Aspies as Shamans ... and "Shaman's Disease"

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This is a discussion I started by way of introducing myself to this community in the "Getting to Know Each Other" section. There was a fair amount of interest over there and I thought it might be useful to a more general audience.

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Years ago I was fortunate enough to have an American Indian teacher. He'd take me for long walks in the hills and tell me stories. He was a very perceptive guy. He told me this story long before I ever heard of Asperger's Syndrome. I've never been formally diagnosed, but in my youth before I became who I am today I had many of the symptoms ... my father also displays many spectrum signs and was successful in a very technical field ... and my nephew has been formally diagnosed. I'm pretty sure I'm an Aspie.

Aspies as Shamans

In tribal settings, from time to time a strange, special child is born. Unlike today, where we tend to pathologize and attempt to treat the special child, in the old days the people knew just what to do with the strange, special child.

They'd send them out to live with the special, strange, somewhat scary guy (or gal) hardly any of them wanted to spend any time with who'd gone out to live by himself or herself in the forest (or the rocks, or whatever.) That strange, special guy was the Shaman.

The Shaman's job was to mediate novelty. Traditional tribal societies tend to do everything by the book ... so to speak. Social and hierarchy roles are rigidly defined. "We do things the way we've always done them. If it was good enough for our ancestors, it's good enough for us!" Think Taliban.

But even in such a socially conservative setting ... from time to time there's need for someone who can think outside the box. Someone to mediate novelty and change. A child is born in a difficult birth. Children become adolescents and need rites of passage. People become ill and need healing ... or guidance and support when they pass on. The rains don't come when they should and the crops fail. White guys show up in boats with huge wings and start toying around with sticks that belch fire and lead and kill us.

When tribal societies find themselves dealing with novelty which is, after all, something new ... there may be little to no guidance coming from the old ways about how to handle the situation ... or the old ways may simply be not working.

That's the time to bring in the Shaman. The one who can read the signs, think for him or herself, and decide what to do.

(If you'd like to read more about how they'd proceed in the healing arena, read The Teaching of One's Disease, accessible here.)

The Shaman is scary. He doesn't wash or groom himself very well. He has no social graces and tends to violate boundaries. He also tends to be very horny, so we keep our daughters away from him (unless it's a society like the Inuits, where having one's daughter sleep with the Shaman when he came into town was considered an honor ... or the ancient Greeks, where, when Dionysus came to town, every interested woman had a chance to become a maenad ... or rare characters like the Oracle at Delphi ...)

* * *

So ... from time to time ... a strange child is born. And the tribespeople know just what to do with such a child.

They send him (or, less commonly, her) out to live with the Shaman, to be the Shaman's apprentice. When the old Shaman finally passes on ... it's important to have a new one to take his or her place.

* * *

Now typically ... things go well for a few years. But around the age of 13 or so ... the young Shaman wakes up one day and has an epiphany.

"I don't want to be stuck out here in the effin' woods with this batty old smelly creep! I want to be in town, make friends, party ... I wanna get laid fer crissakes!" Or some version thereof.

At which point the young Shaman gets up and leaves and moves back into the village.

But sadly and predictably ... being so different ... and having had no normal training in socialization ... things tend not to go so well there for the young Shaman. And eventually, the young Shaman tends to fall ill.

This is "Shaman's Disease" ... and it could take many forms. But fundamentally ... the issue was that by denying the reality of their own nature, and by refusing their traditional role ... the young Shaman was going against their own nature ... and when one does this enough, disease is the inevitable result.

The only real cure for Shaman's Disease was for the young Shaman to have a second epiphany ... one where they realized and accepted their true nature ... at which point he (or she) would move back out to the woods and get serious about their shamanic apprenticeship ... so on the day when the old Shaman passed they could take their place, and tribal life would go on.

* * *

In the old days ... the tribespeople understood and respected the role of the Shaman. As long as he (or she ... I'm going to stop this awkward phrasing now but all the women reading this, please understand that typically in the old days the Shaman was male ... just as there seems to be more male aspies than females even today) stayed away from them in normal times ... they'd take him/her food ... and request the Shaman's expertise when it was needed.

When things stopped working the way they always had ... the Shaman would be there to lead the way forward.

To mediate novelty.

And on other days ... most of the time ... the Shaman would be left alone to pursue his visions. He wouldn't be expected to work normally ... indeed, it would often be impossible for the Shaman to hold down a regular tribal "job." Too distractible. Too strange.

"We don't really understand how he does what he does ... please spare us the details ... but when we need you, we really need you," thought the tribespeople.

Sound familiar?

* * *

Traditional religions co-opted the role of the Shaman, even while attempting in many cases to physically kill them off as tribal cultures gave way to "civilization." In the west, this would correspond to the witch burnings of the 16th through the 18th centuries. This is one of the reasons we generally have no such folkways around us today ... and no guidance for the "strange child" born today. Again ... nowadays we tend to pathologize and attempt to "treat" them. Good luck with that ...

