What is Shamanism ?

Shamanism is a time-tested system for gaining clarity on pressing concerns, healing the Self, the community and our planet. This is a living, evolving nature based practice.

It can be traced back through time to the period of our earliest ancestors and this 100,000 year old practice is seeing a resurgence. Shamanism allows us to access a state of awareness in which we can feel and be informed by Spirit and perceive the interconnection with each other and the greater universe.

What is a Shamanic Journey?

Shamanism re-connects us to our oneness with everything. But how do we access this elusive state of mystical awareness? Through the Shamanic Journey…..

For many the Shamanic journey brings about a sense of joy – the joy of coming home. It offers a body of practical methods which enable us to connect with and thereby express our own spirit. We can rediscover our own spiritual authority; through communing with ancestral spirit teachers in non-ordinary reality who come to offer us guidance, support and love. Our spirit help may come in the form of an animal, a human, a known figure, a plant or loved one.

“We live in times of challenge and change within ourselves, our families, our aspirations, local issues and global problems. Many of us struggle to make sense of these challenges and in that struggle find ourselves pushed towards an exploration of our ‘Spiritual side’ knowing intuitively that in this exploration we may receive guidance and answers to questions that we carry. But where do we start?”

Aims of ‘Introduction to Shamanism’ Workshop

The aim in this workshop is to offer an introduction to the Shamanic Journey; exploring with safety and support. We will work with the drum, our voices, modern technology and various movement techniques to experience leaving this ordinary reality, journeying to non-ordinary reality and then returning to ordinary reality.

On our first day we will learn how to journey for ourselves.

Our second day will will be about journeying for community and our land.

The workshop will introduce you to:

• The history of ‘Shamanism’ of this land, and continuing evolution.
• The cosmic geography and terminology of the Shamanic world, the Dreamworld/Other-world.
• Our ‘departure point’, some call the Axis Mundi
• Framing your intention- stilling the mind to be ‘hollow bone’.
• Transfiguration
• The Shamanic Journey – an embodied experience
• Meeting power animals, plants, minerals and kin
• Understanding ecstatic states
• Journeying for self and for others. Connecting to the ‘Universal web of life’, interconnection, oneness.
• Shamanic Healing.
• Ethical considerations.
• Confidence in ceremony.
• Becoming an Allie to the Earth.

And more…….

Once you have experienced ‘journeying’ you may see how it might be applied to your life; supporting good health, connecting with nature and the balance within our planet.

This will not make you into a ‘Shaman’, but give you an introduction to a beautiful and sometimes challenging practice. In the longer term, there will be further opportunities to develop and deepen within the work.

‘Shamanism goes far beyond a primary self-concerned transcendence of ordinary reality. It is transcendence for a broader purpose, the helping of humankind. The enlightenment of Shamanism is the ability to light up what others perceive as darkness, and thereby to see and to journey on behalf of humanity that is perilously close to loosing its spiritual connectedness with all it’s relatives, the plants and animals of this good Earth.’ Dr Michael Harner (Way of the Shaman 1980).

How to Register: Introduction to Shamanism:

We will meet in person (Covid guidelines permitting) on :

Saturday 19th March 2022, 10.30am – 5pm, Wye Valley, Monmouthshire

Sunday 20th March 2022, 10.30am – 4pm, Wye Valley, Monmouthshire

This is a non residential course (local accommodation available near by).

Once your booking is confirmed, we will send you full joining details, directions to the venues and terms and conditions for our ceremonial weekend.

Cancellation Policy

All courses are paid in full at the time of booking and are non-refundable and non-transferable. Non-attendance and leaving during any course will result in loss of all monies paid.M Smillie reserves the right to cancel any workshops or the participation of anyone at anytime for any reason. In such case, fee paid in advance will be refunded.

For more information and upcoming courses, visit Shamanic Life Courses