What is shamanism?

Shamanism is the practice of direct connection.  Direct connection with your Soul, direct connection with the Divine, direct connection with the Earth, direct connection with the energy and essence of life in all its forms.  A shaman acts as a bridge between you and that which you have disconnected from.  The word shaman means “one who knows” and the work of a shaman is to restore harmony through connection.
 
Shamanism is not a religion, there is no worship involved.  It is a way of living in direct communion with Spirit.  There are shamanic traditions and teachings, but they are free from hierarchy, rules, dogma, and sin.  The traditions and teachings are all designed to empower the individual to cultivate a personal relationship with Spirit.  They provide a foundation from which you create.  You must learn the fundamentals, but only so that you can weave them into your own design.  Power and freedom are found within the discipline of shamanic practice. 
 
Shamanism is available to everyone.  It is not an exclusive club.  A shaman trains to expand their perception beyond the five senses and to escape the chains of time.  This allows the shaman to work in all dimensions, including the physical and the spiritual.  The shaman transcends limits to see the beauty in all things and rises above the judgements generated by fear.  The shamanic path is timeless and loving.
 
Following the shamanic path is simple but not easy.  In its simplicity, it is the path of love and illumination.  It is not easy because it requires you to dive into all the deep, dark places that most people avoid.  It requires you to die and be reborn repeatedly until you understand through experience that you are eternal.  It requires you to blaze your own path, rather than follow someone else’s trail.
 
When you choose to work with a shaman, the shaman holds the vision of you as an illuminated, whole, and complete being.  An essence of life with a valued place within the great web of life.  The shaman holds that vision, that knowing, of you until you are able to remember and see yourself in this way.  The shaman has many tools available to assist you on this sacred journey of coming home to you.
 
As a shaman I hold powerful medicine and I am capable of magnificent dreams, however, I cannot take your medicine for you or dream your dreams for you.  You must be willing to engage in the tools, to look in the mirror, to swallow your medicine and dream your own dreams.