The Healing Field

A Comprehensive Alternative and Complimentary Wellness Center

CORE SHAMANISM©

Shamanism is a spiritual approach to healing that has been practiced by indigenous cultures for tens of thousands of years. Each indigenous form of Shamanism is unique, reflecting its particular culture and natural environment.  Everything in the natural world is experienced as being connected and imbued with Spirit, and is respected as such.

Core Shamanism was developed by anthropologist Michael Harner who studied shamanic practices throughout the world for over 20 years.  He identified practices and beliefs common to all, and developed a set of “core” techniques that could be used by people in the Western world.  The core shamanic practitioner uses steady, monotonous sound, usually produced by a drum or rattle, to induce an altered state of consciousness similar to that found during meditation or creativity.  The practitioner then journeys to an inner world of “non-ordinary reality” to meet his or her helping spirits.  They may appear as animals, plants, other natural phenomena, or in human form.  They provide guidance, protection, information, healing, and inspiration.  Core shamanism is connected intimately to the forces of nature and is centered in the heart.

Core shamanic techniques have been used to help people with a wide variety of conditions including physical dis-ease, depression and other psychological issues, bad luck, trauma and shock.  The techniques used most commonly in these cases are soul retrievals, power retrievals, and extractions.

The practitioner first journeys to determine what type of healing is most appropriate for the client at the time.  Soul retrievals help clients reintegrate dissociated aspects of the self—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Power retrievals connect the client with power totems, usually an animal or plant spirit, for protection, guidance and healing.  Extractions are used to cleanse inappropriate energies and thought forms from the energy field.  There are also free form healings, healings in absentia (long distance), or the spirit guides can give the practitioner a unique set of instructions to perform for a particular person or situation.

Although the healing takes place in the spiritual dimension, the client usually can sense a change: sometimes immediately as heat or energy; sometimes as a subtle shift in perspective, feeling and behavior over time.  There is often some information given as to an important lifestyle change, or a ritual to perform, in order to consolidate and maintain the changes that have been introduced.

It is important that core shamanic healings be used in conjunction with counseling or medical treatment and diagnoses, especially in serious cases.  They are not a substitute for medical or psychological interventions, but they can complement and facilitate them.

Core shamanism can be used to helps pets, land, and other places and things as well.  And there are techniques to help the deceased who may be stuck on this plane, to move on. It is useful for healing, and also for inspiration, guidance, information, and protection, connecting with the spirit in all things.