Shamanic Studies

Journeying * Soul Retrievals * Power Animals * Earth Connection * Drumming
Rituals & Ceremonies * Cultural Healings

A Shaman is a Medicine worker who is able to travel to other realms of time and space to do spirit work. The Word Shaman originated within the Siberian culture and means �one who can see in the dark.�

Indigenous Shaman are our most ancient of healers. They have carried the knowledge of their elders for generations to aid people in health and spirit. Many cultures, including the shaman that I have studied with, believe that the time has come to share this knowledge. The prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor speaks of this time when we learn to fly with both wings, the heart and head, to heal Pachamama and ourselves. Pachamama is the Quichua word for Mother Earth, Time and Space, the Universal.

While each culture has its own unique form of Shamanism there are main techniques and principles that create the core of Shamanic practices. One aspect shared across all cultures is that Shamanism is a direct experience in the world of spirit. The techniques allow the Shaman to access the world of spirit, which is universal and shared across all cultures, directly for the work they intended. A shaman will utilize their skills for the benefit of an individual, their community or the earth.

The Shaman works on the level of the Soul or spirit of the person, community or the earth to bring about information or healing. Often the elements of nature are used as a means to access information for the needed healing to take place. Everything to a shaman is sacred, the rocks, plants, and animals the elements of air, earth, water and fire. All of these are utilized in various ways across different cultures to bring about a cleansing or healing at the spirit level.

An individual can work with the tools of shamanism without being a shaman such as journeywork. The various tools help a person to develop their own unique intuitive skills and knowledge. The insights that are gained are direct and unique to the individual even though many shamanic experiences are often shared within a group.

• Journey work - the use of drum, rattle and voice for taking a soul journey is at the core of shamanic practices. The purpose of the journey is to gain knowledge. It can be for individual, communal or earth healing benefits.
  
• Soul Retrieval - the process of retrieving a lost or stolen part of yourself, this returns the balance of self-power within the persons� spirit.
  
• Power Animals - connecting to and with animals that have specific medicine for the individual, the power animal works to guide and protect the individual in their life choices.
  
• Spirit Guides - similar to working with power animals, specific spirits in the form of ancestors, spirits from the past, power places etc. are accessed and connected with for guidance and protection.
  
• Healings & Cleansings - healing of the spirit body can be accessed through many different techniques including journeywork, extractions, cultural healings and specific rituals and ceremonies.
  
• Energy Extractions - energy in the form of negative thoughts, emotions, and beliefs can take hold of our body mind and spirit. Shamanic techniques are used to extract these energies from the body and restore health.
  
• Long Distance Healing - since time and space are not obstacles to the shaman healing work can be done from distances with powerful results.
  
• Cultural Exchange - Learning specific cultural rituals and ceremonies is a powerful way to awaken your sleeping shamanic knowledge. Our connection with many different indigenous teachers has allowed us to host them for many education workshops in the areas of shamanic studies.
  
• Apprenticeship - direct study with a shaman is a powerful way to explore the tools and techniques of shamanism for your own personal healing and development. See Spiritual Expeditions.

I was gifted with the opportunity to live and learn from Andean and Amazonian shaman and given their blessings to bring their traditional knowledge to my work. Traditional shamanic healing involves the clearing away of illness or bad spirits to cleanse and connect our sprit with the great healer, Pachamama. Journeying allows us to travel to other states of consciousness to gain insight into our own healing. I work both directly and long distance with many techniques of shamanism for healing of the spirit and body.