“Shamanism is the earliest spiritual practice known to humankind, dating back tens of thousands of years.  Although the word “shaman is a Siberian word for a spiritual healer, shamanism has also been practiced in parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, Greenland, and native North and South America throughout history.  The fact that the practice has survived and thrived for tens of thousands of years speaks to the potency of the work.”  

– Sandra Ingerman, author of Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide.

 

If someone had asked me, during my 20 years in the corporate world, if I practiced shamanism, I would have replied with another question, “Are you talking to me?”

But… if they had asked me why I wanted to learn about Native Americans, or why I chose a volunteer vacation to Peru where I had an opportunity to observe how healthcare is practiced from a local shaman, or why I went on a backpacking trip to visit a Maori community in New Zealand and then on to Australia where a tour guide let us sit inside a cave with aboriginal drawings covering its walls, or if they had asked why I visited lands in Europe where women with healing gifts were called witches, or why I walked the same streets as Irish poets and perhaps my ancestors, or if they had asked why I went to the Ganges River in India where cremation ceremonies were performed, I would have just said…because I was curious about indigenous cultures and their way of life.

Little did I know then that I was being drawn to the lands where I could feel aspects of shamanic culture, as well as aspects of myself!  I have since learned that Shamanism is indeed a way of life.  Whether you are a teacher, or a practitioner, who performs ceremonies for others, or if you are just learning for your own development, shamanism is about:

• A path of direct revelation – Just as my travels empowered me to see and experience things for myself, shamanic journeying (where one can listen to a drum beat, or rattle, to get their brain into a theta wave state) empowers the shamanic practitioner to connect to the invisible realms and their Helping spirits to receive divine information, perform ceremonies to retrieve lost parts of their clients that fragmented during events that were overwhelming to their nervous system, extract misplaced energies that are no longer serving them, and help those who are deceased cross into the light.
• A practice that teaches that everything is alive, imbued with spirit, and connected.  Can you imagine what would happen if everyone knew they were connected with not only each other, but the trees, the animals, the insects, the elements?  Suddenly, we are not so alone.
• Seeing everyone and everything in their wholeness and light.  Can you imagine seeing someone who is suffering in their wholeness and unique light?  What would that feel like for them?  What would that feel like for you?  Can you imagine no longer feeling guilty about saying no to someone because you see them in their wholeness and light?

I could go on and on to describe shamanism in more detail, but shamanism is really all about finding out for yourself so you can learn who you really are!

If you’d like to follow your curiosity and learn more, I recommend the following resources:

• Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide – Sandra Ingerman
• What the Walrus Knows App (Guided meditation to connect with  your “Core Beastie”) – Sarah Seidelmann
• Awaking to the Spirit World – Sandra Ingerman, Hank Wesselman
• Soul Retrieval, Mending the Fragmented Self – Sandra Ingerman
• Walking in Light, the Everyday Empowerment of a Shamanic Life – Sandra Ingerman
• Medicine for the Earth – Sandra Ingerman

Let’s connect!

If this resonates with you and you’d like to experience it for yourself, click here to schedule a FREE 20-minute “Reveal the Real…” session intended to help you clarify the real reason you’re (exhausted, experiencing pain, anxiety, gaining weight, etc), and determine whether my coaching/energy work is a fit for your needs.