What is Bon Shamanism

Discussion of the fifth religious tradition of Tibet.
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

It is the most ancient practice of indigenous Tamang people. They are called Bönpo in Tamang language.

They work as a healer. They are abducted and taught by BAN JHAKRI (Forest Shaman) in sacred Pokali Waterfalls at their young age. It is believed that BAN JHAKRI lives in the Pokali Waterfall nearby the village.

Furthermore, it is one of the evidence of Bön religion that used to practice by Tamang People before taking Buddhism.

Shamans determine the illness either by feeling the pulse of patient or by counting the rice kernels for divination. The shamanic practice is deeply rooted in a strong understanding of relationship between body, soul, mind and patient's relationship with environment and spiritual realm. Now the young generation seems less interesting to practice this tradition.

Therefore this rich culture is at the verge of extinction from another generation in Pokali Okhaldhunga.


The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:

The Himalayan Indigenous Bön 'Shaman' are dancing

The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:

Bönpo/Jhakri/Shaman ritual Nepal.

The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:

The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:

Jhakri Shaman Bön.

The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:

Bön Masters: The Healers of the Himalayas


The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
Mantrik
Former staff member
Posts: 2248
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:55 pm
Contact:

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by Mantrik »

kalden yungdrung wrote: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:04 pm IN ADDITION:

Jhakri Shaman Bön.

Please explain how this is Bön. What characterises it as such?

What type of Jha(n)kri is this? 'Jhakri Shaman' is meaningless, 'Shaman Shaman'.

Your thread asks 'What is Bon Shamanism' so please don't just post a video without actually explaining what we are seeing and how it is related to the question.
http://www.khyung.com ཁྲོཾ

Om Thathpurushaya Vidhmahe
Suvarna Pakshaya Dheemahe
Thanno Garuda Prachodayath

Micchāmi Dukkaḍaṃ (मिच्छामि दुक्कडम्)
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:
Bönpo priest - 019.jpg
Bönpo priest - 019.jpg (68.75 KiB) Viewed 5208 times
Yongning priest, 1928
A young Bönpo priest from Zuosuo, near Yongning, where the Bönpo school predominates - Joseph Rock.
The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

IN ADDITION:



For more informations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jh%C4%81kri
The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Hyolmo/Tamang Bön or Bönpo Shaman are chanting the Bön Mantra of Compassion.
They don´t make the full stretching Tibetan way of prostration.

The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

Benchhe Puja(prayer) is the ancient ritual practiced by the shamans of Thulo Bharkhu, Rasuwa, northern Nepal.

This puja is a ritual to the deceased shaman by a spiritual practice of offering the possession of the deceased shaman, in the sacred place of Gosaikunda Lake on the day of Janaipurnima.

The family members and relatives of the deceased shaman make the journey throughout performing the ritual in their traditional way.



The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
Manju
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:51 am

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by Manju »

kalden yungdrung, this is a formidable compilation of shaman events in Nepal.

:namaste:

Manju
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

The best meditation is no meditation
Summers
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:02 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by Summers »

Mantrik wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 5:06 pm I know a jhankri shaman who has given me transmission of this and that. He is far closer to Hindu than any association with Tibet, but inevitaby the Tibetan diaspora will have greater influence.
It is a dangerous thing to generalise with shamanism as much is familial lineage (in his case over 25 generations) and not easily, or wisely, to be categorised as anything other than what it is. :)
Of course we should not generalize, but even if we much of modern jhankri practices are heavily Hinducized or Buddhicized,there is certainly evidence to suggest at the very least a Tibetic origin of these shamanic practices in Nepal; in some areas the jhankris consider Tonpa Shenrab to be the Adi-Jhankri, and they claim they're the remnants of the Bonpo kicked out of Tibet. Point being that this will very likely help gain new converts for the Bonpo, and I'm sure the Bonpo are excited to "reintroduce" them to the fold. I'm just interested in how this will play out.

