Shaman Radio Presents with Jon Rasmussen
Jon Rasmussen has over thirty years of experience as a trained and practicing Shaman with clients from all walks of life around the globe, and is an author of four books spanning Shamanism, Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy, Nature and Science. Jon has over 200 published videos and blog articles covering all these subjects including Artificial Intelligence, Aliens, Life, Relationship and Spirit Hacks. He has produced several web-based Apps and Websites bridging traditions and offering Life Coaching. The podcasts are created in part from the written material and videos of Jon Rasmussen as well as recorded interviews and discussions on a large range of pertinent and timely topics for personal growth, health and world affairs. Jon's main website is https://soulalgorithm.com .
Shaman Radio Presents with Jon Rasmussen
A Shaman's View of Reincarnation, Creation, Religion and the Illusion of Separation
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This YouTube transcript discusses a shamanic perspective on reincarnation, creation, and the relationship between shamanism and religion. Shamans view reincarnation as a natural process of experiencing increasing complexity within creation, much like watching a movie multiple times. They see nature as inherently spiritual, rejecting the duality of spirit and matter. Unlike organized religions that offer pathways to a better afterlife, shamanism focuses on improving one's life in the present, using practical tools and techniques to enhance well-being and connection with the natural world. The core difference is that shamanism is organic, non-hierarchical, and adaptable, whereas religion is often institutionalized and rule-based. Ultimately, shamanism is presented as a foundational element underpinning many established religions.
More information and videos about Jon's work can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@JonRasmussen and https://thesoulalgorithm.com/sessions .
All right, strap in everybody. Today we're going deep into shamanism.
SPEAKER_01Shamanism. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00With this guy, John Rasmussen.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00And he well, he's a shaman, obviously. But the cool thing is he's really good at explaining, you know, like the really out there spiritual stuff, but in a way that kind of makes sense, you know?
SPEAKER_01Totally.
SPEAKER_00So we're gonna break down his YouTube video today, uh what he thinks about reincarnation, creation, all the big stuff. Yeah, exactly. Even how shamanism fits in with like regular religion.
SPEAKER_01Interesting. So what does he say?
SPEAKER_00Well, let's find out.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00So I've watched a bit of his stuff before, and it seems like he's not so into the like mystical woo-woo side of things. Yeah, yeah. He's more about how how do these ideas actually affect you, you know, in your everyday life. So, like with reincarnation, he's not buying the whole you die, and then that's it, you know? He says it's more like um like choosing to see a movie, you know, you willingly go in, you get lost in the story, and when it's over, you're like, okay, what's next?
SPEAKER_01I like that. Right.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And then he takes it even further and connects this like need for new experiences to to like how nature works.
SPEAKER_01Oh, interesting.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, like nature's always trying to get more complex, you know?
SPEAKER_01Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_00And we're part of that. We're always evolving, always looking for a new role to play.
SPEAKER_01So we're all just actors in this giant cosmic play.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, kind of.
SPEAKER_01That's a cool way to think about it.
SPEAKER_00I know, right? But it also makes you wonder like, if it's just a movie, do our choices really matter?
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's a good question.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01If we're always choosing new stories, as he calls them, how much control do we actually have?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And what affects those choices anyway? Is it random or is there something else going on?
SPEAKER_01That is getting deep.
SPEAKER_00I know, right. Okay, let's let's switch gears for a sec. Let's talk about creation.
SPEAKER_01Okay, creation.
SPEAKER_00So Rasmussen, he doesn't buy into the whole spirit versus matter thing that a lot of religions are based on. Okay. You know, like spirit's good, matter is bad.
SPEAKER_01Right, right, right.
SPEAKER_00He says it's a myth.
SPEAKER_01A myth. Interesting. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And he says that for shamans, everything has consciousness, even like a rock. Even a rock. Yeah. He uses this image of the earth when it was just like molten rock, you know, billions of years ago. And he says that even back then, it was already a story unfolding.
SPEAKER_01Okay, hold on. Even rocks have consciousness. I mean, like, is there any science behind that, or is that just like a belief?
SPEAKER_00Well, that's a good question. I don't think there's like scientific consensus on it.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00But there are physicists and philosophers who are starting to think that maybe consciousness is just like a fundamental part of the universe.
