What is Shamanism?
Shamanism is an ancient way of working with the spirits of the land. It was practised worldwide by our ancestors. The foundations of shamanism are the same across many different cultures worldwide, making one wonder if they were all the same at some time.
Shamanic healing brings a sense of familiarity and comfort. We know what is happening, yet the experience is hard to describe.
The shaman steps out of him or herself to perform the healing with deep universal love. There is great strength in it afforded by the spirits who work with and assist the shaman.
Blockages that have been present for many lifetimes can be released, allowing the person to step onto a new path in his or her life.
The shaman steps into the world of the recipient to perform the healing, so each session is unique.
Why Peruvian Shamanism?
There is an ancient quality about the form of Shamanism preserved by the Que’ro in Peru. When the Spanish invaded and conquered Peru, they enforced Catholicism and wanted to destroy their ancient traditions. The shamans chose to climb high into mountains to preserve their knowledge. They stayed there until the middle of the 20th Century.
Therefore, the teachings (all by word of mouth) remained purer than in many other cultures.
What is a shaman?
In Peru, a village shaman was only paid when the villagers were well – he/she was the health provider for the village! In the modern world, a Shaman tends to be called upon to release deep blockages holding a person back somehow.
A shaman works from the heart for the best interests of his/her client. The principles applied, as for the Munay-Ki Rites, are:
NON-VIOLENCE, TRUTHFULNESS, INTEGRITY, MODERATION and GENEROSITY
Misconceptions
- It is NOT a religion. Many shamans in Peru are Catholics. The two things sit comfortably alongside each other.
- Nor is it Black Magic or Sorcery!
Most people relate to it at a cellular level; words often do not exist to explain how it feels, but your body understands it at that mythical/different level.
Trained by Alberto Villoldo’s Four Winds Society
I was drawn to train with Alberto Villoldo‘s Four Winds Society after reading his “Shaman Healer Sage” book in 2005 and joined his shamanic trip to Peru that summer. I had left my IT career at the end of 2004 and was looking for a new direction and this called to me loud and clear!
Native American Shamans have practised energy medicine for thousands of years. Alberto Villoldo, PhD, a medical anthropologist and psychologist, founded The Four Winds Society & The Light Body School after spending over 30 years in the high Andes and the Amazon training with master shamans. Dr. Villoldo is the best-selling author of many books, including “Shaman, Healer, Sage” (that set me on the path to Peru and to train with him) & “Power up Your Brain”.
The Four Winds offers a scientific framework through which the ancient art of energy medicine is applied to daily life and professional practice. Alberto augmented the basic practices with other techniques to broaden them for the modern world.
The mission of the Four Winds Society was, and probably still is, to train master practitioners in the shamanic wisdom and healing arts of the ancient Americas.
Shamans discovered that the luminous energy field (LEF) that surrounds the body holds the keys to how we will age, how we will heal, and how we might die.
The training creates modern shamans – caretakers of the earth, steeped in the ancient wisdom of the Earth peoples and cutting-edge neuroscience. Ancient shamanic practices that help to wire the brain for health, joy, and longevity are taught. They believe that energy medicine is the healing practice of the future.
I finally did five days of training in London to mentor others in the Munay-Ki Rites. These are beautiful and deeply supportive if people spend time developing them.
Deepening my practice
After completing the Four Winds “Healing the Light Body” course over two years (including my trip to Peru with them), I went on to complete their “Way of the Sage” advanced programme as well. This consisted of additional masterclasses, with mentoring from a Four Winds senior teacher (Nicky Mott, in my case), and I found each of them inspirational in their way.
Linda Fitch was one of my primary tutors when I studied with the Four Winds (she was the most senior staff member then) and has now moved on to new things.
I continued to deepen my knowledge in several further training courses with
- Carla Fox – Farwalkers Destiny trained in Andean Shamanic practice and has added other skills—intense, exciting and rapid work.
- Jose Luis Herrera – Rainbow Jaguar – from Cusco in Peru, who works with the most experienced shaman in the area. His insights into the tradition were fascinating, leaving me in awe of what is possible.
- Stephen Victor – Who practices Andean Shamanism and also Hellinger Constellation work
Why do people choose shamanic healing?
Often, the trigger for someone to want this form of healing is a pattern that is not shifting. It can be a life situation, an imbalance in the body or multiple issues at various levels in the energy field.
There is a feeling that whatever he/she tries, the same thing seems to crop up again, with different people and circumstances but the same pattern.
The most common reason people come to me is that they are drawn to what I do! Something about shamanic healing and me as a person combines to give them a knowing that it is the right thing to do.
No need to visit me
Today, my clients can live anywhere. Many are a long way from where I practice. Remote sessions work brilliantly.
You can be at home, relaxing or pottering about doing jobs while I do the session without any need to have the stresses of travel. This allows the session excellent access to your energy field, and the effects can ripple out and do whatever is required as you relax afterwards.
I can focus entirely on preparing myself and my space for the session and work without worries about whether you are hot/cold/thirsty, etc.
How many sessions?
Rarely do my clients have more than one shamanic session for the same thing. It tends to act as a good ‘clean up’ of the energy field, which lasts well. Next time, we work on something different.
Many clients also take the option to follow it up with the e-Lybra bio-resonance sessions. These can improve the integration of the session, especially for busy people who don’t have time to complete any homework!
To book a shamanic healing session, visit my main page on this topic.
It is always so lovely to get glowing testimonials. This one is for my remote Andean Shamanic Energy Medicine service…
“I can’t thank you enough for the work that you did with me. It has really turned my life around. The light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train! I have recovered much of my energy and feel more hopeful for the future. You have been so kind and encouraging when you have spoken to me and the healing you gave me has shifted so much ‘stuff’. So glad I found you!”
PG
