My Journey into Shamanism

When I first encountered what I now know to be Shamanism, I was a young girl.  My mother arranged yearly trips to places which, at that time, were the most unlikely of holiday destinations: Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador – to name a few. On many of these early adventures we saw in living practice what was roughly translated to us as ‘Medicine Men’.  It all seemed very exotic and primitive.  I naturally concluded that it was only something one would see in  places with ancient civilizations, ruins and jungles and I saw no connection to my life in urban North America!

Although I had been transfixed by these experiences on my childhood travels,decades later when I experienced Shamanism right here at home,  I could not fathom how it could factor into our modern, technological world. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. After over a decade of  Shamanic training and practice, I came to understand that shamanism is not only relevant but it is desperately needed by our society today.

It was a winding, bumpy path…

It was not a smooth or easy transition into the Shamanic world. I felt frequent embarrassment due to my fear that I was just making all of this stuff up in my head. For the first two years of my shamanic training I prefaced every shamanic-related utterance with, ” I know this sounds weird or crazy but…” and then I would proceed to share the information or experience with friends, family or colleagues that had come to me as a result my shamanism practices. Without fail I was greeted, not by the hysterical laughter and finger pointing I was expecting, but by open faces and ready ears. I was astounded by the receptiveness and genuine curiosity people had about what I was doing.  Even those few who I was sure would scoff and tease listened without judgement.

It took into my third year to stop my ‘ prefacing’ habit. People were  genuinely curious and gravitated  to hear more or even seek me out to ask more specific questions. Men, women, kids, lawyers, police officers, ambulance workers, teachers, bankers, engineers – not the usual suspects you’d expect to be open to anything like this – asked questions with sincere interest in the answers. I began to realize that even though we have endless ways in our society to connect with others we instinctively realize that we do not actually feel connected. We sense we are missing some elusive element in order to put a context to our lives.

Context: Shamanism, by its very essence provides context to life…

As I moved along in my training and practice I came to realize Shamanism had quietly but adeptly become the hub into which all the spokes of my life had effortlessly slipped into place. I now had a vocabulary to define unusual personal experiences, some of which  I had experienced since I was a girl. It also provided a reference library where I could ask for and find information I needed. There was a new found and enduring calmness because I was starting to see how all things fit together in the most simple yet exquisite manner. A reverence for nature, its power and infinite complexities became part of my everyday consciousness. I had a found a different, and yet strangely natural way of experiencing and viewing life!

The more I connect with others in the Shamanic communities at workshops or drumming circles, the more I hear others share similar sentiments. And the kaleidoscope of people is always thrilling to me! They span the spectrum of humanity: men, women, young adults, gay, straight, corporate, retired, artsy, Hindu, Catholic, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish – every ethnic and professional background you can imagine!  Each has found that Shamanism has provided a spiritual loom that guides us in weaving together the unique elements of our lives into a beautiful tapestry of texture and colour that is as original as our fingerprints.

The tenet of service to others is quietly inherent in all shamanic practices. Whether it is providing a healing, doing a divination to provide needed information or helping souls to reach their final destination, for each act you receive as much as you give.

Shamanism has given me a balance in perspective that didn’t  exist for me before. Connecting with nature and my helping spirits have made my life more peaceful, patient and fulfilling. I am a better parent now. I am able to assist my daughter to approach life in a more balanced and healthy manner.

If you are looking to further explore Shamanism and other ancient techniques I invite you to book a session so you can experience the wondrous benefits first-hand.

~ Deborah