SPEAKER_01Okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like it's everywhere, just to different degrees.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Ross Powell, so even a rock has a little bit of consciousness.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, potentially. But yeah, it's definitely pushing the boundaries of what we normally think about, right?
SPEAKER_01Definitely pushing boundaries.
SPEAKER_00And speaking of pushing boundaries, Razmeeson mentions seeing brand new species in the Amazon rainforests. Like stuff no one's ever seen before.
SPEAKER_01Really?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Which to me suggests that evolution is still happening, like right now.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's fascinating. It's like we're seeing that drive for complexity that he was talking about, like unfolding in real time.
SPEAKER_00Totally. And it makes you wonder like, what's next for us? What's our next evolutionary step?
SPEAKER_01Wow. I never thought about it like that.
SPEAKER_00Right. It's pretty wild. But let's let's shift gears again. Rasmussen also talks about the Garden of Eden story.
SPEAKER_01The Garden of Eden. Okay.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. You know, the one that's like central to so many religions.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00But he has a pretty different take on it.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Oh, really? How so?
SPEAKER_00Well, he says that this whole we got kicked out of paradise thing, that it's actually created this harmful belief that life is just a struggle.
SPEAKER_01Interesting.
SPEAKER_00Like it sets us up to see the world as like a a a place of pain and hardship instead of, you know, abundance and joy.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell So instead of looking around being like, wow, this is amazing, we're like, ugh, life is so hard.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, exactly. And he contrasts this with the view of um like the Kogi people.
SPEAKER_01The Kogi people.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. They live high up in the Andes Mountains, totally isolated. And they see nature as like inherently pleasurable, like heaven on earth. Wow. So it makes you wonder: is our belief in a fallen world actually making us suffer more?
SPEAKER_01Whoa. So like we're creating our own reality with this idea of a lost paradise.
SPEAKER_00It's a possibility, right? And if so, how do we change that?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. How do we shift that perspective?
SPEAKER_00That's the million-dollar question. Okay. My brain is officially fried.
SPEAKER_01I'm too. This is why I love these deep dives. It's so thought-provoking.
SPEAKER_00But before we go totally existential, let's go back to something you mentioned earlier, shamanism and religion.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Because Rasmussen doesn't seem to be saying like, ditch your religion and become a shaman.
SPEAKER_01Right. He's got a more nuanced take.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he contrasts the like the dogma and the hierarchy of organized religion with shamanism's focus on being practical.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So like less about following a set of beliefs and more about like, how do we actually make things better right now?
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And he says shamanism isn't about changing your beliefs. It can actually like enhance your existing spiritual practices no matter what your religion is. Interesting. He even uses the example of prayer.
SPEAKER_01Wait, how can shamanism make prayer more effective?
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell Well, he suggests that shamanism can help us connect with like the power of nature.
SPEAKER_01Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_00And that can like amplify our intentions and make our connection to something bigger, like way stronger.
SPEAKER_01So it's like shamanism adds another dimension to prayer. It helps us tap into a deeper source of energy.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. It's pretty cool, right? It is. It's like shamanism isn't about replacing anything, it's about adding this whole other layer of understanding and connection.
SPEAKER_01I like that. Expanding our awareness. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Okay. My mind is officially blown. Rasmussen really packs a punch in his videos.
SPEAKER_01He does, and he connects these like big, complex spiritual ideas to our everyday lives in such a cool way.
SPEAKER_00Right. Totally. But before we wrap up this part of our deep dive, there's one more thing he mentions that I want to explore. It's this idea that shamanism sees humans as like inherently part of nature, subject to its laws.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. That's a big one.
SPEAKER_00I know, right? And that makes you wonder like, how does that change how we see things like health and relationships?
SPEAKER_01Totally.
SPEAKER_00Even our search for meaning. It feels like this is where things get really interesting.
SPEAKER_01You're right. It's a whole other rabbit hole.
SPEAKER_00I'm ready to jump in.
SPEAKER_01Let's do it. So we're going deeper now. Looking at how this idea of humans being part of nature, not separate from it, like actually plays out in our lives.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's a big shift from that man versus nature thing we see all the time.
