In Shamanism, what are the tools, techniques, and protocols?
This post is an update to my Winter Solstice 2016 video post of my talk on Shamanic practices to a group of counselors. I interviewed other Shamanic practitioners and realized even though we come from different backgrounds and courses of study, our techniques are amazingly similar.
Below I briefly describe the most important tools and techniques used in Shamanism, for individual healing sessions, and group ceremonial settings. Since the Shamanic perspective is that all forms of symptoms and disease are due to spiritual imbalances that need to be transformed and brought into a higher vibration, Shamanic tools are spiritual tools of transformation.
For more information about these rich topics, check out the links provided throughout this post.
For a video version that covers the Top Four Shamanic tools, watch below.
Shamanic Ceremony
Shamanic practitioners are masters of ceremony. Ceremony is becoming more popular. We love feeling the difference before and after the ceremony. Ceremonies mark the transitions from one state to another.
A Shaman will formally open and close the ceremony, and manage the energy and activities during the ceremony, for the best outcome.
Ceremonies and rituals affect us on the psychological level. They physically help you re-map your mind into a new way of being. After the ceremony, it’s much easier to retain your new way of being.
Sacred Container
Safety and protection of clients is a chief concern. The container of the client session or the ceremonial space is essential to prevent distractions from other energies coming in unwanted. The container also provides discernment, as anything that comes up is from the client, not an invading energy to interfere with the healing ceremony.
Channeling Guides
In Shamanism, practitioners collect spirit guides over a lifetime of healing work. These guides may be from the lineage the Shaman participates in or may be a gift from the Divine. The guides have powers that humans can’t even dream of, such as psychic surgery, curse-busting, and healing complicated soul experiences. The Shaman’s role with her guides is to stand aside and let them work, with occasional input, and deliver messages on behalf of the guide to the client.
Spirit guides are so important, I’ve written several posts on the topic, start here.
Shamanic Sight
Within the ceremonial container and sacred space, the guides and supportive energies can be called. The Shaman can then open internal “eyes” and receive information about how to work, where to go for soul retrieval, and what happened that created the symptoms that need to be resolved.
Shamanic sight compares to psychic skills, everyone has their talents and specialties. Shamans may receive psychic information through vision, sound, “knowing,” or sensing in the body. In the forest, Shamans know how to interpret signs from Nature.
Shamanic Blessings
The guides who work through the Shamanic practitioner will often want to give a blessing. Blessings are highly individualized. It may start with a preparatory mini energy clearing so the blessing is easily be absorbed. Then the blessing energy from a high-vibrational guide or divine entity flows through the Shamanic practitioner into the person. The person may feel lighter, clearer, more blissful after the blessing. It gives the person a boost in their life.
Curse Breaking
A “curse” can be defined as any place where energy is bound up. We can even curse ourselves with harmful belief systems that hold us back in life. It’s hard for some people to believe, however classic curses, placed on a victim by a black magic practitioner, does exist. There was more of it in older times, however, it is still commonly practiced today in some cultures. Curses may compel people to do something they aren’t consciously aware of, or allow the black magic practitioner (living or dead!) to siphon off life-force energy from their victim. This can dry up the person’s good luck, health or ability to thrive.
Energetically, curses look like a wad of Christmas tree lights, all twisted up. Shamanic practitioners can “see” where the end of the cable is plugged into the person stealing energy.
These situations can be so complicated and extensive, the Shamanic practitioner must rely upon their guides. The guides will draw upon high-vibrational energies to re-calibrate and re-align your energies so they flow again through your life, lifting your spirits and freeing you to take steps forward.
Soul Retrieval
In Shamanism, Soul Retrieval is one of the main forms of healing. I’ve written about it extensively on this site (start here). When you’ve had a traumatic experience, either in this lifetime or in a past life, your energy becomes locked away and unavailable, which causes negative life symptoms. When the Shaman locates a lost part and returns it to you healed and whole, you can experience a huge boost in your life. (That’s why I call it treasure-hunting!)
The Shamanic practitioner uses Shamanic sight to find the cause of the symptoms you’re experiencing, whether in this life, a past life, or even on the soul level. Then the guides help to heal the cause in that situation, bringing the energy to a clear and clean vibration. Then the energy can return to you, as exactly what you need in your present. Often energy returns to the nervous system, giving clients a health boost. Clients experience more motivation, inspiration, health, and happiness.
Soul retrieval is one of the ways Shamanic techniques increase the “plasticity” of the brain, making it easier to stick with positive, success-oriented thinking.
Shamanic Journeys
A Shamanic Journey can be taken by the Shamanic practitioner on behalf of the client, to retrieve something the client needs to move ahead or resolve their symptoms. Guided meditation Shamanic journeys can be individually channeled or recorded. This form of meditation is where you are guided by a visualization of traveling in a particular place and having experiences. Go here to watch a 15-min video blog on Shamanic Journeys.
From a psychological perspective, Shamanic Journeys are powerful because you are traveling into your subconscious. You are meeting parts of yourself that have been buried or hidden, and finding out what they need to heal and be re-integrated into your personality. They are great for self-awareness and making needed shifts in thinking.
Entity Extraction (aka Exorcism)
Entities can come into us from a trauma, as a fulfillment of karma, or from hanging out with people who have negative energy (yes it’s contagious! Go here to learn how to protect yourself).
A Shamanic practitioner rarely judges these entities, even if they seem scary, as innately bad or negative. A healthy perspective is that they came or were sent for a reason, to help us learn. Now, their job is done and can be sent to the next destination. My approach is to offer them healing, then they help me resolve the issue that opened the pathway to their entry.