What Is Shamanism?

Shamanism encompasses a form of spiritual singularity that revolves around the shaman. The term shamanism originates from the Manchu-Tungus language which translates to 'to know'. Thus, shaman means the 'one who knows'. Shamans can be of any gender or belong to any age group – except early childhood. 

This divine leader is believed to be the master of a host of powers – achieved through their divine spirituality. Amongst their powers the most distinct include being able to communicate 'across worlds' and through this, being able to heal the sick and injured and guide lost souls to their afterlife. As these ancient spiritual, shamanistic procedures are embedded in nature, this practice enables human beings to consolidate and connect with nature, to live a peaceful and balanced life.

This way of life enables the shaman to connect with all of nature and all the beings in it, whether human, animal, or spirit. Shamanism is spiritual wisdom that is intrinsic to indigenous tribes. But in the last few decades, shamanism has become popular all over the world, with many individuals and cultures putting their own spin on shamanistic practices and rituals. It has therefore become difficult to distinguish between 'true' shamanism – traditionally practiced - and the more recent ones.

Shamanic Practices

Depending on the culture they resonate with, shamans perform an array of spiritual rituals. Some of these practices include leading sacrifices, preserving the shamanistic tradition through their songs and stories, healing, guiding souls, etc.

Amongst shamans, some discrete categories execute more specialized practices. Shamans may also deal in different realms of the spiritual world.

Shamanistic practices of healing can enhance both physical and mental well-being. And shamans can act as a guide for you in times of trouble and indecision, helping you achieve inner peace. Some of these practices include:

Communicating with the Dead

Life is hard and navigating through all the hurdles can be particularly challenging for some. In times of indecision, calling for guidance from your deceased elders can be calming. A shaman can help you with this by performing a ritual. All this involves is lighting some candles and having something that belonged to them or represents them. 

Refunctioning Your Brain

Delve deep into your past and let your mind ponder upon the traumatic memories it is suppressing. Open wounds of the past and allow them to heal. If there are people you are in discord with, or have hurt, make things right - if possible.

Alternatively, cut out all toxicity from your life. This might include letting go of toxic people or behaviors, like alcoholism, anger issues, etc., that are causing disturbances in your energy forces.   

Manifesting the Power of the Universe

According to shamans, this universe and everything in it is a force of great energy, and some practices allow you to draw from these energy forces.

One such practice involves lying on the ground for ten minutes and repeating specific phrases to cleanse your body of all negative forces.

Summoning the Elements

There are specific body movements like stomping on the ground, moving around your hips, etc. that get the energy of the elements - earth, fire, wind, water, etc. – to flow into you and recharge you when feeling down in life.

The Sun Sacrament

According to shamans, this is the most powerful healing method amongst the shamanic practices, to get rid of anxiety and stress.

This involves going outside before the sun sets and allowing it to take away all your worries and fears with it as it goes away. Imagine them being burnt in the fire of the sun. When the sun rises the next day, it will bring a new dawn for you and dispel all your fears.

What Is Shamanic Journeying?

Shamanic journeying allows a person to journey, symbolically. It is a practice that constitutes journeying through the spiritual plains, as a result, the practitioner may hear and feel different things – an out-of-body experience. An experienced shaman can guide you through the first journey while you can go through the subsequent ones on your own. This allows for a depth of understanding; you may find the true meaning of life. It can help clear the mist fogging your brain, bringing about clarity.

Shamanic journeying takes a lot of commitment and practice to master, but the end result is worth it. By enabling you to regulate your emotions and feelings, it can improve the quality of your personal and professional life tenfold. Once a person is deep in the throes of their journey, they can connect to the spiritual world. The shaman can then drive immense healing power and knowledge from the said person – the experience can completely transform their life.

Shamanism considers there to be three realms of consciousness – Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds. When going through the Shamanic journey, the inner self has an unbroken connection with all of these three levels of consciousness. The Shamanic Journey can enable a person to find all the answers that they desire. Everyone has a unique experience, some experience physical symptoms, like a change in body temperature, while others report seeing lights or visions.

What Is Shamanic Healing?

Shamanic healing requires the shaman to work in collaboration with spirits, called helper spirits, in the spiritual realms. The shaman calls upon these helper spirits to heal the broken soul, and as a result, the person may experience actual physical healing.

To make contact with these spirits, the shaman themselves has to take on a journey by going into a trance.

Shamanic healing can be particularly useful for those who have suffered from life-changing trauma – be it physical or mental. By repairing the damage done to their souls, they can find release from the resulting illness, depression, and other mental health issues. The shaman will call upon the spirit world or the spirit guides and animals to heal the injured soul.

For shamanic healing to be effective it is critical to first make the correct diagnosis, that is, identify the conscious and subconscious energies at play. It is then essential to execute and call upon the precise powers and energies required for the healing process.

The shaman destroys the unsuitable energies present and restores the energies that have been lost. 

If surrounded by an environment of general support, the individual has the time and care they require to heal. If this is not the case, the shaman works with the individual to build a place with the required resources for the client to adapt to the change in internal energies.

Shamanic Spirituality

Shamanism is all about spirituality, and we are spiritual beings made of energy and light. Every living creature in this world has a connection to each other, whether human or animal.

Shamanism incorporates the instruments required to heal the individual - it offers useful tools for healing both the individual and the collective, it is a means of restoring balance.

Being humans, the nature of our lives is such that no one can make it through life unscathed. All of us, at one point or another, experience emotional trauma and suffering.

However, to those who seek it, there is spiritual healing available to restore the balance in life. Oddly though, these feelings of depression can be a form of warped blessing, helping you to put your life on track and enhance your soul. Through shamanic healing, we can achieve this inner harmony and balance our energy, which helps us to thrive in our personal and professional lives.

Our body is enveloped by an energy field. Throughout history, prominent religious figures have been depicted with an aura of bright light and a forcefield of energy. Every one of us has a mist of energy and light surrounding us.

With the persistent hassles of daily life, our light forces become imbalanced which leads to discord in our energies. These disturbances cause mental afflictions and diseases that enter our bodies via the seven chakras.

There are instances when otherworldly entities with evil intentions, like spirits, can attach themselves to our souls, particularly to those with low energy levels and afflictions like alcoholism and addiction. With the help of an experienced shaman, these anomalies can be cured.

In Essence

The world we live in is complex, and different worlds exist parallel to our own, with a multitude of realities. Shamans can reach these worlds with substances that are not visible to ordinary people. They use various practices like sonic driving – rhythmic drumming or rattling – that can shift the consciousness to visualize the unordinary - the spirit world.

This journey allows the traveler to glean information and divination. Thus, through the help of their spirit guides, shamans or people who choose to delve into this journey continually can make these journeys to attain healing and answers for themselves as well as their loved ones and others.

Shamanism is all about trust and belief. It is about recognizing and accepting the extraordinary. There lie symptoms of arrogance and conservativeness in assuming that only that which we can see and know in our limited brains can be real and true. There are many realms and realities in this universe. Shamans are experts in some of them.