The ancient wisdom of our ancestors still survives today in the form of what is known in anthropology as Shamanism. Shamanism is the oldest, spiritual tradition known to humankind and is believed to be over 30,000 years old. Classic Shamanism, Shamanism that exists in the context of primitive tribal societies, is passed down from one generation to next. It still exists in Australia, Siberia, North America, Northern Scandinavia, the Pacific Northwest and the Amazon.

Core Shamanism is the same as classic Shamanism in that they both share the same techniques and methods spanning the world over. Core Shamanism has the same principles and techniques used by people even though they are separated by thousands of miles.

A Shaman is a man or a woman who enters into a state called non-ordinary reality, or the hidden world. They do this at will and have a mission or an intention to help themselves or others. They journey inside and outside of time, into what is classically called the middle, upper and lower worlds. On a journey a Shaman encounters and interacts with other entities for the benefit of himself or others.

A Shaman has one or more spirits helpers for guidance in nonordinary reality. They find answers to questions for others in the spirit world. They use clairvoyance, which is seeing at a distance, and are called upon to find missing or lost articles. Shamans were the first spirit doctors, ministers, healers, priests, surgeons, psychics, psychotherapists, and family counselors for early people. They help the souls of the departed to find their way and proper place in nonordinary reality.

A Shaman is a spiritual housekeeper. Shamans put things in their rightful place. They work to maintain balance and harmony. Shamanism uses powerful methods of healing. These are ancient ways, before Christ, Moses or Buddha. Shamanism is experiential and powerful. The methods and practiced open a regular pathway, enabling a Shaman to return again and again to nonordinary reality at will. Often the use of a drum facilitates the journey.

The work of a Shaman is a discipline. Working with this method allows a Shaman to reach his/her own conclusions about the nature of reality and the universe.

When a Shaman journeys he/she has a mission to find answers for health and healing, or to learn about nonordinary reality. A Shaman is aware of the powerful connection he/she has with the universe and respects this power.

Through a Shamanic journey, a Shaman pieces together his/her own cosmology, and works with his own symbols and geography in nonordinary reality. Shamans are self-sufficient in this respect. The information a Shaman finds can be shared among themselves, which gives Shamans a broader understanding of the universe. But a Shaman basically learns from his/her own experiences. Many people come to this work with varied backgrounds and disciplines. If you open your mind and practice the methods you will learn much about the nature of reality.

Many people integrate Shamanic work with other spiritual practices for healing purposes.

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