elders of the clan, ulus decided the issues of collecting money for the purchase of a horse or rams for sacrifice. Their main purpose is to ask the gods, ezhins of a prosperous year, harvest, grass, multiplication of livestock, happiness in families, avoidance of troubles and misfortunes. Taylagans could be family and collective prayers. Buryat blacksmiths carried out their own special tailagan dedicated to blacksmith deities. Sometimes tailagans were arranged by a group of people united by some common goal - going hunting, starting the construction of an object of public importance, going to the city for trade, and more.
Typically, tailagans settled on the tops of the mountains, from where a wide view of the uluses located at the foot of the mountain opens. According to legend, the spirit master of the area usually lives where it can survey its possessions. Sometimes they were held at the foot of a mountain, on the banks of a river or lake, each tailagan had its own permanent, picturesque venue.
Sometimes the tailagans were mass events. Previously, only men, as well as children of both sexes, took a direct part in them. The women stayed at home, but joined the general celebration after the men returned to the ulus. The number of participants depended on the size of the population, therefore it ranged from several dozen people to several hundred, and tribal or clan Tailagans - up to several thousand people. Participation in the Thailagan of the family and all household members was obligatory; to have their share of the sacrificial meat was considered a matter of honor and dignity of the head of the family, an indicator of a person's social status. Non-participation in thailagan was considered a violation of the traditions of fathers and grandfathers, an insult to God, the master. Only the poorest did not go to Taylagan, who could not contribute money to buy wine or sacrificial animals, and therefore did not have the right to receive a share or share. But none of the men were forbidden to come to this celebration, have fun, taste meat and wine from other people's gifts. Most of the Buryats required 3 tailagans: spring, summer, and autumn. The most numerous were the Taylagans on Mount Baitog. The most important, solemn, crowded was considered "Yehe tailagan" - "Great (or Great), sacrifice", held at the beginning of summer.
There was a certain procedure for carrying out all the actions of such a tailagan.
They prepared for it in advance, each family, depending on their material well-being, prepared food and wine; while waiting for guests, she put things in order and cleanliness in the house, yurt and household. Tarasun, salamat, white dairy food, and the necessary utensils were prepared for sending to tailagan. Everything prepared was cleaned with fire, fumigated with Bogorodskaya grass. All participants were also cleared when leaving the house. Arriving at the place, people sat in a family or in groups at specially harvested young birches, stuck in the ground, allocated wine and food for the general sacrifice. According to pre-assigned duties, they made fires, brought firewood and water, others killed and butchered sacrificial animals, cooked.
The shamans were the central figures who had the main responsibility for communicating with the gods. The harvest, the multiplication of livestock, the success of the hunt, and family happiness depended on their art. Shamans sprinkled milk, soup, invoking the appropriate gods, and, as it were, preparing them to receive sacrifices. This ceremony is called "sasli" - an introduction. Sasli ended with a rite of fortune-telling of happiness and well-being. Wooden cups were thrown up and forward with the exclamation "Toorek!" If the cup fell without toppling upside down, it boded well. The one who threw it went up to his cup, got down on one knee, prayed, plucked a large bundle of grass from the place where the cup fell - "hasheg abakha" - a symbol of wealth, happiness from the earth, plugged it by the sash and kept it at home, hanging it high in the sacred corner. If the cup fell upside down, it was considered a bad sign. They poured wine or milk into a cup, sprinkled it onto the main fire and threw it until the cup fell correctly.
When the meat was cooked, some of it was taken away for the gods' treat, and the rest was divided among all the participants, according to their contribution. After the break, the main part of the prayer began. The shaman and his assistants, standing in one row, in chorus began to pronounce invocations to the gods, ezhins, asked to accept the gifts. From time to time they threw up pieces of meat, sprinkled wine. In the appeals, they asked to send down prosperity, harvest, health, offspring, they asked to save them from all misfortunes and disasters. The bones of animals were collected and burned on the altar. While treating the gods, the owners each received their share, putting it in a bowl, they waited to begin the rite of "dalanga khurylkha" - invoking grace and happiness. They threw wood on the sacrificial fire and on the main fire. The shaman approached the fire with a bucket of meat, the others followed him and stood around the fire. Shaman invocations sounded, from time to time they said "ai khuray". This meat was called "dalanga" - the sacred Thai meat that was taken home.
After the completion of the dallag rite and the burning of the bones of the killed animals, a feast and fun began. People sang songs, drove yokhor, played different games, organized competitions, got to know each other, built relationships, which was accompanied by jokes and improvisations. In the evening, the participants in the tailagan returned home, bringing meat, the smoldering coal from the fire of the tailagan was placed on the hearth and made a fire. Pieces of meat were treated to the owner of the hearth, the spirits of ancestors, ongons, and zayans. After that, family members and guests were treated to.
The Taylagans played an important role in the life of the Buryats. Their harsh, rather monotonous life, living in small groups at a considerable distance from each other, was not conducive to frequent festivities, therefore general celebrations and gatherings were rather rare. Therefore, those few holidays, amusements held during the rituals of the ob and thailagan, in addition to the religious ritual, united the members of the clan, since the sacrifices were performed on behalf of all members of the clan, and were always great events. These holidays also reflected the wealth of the creative nature of the people, both in material and in spiritual embodiment.
