Fasting and Spirituality

In the Ojibwa nation, “‘religious education’ was the foundation to every successful activity of life.”[Copway, George, 20]

Every actor in the social life of the tribe, and especially those considered as “gifted” (hunter, fisherman, warrior, craftsman, etc), were encouraged to participate in spiritual activities such as meditation. The ultimate goal of this requirement was the spiritual awakening and elevation of the tribe members. The connection with the earth and the living world was crucial. The Ojibwa thought that development of the spirit and understanding of gods was vital in every activity: hunters will know where to hunt, fishermen where to find fish and warriors will be brave and victorious.

The Ojibwa developed different induction technique to reach an altered state of mind, leading to a more conscious understanding of the world and ultimately spiritual awakening. Among those techniques, dreams induced by fasting were widely used.

On the highest level of the hierarchy, even though the Ojibwa are sometimes believed to have none, the shamans incarnated the mastery of this technique.
Combined with the “power” of shamans, dreams could deliver important message about future events. But most importantly, it was a ritual for apprentice shaman to find and develop their abilities.

An Ojibwa shaman gave the following account of importance of fasting and dreams in his life:

“When I reached the age of puberty, my father wished me to fast, that I might become holy; invincible and invulnerable in war; become like one of those about whom tales are told in the future. Thus I would be if I made special effort in my fasting. I would be ‘blessed’ with long life, he told me; I would be able to cure the sick; life would not be able to harm me in any way. No one would dare to be uncivil to me for fear of incurring my enmity. He pleaded with me to fast long and intently, for only then would the various spirits ‘bless’ me.” [Copway, George, 7]

Shamanism was not ‘hereditary’ and rituals of initiation were needed even for a shaman’s son. However, the chances of acquiring the secular and spiritual power were correlated to the effort put into the practice of fasting, and shaman’s descendant had an edge.

Interestingly, spirituality was also an important part of a warrior’s life. During military preparations for war, the Chief would call one by one the warriors to the battlefield and ask them about the dreams they had the nights before. The warriors selected would be those who dreamed about victory or war scenes. Their “visions” provided them with bravery and psychological immunity (as well as physical) against the enemy.

The fasting method, because of its efficiency and active approach, was applied to all tribe members. Thus, “The summer season is the time of the children’s fasting.” [Copway, George, 149]

“The Indian youth from the age of ten to manhood are encouraged into fasting, with the promise that if they do they will entertain them in the evening by the relation of one of their tradition or tales.” [Copway, George, 87]

Besides fasting, meditation and isolation where also used as a mean to provoke lucid or revelatory dreams.
“Young women usually went through a ritual involving temporary isolation at the onset of menstruation.”[William S. Lyon, 40]

However they were both a passive method while fasting asked for a more active approach which explains why fasting was more widely used. The psychological conscious and intentional effort to fast increased the chance of ‘visions’.

Rituals also played an important role at crucial stages in the life of the individual as well as in society as a whole. Emergence into adulthood, often at the onset of puberty, was the most frequent occasion for the observation of these “rites of passages”.

“The vision quest for males in the hunting cultures of the North, such as the Massachusetts of New England or the Ojibwa of the Great Lakes, tended to be more dramatic. A boy would be conditioned over the years to expect to undertake the quest for a uniquely personal vision putting him into contact with supernatural world and thereby authenticating his entry into the adult world. After appropriate ritual preparation, the vision might be achieved after days spent in the wilderness with no food or water.” [William S. Lyon, 40]

Finally, physical pain was used to induce trance state. The idea was that the physiological constraint of prolonged severe pain would lead to a delirious/trance state where the mind would supersede the physical. “Intense pain brought about through suspension on ropes fastened to needles inserted into the flesh induced a trance state conductive to visionary experience.” [William S. Lyon, 42]