SPEAKER_01Right. It's like we got to rethink how we see the natural world. We're not just visitors here. We're we're part of the whole system.
SPEAKER_00Okay. So how does this work in real life? Like let's start with health. How does shamanism look at illness and healing?
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Well, in shamanism, they don't see illness as some random attack. It's more like a sign that something's out of balance, like you're not in sync with nature's rhythms.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell So it's not about fighting some outside enemy. It's about getting back in harmony with yourself and and the world around you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly. Instead of just treating the symptoms, they try to figure out like what's the root cause of this imbalance.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell So it's a more holistic approach, looking at the whole person, how they connect to everything else.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Exactly. And this is where it gets really interesting. Shamans might use something called soul retrieval to deal with these imbalances.
SPEAKER_00Wait, soul retrieval? What is that?
SPEAKER_01It's pretty fascinating. Basically, shamans believe that when you go through trauma or like really tough times, parts of your soul can like fragment or get lost.
SPEAKER_00Like actually lost.
SPEAKER_01It's more like pieces of your energy get scattered, and those missing pieces can create blocks, leading to, you know, physical or emotional problems.
SPEAKER_00Okay. So soul retrieval helps bring those pieces back together.
SPEAKER_01Right. The shaman goes on a like spiritual journey to find those lost parts and guide them back to you.
SPEAKER_00It's like a spiritual rescue mission.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, kind of. It's about making you whole again, helping you reach your full potential.
SPEAKER_00Wow, that's intense. So that's health. What about relationships? How does seeing ourselves as part of nature change how we interact with others?
SPEAKER_01Well, think of it like this: if we're all connected in this giant web, our relationships are the threads that make up the tapestry. They're woven into the fabric of life itself.
SPEAKER_00So our relationships are also subject to like the laws of nature, cycles of growth and decay, the ebb and flow of energy.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Right. And this perspective makes you think about like how your actions in those relationships affect not just you and the other person, but the whole web.
SPEAKER_00It's like a ripple effect, right? What we do in a relationship can impact like the whole community, even the environment.
SPEAKER_01Totally. If you act selfishly or, you know, disregard other people's well-being, it creates disharmony, not just in that relationship, but potentially everywhere.
SPEAKER_00It's like we have a responsibility to consider the bigger picture. We're not just making choices in a vacuum. We're part of something much bigger.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And that interconnectedness can be really empowering. You know? It reminds us that we can create positive change, not just for ourselves, but for everyone and everything around us.
SPEAKER_00This is making me rethink my own relationships. It's not just about me and the other person, it's about how we contribute to the overall health of the whole web.
SPEAKER_01Right. And that leads us to another big question. What about our purpose in life? How does shamanism view that?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's a tough one. Is there like a grand plan for our lives, or are we just winging it?
SPEAKER_01Well, shamanism doesn't necessarily believe in a predetermined path. It's more about aligning with your true nature, you know, your soul's purpose.
SPEAKER_00So more about discovering your gifts and like how you're meant to express them in the world.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Shamanism encourages us to like look inward, trust our intuition, and pay attention to the signs that guide us.
SPEAKER_00But how do you actually do that? Are there techniques that shamanism uses to uncover our purpose?
SPEAKER_01There are. They use things like journeying, divination, and connecting with spirit guides to gain insight into their purpose and to help others do the same.
SPEAKER_00Wait, spirit guides? Are those like guardian angels?
SPEAKER_01You could think of it that way. Shamans believe that we all have these helping spirits, animal allies, ancestral guides who offer guidance and support.
SPEAKER_00So it's like having a spiritual cheer squad helping us along the way.
SPEAKER_01That's a great way to put it. Yeah. And that support can be really powerful, especially when we're feeling lost.
SPEAKER_00This is all fascinating, but I'm still a little fuzzy on how these techniques actually work in practice.
SPEAKER_01So it's one thing to talk about it, right? But seeing it in action is a whole other thing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, exactly. Like, how does a shaman actually perform a soul retrieval? What does cord cutting look like? And how do we connect with our spirit guides?
