Shamanism is the term to describe the philosophy of Shamanic cultures. This culture believes in the basic principles detailed later. Shaman is an important member of the group of people/tribe. They may also be referred to as the Medicine Man or Woman.

Roles of a Shaman

• being a seer or clairvoyant
• creating beliefs, myths and rules for the community
• being a medium who communicates with the Spirit World
• being the healer of the tribe
• being the counselor or priest

Principles of a Shaman culture

• a view or myth system on how the world was formed
• Ancestral Beings who are like Gods or Goddesses and come from somewhere else
• The concept that life force is in everything.  Therefore everything is alive and has Spirit
• The idea that we are all connected to all things
• The idea that there is some kind of universal remittance for deeds done - good or bad
• The idea that we as mere mortals do not understand the whole complexity of the Universe, which is why it is sometimes referred to as "The Great Mystery"
• The concept a cyclic nature of life, similar to the way the seasons cycle. This is sometimes called "Medicine Wheel"
• The idea that there are beings that co-exist in other dimensions of reality that can help us if we connect with them.  There are also a lot of cultures that believe these beings are connected to the stars.
• That we need to change our ordinary state of consciousness in order to communicate with these beings, but that eventually we can have a "foot in both worlds" all the time.
• That life is a series of deaths and rebirths.  As we grow and evolve parts of us must die to make room for the new self that we are always creating.