Thanks to your support, Bair Rinchinov is rebuilding his home and recovering his shamanic tools after his home and possessions were destroyed in a fire. Your support of the Foundation makes it possible to support Living Treasures of Shamanism, such as Bair. Read more about the Foundation’s Living Treasures. Please consider supporting the Foundation’s programs to preserve, study and teach shamanic knowledge…

HERE IS HOW YOU HELPED one Living Treasure:

February 2010
We have an urgent message from anthropologists in Russia with regard to one of our Living Treasures of Shamanism, Buriat shaman Bair Rinchinov. They wrote to Michael Harner:

There are not very good news concerning Bair Rinchinov: approx. 2 weeks ago his house with all his shamanic paraphernalia has burnt down completely. Bair himself and members of his family are still alive, but … People are trying now to collect money for a new house. We guess, if the Foundation for Shamanic Studies could attend to this problem, it would be really good. Your support will be of great importance for Bair and therefore for Buriat Shamanism too.

It is really hard to say how much does Bo Bair need, because it was burnt down literally everything. So, there is nothing to “re-construct” or “re-pair”.

We have called a helper of Bair, who lives in Moscow, and she suggested a very reasonable thing: there is no one who could give so much money that would be enough to build a new house, therefore Bair would welcome ANY help, any sum.

Concerning the market costs for a small house, it would be approximately 20,000 US dollars.

Bair Rinchinov is thought by many to be the leading shaman in Russian Siberia and the loss of his house with all his shamanic materials is not only a blow to him and to the Buriat people, but also to Siberian shamanism in general. Anything that you can do to help his situation would be very greatly appreciated by him and his people.

(Donations for Bair are complete at this time.)
Click here to learn more about the Foundation’s programs and to help the FSS Living Treasures.

Note: The Foundation is a public charitable 501(c)(3) organization and your contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

With our gratitude for any assistance you can provide,

Michael Harner
President

Susan Mokelke
Executive Director

Update April 27, 2010. Thank you for your generous contributions to help the Foundation’s Living Treasure of Shamanism in Siberia, Buriat shaman Bair Rinchinov, after his home was destroyed in a fire. The kindness and compassion of our members and supporters has been overwhelming. We have raised nearly $14,000 to help Bair with a new home.

Michael has spoken to Bair by telephone with the help of an interpreter, and Bair is extremely grateful for the outpouring of help and good wishes. See Bo Bair’s letter following.

A Thanksgiving Letter

From myself and from our family – my deep bow personally to Professor Michael Harner, to the staff of your Foundation, and to those good people who supported (me) while I am being hard up, rendered assistance by restoration of my burned household.

There is yet snow in Siberia. An architecture project of the house is ready, (and) I am beginning to deliver building materials. We restore (my shamanic) attributes.

With your help I’ll have finished the house by the autumn.

I wish you further developments, success in labor, good health, and long years of life.

Sincerely yours,
Bair Tsibikovich Rinchinov

(translated from Russian)

One of Michael’s Russian friends, who brought this to our attention and who was instrumental in seeing that Bair received your donations, also sent this email:

Let me cordially thank all of you who responded to the call of help of a Buriat shaman Bair Rinchinov. His farmstead completely burned down, including all his property and valuable shamanic paraphernalia. Without donations, collected by you, he would not be able to restore them.

Now Bo Bair is purchasing the needed building materials and hopes to start construction soon. He is very thankful for your sympathy, he’ll always remember your goodness, and will be praying for you.

January 15, 2010

Dear FSS Circle Members and Friends:

The tragic events in Haiti have elicited a great outpouring of calls for shamanic healing from practitioners, not only as individuals, but through drumming circles and FSS Two-Week Intensive and Three-Year program graduates email lists.

Many trained shamanic healers are bringing the power of their helping spirits to the region to address the spiritual aspects of this emergency, complementing the efforts of the ordinary reality relief workers. This is shamanism at its best.

We all wish to help. We hope you will keep in mind – that for our shamanic efforts to be effective, ethical, and truly compassionate – some of the work, such as long-distance healing, should be undertaken only in consultation with their souls and if you have had the necessary adequate training. We recommend journey work to get permissions, even if it must be done on a mass basis. The Haitians have their own spiritual traditions, and we need to be fully respectful.

Let us work together, according to our training, to do what we can with the help of the compassionate spirits to alleviate the pain and suffering of all beings in Haiti. And, of course, our spiritual work should be combined with ordinary reality efforts and donations as well.

With our best wishes for all,
Michael Harner & Susan Mokelke

Note: If you wish some guidance on issues of permission, you may review the article, Ethical Considerations in Shamanic Healing.