The Shaman

I was half way up a steep granite face, when I heard the rhythmic beatings of a gong. After climbing a few more vertical feet, the sounds of monotonic chanting became distinct too. I was on the slopes of a green mountain overlooking Seoul. I was in search of a Gut, and I may have found one.

A Gut is an ancient Shamanistic ritual, where beautiful young virgins, dressed in brightly colored flowing robes, twirl in ecstasy until they are possessed by a spirit. After possession the spirit communicates through them. At the village, far below me, the temple was closed for repairs. There were no ceremonies. A well maintained path led up the mountain, but ended in front of this vertical rock. An official sign read “Shamanistic rituals are not allowed beyond this point”. I was headed in the right direction. While walking up the path, the smooth rock seemed impassable. Here, on closer inspection, it yielded small concrete platforms, no larger than a shoe, strategically built on the rock to form a safe path. I started climbing faster. I was anxious to see the ceremony, the delicious food, and especially the beautiful virgins.

Earlier that morning, I saw that the stock market turned up. The knots in my stomach loosened. My investment strategy was correct. Since retirement, I took more and more of my eggs out of the Fidelity nest and put them into my own hands. I am slowly gathering skill and confidence. Still, it is not easy for a rookie investor, to go to sleep when the stock market in New York just opened lower, and then wake up, three days in a row, to learn that it went down further. But today, the market and my investments are up. The sky, which is usually hazy grey, welcomed the news with a beautiful California blue, and a light cool wind was keeping the temperatures at comfortable level. It was a perfect day to head to one of the mountains surrounding Seoul. Lonely Planet recommended a hike to Mount Inwangsan. A mountain revered by Shamanists for the many gods that inhabit it.

Shamanism is an ancient religion in Korea. Its followers believe that our world is inhabited by gods as well as the spirits of the dead. The shaman is responsible for communicating with the spiritual world. He, or she, is possessed by one of the spirits, and uses this power to cure illness, read the future, and provide guidance for a better life. Modern Koreans have ambivalent feelings towards shamans. They regularly consult them before making marriage decisions, and sometimes they ask for medical advice. However, they regard them with contempt mixed with fear. Koreans are still influenced by the traditional Confucian philosophy of their past. In the Confucian hierarchy, shamans were among the lowest of the low, in the fifth (not named) class, together with slaves, clowns, and executioners. The other four classes were ordered as follows: Noblemen, farmers, skilled craftsmen, and merchants. Today, shamans make their meager living in the cities, but they often come to the mountains to recharge their spiritual power. The Gut ceremony, with its lavish food, colors, and music, will attract the spirits, and is attended by those seeking advice or a conversation with a recently departed relative.

As I reached the top of the rock the chanting became louder, coming from somewhere in the forest. A few more steps and I reached the ceremony site. She was alone, beating the gong and chanting. A plump, middle aged ajuma (married lady), wearing green pants and a blue shirt with pink flowers. She was kneeling in front of a small indentation in the rock, where she placed several lighted candles. Strewn around her were soft drink cans, a half eaten ham and cheese sandwich, and an assortment of chocolate bars. I sat at a respectful distance and waited. She finished the chanting, bowed three times and waved us to approach. She was eager to talk. Her name is Sun-Ee, she became a shaman at the age of 12 when she was possessed by her spirit. Her mother was not a shaman. She married, had three children, and after a while, decided to stop her practice. However, the spirits were not pleased. Her fortune turned to the worse. Her husband died, she got breast cancer (she pointed to the flat right side of her chest), and her businesses failed. She decided to start practicing again. On this mountain, she can communicate with the Mountain God, the General God, as well as her own spirit. Her spirit is very strong, and carries Buddha on his travels in the sky. Today, she received some money and food from her children, and she came up this mountain to pray for them. This was my opening. Can she pray for me? Yes, she replied, and I could pay her as much as I felt. A 10,000 Won note (about $10) seemed to make her happy. I could supply only three of the necessary four pillars (I did not have my hour of birth), and therefore I got only a superficial fortune reading. Since my birth, I have been successful. I am healthy, and will remain so. She does not see any major setbacks until my death. I should live in a warm place with a lot of fruit trees. To make money, I have to use a pen. That reminded me of the morning news. How will the stock market do? Her answer was much more specific than I expected.

Do not be addicted to the stock market.
Put only a small amount of money in stocks.
In the next two to three years, the stock market is not going to do well.
To make money, buy good real estate and rent it out.
Don’t forget, you need to use your pen to make money.

Getting financial advice from the spirit world seemed to have exhausted Sun-Ee. I accepted a couple of chocolate bars, bid my goodbyes, and continued towards the mountain peak. On the way up I reached the eerie looking rock with face-like features named after the General God. Besides the rock, a meditating Buddhist monk exemplified the gentle acceptance of these two ancient religions. I sat.