From:	"Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat"
Subject:	Re: Elemental TOTEMS?!
Date:	Tue, 2 Jun 92 21:18:38 EDT

I have to agree with ArkAngel here, having researched Amerindian culture
myself (albeit for other reasons). While there is a strong bond between
Man and the elements (Sky, Land, Water), the elements are either aspects
of, or the domains of the great spirits (Eagle, Raven, Wolf, etc). When
the tribe's shaman would pray for rain, he might pray to Thunderbird;
when he'd pray for a good hunt, he might pray to Wolf; for healing, he'd
pray to Snake or Bear, or maybe Raven (the transformer) if desperate.

The concept of dealing directly with the mindless elements doesn't exist
for the shaman. On the flip side, an hermetic who controls the forces of
nature can't understand how a shaman can commune with the mindless
aspects of nature. And this is the core to all the arguments about what
magic is.

--Rat

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