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Shamanism

Tribal cultures have used shamanic practices for centuries to heal, to access information from different states of consciousness, and to gather power and courage.

Shaman

The word shaman, borrowed from the Siberian Tungus tribe culture, refers to one who works only part time as a spiritual guide and healer (he hunts and gathers like everyone else the rest of the time); is independent of organized religions; travels in non-ordinary reality to find what is missing in everyday life, traveling in her dreaming body.

Some shamans are medicine shamans, with a main focus on healing. Other warrior shamans see the key to power and liberation.

Non-ordinary reality

Shamans ‘journey’ in an altered state of consciousness to the spirits and power animals, seeking them out in their own world and remaining in control during the time spent there. This inner world geography has distinctive ‘landmarks’ to journey to: the Upper World, the Middle World, and the Lower World. Journeys to these places are for the purpose of self-knowledge and helping others.

Animal spirits

From a shamanic perspective, when a human child is born, a shaman calls a circle of animal spirits together and asks who will walk with this human and help it survive life on earth. Since we, as a species, are so ultra-civilized, we have lost touch with our instinctive natures. The animal guide (or totem) steps forward to assist us.

If you think back to your childhood, you may remember a favorite animal or character, real or mythological. Chances are this is your animal guide who walks with you.

Sometimes an animal spirit moves on. We may feel weakened, bereft, even suicidal at times. For what reason this happens, we don’t know. The task of the shaman is then to journey for you, or teach you how to journey for yourself, to retrieve another animal guide who steps forward and will walk with you, protect you and empower you.

This is called a power animal journey. Animal spirits are also summoned to provide power, courage, protection and as a guide for the shaman as he journeys.

Soul Retrieval

This is a journey embarked upon by the shaman to find lost soul pieces. In any traumatic or highly emotional experience, energy is sometimes lost. In order to be whole wherever we stand on the planet, it is wise to have as much of ourselves available to us at any given time. The pieces that are retrieved are blown into the client in a traditional way.

Incest survivors, for example, may describe a feeling of leaving their body when the abuse starts. That part that left is vital to their wholeness, to their ability to function more consciously in the world. A place where many people’s lost parts go is referred to as the Void…a place of dark nothingness, where it waits to be reunited with the rest of the self. When these pieces are returned and integrated, there is usually a marked change in the person’s life. Surgery, loss of a loved one, illness, and injury can create soul loss.

Extraction

An extraction journey is undertaken to determine whether energies belonging to another person have taken up residence in the client. Or if there is a dis-ease or some foreign energy lodged in the person’s aura field. In non-ordinary reality, the shaman employs her spirit helpers to extract that unusable energy and carry it off to a specific place. This allows the clients natural energies to refill that place in them, and for them to be open to more wholeness.

The Three Worlds of the Shamanic Cosmology

The Middle World: We journey here to deal with present issues, with life on earth now, traveling to a sacred site or to visit a sick friend. Beings encountered here: house spirits, elementals, guardians of place, Gaia, Fairies and Flower Devas.

The Underworld: The power-house of the three worlds. Place of tradition, memory, resources, place of foundation and beginnings, communication with the ancestors. Land of the Dead.

The Upperworld: A place of visionary and archetypal realms and accessing knowledge, information and inspiration. Restores us to spiritual understanding, future possibilities and outcome. Star spirits, great birds, angels, spiritual teachers.

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