At present, the tailagans are being revived again by the Buryat communities and shamans. They are regularly held in the regions of the republic, as well as in the city of Ulan-Ude. The venue for thailagans in Ulan-Ude is often the Ethnographic Museum of Culture and Life of the Peoples of Transbaikalia.
Rite Shanar and shandru in comparison with other shamanic rituals, it is more complex, last about three days and requires a lot of preparation. It is usually the shaman-adept himself who is engaged in these preparations and guides them, and sometimes one of his relatives or friends.
For the rite Shanar and shandru a large number of trees are required. Three freshly cut trees with roots are brought from the forest: one small ( ur modon ) 3-4 m high and two large 5-7 m, one of which is called esege modon and the other is ehe modon , nine trees without roots about 2–2.5 m high, called deerbelge , ten trees 2–2.5 m high, which are installed two to five cardinal points, and two trees without roots, about 3 m high, called zalma modon and serge modon ... Also, additional trees are brought for the manufacture of tables, brooms, and more. In the second rite of initiation into shamans, nine more trees are added to all these trees. deerbelge , on the third - nine more, and so on.
Each tree in the rite has its own symbolism. Tree ur modon (possibly from uurhai – nest) symbolizes the family tree, where the roots are ancestors, the trunk is the descendants, and the top is the future of the genus, future descendants. So the tree ur modon , like any other tree with a root, symbolizes the continuous connection and continuity of generations, genus, and in a broader sense - the entire human race. Tree esege modon (father tree) is dedicated to the ancestors of the paternal clan of the initiated shaman, Haluun / Sagaan utha – hot, only begotten light lineage and 55 western light Tengeriyam ... The tree ehe modon (mother tree) – the ancestors of the shaman's mother, huyten / hari udha – cold, alien origin and 44th oriental dark Tengeriyam .
Tree function zalma (possibly from the word hallah - ask, welcome) is to ask him for happiness and prosperity. Nine trees deerbelge donate 99 Tengeriyam , on the second and all subsequent initiations by nine deerbelge each time nine more are added, and their number is always a multiple of nine: 18, 27, 36, 45, and so on. The function of trees deerbelge is that the spirits of the initiate's ancestors descend on them during the ceremony. Tree serge – it is a hitching post, along which the deities who come to the ceremony descend and tie their horses. Beginning with serge , all trees Shanara tied with a red thread, symbolizing connection, the deities descend on serge , and then along the thread they go to all other trees, and the ceremony, thus, connects the world of people with the world of spirits.
The ceremony is usually carried out in an open and flat area - in a field or in a clearing. For Shanara in the old days, a special yurt was installed, or the ceremony was performed in the same yurt where the adept lived. Now a large army tent is specially set up on the northern side of the ritual site with an entrance to the south. The entire territory of the ceremony is fenced off with posts and a rope is pulled between them, leaving only one door.
Trees brought from the forest are decorated with colored ribbons semelge :
- From the bottom to the middle of the tree - blue and white, symbolizing silver;
- From the middle to the top - yellow-red, which symbolizes gold.
At the very top of the trees they tie hadag blue, like a gift from heaven. After all the trees have been decorated, they are set up on the south side of the tent. North of all - ur modon , further south in a meter - one and a half from him to the left - ehe modon , and on the right esege modon ... Between ur modon and ehe modon exactly in the middle - zalma modon . Further south of them, also at a distance of a meter - one and a half, nine trees are installed deerbelge , and in the very south, at a distance of a little more than one and a half meters serge modon ... Farther south, almost right next to ur modon put sheree (altar, table with offerings) - drinks and food, as well as the boiled carcass of a sacrificial ram.
On each side, along the very border of the ceremony, two trees are installed: zalma modon and serge modon , and a table sheree with offerings (drinks and food). Trees are set to the north (dedication to Khan-hurmasta tengeriyu), east (44th eastern tengeriyas), south (?? den Mankhan tengeriyu), west (55 western tengeriyam) and northwest (Oronoy tengeri, spirits of the area, mountains and waters). In the northwest, trees are dedicated to the ancestors of the shaman teacher
For Shanara they bring a white hornless castrated ram to be sacrificed to spirits. On the east side of the trees, at a distance of 3-5 steps, they dig zuuha - a cruciform pit for making a fire, on which a ram's cauldron will stand. If Shanar the second in a row, then two pits and two boilers, if the third, then three and so on.
Before the ceremony begins, two or three tables are laid in a tent on the north side: sheree or tahil ... On the tahilah various kinds of offerings are established: lamps, small cups with sacrificial drinks, tea whitened with milk, vodka and milk, in the same cups three cone-shaped pyramids of white food are erected. All this is arranged in this order: first tea, then a pyramid of white food, vodka, another pyramid, an icon lamp, another pyramid and milk. They also put blue on the table as a gift hadak , a piece of silk, a shirt, a pack of tea and a bottle of vodka.
