Fu-Ding Cheng: A shaman is a person, man or woman, who has the ability to enter altered states of consciousness or spiritual realms,
see visions, healings, insights, which they bring back to share with their community. They are people of two worlds, with the most diverse range of goals: Some seek exploration into other realms, others seek powers, and still others choose to use it to heal and alleviate suffering. But the greatest benefit of shamanism is that it offers practical, actionable guidance towards self-fulfillment and personal freedom. It helps us to “know God.” Thus, shamanism can be seen as the first spiritual practice on earth, begun centuries before there were any organized religions.
Why it is so important for our times
It is significant as it allows us to connect with Spirit without getting caught by the problematic dysfunctions of organized religion.
It allows us to be in the world, and utilize our physical involvements (raising family, cultivating careers, creating art) as vehicles for spiritual advancement. In the East, this path of “God-dedicated work” is one of the four main paths to enlightenment; it’s called Karma Yoga.
With respect to the diverse possibilities of shamanism, our teachings are focused on dealing with all the mundane problems we’re all subjected to––- working on financial stability, cultivating loving mates, finding meaningful work––as well as transcendent values such as “waking up” to our true natures: “We are God. But we dream that we are not. Wake up!”To do this, we’ll be on a “path of heart,” as taught by don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements).
From Shift Network, sponsors of the upcoming Shamanic Global Summit:
Fu-Ding has been honored to be one of the shamans selected to be part of the Shamanic Global Summit. As sponsors of this Summit coming up July 25-27, the Shift Network has noted that shamanism…
“rooted in centuries-long traditions, has returned as one of the great spiritual systems for awakening, healing and transformation… and the timing could not be more critical. Modern shamanism provides a pathway of sacred, practical action — allowing you to build inner resources and access guidance to become a positive and effective agent of change.
In short, shamanism can bring you home to your highest self and assist all of humanity with transcending self-defeating patterns, and foster a soul-aligned way of living on Mother Earth that truly benefits all.
Why don’t we get what we want.
Our teachings are very practical, and begin at the most basic level: Why don’t we get what we want? We’ve all experienced many times how we’ve worked hard and long for something we want, sometimes for years with love and dedication, but still, our fulfillment keeps eluding us––That loving mate never appears, we’re always at the financial edge, we can’t find meaningful work. Why? Do we have a blind spot? Inner traumas? What blocks us? What’s going on? Or, perhaps, our disappointments have nothing to do with us, and so, is this one of those times we must remain detached?
In our shamanic practice, we answer such questions by going to where the real action lies, inside our own psyche. Though our inner landscape may be filled with confusion and contradictions, we utilize our “shamanic tools,” enter altered states to get to ground zero of the cause of our aliments, and then, thanks to other “tools” specifically designed for the purpose, we can confront, identify, and heal our traumas and wounds. Result: no more anxieties, no more suffering,
Then there’s the other question––even more fundamental, in a way…
What do we truly want?
As some of you know, there’s a big difference between the things we think we want, and things that we truly want. But how can we tell the difference? How many times have we felt empty inside, worked hard to fill the void, got what we wanted, only to still feel empty inside? To answer these big questions, we begin by asking, “Who wants this thing? Is it for something that serves our heart for something bigger than ourselves? Or is it serve our ego and self-importance? Our practice helps us to make such distinctions. Who’s on the throne of our being, heart or ego? This is one of those simple question that can completely change one’s life.
Shamanic tools and Practices
How do we intend to answer all these questions? By working with what we call Shamanic Tools.Tools are devices to help us accomplish a specific task. A shovel helps us dig a hole, an axe helps us cut wood. Our tools are not physical, they’re psychological, so for example, we work with tools such as…
Clarity of Intent, a tool that helps us to focus our will and personal power;
Embracing our Demons, guides us to directly heal our deepest wounds, and
Accept What Is, which help us to hold center despite the vagaries of life.
These tools include drawings, illustrations, and maps. They’ll help us to understand the inner workings of our own mind by giving us pictures of what we’re discussing. They’ll help us locate blocks caused by psychological wounds, inner demons, and emotional pain. With our tools, we can clear, heal and/or even transform these wounds and demons.
“Mastery of Intent,” one of a series of Maps showing inner landscapes
Path of Heart
This course works in a tradition that shamans call a Path of Heart.There are all kinds of shamans and shamanic traditions. Some are fear-driven, others focus on divination, still others go for powers of all kinds. But we are focused on to our true goals––self-fulfillment and personal freedom––and the only way to embrace this challenge is to go through the heart.
Why? Because for true well-being, we must address the “whole person” and this includes not only reason, logic, and ego, (the default position of our society), but also feelings, intuition and imagination. These latter perceptions can be active only through the powers of the heart. Though heart greatly expands our perceptions and enjoyment of life, it is often repressed and cries out to be heard. To address such psychological patterns is one of the great contributions of shamans.
Distilled from a life-long quest involving wisdom traditions of the East (Vedanta philosophy, meditation in the Himalayas, Chinese Kung-Fu), and of the West (Jungian psychology, Joseph Campbell, Mesoamerican shamanic practices), Map of Desire, the book, and Map of Desire Online provides universal wisdoms adapted to the pace of living in our contemporary life.
In 1995, thanks to a breakthrough ritual in Mexico working with Toltec shaman don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements), he “Jumped to the Sun,” woke up from the Dream of the Planet,and became free! Filled with a deep peace unassailable by outside events, Fu-Ding is now devoted to sharing practical pathways to personal freedom for everyone.
“Truly unique tools for personal liberation. From years of experience in Eastern as well as Western spiritual practices, Fu-Ding has become one of the best Toltec teachers I know. He is a nagual, a Master. So study these maps, follow the guidance, and you will find yourself enjoyingyour journey towards self-fulfillment.”
–– Don Miguel Ruiz, Author, The Four Agreements,
In his vocation, Fu-Ding began his career as a practicing architect, but has since focused his attention on art, books, films, and spirituality. His multi-faceted career includes a prize-winning series of films, Zen-Tales for the Urban Explorer (presented as a special retrospective at the Hammer Museum); album covers (Heart’s Dog and Buttery); and a children’s book, Dream-House (published by Hampton Roads). While teaching Film-Directing at the North Carolina School of the Arts, he created an unprecedented (and highly popular) curriculum, “Shamanic Tools for the Filmmaker.”
