I have enough trouble with tutelary Irish Goddesses who are linked to specific locations. "Ireland to England" could be argued to be too long a distance to bring them, especially if you think of the nations as enemies during wartime.
I've come across the Native American question a lot with Shamanism. I'm undecided. Just because I don't look out and see Bison outside my window, doesn't mean I can't understand roughly what feelings and actions the Bison represents/represented.
On the other hand, I'm not one of the "Chosen" of Grandfather Thunder and I don't know all the myths the various animal spirits were involved in (which would be clues to their personality even if they're only a small player).
Do I need to? Is seeing a real bison all I need to understand the spirit of Bison? Even if it is, why would I then take one tribe's stories (which are different to most other tribe's) and use them?
Like I say, I'm undecided. I've got a lot out of animal work, but then I did tend to stick to European/British animals. And actually spend time with some.
Are Gods a more universal force than this? Does one culture's interpretation change what was already there too much for others to tap into?
I've come across the Native American question a lot with Shamanism. I'm undecided. Just because I don't look out and see Bison outside my window, doesn't mean I can't understand roughly what feelings and actions the Bison represents/represented.
On the other hand, I'm not one of the "Chosen" of Grandfather Thunder and I don't know all the myths the various animal spirits were involved in (which would be clues to their personality even if they're only a small player).
Do I need to? Is seeing a real bison all I need to understand the spirit of Bison? Even if it is, why would I then take one tribe's stories (which are different to most other tribe's) and use them?
Like I say, I'm undecided. I've got a lot out of animal work, but then I did tend to stick to European/British animals. And actually spend time with some.
Are Gods a more universal force than this? Does one culture's interpretation change what was already there too much for others to tap into?
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