At the first table sits the shaman-mentor leading the ceremony, at the second (if any) - the shaman who helps the chief shaman to carry out the ceremony, and at the third - the adept shaman. On the left and right walls of the entrance, closer to the far corners, leather ropes are pulled for attributes. On the left side (western part of the tent) of the entrance, on a rope, hang the attributes of the shaman-mentor, who heads the ceremony, and the shaman-assistant, on the right - the shaman of the initiate.
In addition to the shamans themselves, several other persons necessary for the ceremony take part in the ceremony. This is, first of all, shanarai esege, shanarai ehe - symbolic father and mother Shanara ... Father Shanara must be of the same kind with the adept and older than him, mother Shanara - must be older than the adept. Their ritual function is to fulfill the symbolic fatherhood and motherhood of the initiate shaman.
Yuenshingd , yuengd - these are the symbolic nine children of heaven, of which five are boys and four are girls, the eldest of yu? Enshinov must be of the same kind as the adept shaman. Their function is to help the adept during the instillation of the spirit. ongona they support him by singing prayers and running around the trees Shanara .
Takhilshin - caretaker for takhilami (altars) of the rite, (observing the rites of sacrifice), already knowing the custom of ritual actions. Its function is to serve tahil tables with offerings, putting on and taking off shamanic vestments from shamans who are ritualistic.
Ayagashin - (literally a dishwasher) a woman responsible for feeding the participants in the ceremony: father and mother Shanara , yu? Enshinov ... Only she has the right to give food and drink in a strictly designated container.
Also, the ceremony may be attended by: helmagshin , toolmachine – interpreter, translator, conducting a conversation with the spirits when they move into the body of shamans. As a rule, this is a person who is already well acquainted with the rituals. Togoshin – (literally boiler room) monitors the timely lighting of fire for the needs of the ceremony; manaashan - a night guard, who makes sure that at night no strangers enter the territory of the rite and violate its purity. All ritual persons must be dressed in national Buryat robes - degal , which is not necessary for tooshyna and manaashana .
Usually on shanare along with the ceremonial persons there are relatives and friends of the initiated shaman. There is a field kitchen, where food is prepared for everyone present, people are involved in preparing firewood, delivering water, food and others. On average, 50–70 people attended the ceremonies we observed at the same time. It's obvious that Shanar is a very costly measure in terms of money.
For the Buryat people, shamanism is an ancient traditional religion and is completely different from other types of religion. First of all, it is a pagan religion, which is interconnected with nature and animals. There is no single Higher Power, therefore, many spirits and gods are worshiped in shamanism. Shamans perform rituals that have a great impact on happiness, health, and well-being.
History of religion
Ancient rock carvings have been preserved in Buryatia, depicting historical events that took place in different ancient times. They tell about the emergence of shamanism in the primitive era of mankind. Then the only necessary occupation was fishing and hunting. It was in those days that shamanism appeared. The highest caste of local Magi called on spirits who helped in certain plans, for example: the ritual really allowed collecting a large catch on the lake. Baikal.
If we take primitive shamanism and modern shamanism as an example, then in the second version it has significantly improved. Rites and rituals have become more complex and effective. For the local population, shamanism is a way of life. For the Buryats, this religion is closely interconnected with culture.
Citing Turkic and Mongolian shamanism as an example, the religion of the Trans-Baikal people is somewhat different. Firstly, it is the unique structure of shamanism in Buryatia, the rituals of which have a more complicated system, and secondly, it surpasses in the development of polytheism (polytheism). The rest of the Buryat religion is practically no different from Siberian and Central Asian shamanism.
Features of shamanism
Buryat shamanism- this is a religion that differs from the rest in a more complex structural formation, it is based on:
- Ritual complex.
- Knowledge of higher powers.
- Psychology.
- Organization of ceremonies in the person of shamans.
For shamanism, society, man and nature play an important role. The indigenous clergy observe a hierarchical structure and are divided into ordinary and higher, dark and white shamans. The highest category is distinguished by high intellectual development.
The two pillars that hold the shamanist beliefs are the worship of earth and sky. Sacred acts are allowed to be performed anywhere, for example: the shore of a lake or river, the top or foot of a mountain, a yurt or a courtyard. Thus, religious people indicate their freedom of action and strive for a free life in unity with nature.
Shamanists consider the earth to be the middle world. According to the clergy, the structure of the Universe consists of two worlds: lower and upper. Each element of nature has its own spirit attached, it is located in every locality, and in every object:
- rock;
- tree;
- mountain;
- Lake;
- grass.
All worlds are arranged vertically. Each of them is above a different world. They are led by special gods. The local population considers heaven to be natural matter. They can thicken clouds or allow the sun to shine unhindered. But there is also another side. The Buryats treated the sky as a deity. In their opinion, a spiritual being (sky) rules the whole planet. It symbolizes the highest degree of justice, reason and well-being in worldly affairs.