In the west the ancient role of the Shaman has been divvied up among doctors, priests, ministers of all religions, holistic healers, psychics, artists, ribald entertainers, rock stars, political activists. Modern culture tends to loathe the shamanic character unless he or she is given a very narrow role. The ancient power of the Shaman ... pulling all these qualities together into one personality ... is just too danged threatening to existing power structures.

Cf: the battle today over global warming.

Nevertheless ... by denying the Shamanic role, society has created for itself a situation where the true Shamans are more needed now than ever before.

We live in a time where the mass of people are shut off from their true spiritual natures .. and given religion instead.

We live in a time when conventional medicine has peaked and reached a point of diminishing returns. What is chronic disease, anyway ... if not by definition a disease for which conventional medicine offers no cure?

We live in a time where the very possibility that life on Earth as we know it could become extinguished within a few hundred years if we don't make the transition to an energy economy that doesn't pump tons of carbon into the air every day.

We need our Shamans now. More than ever.

I'd humbly submit ... that's us.

* * *

We're the geeks. We're the seers. We're the ones who don't fit in because we have the big view and can't successfully engage in the gentle denials that grace the social wheels.

That's why we're awkward in public.

But it's also our special gift.

Why be normal? Hasn't that been done?

* * *

These days ... I've more or less succeeded in figuring out how to pass for "normal", most of the time. One needs to get to know me quite well before one sees the traces of the old issues, issues that now get labeled as being spectrum disorder issues. I've also attracted some very good mentoring.

And I've learned how to integrate myself (more or less) into society. I'm in the process of teaching mental health therapists the role of nutrition in treating mental illness, and finally getting some traction in that arena. This approach is sometimes called Orthomolecular Therapy ... the use of substances found naturally in the body to heal the body and mind. Vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, amino acids .. that kind of thing.

Combining these approaches with stress-reduction techniques and sound-and-movement theater work to retrain my CNS to register and respond to others more quickly and naturally ... have been the techniques I've used to reach a level of function approaching "normal." Or at least one that allows me to pass most of the time as NT when I want to.

If you're interested in finding out more about this work or about me ... you can check out my site here.

Blessed be ...












Before Meds / After Meds

In many cultures, people with mental and neurological differences were accepted in that way--even treasured for their differences. The funny thing is, even very disabling conditions like schizophrenia are like that, and the outcomes for these folks is usually a lot better than in Western nations, where they are put into hospitals and made to take medication. I'm not saying that the meds are a bad thing; it's more that people who get things like schizophrenia in an "underdeveloped" country may get more social support, be given useful things to do--because in such places, everybody is needed--and generally be better off because they are a part of their community. We could do that here in the Western world, but we don't, because we'd rather isolate those who are different from ourselves, because we are scared of that difference instead of being intrigued by it.

An interesting view. Grandiose, but there are some good points made.

Thanks for your discussion. It's so interesting. I'm glad you mentioned the witch trials-- as an Aspie female, I have often wondered whether "witches" were Aspie or other "different" kinds of women who might have preferred lots of solitude (horror of horrors for a woman to want that!), and may have talked to themselves or been moody, etc.
I think I read that the Native Americans also had a way of dealing with gay or effeminate males in their societies. They allowed them to dress as women and they didn't have to go to war. I don't remember all the details. I like that they found ways to incorporate those who were different and make them feel valued in society. We sorely need that!
Amelia

Thanks for that interesting analysis. I like the characterization of the shaman as one who "mediates novelty". I dream of having a useful role in society that suits my nature: I'm not sure whether I can truly believe people like me once did or it's just a dream, but it is enjoyable to read a description of how it could be so.

I do wonder - dont' be offended, it isn't an attack - but I do wonder why you feel the need to repeatedly remind aspie females that we are weird even among weird people, that we have even less of a role in society than our male counterparts do ("but all the women reading this, please understand that typically in the old days the Shaman was male ... just as there seems to be more male aspies than females even today"). Trust me, we know it.

Hmmmmm, I'm going to have to read this one again, many interesting ideas that agree with some of mine.

I do believe that the "tolerance" for the Shaman had more to do with the fact that they were effectively feeding themselves in the wild, maintaining social order in the village(?), and probably were effectively the forward scout of any settlement (they would notice any attackers sooner).

Of course, the first and third point meant they had a short life expentancy. More room for the new one!

For fans of the show "Vikings," this shaman theory reminds me of the character Floki!

It makes me think of Terrence Mckenna as a person critical of standard "culture" and psychedelic explorer.

“Culture is not your friend. Culture is for other people’s convenience and the convenience of various institutions, churches, companies, tax collection schemes, and what have you. It is not your friend. It insults you, it disempowers you, it uses and abuses you. None of us are well treated by culture” [i]. This famous passage from McKenna’s 1998 “Valley of Novelty” series of lectures epitomizes one of the most fundamental ideas of psychedelic thinking.

