Many call themselves “shamans”

But most people never get past the basics.

Shaman is not a protected term. Many people refer to themselves as such because they perform rituals, have healing abilities, have acquired relevant knowledge through courses, and may even hold a relevant diploma. However, only a few of them truly follow the shamanic path as a way of life and a calling.

Anyone can practice shamanism—but that doesn’t make you a professional shaman

In this country, most people associate shamanism with drumming and rattling, the deliberate reconnection with the elements of nature through rituals, and meditative journeys into a light trance state, exploring the subconscious or superconscious mind. However, in indigenous traditions, prayer, the use of instruments, the celebration of festivals, the attainment of spiritual (trance) experiences through rites of passage, and in some cases even the performance of energetic healing treatments were not reserved for shamans, but were practiced by every member of the tribe.

In ancient Europe, the majority of the population lived on remote farms rather than in larger settlements. Professional medical and divinatory assistance was difficult to access. Our ancestors were at the mercy of nature and its forces; they had to appease them and work in harmony with them. Communication with nature spirits, healing plant knowledge, and divinatory rituals were thus practiced by everyone.

In many indigenous societies, the shaman was regarded as the tribal leader, although decisions were made collectively. In addition to his organizational and mediating duties, his role was to maintain contact with the spirits, as the tribe’s survival depended on this: through this spiritual connection, he learned, for example, when herds of animals would be passing through the area and was able to warn the tribe in time of impending natural disasters. Through rituals performed individually or with the entire community, he nurtured the energetic connection with the appropriate forces, enabling both individuals and the collective to live in harmony with themselves and the environment. In most cases, such individuals were visited by spirits as early as childhood, chosen for this path, and subsequently trained by elder shamans and their guiding spirits over the course of decades.

Shamanism today

The guidance of our society is no longer the exclusive domain of shamans who communicate with spirits. However, people who, through their strong connection with the spirits, show others the way continue to be sought out by many who are looking for guidance or healing, which is why they still have a vital role to play. Many feel called to this kind of work, discovering and honing their knowledge and abilities. There are many courses and training programs available today for acquiring knowledge and techniques; this knowledge is becoming more accessible again, and using it is no longer considered dangerous. Pursuing this kind of education awakens dormant powers within us and reminds us of our creative power, making us more powerful and self-determined.

Learning and applying knowledge and techniques to help oneself and others brings fulfillment to many. But over time, some feel that by applying learned knowledge and set techniques, they are merely “scratching the surface” and that much more is possible; while they may provide temporary relief for themselves and others, they are unable to resolve the “knots” in a lasting way.

The most important aspect is missing

Shamanism is not about knowledge or techniques, an beautifully decorated ritual space, or the use of exotic objects; rather, it is spiritual healing. At its core lies collaboration with the spirits, for the shaman opens the gateway by calling upon them and allowing them to work for the highest good. Knowledge, techniques, an energetically clean environment, pure thoughts, and good intentions help, but the true magic comes from aligning the flow of energy. The shaman learns from the spirits what needs to be done in a given situation and how to proceed so that the spirits can work through him in the most optimal and powerful way.

Many people, influenced by a strongly Christian mindset - albeit often unconsciously - assume that one can simply call upon the spirits, who are then bound to appear and help, that one can simply receive without ever giving anything in return, that everything is light and love, and therefore nothing could ever go wrong. They are unaware that the majority of shamanic work does not take place during the ritual or treatment, but outside of it, and how much dedication and discipline are required for this, for deep work with the spirits is the maintenance of a close friendship:

It is important to get to know them well so that you can later distinguish them reliably from other disruptive spirits, as well as to strengthen your connection with them so that their energy can flow strongly through you. Developing the necessary clairvoyance, spiritual power, flexibility, and control over one’s own aura, as well as the understanding and trust required to consistently receive the right information and feel protected during powerful energetic work - even in difficult situations such as attacks - requires a great deal of willpower, dedication, and discipline. The guiding spirits are not “colleagues” or even “employees,” but powerful, highly evolved energies that demand that one work on oneself and continue to develop. For the more this is the case, the purer and more ego-free one’s own field becomes, and the more light-filled healing power the spirits can manifest through the shaman.

From the basics to the "advanced level"

Courses can impart knowledge and techniques that help us broaden our spiritual horizons and provide us with tools we can use. This is a valuable foundation, but it is far from making us shamans, because working with the spirits cannot be learned in this way. If you are lucky, spirit guides who wish to work with you may reveal themselves during guided rituals. However, maintaining contact with these spirits, deepening that connection, allowing them to teach and shape you, and growing and developing yourself in this way cannot be taught in a course; it is the learner’s own responsibility. Only those whose calling is to work as shamans, and who embrace this calling and dedicate themselves to this path, can commit to this with full devotion over decades and succeed. While anyone can practice shamanism, the (professional) shamanic path is a lifelong journey, for one’s own development and the teachings from the spirits continue until the end of our lives - and likely far beyond.

Do I have what it takes to be a shaman?

How far you can go on the shamanic path depends on your calling. That is, whether your soul has chosen this way of working as its life’s mission and whether the appropriate guiding spirits are at your side. This may reveal itself to you in visions or dreams, during a channeling or divination session, or in trance rituals.

But it is your dedication that determines the extent to which your spirits are willing to support you and work with you. For with your free will, it is up to you to choose this collaboration, this way of life and practice - along with all the challenges it entails. Again and again.

Do you want to unlock your full shamanic potential and are you ready to put in the necessary effort? I’d be happy to support you in this!

I'd be happy to advise you!