The earth is considered the mother and symbolizes the femininity that gives form to all objects. Heaven is considered the beginning of courage and was called the father who patronizes the earth. In worldly affairs, it helps to establish justice in the taking of oaths and disputes. The Trans-Baikal people very rarely called for the "Eternal Blue Sky" - the father. Especially in those cases when two people started an argument and one of them began to swear by a higher power, but at the same time deliberately gave false testimony to his opponent. Thus, a person could incur misfortune and failure on himself for a long time, and even on his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Geographical position
Buryatia joined Russia in the middle of the 17th century. This period saw a turning point in local religion. At this time, the separation of Buryat shamanism from Central Asian began. Local tribes began to develop their religion in a special form and content.
Shamans gathered tens of thousands of people for the sacrifice ceremony. Thus, the saturation of the Buryat deities (ezhin) took place. It should be noted that the Siberian peoples did not perform such rituals; accordingly, the Buryat religion was a unique phenomenon.
The Buryat people settled near Lake Baikal, and the local geographic location of objects played an important role in its formation. Many spirits of the shamanic pantheon, mythical heroes and deities are associated with such places:
- the Khamar-Daban and Eastern Sayan ranges;
- Tunkinskaya and Barguzinskaya valleys;
- Baikal;
- the rivers Irkut, Selegga and Angara;
- Olkhon island.
Christians, Muslims and Buddhists built different structures for conducting services, but unlike world religions, Buryat shamanism practically did not have such buildings. The clergy performed rituals in the open air, for example: at the foot of a mountain or at its top, on lake or river banks, on the graves of a long-buried shaman, by a tree or a specific form of rock. Each rite of the local magi was not like everyone else, and was carried out in different places, with different purposes and with different sacred amulets, and other attributes - this is a rather complex system of rituals.
About life, death and the afterlife
For shamanists, soul, death and the afterlife are a very important part of the culture. According to their worldview, the human soul has no weight, it is airy, invisible and is in a bodily shell. According to these ideas, if a person is evil and greedy, then his soul is the same, and in children it is childish and innocent, which is constantly rejoicing.
As shamanists say, death and illness can only be directed by higher spirits. Often, human death is determined by the sky, for example: death from a lightning strike or from wolf teeth (a wolf in shamanism is a messenger of celestials). After death, the human soul begins to travel the worlds and meet its relatives, friends and acquaintances. It is believed that the souls of the dead can affect the life of living people both positively and negatively. In order to ask for mercy from spirits and higher beings, it was required to conduct a rite of sacrifice.
In addition to conducting ceremonies in the open air, the shamans had special places for prayer and were called “obo”. In such sanctuaries, it was strictly forbidden to pollute and destroy nature: throw garbage into rivers or lakes, as well as engage in hunting and deforestation. It was even forbidden to carry out construction work.
Shamans - the chosen of the gods
These spiritual people were considered mediators between gods and believers. To start the path of shamanism, one had to adhere to one condition - to be an udha (a native Buryat with a shamanistic ancestry). Udha is divided into several types:
Shamanic roots could be divided into dark (haryn udha) and white (sagaanay udha). In the first case, the shamans treated good and served the light forces, and the dark ones - the evil forces, black and evil. If a person possessed all the abilities, then he was listed as "khoer teeshee yabadaltai." These shamans serve both sides.
White sorcerers were held in high esteem by the people. They called upon good forces to help the Buryat people, to give people happiness and to spread goodness. Dark sorcerers are associated with evil spirits and are engaged in black magic: they bring death, disease and failure. Some black sorcerers are able to kill a person in order to eat the soul. If the shaman intends to commit murder, then he performs a conspiracy ritual: he makes a cane and burns it at the stake; blackens both cheeks and turns the cauldron so that the bottom is at the top. After nightfall, evil spirits are summoned. They bring trouble to the person indicated by the shaman.
Attributes and symbols
Every shamanist cannot do without special accessories, which are not only used in rituals, but also symbolize in general. The most important attributes of shamans:
Ritual system
The rites had a wide variety of purposes, but they were performed in the same order. The frequency and obligation of performing rituals and sacrifices were divided into infrequent, frequent and optional. The Buryat people called the prayer service - "tailagan".
The ceremony consisted of asking for welfare the next year, eliminating misfortunes, increasing livestock and related luck. The Taylagans began to organize in May and ended in October. The population gathered for the celebration and set up a large bonfire for the sacrifice. The holiday could take place over several days.
Tailagans consist of a number of rituals performed. There are spring, summer and autumn similar celebrations. The clergy perform the rite of purification by fumigating the sacred place with special herbs. List of shamanic rituals:
For shamans, it is unacceptable to divide people into those who should be helped and who should not. Therefore, help is provided to everyone without exception. Good Buryat spiritual chosen ones have no right to do evil in relation to people. They have strict rules: do not lie, do not kill, do not use foul language, do not offend people with disabilities and orphans, do not deceive. All evil is punishable.
