Changes

The Core Shamanism Harner claims to have discovered and developed insists that shamanic practices and religions were once used in European cultures, too, until shamanic knowledge was ousted „by the suppressive pre-eminence of religions“<ref>www.shamanicstudies.net/Schamanismus accessed Nov 28, 2012</ref> Core Shamanism asserts there were ''„[...] underlying universal, near-universal, and common features of shamanism [...]“'' which it claims to teach particularly to ''„[...] Westerners to reacquire access to their rightful spiritual heritage [...]“''.<ref name="shamanism.org">www.shamanism.org/fssinfo/index.html accessed Nov 28, 2012</ref>

The Core Shamanism Harner claims to have discovered and developed insists that shamanic practices and religions were once used in European cultures, too, until shamanic knowledge was ousted „by the suppressive pre-eminence of religions“<ref>www.shamanicstudies.net/Schamanismus accessed Nov 28, 2012</ref> Core Shamanism asserts there were ''„[...] underlying universal, near-universal, and common features of shamanism [...]“'' which it claims to teach particularly to ''„[...] Westerners to reacquire access to their rightful spiritual heritage [...]“''.<ref name="shamanism.org">www.shamanism.org/fssinfo/index.html accessed Nov 28, 2012</ref>

Although Harner's site today claims that ''„core shamanism does not focus on ceremonies [...]“''<ref name="shamanism.org" />, there are accounts of FSS and former FSS students selling indigenous ceremonies as e.g. sweatlodges.<ref>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shamandebunk/message/337 accessed Nov. 28, 2012</ref>. In fact, according to the announcement of the so-called Basic Workshops „Way of the Shaman“ for 2013 on the FSS website, participants are still expected to ''„[...] bring a rattle or a drum if you have one. [...] and bring a bandanna, cushion and/or blanket (if the sponsor does not provide cushions), a rough-surfaced rock approximately the size of a grapefruit [...]“''<ref>www.shamanism.org/workshops/calendar.php?Wkshp_ID=10  accessed Nov 28, 2012</ref>, indicating that the seminar includes a sweatlodge. However, this brief information to bring a „rough-surfaced rock“ leaves much room for participants bringing a stone not appropriate for high temperatures and a subsequent cooling by water; this may cause some types of rock to explode, with rock splinters taking on the speed and impact of missiles. Therefore, participation in such a lodge can be very dangerous.

Although Harner's site today claims that ''„core shamanism does not focus on ceremonies [...]“''<ref name="shamanism.org" />, there are accounts of FSS and former FSS students selling indigenous ceremonies as e.g. sweatlodges resp. alleged indigenous ceremonies invented by FSS.<ref>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shamandebunk/message/337 accessed Nov. 28, 2012</ref>. In fact, according to the announcement of the so-called Basic Workshops „Way of the Shaman“ for 2013 on the FSS website, participants are still expected to ''„[...] bring a rattle or a drum if you have one. [...] and bring a bandanna, cushion and/or blanket (if the sponsor does not provide cushions), a rough-surfaced rock approximately the size of a grapefruit [...]“''<ref>www.shamanism.org/workshops/calendar.php?Wkshp_ID=10  accessed Nov 28, 2012</ref>, indicating that the seminar includes a sweatlodge. However, this brief information to bring a „rough-surfaced rock“ leaves much room for participants bringing a stone not appropriate for high temperatures and a subsequent cooling by water; this may cause some types of rock to explode, with rock splinters taking on the speed and impact of missiles. Therefore, participation in such a lodge can be very dangerous. On the other hand, reports suggest that such stones are meant to be used in a so-called "Lakota stone oracle". This is a pseudo-ceremony propagated by FSS almost exclusively found on websites maintained by vendors who were taught by FSS, or in forum threads discussing FSS courses.

==Foundation for Shamanic Studies==

==Foundation for Shamanic Studies==

The biographical information on her own website seem to have been brushed up, since Gauthier not only claims to be "Métis Algonquine", but to have been initiated into "the" indigenous spirituality since her early childhood, to have worked with several "pipe carriers" of Algonkin nations as well as of Innu and Mohawk nations who all allegedly initiated Gauthier to different ceremonies like Sweat Lodges, Marriages, and Ceremonies of Passing.<ref name="loumitea">www.lamessageredevie.com/loumitea.html accessed March 15, 2013</ref> Gauthier not only does workshops in Canada/USA, but also in France. Her activities outside of FSS seem to be done under the aliases of "Loumitea" and "Grand-Mère Louise".<ref>www.chamanisme.fr/LE-CERCLE-DE-SAGESSE-CHAMANIQUE.html accessed March 15, 2013</ref>

The biographical information on her own website seem to have been brushed up, since Gauthier not only claims to be "Métis Algonquine", but to have been initiated into "the" indigenous spirituality since her early childhood, to have worked with several "pipe carriers" of Algonkin nations as well as of Innu and Mohawk nations who all allegedly initiated Gauthier to different ceremonies like Sweat Lodges, Marriages, and Ceremonies of Passing.<ref name="loumitea">www.lamessageredevie.com/loumitea.html accessed March 15, 2013</ref> Gauthier not only does workshops in Canada/USA, but also in France. Her activities outside of FSS seem to be done under the aliases of "Loumitea" and "Grand-Mère Louise".<ref>www.chamanisme.fr/LE-CERCLE-DE-SAGESSE-CHAMANIQUE.html accessed March 15, 2013</ref>

However, Gauthier is not only selling indigenous ceremonies and workshops, she also practices further pseudoscientific CAM methods, among them "Total Biology" and "Décodage Biologique".<ref name="loumitea" /> "Total Biology" has its origins in [[Germanic New Medicine]] which contends that tumours were due to psychological conflicts and to be healed by a "conflictolysis"; it further rejects evidence-based medical therapies, pain management etc.

However, Gauthier is not only selling indigenous ceremonies and workshops, she also practices further pseudoscientific CAM methods, among them "[[Total Biology]]" resp. "Décodage Biologique".<ref name="loumitea" /> "Total Biology" has its origins in [[Germanic New Medicine]] which contends that tumours were due to psychological conflicts and to be healed by a "conflictolysis"; it further rejects evidence-based medical therapies, pain management etc.

Another person who is not listed as FSS staff presently but taught FSS courses in the past is Carol Proudfoot Edgar who claims to be Lakota<ref name="Stuckrad" />; however, mentioning just an indigenous nation without any further specifications usually indicates a person of distant (if any) indigenous ancestry and/or a Newager trying to further sales of their workshops by claiming to be indigenous.

Another person who is not listed as FSS staff presently but taught FSS courses in the past is Carol Proudfoot Edgar who claims to be Lakota<ref name="Stuckrad" />; however, mentioning just an indigenous nation without any further specifications usually indicates a person of distant (if any) indigenous ancestry and/or a Newager trying to further sales of their workshops by claiming to be indigenous.