Pavel Bersnev
Shamanism in the New World
translated into English by Lada Pyatovskaya
Dedicated to my friends from these and other worlds
Introduction
This book was written at the beginning of the Millennium. The period of time which is described in it was fabulous and very special. I am very glad that Amazon’s spirits called upon me especially at that time. Tropical forest has longed to transmit us, the citizens of megalopolises, the inestimable wisdom by doing it with the aid of shamans and medicine men. Forest is our home, kind teacher and a friend. Now, more than ever, it is under a great danger. Most of the people in the modern world fail to realize how valuable the rainforests are. Forests are not just timber and a place of wild animal breeds with man following shooting. Forests are the ancient libraries full of the wisest books, which shamans have learned to read since time immemorial. God himself wrote all those books. Every leaf, every blade of grass keeps His sacred writings. The rainforests hide a quantity of mysteries and secrets. We should not destroy them, without getting closer to the clues for at least some parts of them. Without any doubts we must save the forests on our planet. Otherwise, without forests, our living on Earth is going to cease.
Forests are not only the depository of wisdom. There are also the greatest clinics that can heal nearly every illness. Shamans-medicine men - or Curanderos - possess an outstanding knowledge about the healing properties of this Green Pharmacy's medicine. They appear to be the guides to the world of nature which is hidden from the ordinary people's view; the people who are not devoted into its mystery. We - modern city-inhabitants – have to save the great wisdom of shamans. We need to save their legacy for once we can curse the day we lost the path leading us to the wonderful world.
This book is about Enlightened, or Awakened, Shamanism. The Awakening is only possible in the harmony with the animate nature, with the elements of earth, water, fire, wind and space – in the harmony with the Creator of the universe. Forests, if you will just listen carefully, are calling each and every one of us. It is wishing to share the treasures of wisdom - not just “timber” or “sown areas” but the wisdom itself. Its voice is the voice of the Creator, Our God. Forest is one of the splendid God's Temple. It’s leaves are imprinted with the Bible of Nature.
The book, which was published with the title “Curanderos – the healers of the South America”, I have changed fundamentally. I have also corrected some inaccuracy and also added a lot of new data. This knowledge is tested by time and checked on practice.
I am travelling to the Amazon’s jungles practically every year, or sometimes even a few times a year. Every time I acquire more and more priceless knowledge. Although the experience and knowledge that I received from Maestro, when we first met, have always helped me and will be beneficial for me in future – they became a secure foundation for the future advancement upon the Way. I hope that all readers as well as me will find something useful in this book and possibly with the use of it will commit their own inward discoveries. After all, it is a message sent from my heart to your heart. It is good news about Life-giving Light, Eternally New Light that was passed on to people by the outstanding shaman from the Peruvian jungles. Maestro Shaman has never represented himself as a new Messiah, the prophet or the “chosen one”. His life is the living in accordance to his own nature – initial nature, godhead nature. Maestro has never tried to pose as an exceptional person and to stand above the rest. If he was behaving any other way, he would not be oneself. But this astonishing Peruvian shaman lives in and according to nature. I am happy to know this wonderful man. By the force of all my abilities, I have tried to transmit his artless message of Love and Wisdom that belongs to our Unified God, our True Nature, our Father and our Defence.
This book – is the mosaic of my lifelong travelling to the world of shamans. This mosaic is dedicated to the muses of treatment and healing. Sometimes, during the journey I couldn't even perceive the situation in its entirety. Colourful fragments of life passing by, magical patterns, and the way light plays... Only with time through years, when you look back at the traversed way, you are starting to realize that everything happens for a reason. In this book you will find my field diaries, rare articles from decades old newspapers, shorthand text of my discussions with shamans and artists. Also, you be introduced to some of Amazon’s myths and legends that were handed down from generation to generation by the Indians of South America. Most of the material in this book cannot be found in any world's libraries, because their main source was the libraries kept in secrecy in the rainforests of Amazon.
Indian-shamanistic childhood
Shaman used to come often into my childhood dreams. He was appearing in my sleep even when I did not know the word “shaman”. He was arising, all of a sudden, among different decorations and it seemed like he was calling upon me, wanting to tell me something. This Shaman was a natural part of my childhood, the same as the fact that I had parents, grandmothers and granddads. He was often coming to me in my dreams when I was poorly. At first I could see a pulsating mountain and just after that he was appearing. In my childhood I believed that he is my very good friend, the sorcerer from the world of dreams. By the by, the dreams seemed to me, at that time were as real as what is accepted to call reality.