Introduction
The concept of shamanism
Soul, death and afterlife
Shamanic origin
Shamanic paraphernalia
Ritual system
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
The traditional religion of the Buryats is shamanism - a form of social consciousness that is realized in the behavior of people and forms a special system of ritual actions. The main and characteristic feature of this religion is the deification of the forces of nature and deceased ancestors, the belief that there are many gods and spirits in the world and with the help of shamans one can influence them to ensure happiness, well-being and health, and aversion of trouble. The initial stage in the history of the development of shamanism in Buryatia goes back to the primitive system, when hunting, fishing and gathering were the main means of obtaining food. This is evidenced by materials from archaeological excavations, rock paintings, relics of the most ancient rituals and traditions preserved by the Buryats. In subsequent periods, shamanism develops, becomes more complex, becomes a special system of religious ideas and rituals. It covers all spheres of life, influences the formation of the culture and way of life of people. Buryat shamanism has much in common with the shamanism of other Mongolian as well as Turkic peoples of Central Asia and Siberia. In the general picture of shamanism of the peoples of Central Asia and Siberia, Buryat shamanism is distinguished by highly developed polytheism (polytheism) and the complexity of the ritual complex.
The purpose of this essay is to familiarize with the ancient religion of the Buryats - shamanism.
The set goal of the work predetermined a number of interrelated tasks:
to reveal the essence, ideas about shamanism, soul, death and the afterlife, about shamanic origin, shamanic attributes and about the ritual system.
1. Concept of shamanism
Buryat shamanism is one of the forms of religion that constitutes a complex structural formation: the idea of supernatural forces, a ritual complex, a religious organization represented by shamans, and a psychological attitude. It includes ideas about nature, man and society. Shamans, divided into white and black, high and ordinary, were clergy with high intellectual qualities.
The veneration of Heaven and Earth is the core of the entire complex of shamanistic beliefs. The sacred service at the foot or at the top of a mountain, on the banks of a river or lake, in a fence or a yurt is a manifestation of the biosphere essence of a person, his desire and will to live. The earth, according to shamanistic ideas, is the middle world. Therefore, each area, mountain, river, lake, tree, rock has its own spirit. In addition to the middle world, the earth, the universe, according to the views of shamanists, consists of the upper and lower worlds. All these three worlds are located, vertically, one above the other, each of them is ruled by special gods. The Buryat imagined the sky, on the one hand, in a purely material form - the Eternal Blue Sky, and on the other, it was considered a spiritual being, governing the whole world, personifying reason, expediency and the highest justice. The sky was considered the masculine principle, giving life, and the earth - the feminine, giving form to objects. Therefore, the sky was called the father, and the earth was called the mother. The sky was considered the embodiment of justice, when dealing with difficult cases, giving oaths. To insult, to give false testimony, calling the Eternal Blue Sky as a witness, meant to doom oneself and posterity to troubles and misfortunes.
Shamanism has absorbed the religious and philosophical ideas of the people of the Stone Age, among which the main one is the deification of the forces of nature and deceased ancestors (mainly shamans). Buryat shamanism (polytheism) is genetically related to Central Asian shamanism; it is a product of a complex historical process, in which various Turkic, Mongol-Oirat, Tungus and other ethnic elements took part. In the shamanism of the Buryats and the Turkic peoples of Siberia, there are similarities not only in basic elements, but also in details.
The annexation of Buryatia to Russia in the middle of the 17th century is a turning point in the history of Buryat shamanism. During this period, shamanism in Buryatia, as it were, "spun off" from the Central Asian shamanism and develops in accordance with the new historical destinies of the Buryat tribes, acquiring its own special form and content.
Only among the Buryats, several thousand (or tens of thousands) people gathered for prayers, where, under the leadership of one or several shamans, collective sacrifices were made to tribal or nationwide spirits-deities (ezhins). This phenomenon was not observed among any people of Siberia, therefore the traditional shamanism of the Buryats is a unique phenomenon of spiritual culture. Since the Buryat people formed near Lake Baikal, local geographic objects played a major role in its formation. The actions of the heroes of myths and legends, the deities of the shamanic pantheon, ideas about the universe are associated with Lake Baikal, the Selenga, Angara, Irkut rivers, the Eastern Sayan and Khamar-Daban ranges, the Barguzin and Tunkinskaya valleys, the Olkhon island and other places.
Shamanists, unlike Christians, Buddhists or Muslims, did not have specially built buildings for the administration of services. Public and collective prayers were held in the open air, at the top or at the foot of the mountains, on the banks of a river or lake, at a spring, an extraordinary rock or tree, at the burial place of a shaman. A complex system of rituals was developed in shamanism, each ritual had its own special purpose, and was carried out in a specific place for this.
2. Soul, death and the afterlife
A very important part of the shamanic worldview is made up of ideas about the soul, death and the afterlife. According to these ideas, each person has a soul that is invisible, airy, it is in the body. As a double of a person, she possesses all his qualities: in the angry and greedy - the soul is angry and greedy; in children - a nursery, can rejoice, starve, get angry. According to shamanists, illness and death of a person is determined by gods and spirits. Sometimes the death of a person is considered as the predestination of Heaven, for example, death from a lightning strike or from an attack of wolves (wolves are considered dogs or messengers of celestials). It was believed that after the death of a person, the soul is transferred to another world, where it finds its loved ones, relatives, acquaintances. Since it was believed that dead people can harm or benefit the living, are representatives in that world in front of higher beings, it was necessary to constantly or occasionally arrange a rite of sacrifice in order to propitiate them. The idea of supernatural forces, the soul, death and the afterlife, ideas about the structure of the Universe, the relationship between revered beings and people, constitute the main content of the shamanistic worldview.
