Herakles
and Shamanic Tradition
Herakles is a kind of balancing force
between the celestial world of the gods and the mysterious world of beasts. He
is part god, part human, and part beast, and, therefore, becomes a mediator
between the three elements of the world. In this light, Herakles seems to mimic
some of the roles taken on by the shaman. Though the Greeks did not have a
shamanic tradition, their ancestors did. Herakles embodies some elements of an
evolved shamanic role.
Characteristcis of the Shaman
The shaman is a very important part of many cultures. The shaman
can be male or female and often is used in rites of healing, initiation, and
communication with the spirit world. Shamans communicate with the spirit world
often through trances that can be brought on by the consumption of psychotropic
plants, meditation, dancing, and singing. Shamans heal people on a physical,
spiritual, and psychic level; they heal the whole person. During these trances,
called Altered State(s) of Consciousness (ASC), the shaman can be possessed by a
spirit that helps in the healing process. ASC often include a journey for the
shaman and possibly for a member of the spirit world. The shaman can take the
place of a spirit, and the spirit can take the place of the shaman, trading
bodies for the duration of the ceremony. During an ASC, the shaman is
unpredictable and sometimes violent and out-of-control. Herakles shows these
characteristics of the shaman fairly well. He is associated with healing in some
cults because of his personal “invincibility.” Herakles has also been
possessed by gods before. Hera and her consorts possessed Herakles when he went
mad and killed his wife and children. Herakles was also plagued and aided by the
gods. Hera is always his enemy, as there are enemy spirits in the spirit world
of the shaman. Athena is often his ally. Herakles is very unpredictable. He
makes a wonderful friend most of the time and a terrible enemy all of the time.
This relationship is also true of the shaman.
Fear
Another element of the shaman is the fear associated with him or
her. The shaman is unpredictable and has the power to influence the spirit
world. One must be very careful when around him/her. The shaman trains for years
to attain this status and is very respected in the community. People also seem
to fear Herakles. He is the strongest man in the world and can even overpower
Ares (Shield of Herakles). The people
do not want to upset Herakles. He is known for killing people who cross him
(e.s. Lichas in Sophocles Trachiniae). He is also know for his
unpredictable nature and his beast-god qualities. Herakles has an awful temper.
Outcasts
Shamans are cultural outcasts in a way as well. They often survive
on the fringes of the community. They live at the end of the village and
sometimes in the forest itself. To solicit their aid, the people have to venture
into the unknown. The shamans are a people unto themselves. Herakles is easily
seen in this position. He never really fits into the community. People are
afraid of his temper and his power. He lives on the fringes, often behaving more
as an animal than as a human. He dresses in a lion skin and runs around with a
club. Herakles has to be sought out for his help. He is an unknown in any
equation.
Mediating
The basic role of the shaman is as mediator to the spirit world.
Herakles does not directly embody this, though he does often serve as a mediator
between civilization and the mysterious world of nature. Herakles certainly
functions as a mediator for the people and for the gods. He cannot be classified
as one or the other. He is a very unique individual in Greek society. His
character is extreme in every way. He exemplifies a combination of evolved
shamanic characteristics as well as elements of a longer tradition of incredible
heroes from a time before the Greek
culture existed.
Information on Shamanism: Lerch, P. Lectures in “Shamanism, Witchcraft, Cults,” UNC-Wilmington, Spring 2000.