The term 'shaman' is actually from the Tungus tribe of Siberia. Mircea Eliade, a religion scholar wrote a book called Mircea EliadeShamanism Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy and since then the terms been used more broadly.
Some people feel it should only be used in the context of that culture, and use culturally neutral terms like 'spirit-worker' instead.

A witch is someone who is a pagan and practices witchcraft. They don't have to be Wiccan (as that is a new age religion of paganism, but has become synonymous with the word witch in the media), they can be solitary witchs, satanits, chaos magickians, ect.

Shamans are people who can also be witches but sometimes do not consider themselves such. The word comes from rural pagan communities where there would be a 'wise man' or 'wise women' who would be the doctor/spiritual leader and who would use drugs and animal totems in astral journeys. Many people believe you can't become a shaman, but that you are thrust or born into the position.

Also, a lot of witches (male and female) like calling themselves shamans so they can justify the use of illegal drugs.

Cam anyone explain the difference between shamanism and Wicca/ witch? I met some people who are "shaman" but they perform a lot of witchy rituals for healing. Are people using shamanism as a title to be more politically correct since the uneducated population stereotypes witches as bad?

wow some of these r quite a mouth full

I'm a Gaelic/Hellenic polytheist, ADF Druid & Unitarian Universalist.

Green Witch. I did my year and a day with Ann Moura. Currently studying meditation and tradition with a group at Hindu University.

I am a Druid following an Irish Gaelic path (very heavily drawn from Celtic recon)

Norse Pagan/Heathen/Ásatrú... polytheist & animist.

I'm an Irish polytheist/Celtic reconstructionist.

I am an animist witch.

That's what I'm trying to figure out. Born catholic never fit that. Have studied herbalism, aeromatherapy, crystals, reiki, etc for years. Some friends are Wiccan others agnostic. I am a healer for sure. Registered nurse by licensure shamanistic healer by nature.

The Discriminating Fangirl wrote: "Do you guys ever find it tough to figure out exactly what to call yourself?

Over the past year or so, my beliefs have been changing again, and I'm finding myself leaning more toward agnosticism. ..."

On the subject of agnosticism and atheism in pagan practice, I recommend this essay from the Proteus Coven online library? "Pagan Deism: Three Views"
http://www.proteuscoven.org/proteus/tria...

Brain food for sure. :) And fuel for discussion, perhaps.

I just consider myself Eclectic. I've borrowed bits and pieces that I like from religions I have learned about to make my own unique religion just for me. I primarily borrow from Paganism, Judaism, and Hinduism.

The Discriminating Fangirl wrote: "Do you guys ever find it tough to figure out exactly what to call yourself?"

I just say whatever I feel like at the time.

"A mermaid"

It's interesting to see people's ultra specific traditions though, I think it says a lot about that person.

pagan, wicca, witch (one or the other, i dont mind)
thats about as far as i go
any futher n my head starts to hurt

Do you guys ever find it tough to figure out exactly what to call yourself?

Over the past year or so, my beliefs have been changing again, and I'm finding myself leaning more toward agnosticism. At the same time, I still feel strongly drawn toward nature. I don't know if I'd still consider myself a pagan in any religious terms, but I do still consider myself a witch. I guess I sort of hover at the edge of agnosticism and pantheism.

i am in england n they still ended up dead

I am here in Texas so as long as I remember to water them they do fine...heehee.

i tryed to do that
grow my own hurbs
but i was bussy with collage work
that they kinda died :(

Norma wrote: "I'm basically Eclectic Pagan"
I go by that too! I usually tell people I am a solitary Ecletic Witch. My roots are from Scotland so I try to incorporate and work with the Fae, Dragons, Brownies, Kelpies, sprites. Right now I am learning and practicing uses for my herbs.
If you could reccommend any books you like, especially if it has tea recipes? I have just started my own herb garden.

i have loads of crystals n i like my herbs

I'm a solitary pagan. Probably best described as a kitchen witch, a lil fae thrown in there too. I love my herbs and have my share of crystals too. I have some American Indian Heritage, and tend to study that some too. I'm basically an Eclectic Pagan. Heinz 57

cool
its nice to know for sure
:D

You can do anything you like as you don't break any laws........Or no important laws lol

i am solitary wiccan
n i was told that i could start my own with a mixture of things that i like

I am a celtic/brythonic polytheist pagan, and my magical practices are based on Irish Traditional Witchcraft.

Eclectic shamanic practitioner with Fae and Draconic mixing in.

Do you follow a specific tradition? Or perhaps practice chaos magick?