An integral part of the shamanic cult system are places where prayers are held. Such places were called "obo". Rules of conduct in holy places and during the performance of rituals. In revered places, pollution of sources of rivers and lakes is prohibited. Hunting, logging, digging, and construction are prohibited.
3. Shamanic origin
shamanism religion drilled ritual
Shamans, as intermediaries between believers and supernatural forces, were considered the chosen ones of God. The first and indispensable condition for becoming a shaman was the presence of udha - shamanic origin or root. There were several types of udha: 1) on the paternal side - haluunai udha; 2) on the maternal side - hari udha; 3) celestial origin - naryer udha (it was acquired by a descendant of a person killed by lightning), this type of udha was not inherited; 4) blacksmith origin - darkhan udha; 5) buudal udha - literally "descent from the sky". It was acquired by a person who found meteorites that fell from the sky. This origin was also not inherited.
In addition, shamanic roots were divided into white (sagaanay udha) and black (haryn udha). It was believed that shamans of white udha served good, bright deities, and black udha - evil, black ones. There were shamans with both origins, who called them "khoer teeshee yabadaltai" - capable of serving on both sides.
A white shaman who serves good gods (Western Tengriyas) who never does evil to people, he himself is a good intercessor for people and performs rituals and invocations only to deities that patronize people, who give good and happiness to people, and therefore such shamans are respected by the people. The black shaman, as a servant of evil spirits, inflicts only evil, illness and death on people; some of them, the Buryats and, of course, the shamans themselves, assure, can kill people by eating their souls or giving them to evil spirits; but the main power is in those gods who patronize them; when a shaman wants to kill a person in this way, he prepares a cane, one half of which he blackens with coal, the left half of his face also blackens with coal, the cauldron in the yurt turns upside down, and when night falls, he calls on evil gods that harm the person that the shaman will call ...
4. Shamanic attributes
Shamanic attributes are an important component in the structure of shamanism, associated not only with religious ideology and practice, but also with symbolism in general. The most important shamanic items are boogei tonog.
Shaman's canes are bad. There were three types of canes - horse, snake and human. Their purpose is a means of transportation for the shaman, transfer to the other world, a symbol of the power and rights of the shaman, an instrument of punishment for the guilty.
Zhodoo, edoo - fir bark of a certain shape, it was set on fire for incense and purification of the place of prayer of sacrificial animals, wine, people present.
Knut - tushuur. Consecrated, adorned with ribbons and pendants, it symbolized the power of the shaman over believers, served to punish the offender.
The shamanic costume is an orgoi. One of the main accessories of a shaman. They sewed a suit made of silk or paper fabric of white or dark blue color. Metal figures of a man, horse, bird, snake, hammers, etc. were sewn onto it. Orgoy dressed during rituals and prayers.
Shaman's crown, mayhabsha - a headdress made of the scalp of an animal or beast, removed along with the antlers from a deer. To it were hung ribbons, iron plates, holbogo - a kind of bells, figurines of animal birds and fish. The crown could be made of iron with two ends at the top in the form of branched horns.
Tambourine and mallet - hese, toybor. The tambourine symbolized a horse, on which the shaman allegedly rides the earth, ascends to heaven or descends into the underworld. The tambourine is a musical instrument.
Hat - Malgay. This is a specially made hat with a band of bear fur, worn under the crown.
5. Ritual system
The content and forms of shamanic ritual actions were very diverse and had a certain order. According to the degree of obligation and frequency of performance, rituals and sacrifices were subdivided into obligatory, optional, regular and irregular. From the point of view of target assignments and the participation of believers, it was divided into social-collective and family-individual.
The Buryats called public prayers "tailagan".
The main purpose of the appointment is to petition the gods for a prosperous year, the multiplication of livestock, happiness in families, the removal of troubles, misfortunes. Tailagans were settled starting from the end of spring (May), ending in the fall (October). All tailagans were held in a solemn atmosphere, were considered holidays celebrated by the entire population during the day or several days. The obligatory attributes of the sacrifice ritual were a fire on the street or smoldering coals on an iron object, Bogorodskaya grass and a fir crust for the purification of those present.
Tailagans - a rite of worship is held regularly. Distinguish between autumn, spring, summer. Going out to Taylagan is considered a great holiday. Shamans perform a ritual of purification - fumigation of yodoo. They also purify themselves and the offerings by fumigating special herbs.
Ritual to the spirit of fire.A ritual for the hearth, where they ask for peace in the house, happiness, love of children, family well-being.
Fire purification ritual... When a person is sick, the shaman makes cleansing with fire. An offering is made to the spirits of the ancestors, the spirit of fire.
Soul invocation ritual.It is carried out when a person's soul leaves. When the soul leaves the person begins to hurt, to suffer. The shaman sees that the soul has left the body, returns the person's soul through a certain ritual, the person recovers. The soul, according to the views of the Buryats, leaves the body during sleep; it can jump out of fear at any time through the nose, mouth, or together with blood. The soul that jumped out from fear itself does not return to the body; it must be returned by a ceremony, inviting a shaman. Sometimes the escaped soul is stubborn, not wanting to return to the owner. Then a person feels sluggish, drowsy and, if the necessary measures are not taken, he can die, and it is not the returning soul that is alienated.
