Towards the end of one of his recent public talks, I asked Huston Smith for thoughts on what many are calling "neoshamanism," (Dan Noel's The Soul of Shamanism: Western Fantasies, Imaginal Realities), with which I connect "new monasticism" (Thomas Moore's Meditations: On the Monk Who Dwells in Daily Life), and imagine to be "a form of psychic community service" (Pat Monaghan writing about Arnold Mindell's The Shaman's Body : A New Shamanism for Transforming Health, Relationships, and the Community). In summary, he was very excited by the idea as a direction in which western religious experience might develop, is not impressed with most popular uses of the word (shaman), and recomends a return to more ancient roots which would make the prefix (neo) problematic. I'll ask him if I may post some or all of a recording of his talk in our member area.

At any rate, I'll need to get considerably clearer about my own use of the terms suggested above and this seems to be a fine place to do so, at least in part, by outlining howI see and hear others using these ideas as well as what I believe is implied and unsaid throughout. If I lapse into excessivley "baroque prose" (thanks to my Diss Advisor, Dennis Slattery, for the phrase) please say so in the comments area. What will be developed here briefly will be folded out in full (and with help) within the member area.