TRADITIONAL SHAMANISM
While a Shaman may exhibit magickal powers such as control over fire, wind or magical flight or as a healer, more than anything else, Shamanism is a technique of ecstasy. The distinguishing feature of Shamanism is its emphasis on a ecstatic trance state in which the soul of the Shaman leaves the body and ascends to the heavens or descends into the underworld. The Shaman makes use of spirit helpers, with whom he or she communicates, while retaining control over his or her own consciousness. Either women or men may become Shamans. Traditional Shamans have developed techniques for lucid dreaming and what is today called the out-of-the-body experience. Along with these techniques, the near-death-experience has played a significant role in Shamanic practice and initiation for thousands of years.This ability to consciously move beyond the physical body is the particular specialty of the traditional Shaman. These journeys of Soul may take the Shaman into the nether realms, higher levels of existence or to parallel physical worlds or other regions of this world. Shamanic Flight, is in most instances, an experience not of an inner imaginary landscape, but is reported to be the Shamans flight beyond the limitations of the physical body.

SHAMANIC ECSTASY
From the Greek 'ekstasis', ecstasy literally means to be placed outside, or to be placed. This is a state of exaltation in which a person stands outside of his or herself. Ecstasy may range from the seizure of the body by a spirit or the seizure of a person by the divine, to the magical transformation or flight of consciousness.

There are three types of Ecstasy:
Shamanic Ecstasy
Prophetic Ecstasy
Mystical Ecstasy
Shamanic ecstasy is aroused by the rising of the soul of the Shaman into the heavens or its sinking into the underworld. These states of ecstatic exaltation usually occur after strenuous training and initiation, and often under dangerous and distressing circumstances. The resulting contact by the Shaman with the higher or lower regions and their inhabitants, and also with nature spirits, enables him or her to accomplish such tasks as accompanying the soul of a deceased into its proper place in the next world, affecting the well-being of the sick and conveying the story of their inner travels upon their return to mundane awareness.The statements of the Shaman are in contrast with those who claim prophetic and mystical ecstasy. The prophet literally speaks for God, while the mystic reports an overwhelming divine presence. In mysticism, the direct knowledge or experience of the divine reality, is discernible in two ways: emotional and intuitive. It is not unusual for more than one form of ecstasy to be present in an individual's experience. However, there are three perceptive levels of ecstasy.
The physical level, in which the mind becomes absorbed in and focuses on a dominant idea. The attention is then withdrawn and the nervous system itself is partly cut off from sensory input. The body exhibits a feeling of inertia, involuntary nervous responses, frenzy.

The Emotional level of ecstasy refers to overwhelming feelings of awe, anxiety, joy, sadness, fear, astonishment, passion, etc.

The Intuitive level communicates a direct experience and understanding of expanded or altered states of awareness or consciousness.
While the physical response is always present, the emotional response may or may not be significant when intuition is the principal means of ecstatic perception. Beyond the intuitive state there is a fourth condition in which a holistic perception exceeds mental and emotional limitations and understanding.These ecstatic experiences of the Shaman go far beyond a feeling or perception of the sacred. They involve the Shaman directly and actively in transcendent realities and lower realms of being. These experiences may occur in either the dream state, the awakened state, or both. Dreams, and in particular, lucid dreams, often play a significant role in the life of a Shaman or Shamanic student.

HOW DOES ONE BECOME A SHAMAN?
The Call to be a Faerie Shaman is often related to a near death experience by the person. Among the traditional examples are being struck by lightening, a fall from a height, a serious life-threatening illness or lucid dream experiences in which the candidate dies or has some organs consumed and replaced and is thus reborn. Survival of these initial inner and outer brushes with death provides the Shaman with personal experiences which strengthen his or her ability to work effectively with others. Having experienced something, a Shaman is more likely to understand what must be done to correct a condition or situation.Although some have wondered if the experience of Shamanic ecstasy or flight makes a person a Faerie Shaman, we would say no. A Faerie Shaman is more than someone with an experience. First, years of training under an experienced teacher are required before one becomes a traditional Faerie Shaman. Second, a Faerie Shaman is not just an initiate who has received inner and outer training, but is a master of Shamanic journeying and techniques of Shamanic ecstasy. Finally, a Shaman is a link or bridge between this world and the next. This is a sacred trust and a service to the Craft community. Sometimes a community that a Shaman serves is rather small such as a Coven. In other instances it may be an entire tradition.One becomes a Faerie Shaman by one of three methods:
Hereditary means.
A Spontaneous spiritual call or selection by a Shaman.

Personal choice and Quest.
This latter method is less frequent and traditionally such a Shaman is considered less powerful than one selected by one of the two preceding methods. In any respect, the Faerie Shaman is not recognized as legitimate without having undergone two types of training:
Ecstatic (dreams, trances, etc.)
Traditional ("Shamanic techniques, names and functions of spirits, mythology and genealogy of the clan, secret language, etc.)

Shamanism is a way of looking at the world and at yourself. There are no hard set rules, no hierarchy to try and work through. Shamanism is a time-tested practice, what works is kept, what doesn't is left behind. It is a personal quest for knowledge and inner power.

Shamans have held an important place in many different cultures throughout the world since our beginnings. They have been mediators, ceremonialists, healers, diviners, many different kinds of artists and much more. They learn and work with power for both themselves and the good of those around them. They understand the connection and need for balance amongst all things, that all aspects of the world that we share with the rest of creation is alive, humans, animals, plants, rocks, and even the wind.

People generally become shamans by deciding that it is the path for them, by being chosen and trained by an experienced shaman, or by inheriting the role from a parent. Often people choose or are led to follow a shamanic path after a near death experience, but that doesn't mean that you have to go out and try to kill yourself if you want to learn shamanism. Anyone can incorporate shamanic practices into their lives. You only need to believe that you can.