Two weeks of seminary classes done… I’m enjoying the classes so far. The Hebrew Bible class is interesting and the History of Christian Thought class is, well, history… 🙂 The Theories of Change class has really piqued my interest though, at least for the moment. Our first assigned reading is sections about Mircea Eliade from the book “The Archetype of Initiation” by Robert L. Moore (disclaimer: Moore is also the professor teaching this class). The readings discuss the creation of transforming sacred space and the need for rituals and ritual leaders. I find this fascinating as a way of answering the question of how does humankind find the divine. It makes one think about what Christian worship services could be but often aren’t: a way of meeting the divine to transform ourselves into beings meeting our full potential. Or at least beings on the path to living out our full potential… Eventually, I want to go back and read this entire book. This may be a topic that helps clarify where I’m going on my own life journey. We shall see…

I see my interest in shamanistic practices in this same vein… practices which can be used to connect with the divine in a transforming way. I’ve signed up for some advanced training in shamanic healing methods and I’m getting excited about it. How can I use this to transform and heal myself, others, and the natural world? How can this be integrated into my journey along the path of the Christian tradition? I think these are exciting questions!