What Is Shamanism?

Shamanism – The Soul’s Calling
Welcome to a way of being that is over 10,000 years in its ongoing creation. Shamanism is the core foundation in many cultures around the world. It is the connection to Nature, to the seen and unseen worlds that become part of our experience and the guidance we receive. The Shamans are the journeyers, into the past, the present and the future. They are steeped in Ceremony and Guidance, using traditions that have been shared generation to generation.

In Shamanism we live life in harmony with our surroundings and the Beings we share the planet with. Shamanic practices bring about healing utilizing the tools provided by Mother Nature and the Spiritual Realms – the call to action, being in ceremony, creating a ritual to open portals of opportunity to ‘see’ the disconnection and blocks that create the stagnation in your life.

These ceremonies offer the sacred space to walk through and clear the blocks which may have been handed to you from generations past. These patterns of behavior may have been your family’s survival technique learned many years ago. Now it is inhibitive and no longer serving your way of being, your lifestyle, and so these habits inhibit your expansion, growth and Soul Development.

In Shamanism, the practices are the ancient ways to recognize and explore these generational patterns and allow them to be healed and reset. When you bring focus to this for yourself, so you bring healing to the generations who came before you, healing backwards in your bloodline. The beautiful influences of this healing are that it also heals forward to the unborn child. What a gift to bring to future generations when we are willing to step up and be the advocate to create change in our generational and ancestral history.

My Personal Shamanic Journey
In 2010, my first weekend on my Shamanic Awakening I was excited to learn ancient ways and bring these practices to Nikoe Natural Therapies. I had no idea that during this 6 month apprenticeship I would be facing my own deep, deep personal healing……… I realized that this time was for me to experience firsthand and from that point on, I fully committed to the deep dive. It was one of the most profound, transformative, healing shift in my life. My study led me to further training which continued to deconstruct and reset my Soul, my life’s purpose and opening my heart to the purpose I am here for.

2010 Six-month Shamanic Apprenticeship with Ann Sousa, Initiated Dagara Elder
2011 10-month Shamanic Diviners Intensive with Ann Sousa, Initiated Dagara Elder
2012 Divine Naming Ceremony with Malidoma Some of the Dagara People of West Africa
2015 The Gathering of the Shamans in Sedona, AZ
2016 10-day Shamanic trip to Costa Rica
2017/2018 Earth Magic Practitioner Certification – 6-month program with Dr. Steven Farmer
2021 Cultivate Spiritual Immunity with Shamanic Medicine of the Earth with Sandra Ingerman
2022 Working with the plant spirits of Ayahuasca and Huachuma with Puma Fredy Quispe Singona
2022 Seven Heavens – The Shamans Toolbox with Alberto Villoldo
My Shamanic Journey

What is a Ceremony?
A Ceremony is a sacred time of focus and intent. When in Ceremony whether in circle with others, or solo, you may be sending light and healing to people or places, you may be asking for guidance for yourself or others, you may be blessing the earth, moon or other elements. A fire is often created for a ceremony, drums, flutes, singing bowls and other instruments are played to call in the Spirit guardians and helpers, sage or palo santo (or other herbs) for clearing the space and people present. There may be a structure to the intent or gathering, yet this may also flow into a more guided experience. This is a time of inner focus, and honoring the elements that support us every day. Ceremonial circles are ‘opened’, calling in the Spiritual support, and ‘closed’, releasing the support and the Ceremony. I have led many ceremonies for myself out in Nature with my dog Dasher, and for full moon, new moon and ceremonies that are part of retreats as we open and close our sacred time together. Ceremonies can be planned or can be created unexpectedly with Nature.

Creating Ceremony and Ritual
We are all naturally connected to the Earth, Nature and ALL Beings. Ceremony is something we do, usually unknowingly, or unconsciously. Preparing meals, taking showers, yoga classes, sitting with family or friends, are all in ceremony because you are coming together with focus and intent. You are being creative with an outcome in mind, even if the final outcome looks different to what you anticipated or expected.
When you are consciously in ceremony or ritual, you have a clear intent to ask for guidance from our Allies and Guides. As we become still, light a candle, journal, bring elements of nature to the circle, sit next to or against a tree……..and ask our question, and then use all our senses to receive guidance, this is Ceremony. We may choose to journal, or to simply be in the experience. Drumming, flute playing, rattles are all part of the creation of ceremony and a sacred space to receive. Ritual is often to honor or celebrate a person, place or situation, similar to the Solstice, Full/NewMoon, Clearing and cleansing energies, a more specific purpose. And then…….each can blend into the other. The importance is based on honoring those Allies who you receive, opening and closing your sacred space, and clearing and cleansing yourself and others who are in circle with you.