It would be interesting to hear what those jhankris chanting the Bon compassion mantra, from that video Kaldren posted, think about the mythic history of Yungdrung Bon, and how they see their jhankri practices in relation to Yungdrung Bon.
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

On this special day, the Nepalese people of every spiritual path or tradition or faiths visit the sacred power places (shakti pithas) to offer prayers and offerings.

Especially the power places dedicated to Shiva in his different manifestations are very important. Shiva is the main mentor-deity of almost all the shamans in Nepal and the Himalayan regions.

The shamans take long and difficult pilgrimages (if possible) to the sacred mountains, lakes, water falls and shrines. On this day a neophyte is initiated in the shamanic healing path by the teacher.

The shamanic process of dismemberment; cleansing rites; the rites of forgiveness and letting go can be performed for 'renewal and rejuvenation of power.

The opening of the 'Family Lineage Paths' can also be started. Drumming, singing, making offerings, journeying, healing, initiations, etc. are considered to be very important on this day.

(NB: none of the Shamanic traditions of Nepal and the Himalayan regions use any of the mind-altering substances to induce trance state).

The best meditation is no meditation
Lhasa
Posts: 1201
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 3:51 am

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by Lhasa »

They worship shiva? How terribly sad!! Nice to know that though, I'll stay away from Bon shamanism and dharma products from countries that are polluted by shiva worship.
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Lhasa wrote: Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:35 pm They worship shiva? How terribly sad!! Nice to know that though, I'll stay away from Bon shamanism and dharma products from countries that are polluted by shiva worship.
Well all Nepali Shamans gather here and there because of the festival.
Among these Nepali Shamans are also Bön Shamans.
The majority here are Nepali Shamans and they do not have problems with Shiva veneration.
Bönpo Shamans do not venerate Shiva.
It is like mount Kailash, it is also the abode of Shiva but also a holy Bön place.
There gather as well Bönpos , Hindus and Vajrayana adherents.
The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

Below 3 Bön Shamans, who finished their Phowa retreat.
They were teached by a Ngakpa Yungdrung Tenzin La, who in turn received the teachings from a Bön Geshe.

.
Bönpo Phowa - 00a.jpg
Bönpo Phowa - 00a.jpg (115.47 KiB) Viewed 4201 times
The best meditation is no meditation
User avatar
Mantrik
Former staff member
Posts: 2248
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:55 pm
Contact:

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by Mantrik »

Lhasa wrote: Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:35 pm They worship shiva? How terribly sad!! Nice to know that though, I'll stay away from Bon shamanism and dharma products from countries that are polluted by shiva worship.
Is there a specific problem with Shiva worship, or their particular way of performing it, please?
I know a Nepali shaman and he seems to focus mostly on Bhairava, Nagas, Tara etc. and not animal sacrifice etc.
http://www.khyung.com ཁྲོཾ

Om Thathpurushaya Vidhmahe
Suvarna Pakshaya Dheemahe
Thanno Garuda Prachodayath

Micchāmi Dukkaḍaṃ (मिच्छामि दुक्कडम्)
User avatar
kalden yungdrung
Posts: 4606
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: What is Bon Shamanism

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

Nima is like nearly every Bönpo Shaman a student of the Bön Yongdzin Rinpoche.

Nima is a very skilled Shaman who can help you to get rid off some problems with demons.
He told me today that it is his duty to help people with problems with spirits , demons etc.
Nima gets his Teachings regarding the 3 lower Ways in Bön from Bön Geshes .

Below a photo of Nima, where he is wearing the Bön Tantra Hat.
Means that Nima is skilled also in Tantric Rituals, then he is also skilled in the 3 Lower Ways which would mean the rituals regarding the ransom, protection against demons etc.

.
Nima Lama - 00.jpg
Nima Lama - 00.jpg (120.83 KiB) Viewed 4090 times

If you like to come in contact with this Bönpo Shaman, then sent me an pm.

Mutsuk Marro
KY.
The best meditation is no meditation
Post Reply

Return to “Bön”