Modern science will not admit spirits exist; Even so, it agrees that there are some things it cannot explain, at least not at this time. However true this may be, one cannot say spirits do not exist with absolute certainty. We know that thought exists; yet it has no shape, size, or weight. Is it any different for different for spirit or soul? With that said, can a common ground for the word spirit or soul be realized?

For those of you who are religious history buffs, it can be said with certainty, most religions acknowledge the existence of a spirit-filled world. A very brief examination of world religious ritual will reveal some interesting similarities. A short list would include the use of candles, incense, some form of music, monotonous, repetitive chanting. Notice the subdued lighting in churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and the play of color through stained glass windows. Were not many of the rituals associated with the religion representational of magical acts?

Spirit is over used as are such words as absolutely, exactly pretty, and fantastic. In current society, we talk about school spirit, team spirit, spirit of place, holy spirit, and get into the spirit of things. Here, spirit shall have two meanings. First, those entities which exist outside of normal reality- supernatural, and second, it will be used to reference that essence constituting all life forms, that is, an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms.

Soul is the incorporeal essence of humans or of all living things. This simply means the soul is without the nature of a body or substance. Interesting enough, most cultures believe in an incorporeal realm that exists and this is particularly true of the shaman. When soulness is recognized in all objects that belief system is called animism, that is, all objects (stones, trees, plants, rivers, mountains) contain some form a life-principle.

For the shaman of old as well those existing in this modern world, the belief that all things are contain a living entity is sacrosanct. Because they hold to the belief that all things are alive and are imbued with a spirit, the shaman insists upon a respect for all aspects of both the natural world and the world of the spirits.