The shaman is obliged to help all people without exception in their illnesses, problems, failures. He has no right to do evil to people. The shaman does not go against the elements of fire and water, as well as existing power
According to shamanic notions, evil is punishable, so you cannot lie, deceive, kill, offend orphans and sick people, and use foul language.
Conclusion
Shamanism, the ancient religion of the Buryats, prevailed among all ethnic groups living on both sides of Lake Baikal.
Buryat shamanism is distinguished by a number of features: the idea of higher deities, a complex system of rituals and sacrifices, the division of shamans into white and black, a special school of shaman initiation, and others. In its genesis and basic provisions, it has much in common with Mongolian shamanism, since the ancestors of the Buryats and the ancient Mongols, due to their historical development, were quite closely related to each other. We must not forget that numerous groups of Mongols joined the Buryat people who left their homes during civil strife and brought with them the religion of their ancestors.
Shamanism, as a traditional religion, arose at the dawn of mankind, and gradually transformed and became more complex. The main thing in shamanism is the deification of the forces of nature and deceased ancestors, belief in many gods and spirits, and that with the help of shamans one can somehow influence them to ensure happiness and prevent trouble.
The beginning of shamanism in the Baikal region dates back to primitive times, when hunting, fishing and gathering were the main means of obtaining food. In general, in the general picture of shamanism in Central Asia, Buryat shamanism stands out for its highly developed polytheism and complexity of rituals.
Bibliography
1. Mikhailov T.M. Buryat shamanism. - Novosibirsk: Novosibirsk edition of Science, 1982.
Basaev K.D. Everyday life is drilled in the present and the past. - Ulan-Ude, 1980.
Nimaev D.D. Cultural and everyday traditions of the Buryats and Mongols. - Ulan-Ude: Buryat branch of Ulan-Ude, 1988.
Dugarov D.S. Historical roots of white shamanism. - Ulan-Ude, 1986.
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In this article:
Shamanic magic rituals and ceremonies are the oldest form of magic that has come down to our days thanks to peoples who continue to honor the traditions of their ancestors. Shamanism was widespread throughout the world, but today it is preserved only among small peoples, in particular, among the American Indians, Buryats, etc.
Shamans in the Buryat tradition
In the traditions of the Western Buryats, the shaman has always played the main role in carrying out the magic ritual. In Buryat, a shaman is bo or odegon, if it is a question of a woman. This is a person who directly communicates with spirits and gods, makes sacrifices and conducts a magical ritual.
Among the Buryats, even today the shaman is an important person who conducts all the rituals associated with the birth and death of a person, he calls on gods and patron spirits to heal his fellow tribesmen, he can be called a mediator in relations between a person and higher powers.
Legend of the appearance of shamans
The Buryats believe that shamans appeared because the gods themselves wanted to take an active part in the life of people. After all, initially there was no man at all, there were only heavenly, good spirits who created people. Immediately after his appearance, the person was completely happy, he did not know any pain, grief, or disease, however, the happy times very soon came to an end. The man angered the evil oriental spirits, which are called tengerins, which is why various diseases and death itself appeared. Western - star spirits were afraid for their creatures and gave them a shaman in the form of an eagle. The eagle helped people, protected them from everything bad and evil, but the person was in no hurry to trust the unknown creature, especially since the bird did not have a language, and it could not communicate with people and give them advice.
After that, the eagle returned to heaven and told its creators about the failure, and asked to make a common man a shaman. The gods told the eagle to return to earth and give his gift to the first person he met. When the first shaman returned, he had a relationship with the first woman he met, she became pregnant and soon gave birth to a son, who became the first human shaman.
Another interpretation of the ancient legend says that the woman herself received great power, and since then she could communicate with the gods, see and distinguish between good and evil spirits, and help other people in difficult life situations.
Shaman's attributes
During the performance of any ritual actions, an important role for the shaman is played by his attire. Today this tradition has disappeared and it is impossible to distinguish a shaman from a common person by the clothes alone, but thanks to numerous archaeological studies, we can imagine how shamans looked and dressed in antiquity.
The most important part of the shaman's costume was an orga or fur coat, which today is worn only by deceased shamans when they are preparing them for the transition to the world of the dead. There are two types of burial clothes: blue and white. A white fur coat is received by a kind, white shaman who has dedicated his life to serving good deities and spirits, helping people. The blue orgoi is intended for the black shaman who worked with evil spirits and deities.
Tuvan and Buryat shamans
Usually a shaman's organ is sewn of paper or silk fabric, and in its cut it practically does not differ from an ordinary fur coat. The main feature of the orgoy is the metal figures of people and animals attached to it.
Shamanic rituals of sickness and death
In Buryatia, the confrontation between shamanism and Buddhism has been going on for more than three hundred years. Dark shamans see lamas as their worst enemies, and therefore often try to send illness to the enemy and even cause his death. Strong shamans are capable of killing a person within a few months.
