Communities that have shamans believe that shamans are not self chosen or even chosen by mere man, but normally heed to a higher power. It is believed that shamans are chosen on the basis that one has survived a serious attack of illness that could not be cured by western medicine or even local doctors. Also a person with a near death experience could be considered as shaman material, for example in the case of an individual who survives a lightening strike. Thus one of the roles of a shaman is that of a healer, by entering into the spiritual dimension and gaining knowledge and power necessary for the healing process (Vitebsky, 2001). This knowledge is acquired in the spirit world from other spirits that guide the shaman in his journeys within the spirit world. The spirits only enter the shaman when he is an entranced state and energizes him her. However it is important to note that not all shamans have the ability to heal and it is a preserve of a few shamans. Furthermore, an individual does not fully recover only by the shamans rituals, but also by standard medical procedures once the soul is restored. Another role of the shaman is that of a mediator between the spirit world and the living world. This includes spirits of the dead as well as other spirits. This is where information is passed on to the dead and vice versa to solve unresolved issues that are bringing unrest to the community or a family. This sometimes involves the use of worldly possessions such as money, which is burnt so as the spiritual world can be able to use it (Vitebsky, Shamanism, 2001).
Another role of the shaman is to enter a state of ecstasy, by the use of a trance. This enables the shaman to travel into the heavens or into the underworld and even into parallel universe and communicate with other healers who deal spiritually. This state of ecstasy enables the shaman to gather wisdom from the spiritual world to enable him her perform his rituals and even cleanse his her spirit. With the knowledge gathered from the spiritual world, the shaman can also offer counsel to the community (Vitebsky, Shamanism, 2001).
In the modern and western worlds, there are certain professions that practice work that can be undertaken by a shaman. The role of a doctor is to heal and cure those ailing from physical ailments. This can also be done by shamans with the difference being that shamans will use the spiritual aspect of healing by creating balance within the soul, by traveling to realms not known by the normal human being. A doctor on the other hand will use modern science, such as drugs and therapy, which are explainable by science. Another profession that involves work that can be undertaken by the shaman is that of a psychology. Psychologists tend to people who are disturbed, depressed and in need of mental help. A psychologist will always help a patient by giving sound advice, and in some cases medication, though in a sense the advice from a psychologist is usually self induced by the patient himself. In the case of a shaman, if an individual is having mental problems, the shaman will travel into the spiritual dimension, and try and create balance within the soul, while consulting with the spirits and other spiritual healers from the spiritual world. Finally, the role that a priest plays in the Christian world can also be undertaken by a shaman. A priest will assist those having spiritual problems and in need of spiritual guidance. The difference between a priest and a shaman is that, a priest will not enter into a trance to try to communicate with the spiritual world in search of wisdom, but will rather help the individual by use of prayer and faith. A shaman will try to communicate with the spirit world by entering into a trance and traveling to the spiritual dimension and try to guide the individual based on hisher experience (Vitebsky, 2001).
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