the Dao of Atheism :jeffers' petroglyph, pre-dakota, minnesota : the Shaman Atheist 39/81

39

There are old things that have understood the unity of all ...
the sky is one and clear
the earth is one and solid
beauty is strong
space is one and empty
plants and animals reproduce
politicians and priests govern their people
... all because they are one with the way.

Clearness keeps the sky from falling
solidness keeps the earth from crumbling
meaning allows for beauty
emptiness allows for space and time
sex creates being
people create governments and honor and stability.

Humility is the root of greatness.
The low is the foundation of the high.
That's why politicians and priests make sure that
everybody knows they came from underprivileged families.
A simple case of basing political gain upon humble beginnings.

A list of parts still cannot explain the whole
the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Why sound like bells when others sound like chimes?
Why sound at all?

Shamans
are religious leaders
but they are not priests
nor are they ministers or teachers.
A shaman is a self-made religious person, independent of theologies and institutions, free of logical necessity and argument. One's knowledge comes from experience. There is no market for a shaman's religious talents outside their local community, nor does a shaman seek one. A shaman's authority is self-proclaimed, and endures for as long as it holds true. There is no text, no professional accreditation, no ordination that can legitimate a shaman other than the religious experience.

Shamans gain their knowledge through experiences of sickness and conflict. Their power is born from within. They are power incarnate.
Priests, ministers and teachers gain their knowledge from books and institutions. Their power is given from without. They are ordained and defrocked as others decide. They are channelers of others' power.

Atheists are never called.
The other side
is always empty.
They are born out of the chaos and conflict of theisms.
There is no inherent power in atheism, and no institution to deign.

A shaman looks for an ugly thing
finds it
kisses it
and it becomes beautiful.
Rejecting the ugly is expected.




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