Why Shamanism Now - A Practical Path to Authenticity

Tom Cowan, a shamanic practitioner of Celtic visionary and healing techniques, joins us this week to discuss “Self in Service,” the Society of Shamanic Practitioners (SSP) 7th annual conference. Tom is a much loved teacher and an internationally respected author, lecturer, and tour leader. He is also a founding board member of the SSP. This year’s conference is the first exploration as a community into of one aspect of the SSP’s mission: learning to practice shamanism without borders and to respond to the voices of the wounded within the Land. These will be intense days of experiential shamanism. This year the conference format is radically changed to allow for large and small groups to focus healing responses to places and beings that have suffered traumatic experiences. This new structure is designed so that all the steps involved in responding to trauma from natural disasters are activities attendees shall undertake and do together, including learning how to tend and grow themselves. Fundamental to Shamanism Without Borders is the belief that as people practicing this medicine, it is incumbent to learn what the disasters teach us individually while protecting ourselves from being part of the disaster.

True Transformation delivers us to a new state of being from which there is no going back. “Today most people are aware of transformation through Death and Rebirth,” says host and shaman Christina Pratt. “They may not like it, but they understand intuitively that a death is required for the rebirth that allows true transformation to run its course.” The American weakness here is our cultural fear of death, which leads to our refusal to let go of anything, even those things we dearly long to be rid of, and our inability to surrender control. Shamanism offers us not only a remedy for our fear of death, but a second path to true transformation—Transformation of the Enemy to Ally, or Transformation through Love. While love sounds like a respite from death and fear, it is the more challenging path. Transformation through love requires that we truly see the enemy within ourselves and love it. For most, the prospects of loving the enemy within makes embracing death, fear, and surrender look like fun on a great date night out.

The Elements—Earth, Air, Fire and Water—are true nourishment for our spirit. This is equally true for three-element and five-element systems also found in shamanic cultures around the globe. When we open up to a relationship with the elements that nourishes our spirit, spirit grows strong within us. The “voice” of a strong spirit can actually be heard over all of the noise in the cacophonous conversation of life. As essence energies, the elements offer gifts we can access through relationship with them. Right relationship with the elements allows their energy to flow into our lives, creating balance by smoothing out our own excesses and scarcities. We gain courage and flow, the ability to change as needed without losing our true self, and presence and breath, the reminder that it is always possible to release and begin anew. Join us this week as host and shaman, Christina Pratt, explores the value of working with the elements in our daily life and creative ways to do that effectively.

A person of power is effective, joyful, and creative in life, regardless of the circumstances, while enjoying radiant health and well-being. Anyone can become a person of power in any sphere of life. It is a matter of choice and awareness, plus discipline and imagination. Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as she explores the strange disconnect between the mystery schools and mystical traditions of the past and our contemporary desire to change our lives without changing. “Humans are uniquely designed to innovate and create, but mostly we create messes because we are unconscious of the demands of being an energy being in an energy body,” says Pratt. “It’s not enough to just live well. We must learn to take life as a Teacher and surrender to the transformations ahead” This week she shares the essential steps for engaging ancient practices of energy and spirit connection to empower you to become that person you glimpse in your dreams and long for with your heart and soul.

Your Shadow Self is an important aspect of who you are. Engage it well and it will show you your greatest assets and deepest passions. However, if left unexplored the Shadow Self can generate physical, mental and emotional unwellness, leaving life flat, disappointing, and depressing. Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, this week as she explores shamanic ways to engage your Shadow Self effectively. Shadow work is messy and it defies all logic— emotional, mental, and physical logic. Anything goes in the Shadow realms, which frightens and challenges the orderly, loving beings that we are. However, by engaging our direct relationship with spirit through shamanic skills we can learn to follow the crazy logic of the Shadow realm. We can meet the juicy, but frustrated parts of our self we have stuffed in the Shadow Closet and negotiate their return. In this way we reengage with our passion, sensuality, creativity, sexuality, sense of humor, and overall joy for life.

