Det Rejsende Folk (The Traveling Folk)
In a ground floor two-room flat in Northwest, Copenhagen, I am talking with Henriette. She interrupts our conversation to tell me that we are no longer alone. Something has entered the room. I automatically look at the open balcony door, with the idea that something has climbed in there. But I can't see anything, not so much as a fly. But before the sudden amazement has stuck in my body, Henriette informs me that it is a spirit. In addition to being a spiritual medium/clairvoyant Henriette is also a shaman. It is with this background that Henriette is able to see and understand things that I cannot. Henriette is far from alone in the spiritual work, in fact it seems to be a growing trend within the country's borders, and that is exactly what this series is about - shamanism in Denmark.
Shamanism is considered to be the oldest spiritual practice in the world, the oldest religion in the world, and most recently, according to a paper published by a Harvard graduate, the world's oldest profession. Shamanism is centered around the shaman, a person who through various altered states of consciousness can communicate with spirit beings and travel across worlds. However, this is only one of many explanations of what shamanism is, as there is no precise definition of what the term covers. It may be due to the age of the concept or that it can be found in countless different forms, in all corners of the world. It may also be due to the winding road it has had to go through in recent times to reach our present. In the 18th century, it was granted an outdated and pagan status as it were viewed in the light of Christianity and thus prejudice and notions. In the 19th century it was widely used in relation to the indigenous people of the colonies and therefore became a metaphor for all exotic and/or prehistoric religion. In the 20th Century, it gained an upswing and was used to connecting the the historical roots through art, therapy and rituals. Today, the closest we come to a definition is probably a mixture of the above, especially the ones from the 19th and 20th centuries, and should always be seen in light of the context in which it is presented.
Even though shamanism is a very ancient the practitioners find it extremely relevant in our time, some even indicates more than ever. This is because they think we as humans have lost the connection with ourselves and especially with our (natural) surroundings. We are destroying the earth more than ever, and that is why we need to rethink and reconnect.
