The word ‘Shaman’ is an anthropological term borrowed from the Tunganistic language group of Western Siberia, which refers to ‘one who sees’, and which has entered the common vernacular to refer to those who enter a trance state to commune with spirits.

Shamanic healing and divination have been around for thousands of years and are very likely among the first of spiritual practices engaged in by humankind. Shamanism is not a religion, but rather a way of living in stewardship with the Earth and with the spiritual nature of all things. The primary tasks of the shaman are to heal by restoring balance where it has been lost and to consult spirits for healing, insight and inspiration.

We believe that all things are imbued with spirit. Every person, animal, plant and stone, even the Earth itself are vessels of individual spiritual identity. That not only the seen, but the unseen have this presence. It is the shamans path to enter into a deep relationship with the spiritual realm for the purpose of relieving suffering, restoring harmony and for gaining wisdom and guidance.

There are many ways that spirit manifests itself to those who seek it. We believe that opening ourselves to the understanding of how other peoples and cultures encounter and interact with the spirit realm, can inform and enrich our own experience.

When we can recognize the commonalities that we share with others, we can then work more effectively together for the common goal of global healing.

The cultures we visit are diverse. Although there are many common themes and beliefs among shamans worldwide, specific shamanic practices vary widely from place to place, each offering an individual view into the worlds of spirit.

To learn more about shamanism you may visit :

The Shamanic Passages Institute : shamanicpassagesinstitute.com

The Four Winds Society: thefourwinds.com

Or read:

The Way of the Shaman, by Michael Harner

Cave and Cosmos, by Michael Harner

Shamanism, Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, by Mircea Eliade

Soul Retrieval, Mending the Fragmented Self, by Sandra Ingerman

Spirit Paths: The Quest for Authenticity, by Gerry Starnes

The Shamanic Journey, A Beginners Guide to Journeying, by Gerry Starnes

Shamanism, by Christa Mackinnon

Plant Spirit Medicine, by Elliot Cowan