Shaman Wisdom & Shaman Healing

The practice of shamanism is derived from ancient spiritual and healing rituals, typically passed from one generation to the next via oral tradition. Shamanic wisdom and healing typically entail the shamanic practitioner's having participated in many shamanic journeys in which the shaman leaves her physical body. The shaman many accomplish this feat by entering a deep, ecstatic trance that permits her to encounter spirit helpers. These entities impart knowledge and energy upon the shaman.

Features

Traditional shamans utilize lucid dreaming to explore the subconscious and provide healing. This journey may involve ascending upward to the heaven or downward to the underworld. It can also lead to parallel physical realities. This process, also known as shamanic flight, is a way for a shaman to make contact with sources of healing energy and spiritual guidance. In turn, the shaman uses knowledge to help and heal others who are on the shamanic path.

Significance

Shamanic healers held a prominent role in past societies, fulfilling the role of metaphysician, magician or priest. Shamanic wisdom about human consciousness and the universe's cosmology allows the shaman to act as a connector between the everyday world and the world beyond our physical realities. A shaman is a figure who lives on the edge of reality and society, which often requires personal sacrifices.

Misconceptions

The word shaman has been adopted by many contemporary healers; it is important to clarify that one can study shamanism without being a shaman. Earning the title of shaman demands training, practice and service to the community. Most shamanic healers train with a mentor and have entered into a state of shamanic ecstasy several times. Formal training includes studying shamanic techniques, learning the names and roles of spirits, studying the genealogy and mythology of the group the shaman serves, and mastering any special languages required.

Function

Shamanic healers employ ceremonies and rituals to divine the best energy medicine for a particular ailment. A healing session may begin with a dialogue between the patient and the shaman, followed by an examination in which the shaman centers upon the area of dissonance within the patient. The shamanic healer uses one of several techniques to disengage the aberrant form of energy. Among these techniques are divination, which entails a reading of the subject's luminous energy; soul retrieval, which heals a pain or loss in the soul by giving the patient soul elements or a power animal; a soul retrieval ceremony; extraction, which removes intrusions on a patient's spirit; and past life regression therapy, which uses past lives or dreams to heal a karmic rift.

Effects

Shamanic healing and shamanic wisdom are considered beneficial to a person's energy. The goal with shamanic rituals is to use ancient healing traditions to resolve problems. However, shamanic knowledge is always evolving and changing to address the needs of the time.