What is Shamanism?

 

This world and topic has become a lot more main stream in the past few years with clinical and psychological research on the healing properties of specific sacred plant medicines that are associated with Shamanism. But more on that later on.

 

Shamanic healing is one of the vast numbers of healing modalities available for us to experience today. It is the oldest form of doctoring and a very powerful medicine for the modern world.   Like acupuncture, its roots are in the mists of time and like acupuncture it works with unseen energy. Acupuncture is usually associated with the East, while there have been shamanic healers for thousands of years in tribal communities all around the world.

 

Shamanism, is not a religion. It is a spiritual practice and it is the root of Traditional Yoga. Shamanism offers transformation for the Real You and the Intuitive World.

 

Yoga, as well as, Shamanism is an exploration of yourself both body and mind. They allow us to find our way through this construct of our reality. It accelerates personal empowerment and balance as well as the ability to help others in their healing process. Weaving the Inca trilogy, Serpent, Jaguar, and Condor, with the yogic approach of Body, Mind, and Spirit, accommodates the healing process and evolution of all three perceptual states; asana for the Body -Serpent, lecture for the Mind -Jaguar, and shamanic journeys for the Soul -Condor.

 

A Personal Connection

 

The discovery of first Shamanism and then coming into my personal own Yoga has allowed me to reconnect with myself, spirit, nature, the human and the animal worlds. Establishing respect and awareness of these realms has triggered connection to the earth, myself and the heavens giving me more direction, intention and expanding my capacity for understand and unconditional love.

 

The greatest challenge with embarking on this new path has been to integrate my learning and knowledge into my everyday life.  I am learning, growing and listening to intuition in order to serve others and the world through my thoughts and actions. It is a daily practice.

 

The Practice

 

There are also many contemporary practitioners of this ancient healing art. 

Traditionally, a shaman was someone who was able to communicate with the spirit realms and visit other realities with their own spirit allies, teachers and otherworldly guides. You do not need to have a problem to benefit from a shamanic journey.

 

 A shamanic practitioner may use a drum or rattle to access an altered state of consciousness. In this altered state she is able to enter the lower world, the middle world or the upper world which are the unseen other realities. 

Here in the other worlds he/she journeys with her power animal and helpers, or whatever may be the connection for them, to ask for healing, insight, energy, power or other intentions for whoever has requested the work.