Shamanism
"It is soul, not spirit, that is the true landscape of shamanism. Shamans deal with sickness, envy, malice, betrayal, loss, conflict, failure, bad luck, hatred, despair, and death — including their own. The purpose of the shaman is to dwell in the valley of the soul — to heal what has been broken in the body and the community." Steve Beyer, author of Singing to the Plants
Shamanism is a timeless, and perhaps the oldest, cross-cultural spiritual path. It is experientially based, unlike faith-based religions or belief systems, because the direct revelations each person undergoes color the unique lens through which they see the world, and these revelations become teachings for their lives. Shamanism is practiced worldwide, and every culture has its distinctive shamanic cosmology, symbols, initiatory events, practices, and beliefs.
The best way to gain an understanding of shamanism is to share the words of Michael Harner, founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, who is acknowledged as the world’s foremost authority. In an interview in Shamanism, Spring/Summer 1997, Vol. 10, No. 1, he defines the word shaman as being from the original Tungus language, referring to “a person who makes journeys to nonordinary reality in an altered state of consciousness.” He calls shamans “see-ers” (seers), or “people who know” in their tribal languages, because they are involved in a system of knowledge based on firsthand experience.
To describe shamanism a bit more, Mircea Eliade, author of Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, wrote “shamanism underlays all the other spiritual traditions on the planet, and that the most distinctive feature of shamanism—but by no means the only one—was the journey to other worlds in an altered state of consciousness.”
A shaman is a healer who receives a spiritual calling, something that can arrive at any age. It might be as simple as a community-recognized innate ability, a profound connection with the Earth, an inherited family lineage, or a strong inner awareness that this is their path. Some are directed by the spirits through dreams and visions.
All undergo some type of initiatory event: a near-death experience, being struck by lightning, or even a mental breakdown, which Malidoma Patrice Some, West African shaman, said, “signals the birth of a healer.” Malidoma has stated that what Western cultures deem as mental illness, his culture, the Dagura, sees as “good news from the other world.” They believe that people struggling with mental illness have been chosen to relay a message from the spirit realm, so their culture does whatever it takes to support them. We believe they belong in hospitals, where the main support is often medication.
Every shamanic initiation is deeply personal, and in its way, a form of dismemberment. I’ve written about mine in my book, Unity Begins Within. It is when the person comes back together, or re-memberment, that the new lifestyle begins.
There are as many callings and initiations as there are shamans, from Indigenous and traditional to Western and modern.
Just as our soul is a bridge connecting our spirit with our human beingness, a shaman is a bridge connecting the spiritual realms with this one. To do this, they attain an altered state of consciousness through culture-specific and empirically learned techniques. They might listen to a drumbeat, the drone of a didgeridoo, shake a rattle, or dance. (Or a combination.) Some work with plant medicines. Ayahuasca, a vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest, when cooked in combination with the leaves of the charuna plant, results in a dynamic brew that creates psychedelic effects that allow the shaman to enter realms that are needed to diagnose and heal their clients.
Every action a shaman takes is unique to themself and the purpose of the healing. They journey with intent and receive assistance from compassionate spirits of various shapes, sizes, forms, and energies. Once their task is complete, they return to what Michael Harner calls “ordinary reality” with the necessary information to resolve whatever the physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual problem might be.
Most shamanic traditions have three significant worlds: middle, upper, and lower. Each realm contains an infinite number of realms, and since shamanism is experiential with varying energetics, visions, and insights, these can be difficult to describe.
Generally speaking, the middle world refers to our earthly reality, in the past, present, or future. During a shamanic journey, you might find yourself in the house you grew up in or, as I did in one of my early journeys for a client, in her father’s study furnished with brown leather chairs, tall bookcases, and a huge desk. The lower world often appears like this one, (although not always) without the same rules—gravity doesn’t exist, horses fly, unicorns roam the land and sky, and we can breathe underwater. The upper world might feel more etheric (but not always). Colors are heightened, and while feeling grounded may be difficult, standing on a cloud is natural.
To me, whether up, down, or middle, some realms are personally relatable and others exceedingly strange. Some are energetically dense, and others refined. A realm might be filled with people or have none. Plus, there are realms within realms within realms. Each has remarkable qualities, and through conscious intention and no expectations, we reach the appropriate one(s) via the “shamanic journey,” something most people can learn to do. (Although having the skill does not make one a shaman.)
Shamans often travel with power animals, unique spirits that escort them to their destinations and help navigate spiritual terrain. A power animal resides within the soul, providing support, guidance, and protection. Their gifts are as distinctive as an elephant is from a cougar, snake, or raccoon. Shamanically speaking, everyone has a power animal, but sometimes, for unknown reasons, it might leave and not be immediately replaced. This creates an energetic void, and the first action a shaman might take on their client’s behalf is to retrieve a new power animal, or perform a shamanic soul retrieval to restore fragmented parts of the self. If you choose to learn the shamanic journey, your power animal will become your ally and guide within the spiritual realms.
The path of shamanism expands our vision in all ways. It offers us empirical experiences that teach, enhance, and enrich our lives. A mountain is no longer just an outgrowth of the land; it is a person, just like the items in my mesa. An illness can be treated outside of Western medicine. We have helping spirits, “friends” in other realms.
Everything is unified within the infinite, universal Web of Life.
If you’re interested in shamanism, consider coming to a workshop.