Guidelines to create your own Ceremony: (click on Dasher’s photo) A ceremony created to honor my companion Dasher after his transition.

Shamanic Journeying/Drumming
Shamanic Journeying invites you to travel to other Realms to seek advice, support, healing and a visionary experience meeting Guides who share their wisdom with you. When you set intent for the question or focus you have, your journey can take you to the Lower World or the Upper World – these Worlds bring you out of ordinary reality into non-ordinary reality thereby opening your ability to receive guidance from Sources other than your mind as you embrace truths to your inquiry. When you step into Shamanic Journeying you learn about each of the Worlds, how to travel and the many incredible experiences you can have. The Lower World is primarily just like Earth – it is in harmony with ALL and is vibrant and beautiful. You ask your question and a Guide will show up in any form to walk you through resolution and your next step into the answers you seek. The Upper World is experienced as a place to connect with Ancestors and Spirits who have transitioned from your life. As you become more familiar with each of the Worlds you may even travel between them both in one journey.

Shamanic drumming is a specific beat that supports you shifting into non-ordinary reality and releasing the physical body and mind in order to journey. The beat of the drum shifts the mind into a different state and the practice is to open yourself to listening to the drum beat as you journey to assist your travels. The drum can also be a wonderful addition to ceremony, ritual and an opportunity to sit in Nature to enjoy the drum as it harmonises with the Nature Beings. The drum beat brings a sense of presence and focus, it also has a vibration to create healing and clearing as you navigate your inquiry.

Listen here and take a moment to feel the drum and nature vibrate through you:

Click on photo to listen – (Drumming on the Ammonoosuc River, NH)

What is Soul Retrieval?
A Soul Retrieval is guided by a Shaman or Shamanic Practitioner. As we travel through our lives, we can experience trauma, upset, challenges. During these moments of despair a part of our Soul will choose to leave in order to help us survive the situation. Though Soul Parts choose to leave it has to be invited by a Shaman or Shamanic Practitioner to return to the person. If you have heard yourself or someone else say “I haven’t been the same since…..” or “I feel like a part of me is missing”, or “A part of me left when my relative passed away”. The recognition that you do not feel whole or complete is often a sign that a Soul Part has left.
During a Soul Retrieval the Shaman or Shamanic Practitioner connects to you and journeys on your behalf to your Soul Part. There is a communication to learn more about why the Soul Part left and what that part needs in order to return. For example – if the Soul Part represented JOY and left because your situation was traumatic, abusive, controlling and you were unable to express your inner JOY, then that Soul Part will leave so you can survive the situation. When retrieving that Soul Part there will be a need for you to nurture the return of the Soul Part by being Joyful, bring Joy back in to your life consciously. There is an integration period of recognizing and connecting to the returned Soul Part. Often people feel more complete, surprised at the part that chose to return (there can be more than one) and a sense of belonging and contentment.
As a Shamanic Practitioner, I have led groups in Soul Retrieval through journeying with the guidance of my horses Echoe and Sunshine where each person retrieves their own soul part. It has proven itself to be a beautiful experience for all those who have journeyed with the horses. People are often very surprised which Soul Part chooses to return and often it is a situation they thought had been healed.

What is Psycho Pump?
In the universal world of Shamanism, healing and reigniting your soul can happen on many levels and transcend other Realms. As we heal ourselves through Shamanic Practices, so we heal our Ancestors. In Shamanism Spirits can be helping Allies and also have transitioned from their physical body and yet remained here as an Earth Bound Spirit. In Psycho pump a connection to and opportunity is created to guide the Earth Bound Spirit to travel to the Other Side, thereby completing their Soul’s journey and cross to the Light. This is a gift of bringing peace and onward journeying to the Spirit who will appear to be ‘stuck’ here on this plane. Many beautiful healings have been created when acknowledging and helping these Spirits.

What’s Next?
The Ancestors and Unseen Realms are ready to support and guide us. They help as our Allies and Protectors to learn more about our journey here on Earth and to assist in our elevation. Our Souls are eager to show us a life steeped in the beauty and vibration of walking WITH Nature, the Animals, Winged Ones and Other Beings here on the Planet. Through journeying, drumming and ceremony we can find a peace in our hearts and a knowing that resides within all of us. We hope you will join us, be in Sacred Circle with us through the workshops we are offering and as we explore together and embrace each other and the elements that are around us, we bring transformation, expansion and a deeper sense of self through these channeled gatherings.

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