Reverend Kathryn
Gates-Ferris is a graduate of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies’
3-Year Advanced Shamanic Training Program and Sandra Ingerman’s
Soul Retrieval and Healing with Spiritual Light training
programs.
Shamanism is a
spiritual practice or methodology, not a religion. It is the earliest
spiritual practice known to mankind and common to all indigenous societies
on all continents throughout history. The fact that the practice has
survived for tens of thousands of years speaks to the potency of the
work. It is a simple but beautiful practice, that allows the shaman to
connect directly with the spirit worlds, the seen and unseen worlds –
ordinary and non-ordinary reality, to access information and energies that
can help awaken us and restore us to wholeness. A shaman can interact
directly with the spirit world to address the spiritual aspects of illness
and death. This can be done through the process of soul retrieval,
connecting with the spirits of nature, receiving divine information,
psychopomp work (assisting the deceased to cross over) and ceremonial
work. Shamans work with individuals, animals, communities, etc. and
through the ages have acted as healers, doctors, priests,
psychotherapists, mystics, and storytellers.
Shamanism teaches that
everything that exists is alive and has a spirit, and that we are joined
with the earth and all of life via our spiritual interconnectedness. As
we are a part of nature, we have a deep need to reconnect with nature’s
cycles and rhythms. The helping spirits have much to teach us about
restoring balance and harmony and unity to earth and our lives.
"Your vision will become clear only
when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks
inside, awakens."
-- C.G. Jung
“The honor of the people
lies in the moccasin tracks of its women.
Walk the road proudly.
Be strong, with the warm,
strong heart of the earth.
Sing the strengths of the
Great Powers within you and all around you.”
--Village Wise Man,
Sioux
1961
In engaging in shamanic
practice, the person moves between Ordinary States of Consciousness and a
Shamanic State of Consciousness, also know as Non-Ordinary Reality. To
access the wisdom and teachings of the spirit world, a person must travel
to the “other worlds – primarily the lower, middle and upper worlds”. This
is done through “shamanic journeying” or visualization and altered state
of consciousness that transcend time and space and is done to the beat of
a drum. The drumbeat facilitates the transition by altering the mind
waves and allows us to access spiritual guidance and healing, assist
others and the planet, and reconnect with the cycles and rhythms of
nature. The shaman has the advantage of being able to move between states
of consciousness at will.
In shamanic cultures it
is believed that when we are born, the spirit of at least one animal
volunteers to protect and guide us through life. This animal is known as
our power animal and can include mythical and extinct animals. The power
animal that connects with us represents the entire species of that animal
that is protecting us. In addition, there are human forms that connect
with us as teachers, including religious figures and famous people, gods
and goddesses. Both power animals and teachers are sources of healing and
wisdom, and may live in upper and lower worlds.
Shamans see themselves
as “hollow bones”, just an instrument through which the power of the
universe may pass. Most shamans use monotonous or rhythmic drumming to
alter their state of consciousness when they journey. Many shamans in
various cultures use rattles, sticks and bells. This alters a person’s
brain waves and allows them to seek a deeper level of consciousness.
While traditionally
there has been only one to a few shamans in a community, anyone can learn
to journey to the spirit world for guidance. The classic shamanic methods
work surprisingly quickly, with the result that most people can achieve in
a few hours experiences that might otherwise take them years of silent
meditation, prayer, or chanting. In addition, it actively utilizes the
mind to help healing and the maintenance of wellness. Shamanism requires
respect for all forms of life and the environment in which we live. It is
a humbling but rewarding experience to be able to connect with the spirit
world, have access to that incredible understanding, love, and power, and
know that they have our best interest at heart.
Sources:
The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner
Shamanic Journeying by Sandra Ingerman