One of the most common death rituals is based on working with a doll or an image of a victim. The shaman makes a doll with his own hand or draws an enemy, and then burns with coal the image of the place where the vital organs are located, and asks his patron spirit to send a serious illness to these places. But do not forget that Buddhist lamas are also not ordinary people, they have tremendous spiritual energy, and therefore are able to withstand even the most terrible dark shamanic rituals.
If the ritual with the doll did not give the desired result, the shaman can use another effective means - to send a "Trojan horse" to his enemy, which can be used as any small animal. The shaman conducts a secret dark ritual over the beast and infuses a fierce rone into it. When the spirit is in the body of an animal, he can completely control it and ensure that it falls into the hands of the right person. After that, the spirit can directly penetrate the body of the enemy of the shaman, where it will begin to absorb his life forces.
Shamanic sorcery has tremendous power. And in our time, turning people to shamans means trusting the forces of nature and spirits. It is believed that this is the strongest and blackest remedy available to shamans, because a person, inside which there is a fierce rone, begins to dry before our eyes and dies within a few days.
Trying to harm peaceful Buddhists is not as safe as it might seem at first glance. Buddhist lamas know how to defend themselves against negativity, they say that giving compassion and love to all living beings, they build a powerful defense that works on the principle of a magic mirror, that is, reflects all directed negativity on the shaman. In cases of attacks through ferocious spirits, shamans ask for protection of their angry deities, for example, Yamantaka, Vajrapani or Mahakala, who can destroy almost any shaman. Currently, there are very few strong black shamans fighting against Buddhists, since they are aware of the danger of such an occupation and do not want to risk it.
Do not think that the doll can only be used for negative purposes. Experienced shamans can use images of a person to get rid of the most serious ailments.
In such rituals, a person's illness is transmitted to the doll, after which it is carried deep into the forest and left in a secluded place where no one will find it. All Buryat children from an early age know that such objects in the forest should never be touched, since it is very dangerous, the disease can move from a doll to the first person they meet.
An ancient ritual of invoking a child
Most shamanic rituals are aimed at helping a person in everyday life, through a good mood. When a person has enlisted the support of his patron, he will be able to cope with any work and problem, in particular, the spirit can help in harvesting, in hunting, in finding a lover and, of course, in pregnancy. In Buryatia, the belief in the power of shamans is so strong that even modern and enlightened people turn to them.
The ritual for the birth of a child must be carried out only on an auspicious day for this, which is determined with the help of special fortune-telling. Both parents of the unborn child must participate in the ceremony. It is also important to note that only male strangers can be present at the sacrament, there is an ancient belief that in the presence of another woman, all magical energy can pass to her, and therefore the ritual will not work.
For the ceremony, you will also need a doll brought by the parents (symbolizing a baby), a toy carriage and a crib. To make an offering to the spirits, you will need to prepare milk, fish and some alcohol.
Sacrificial fire in a shamanic rite First, the shaman kindles a large sacrificial fire, into which a little vodka and milk are poured, and pieces of fish are also thrown into the flame. After that, the shaman proceeds to divination on the topic of whether the spirits will help this couple acquire offspring. To do this, the shaman throws a special cup into the air and looks at which side it fell to the ground. If the cup landed upside down, then the spirits accepted the gifts presented and agreed to help. In case of refusal, fortune-telling is repeated twice more, and if the gifts are not accepted, the whole rite is postponed to another day.
When the fortune-telling is positive, the parents go to the sacred grove, where they hang a cradle with a doll on one of the free trees. Then they return to the shaman, drink a glass of vodka and each take three puffs with a cigarette (thus, through their bodies, they offer sacrifices to the local spirits).
By tradition, for work, the family should thank the shaman by participating in his life's affairs, for example, helping in harvesting or making hay.
Ritual for longevity and good health
The ceremony for good health is considered one of the simplest. It is held right before sunset, and cedar bark is a must. The shaman sets fire to the bark and blows off its smoke three times around the client's neck. After this, numerous prayers take place for the granting of longevity and good health to a person. At the end of the ritual, the "client" should take the bark firebrand in his hands and hold it three times around his body.
Shamans are sure that cedar has unique healing properties. On the basis of the bark of this tree, potions and talismans are created for a variety of diseases and ailments.
Ancient ritual of feeding the fire
Many shamanic rituals begin with the process of making a fire. According to many peoples, the fire occurred when the sky was separated from the earth, which is why this element occupies such a significant place in the ceremonies of the peoples of Central and Central Asia and South Siberia. In Buryatia, fire is represented in a masculine way - the master of fire.
The rite of feeding the fire is very common; it is performed by both black and white shamans themselves, and ordinary people. To do this, you need to blow out cigarette smoke into the stove or fire, or pour a glass of any strong alcoholic drink.
More recently, the master of the element was so revered that it was customary to give him the best pieces of food from the table. Today this tradition is gradually being replaced, but it is too early to say that it has completely disappeared or will disappear.
People still believe that fire is really capable of providing serious help in a variety of matters, it keeps the family hearth, protects against diseases and ailments, brings good luck and happiness to the family.
