Media Resonance
Jul. 18th, 2007 02:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kokopelleI'm currently researching the topic of 'shamanic magic'. My studies have found matching meaning with what would seem to be an unlikely source. The second show of third "Doctor Who" series is entitled "The Shakespeare Code". I found powerful corollaries to my shamanic studies in this bit of media entertainment. This is not really a surprise though. I hold that media entertainment is this society's form of myth. The mystical workings of reality are woven into our seemingly fanciful stories, just as it has forever been for other cultures.
An early theme of my shamanic studies is that world consists of vibrations. Control/influence of vibrations can affect the world. Another underpinning of the shamanic experience is that the shamanist has a relation with their environment. This extends from both the passive connection to everything and a purposeful understanding of how the shamanist interconnects with their surroundings. From the elements of vibration and connection come forms of healing and manifestation, known by others as magic.
The synopsis of "The Shakespeare Code" From Wikipedia.org:
Where are the shamanic parallels? These are the ones I see:
The Doctor Who story does present a cautionary note for the shamanist. Shamanism is both general and specific. The principles are general to many. The individual, particular practices are specific to a few. Those who are work within a system are bound by the system. The users keep secret their names, songs and other forms of vibration. The lesson here is that specific practices of the shamanists are guarded to both maintain their effectiveness and protect the shamanist from the interference of others.
In fabled correlation, an equal understanding of the power of vibration undid the plans of Carrionites. An example of this is that the Doctor's mere use of the word "Carrionite" banished one of their murderous number at a key point. This application only worked once, the word's power removed once spoken much to Martha's chagrin when she attempted the same later. In the end, the original and magical words of both Shakespeare and Martha undid all the malevolent schemes of the antagonists.
I believe that vibration, relationships, and an advanced understanding of the world are the beginnings of 'shamanic magic'. I look forward to exploring more both in my studies and in my entertainment.
Literary trivia... Shakespeare is credited with adding two to three thousand words to the English language including 'assassination', 'eyeball', 'leapfrog' and 'gloomy').
An early theme of my shamanic studies is that world consists of vibrations. Control/influence of vibrations can affect the world. Another underpinning of the shamanic experience is that the shamanist has a relation with their environment. This extends from both the passive connection to everything and a purposeful understanding of how the shamanist interconnects with their surroundings. From the elements of vibration and connection come forms of healing and manifestation, known by others as magic.
The synopsis of "The Shakespeare Code" From Wikipedia.org:
The Doctor takes Martha on her first trip in the TARDIS. Arriving in Elizabethan England, they meet William Shakespeare, who is writing his play Love's Labour's Won. However, evil, witch-like Carrionites plot to end the world by placing a code in the new play's closing dialogue. Shakespeare will have to give the performance of his life in order to save the Earth.The story, authored by Gareth Roberts, began with a lute-playing suitor being consumed by the witch-like Carrionites. The story line emphasized how the Carrionites, lead by Lilith, were not witches. The Doctor explained that the Carrionites produce their "magic" through an ancient science based on the power of words. Trapped for an eternity, the Carrionites had escaped their prison by 'new...glittering' words. They were on earth to open a portal for the remainder of the Carrionite race. To this end they manipulated architect of the Globe Theatre to build it with fourteen sides. The Doctor and Martha happened upon the scene the day before the Carrionites were to trick William Shakespeare to place worded code in his new play, "Love's Labour's Won". The Carrionites nearly succeeded, but were foiled when Shakespeare improvises a short rhyming stanza but is stuck for a final word. Martha comes up with "Expelliarmus" and the Carrionites — together with all the extant copies of Love's Labour's Won — are sucked back through the closing portal.
Where are the shamanic parallels? These are the ones I see:
- The magic was instead an 'ancient science'.
- Words had power. Some words only had power once, at the time they were first spoken.
- The environment had been modified to facilitate the opening of the portal.
- The magical items where also scientifically grounded (i.e. DNA manipulator that looked like a hex doll)
- The scheme of the Carrionites was ended because of another's understanding of their system.
The Doctor Who story does present a cautionary note for the shamanist. Shamanism is both general and specific. The principles are general to many. The individual, particular practices are specific to a few. Those who are work within a system are bound by the system. The users keep secret their names, songs and other forms of vibration. The lesson here is that specific practices of the shamanists are guarded to both maintain their effectiveness and protect the shamanist from the interference of others.
In fabled correlation, an equal understanding of the power of vibration undid the plans of Carrionites. An example of this is that the Doctor's mere use of the word "Carrionite" banished one of their murderous number at a key point. This application only worked once, the word's power removed once spoken much to Martha's chagrin when she attempted the same later. In the end, the original and magical words of both Shakespeare and Martha undid all the malevolent schemes of the antagonists.
I believe that vibration, relationships, and an advanced understanding of the world are the beginnings of 'shamanic magic'. I look forward to exploring more both in my studies and in my entertainment.
Literary trivia... Shakespeare is credited with adding two to three thousand words to the English language including 'assassination', 'eyeball', 'leapfrog' and 'gloomy').
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Date: 2007-07-18 07:24 pm (UTC)Yes, I believe that 2 !
Man ! I may utilize (no use nor ab-use) those sentences --as I'm groping 4 some deep-and-meaningful words 2 use in a piece I want 2 write in relationship 2 (or in regards with) one of my dearest friends, who was buried on the 18th July.
Not that I am lost-4-words, rather, there R way 2 many 2 choose from, and as a result, the most paralyzing form of indecision has set in. Your words cut it so neat and 2-the-point (2 MY point). Ah --first relationship f.i. is in that DATE (18th July), and (proof of) vibration is already in THAT I FOUND THIS POST HERE AT ALL.
F.i. if
I will add U as FRIEND. Journey 2 Ixtlan huh ! I like that 4 a journal-title.
good 2 find parallelles
Somewhere in the middle of rydberg/026 I found the passage:
'As is known, some mysterious documents called the Sibyline books were preserved in Jupiter's temple, on the Capitoline Hill, in Rome. The Roman State was the possessor, and kept the strictest watch over them, so that their contents remained a secret to all excepting those whose position (=ability) entitled them to read them (=apply them)'. (http://www.heithni.org/rydberg/026.php)
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and furtheron;
'They (the Sibyline books) were consulted only to find out by what ceremonies of penance and propitiation (=what props 2 use -?? hehe, tickles my phunny bone, pun pun pun prop -propitiation) the wrath of the higher powers might be averted at times when Rome was in trouble, or when prodigies of one kind or another had excited the people and caused fears of impending misfortune. Then the Sibyline books were produced by the properly appointed persons, and in some line or passage they found which divinity was angry and ought to be propitiated. This done, they published their interpretation of the passage, but did not make known the words or phrases of the passage, for the text of the Sibyline books must not be known to the public.'