What makes shamanism authentic? Tradition? Certification? Or direct access to Spirit? Today literally thousands of people all over the world have learned to journey. This is a good thing. It is important that adults have spiritual input into their challenging daily decisions. With all of these people journeying, what makes someone a shaman? With people participating in monthly journeying circles, a type of “social shamanism” has emerged where people gather around this common interest, journey together, do a little ceremony, and share their experiences. While this is a valuable activity, it barely taps the potential of authentic shamanism. Yet people see this as contemporary shamanism. Where do the ethics lie for teachers of shamanism in showing people the range from their personal journeys to shamanic healing to powerful community rituals and ceremonies guided by truly initiated shamans? Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as she explores authenticity and ethics in shamanism.

"The shamanic path is not a path traditionally intended to achieve enlightenment,” explains Michael Harner of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. “It has been a path followed because people…wanted to help (others) through healing and alleviating their suffering. In following that path, gifts were then given them that were totally unexpected…This then changes them, and they are never the same again; they are indeed enlightened. But that was not the intention; it was just a result.” Shamanism is and isn’t a path of transformation and enlightenment. Host and shaman, Christina Pratt, explores this interesting state of affairs. Shamanic trance states are task oriented. They are not focused on gaining enlightenment. However, an ongoing working relationship with Spirit is one of the most efficient and effective paths of transformation, waking up, and growing up for shamans and for lay people. Join us and discover all the side benefits, like enlightenment, of becoming a spiritual adult.

What does “transformation” really mean and why should we bother? “In the simplest sense true transformation is an internal change,” explains host and shaman, Christina Pratt, “that occurs on a foundational level such that there is no going back. We are not just remodeling the self.” There are three dynamics of internal movement, that when taken together result in true transformation. Change in any one or two of these; however, leaves us, as Ken Wilbur says, “refining our status quo.” Why should you bother to transform anyway? A refined status quo is still status quo and will result in a new version of exactly the same life. We choose to truly transform because it is the only path to why we are here. We are all an expressions of the One, but the One shows up uniquely in every sentient being. That uniqueness—to find and express that unique manifestation of the One—is why you are here. All true transformation matters because it serves the full expression of your Unique Self.

How do you protect yourself, even on your really bad days? How do you protect the energy of your life, so that it is not drained or used by others? How do you protect the energy of your dreams? Energetic Protection remains one of our most popular topics. This week, shaman and teacher, Betsy Bergstrom returns to explore “how to” protect your self. Bergstrom is a master of the Middleworld, the realm filled with energies that aren’t helpful for our health or life expression. She specializes in unraveling thought forms and curses, the removal of unwanted energies, and heart-centered shamanic healing. She passionately and clearly discusses the shamanic concepts related to protection, like mediumship, compassionate beings, and attuning to energies in the earlier show “Your Most Powerful Ally.” This week we continue that conversation exploring how to protect yourself in a variety of situations, with and without shamanic skills and all from a light and heart-centered perspective.

The practices of the Huichol of the Sierra Madre in Mexico focus on living life in harmony with all living things. Their traditional ways of living include the ceremonial use of the sacred peyote plant and offer a path to a truly sustainable future. This week author and shaman, Tom Pinkson, PhD., joins us to discuss his new edition of "The Flowers of Wiricuta, The Shamanic Wisdom of the Huichol: Medicine Teachings for Modern Times" and to explore that possible future. In the book Pinkson shares his 11-year apprenticeship in the medicine teachings of the Huichol. Pinkson has successfully infused these sacred teachings into his work as a contemporary psychologist. He is uniquely positioned; having walked this path of integration for decades to look at the many challenges we face together, culturally, socially, and environmentally. Pinkson believes that the wisdom of the Huichol offers us a path to live spiritually grounded lives in intimate relationship with nature and each other.