I'm wondering of a hallmark of Shamans / WitchDoctors is the use of mind altering drugs. After enough experimentation, they become the tribal pharmacist. If the tribe has to make a serious decision or go to battle, the Chief or head Warrior might go to the Shaman if they're seeking guidance and also a vision.

In a way, Shamans might have a lot of insight, but they're just to weird to be the Chief.

I hate to be a party pooper but I've been looking a bit into native American stereotypes. I haven't read too much in depth but from what I have read a medicine man is not a shaman. The role may be similar but the term shaman came from elsewhere. There are probably a lot of other differences but it seems like there were Siberian Shamans and any person who did something similar in a different culture is also called a shaman even though s/he is in a different but similar role.


As to the original post I have to say I would not make a great mystic and that's a shame because that sort of thing has been a frustrating passion of mine for too long. Comparing Aspies to Shamans seems silly to me. I don't enter altered states easily at all and it might actually be more difficult for me than it is for the average NT. I was frustrating myself trying to enter a hypnotic state in my preteen years and it never worked. As an Aspie I am the kind of person who would be strongly attracted to the role you describe but I would not be fit for it. If anything I would be extremely frustrated if society was telling me I'm meant to be a Shaman.

Corporations are waking up to the potential of an in house shaman

re: Native American stereotypes ... I didn't make this story up. It was told to me by a Native American. And I beg to differ re: your take on distinguishing between medicine man and shamanic roles. It may be that in the modern era tribes exposed to western ways have begun to experience the same splitting that's gone so far off the rails in our own culture ... but in the old days, things were very different.

re: Grandiose thinking ... "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead.

well thought.

I doubt there is a place for shamans in the new world order. Centralised control wants to make all the decisions, thanks.

Future shaman should be pretty interesting actually, with more kids appearing more autistic, there may be a wee explosion of the little mongrels

I have my drum, but I never remember to beat it
Instead I watch the youtube spirit world
for my visions...

Baffoons and jesters filled important roles too, as well as druids, sage and witch, essentially a female shaman. Engineering has its roots in shamanism

Today the internet appears to be a gathering ground, and much high council gathering, occurs on a daily basis.

I've been a fan of Pauling for years, and still megadose VitaminC on occasion. I see a lot of people around my neighbourhood who are in great shape, thanks to the alternative practitioners and healers in the area. Thanks

Your writing reminds me of Karl Marlantes.
Yes in the modern era the world has turned in a machine run by 7 billion cogs.If you are not the right spec you get sent to the machine shop to get worked out.If they cant fix you they throw you out or throw you in a place where the tolerances are looser.

Agreed, on all counts.

As long as there is no metaphysical, paranormal, or spiritual crap attached to the concept, then I'm okay with it, especially if the practical aspect provides an appreceiative environment for those of us who "Think Outside the Box".

A fictional species called the Droyne has several castes, most of which are rigidly defined - Leaders, Drones, Warriors, Workers, Technicians, and Sports.



Workers perform manual labor and other mundane activity; they are the least intelligent and most placid caste.

Warriors are trained specifically for combat, and are the enforcers and protectors of Droyne society.

Drones raise the young, play a major role in rituals, and perform administrative functions.

Technicians maintain, build, and design equipment.

Leaders manage and direct society, and are the most intelligent Droyne, capable of initiative & intuitive thought.

The Sport is a deliberate exception to the rigid caste structure; they can cross caste lines to become independent and self-reliant, capable of separation from Droyne society for long periods.

In a way, the Sport is the Shaman of the fictional Droyne society - they're the odd ones who don't quite fit in, and yet they are appreciated for their "Ouside the Box" perspective.

I think the fact that female shamans were rare back in the day shows that even tribal societies were patriarchal on some level (I'm not a believer in ancient matriarchies). I don't think it means that 'unusual' females are necessarily more 'unusual' than unusual males. Now that we've had the feminist movement in the Western world, if we reinvigorate the shamanic role, females have more of a chance of being in on it this time round.

I always thought I would've been a shaman had I lived in a tribal society. Either that, or I would've had to marry some grunt and ended up miserable. If I got the chance of being a shaman, though, I would've been able to contribute much more than I would as a simple tribeswoman.

I find that I have to be doing something creative to really be fulfilled. In the past, where I've put all my energy into having a career and being normal, I've been miserable. Now, I've got a job that isn't especially demanding (even if it is full-time), and I've recovered from depression after being on meds, which I'm coming off. I've got more energy to do stuff and I started a punk band a few months ago, which is a project I enjoy immensely. It's less lonely than trying to write books or novels and I get to collaborate with other unusual people. Making music is almost a spiritual experience in itself, for me.