SPEAKER_01All good questions. And those are exactly what we're going to explore in the next part of our deep dive. We're going to get into the practical side of shamanism, looking at specific techniques and how they can help us deal with everyday challenges.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Now I'm really intrigued. I can't wait to learn more about these practical applications. This is going to be good. Okay, so we've talked about some pretty big ideas about how shamanism looks at the world. But now I want to get into the like the how-to, you know, how do you actually use this stuff?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the practical side, shamanism might be all spiritual and stuff, but it's also about doing things.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01Taking action.
SPEAKER_00Right. Like less theory, more, okay, I'm stuck. How do I get unstuck?
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Remember, we talked about soul retrieval for healing. Let's dig into that a bit more.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm still kind of wrapping my head around that whole lost soul parts thing. Like, how does that even happen?
SPEAKER_01It's like this when something really bad happens, it's like a piece of your energy, like the essence of who you are, gets kind of stuck in that moment.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01It's a way to protect yourself, but later on, those pieces can hold you back.
SPEAKER_00So it's not that part of your soul literally disappears, it's more like your energy is like fragmented.
SPEAKER_01Right. You're not whole. And that's where the shaman comes in. They use drumming, rattling, chanting, stuff like that to go into a different state of consciousness.
SPEAKER_00Like a trance.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, kind of. And in that state, they can find those lost pieces and bring them back to you.
SPEAKER_00So they actually go searching for them.
SPEAKER_01It's more like sensing energy, following their intuition. They might even talk to helping spirits for guidance.
SPEAKER_00Wow. Okay. But what does it feel like when those pieces come back?
SPEAKER_01It's different for everyone. Some people feel whole again, more energized. Some it's a really big shift. Others, it's more subtle.
SPEAKER_00Interesting. Okay, so what about that cord cutting thing you mentioned? When would you do that?
SPEAKER_01Cord cutting. It's for when there's a relationship that just isn't working. Like a bad pattern you keep repeating. Remember, shamanism sees relationships as energy. And sometimes that energy gets all tangled up.
SPEAKER_00Like you're fighting about the same thing over and over and over.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. That usually means there's an energetic cord that needs to be cut.
SPEAKER_00But how do you cut energy?
SPEAKER_01It's about intention. The shaman might use visualization, chanting, or rituals to like symbolically cut those ties.
SPEAKER_00And that can really change how the relationship works.
SPEAKER_01It can. You're clearing out the old stuff, making space for something healthier.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so we've got healing relationships, but what about finding your purpose? The big one.
SPEAKER_01It comes back to connecting with your true self. What are you here to do? What are your gifts?
SPEAKER_00It's not about following some set path, it's about figuring out what's already inside you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And shamanism gives you tools to do that, like divination, using stones, bones, cards, stuff like that to tap into deeper knowledge.
SPEAKER_00It's like asking the universe for guidance.
SPEAKER_01Kind of. And then there's connecting with spirit guides that can really help you understand your path.
SPEAKER_00Spirit guides, those are like what guardian angels or something?
SPEAKER_01They're more like wise beings that offer support. They could help you figure out your strengths, your challenges, and ultimately your purpose.
SPEAKER_00But how do you connect with them?
SPEAKER_01It takes practice, meditation, drumming, being in nature, things that help you open up to the spirit world.
SPEAKER_00So you have to make the effort to reach out.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And the things they tell you. It can be really powerful stuff like life-changing guidance.
SPEAKER_00This is amazing. Shamanism is so empowering. It's about trusting yourself, your own intuition, and the guidance you get from like the unseen world.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's it. It's remembering that we're connected to something bigger. We can learn from nature and we can create our own reality.
SPEAKER_00This whole deep dive has been wild. We've covered some crazy ideas and some really practical stuff too. It could change your life, you know?
SPEAKER_01Totally agree. And we've just scratched the surface here. Shamanism is huge. There's so much to learn.
SPEAKER_00So to all our listeners, keep exploring, keep asking questions. Trust yourself. You never know what amazing things you might discover.
SPEAKER_01Until next time. Happy journeys, everyone.
Podcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
The Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan
The Catholic Guy Show's Podcast
Lino Rulli
AfterMass
Ana Munley
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp
The Joe Rogan Experience
Joe Rogan
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Theo Von
Literally! With Rob Lowe
Stitcher & Team Coco, Rob Lowe