We all listen to voices, but for many the voice of Spirit gets lost in the distractions, seductions, and the cacophony of voices in the head. Nonetheless the most essential gift shamanism offers each of us is direct revelation, which comes as visions, voices, or experiences with our own helping spirits. How do we cultivate that personal, direct relationship? Join shaman and host, Christina Pratt, as she answers the questions received from the first show and shares ideas for teaching children to cultivate truth cords and inner alignment so that they never lose the ability to know how to listen. We will explore questions like, “If my mind is a sneaky weasel, how can I trust what I am hearing? This all seems smoke and mirrors. Help!” and “Aren’t I just making up these voices in the first place?” “The answer is simple,” says Christina, “It comes from the heart and begins with our willingness to feel.” But how do we do that, was the resounding response from listeners. Let’s find out.

In her latest work, "How to Thrive in Changing Times: Simple Tools to Create True Health, Wealth, Peace and Joy for Yourself and the Earth", therapist and author, Sandra Ingerman provides many valuable insights into unlocking our creativity to deal with our challenging and turbulent times. With her usual clarity and open heart, she offers a fresh perspective on transforming your own inner pollution for outer benefit. Join us as we explore how Ingerman’s new book points us toward a new way of being in the world and offers the practices needed to support that change. This is book is a call to action! Ingerman believes that the work begins by learning how to shift our daily thoughts and words. She encourages people to think of themselves as members of a growing global community of conscious change agents, who together, can shift the challenges on the planet today. Working as a global community we can bring forth the invisible energies and manifest a world we truly wish to live in.

We all listen to voices in our heads. Some voices offer wise counsel or gut knowing while others are just an inner critic or frightened child. How do you learn which voices to listen to and which ones to ignore? How do you sort the voices after a spiritual awakening? For many the voice of spirit help is lost in the cacophony of voices in the head. The most essential gift shamanism offers each of us is direct revelation, which comes as visions, voices or experiences with our own helping spirits. While the shaman is a specialist in working with these spirits, everyone has spirit help and everyone can learn to communicate effectively with that help. How do you know you are listening to your helping spirits and not just making it up? What if you can’t hear anything at all and feel stuck or lost and alone. What if you have the opposite problem? You hear too many voices and don’t know who to listen to. The answer is simple. It comes from the heart and begins with our willingness to feel.

"The Horse Boy" is both a book and a movie about Rupert, Kristin, and Rowan Isaacson's ride across Mongolia in search of traditional shamanic healing for Rowan and his autism. The story is exquisite and heart-breakingly beautiful. Rupert explains, “As a family we did something crazy. We ended up going half way across the world in search of a miracle.” And they found one. Rowan is still autistic and he did get healed of three of the worst presentations of his symptoms. This week, shaman and host, Christina Pratt, draws on her experience with autistic children and Rowan’s story to explore what this tells us about the relationship between shamanism and autism. It does not tell us that horses and Mongolian shamans cure autism. But it does show us that a true relationship between a child and his/her personal power animal, the parent’s willingness to heal themselves, and aspects of shamanic healing together can give parents real hope and new options for healing.

“The difficulties we face can motivate our greatest growth and healing,” says our guest Marsha Scarbrough, author of Medicine Dance: One woman's healing journey into the world of Native American sweatlodges, drumming meditations and dance fasts. “But you have to follow whatever healing path inspires you, no matter how crazy!” This week Marsha will share what she has learned about the power of dance to heal from her work with Native American teacher, Beautiful Painted Arrow/Joseph Rael and Ayo Adeyemi Nigerian master drummer/ Yoruba ceremonial leader. In indigenous cultures, dance is not a performance. It's a meditation for the dancer. The movement itself is prayer. Dance and rhythm are the means by which shamans can repaired or restored vibration. Because we are actually composed of vibrating energy, it makes sense that rhythm, dance, and ritual can be used to heal us. The possibilities to create global and personal healing are endless when you have a group trance with positive intention, rhythm, and the power of dance.