Shamanism

A Shamanic Practitioner should have a strong, clear connection to their Spirit Allies and a Shaman Spirit. Shaman Spirits are generally guided to work with more emotional problems that associate with the heart, lungs and solar plexus, it is this thinking that spurred Michael Harner (anthropologist, author & educator and founder of Core Shamanism) on to resume his quest for understanding just what shamanism can do and how it is performed, over many years he came to understand that nothing could really describe the benefits of a shamanic healing better than understanding the nature of cycle-isation, all things go around and some things never end.

So, how to end the vicious cycle of discontent? Reprogram the human mind of matter other than white (reprogram movement, memory and emotions), give the client a peaceful experience and see how their mind alters, talk to them as guidance is channelled and have them see their error of ways. This is the benefit of shamanic healing.

Shamanic Healing is, in part, spiritual psychotherapy with the added benefit of heavy relaxation. A practitioner will use the connection to their Spirit Allies and help steer you towards your stuff, perform a healing ceremony and encourage talk therapy as you realise and release your stuff. How the connection is established and manifests is individual, there being no one size fits all and perhaps why there is so little information on effective ways of working that generate remarkable results. The working knowledge and understanding is the true gain of a Shaman. Given the years and lifetimes of training we attempt to build a picture of just what is involved. The title of Shaman is honorary and given by the Spirit Allies alone, passed Spirit to Shaman to Apprentice. It is rarely given and sadly used incoherently by those with experience that has opened vortexes to their mind, a good few ayahuasca's under their belt and a realisation they've come across the power it can wield. Sadly, with today's level of interest, motivation and need of titles even those who train deep in the jungle have their eyes turned by the offer of wealth. Shamanism is not for the faint hearted but it is a lineage, a working tradition and a lifetime of listening. It is not a lifetime of talking, showing or trying to work it all out. Knowledge is sacred and will simply not be imparted to those who throw weight of nonsense around.

Integration is imperative to sustain change and ceremonies are a form of celebration, integration, releasing, acceptance and manifesting. Society, however, is notoriously looking for more than this, looking too deeply and relying too heavily on a ‘spiritual experience’ rather than a progressive movement within the psyche. Whilst the experience can be physical, shocking even, the body's way of release so too can astound and unground.

When a Shamanic Practitioner calls in the directions and open up to the medicine wheel, they are calling on balance. Everything flows in a circle/cycle, going on and on to create balance. The colours represent the colour of man’s skin, yellow, red, black, white, the compass spins round the 4 directions, we grow from birth to elders, the 4 elements are needed for balance on earth, the seasons go round creating balance within their natural forces and balance within our 4 main emotions brings our happy state.

East, South, West, North

Birth, Youth, Adult, Elder

Air, Fire, Water, Earth

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Tobacco, Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar

Spiritual Emotion, Physical, Emotional, Mental

So, why do individuals dress and live like a Shaman? They are calling on balance all the time, honouring the naturalness of the cycle, taking themselves away from modern life, this is perhaps why Harner said Shaman are not seeking enlightenment, they are simply trying to bring balance to all things so we live an easier life. Maybe also why a Shaman doesn’t see good and bad energy, only out of balance. When the clothes, possessions and integration ceremonies are needed constantly, the balance is in awe of tipping off. Balance within the psyche allows balance within all things in life, there is no need to pertain anything other than just being.

Oh and the drum? It’s a rudimentary tool a Shaman uses to get out of their head, alter their consciousness and connect with their Spirit Allies. This can be for the journey, the flight of the soul, healing or to go with the flow of animism. If you don’t have a drum use something of the natural earth, make a tool that creates rhythm and feel into the beat. Want a rattle? Use an empty baked bean tin can, quarter fill it with dried beans, lay over some scrap leather, secure with lace and shake.

Shamanism has many facets and fundamentally, at source, as Spirit Allies and Shaman Spirits integrated with all nationalities their own strength of compassion and understanding and pre-held set of beliefs and concepts of their worlds created an idealism of how to do the practise. Whether you study Tuvian, Siberian, Peruvian, Equadorian, Native American, or beyond, each has its core beliefs, impregnated with what their faith and understanding of the world would allow them to decipher. Healing was and is always brought, the concepts of how you live your life, Western, Eastern, Asian, Other Worlds holds true here. I've trained in Equadorian, Peruvian, Native American and Shipibo traditions to lesser and greater degrees and worked and practised for over 12years, first qualifying in 2016. The beliefs I hold are an education to date. One most important one being the Native American who came to talk to UK students. While emphatically waiting for enlightened teachings his story was simple. "Leave our ways alone, you have your own ways, use those, leave ours alone" and on that he turned and left!

So if you find a different nationalities Shamanism more fanciful then that's great because that's your bag, energy work is notoriously independent to the individual healing and sound, energy and time all play a part in the more hands on approach to moving energy. Each works, the merge that takes place with the Shaman Spirit will dictate the work that needs to be undertaken. If you're a practitioner work with your Shaman Spirit and let the magic unfold. Shamanism is a path, not always a pathway of choice and the endeavour of the leading spirit helpers is a willing participant that will take a backstep for them to bring the healing. Connections can be difficult, draining experiences when working with spirit forces of this nature, your impregnability of mind and willingness to let go will be tested amongst the patterns of energy transference that will quite simply astound you.

One last thing for now is the connotation of using drugs (ayahuasca, san pedro, mushrooms, cambo, hap-ey (rape)) to heighten awareness. Yes, the plants have a consciousness, yes they have information and use universal energy. Should we digest? I digress and disagree. Your consciousness can be altered in many ways, shapes and forms and as a healer and medium experienced in trance states, I stand behind that statement wholeheartedly. We can appear to change shape, form, its all energy manipulation and so long as its for the greater good then AHO! Drugs are the quick, easy way and can harm the most lucid of minds, my best advice is be kind to your stomach, there are other ways.

AHO

Love always

Lisa Watts

First publised May 2021