How To Be A Shaman (Part 3)

From time to time I get questions about shamanism: how can I be a shaman, what do I need to learn to practice shamanic healing, etc. In the previous sections I discussed some of my ideas: building a respectful relationship with the Earth, and pure intentions.

Today I want to delve into the essence of shamanism. Are you ready for it? Here it is: the essence of shamanism is to be a transformer. Someone who helps transmute fear into love; crisis into opportunity; pain into healing.

“What turns poison into medicine is the infusion of spirit…”

Robert Moss

I sat at a talk given by a shamanic practitioner who is a master healer. The audience was filled with people of all levels – aspirants and newbies to working practitioners in the healing arts. During a question and answer session, a member of the audience asked, “How do we protect ourselves from negative energy of clients?”

The Shaman replied, “My dear, the very essence of shamanism is knowing how to transform negative into it’s positive counterpart. If you know how to do this, there is no need for protection.”

Maybe you’ve always been the uplifter in your family or circle of friends. The one that people come to in a crisis. When people have lost their ability to dream, you can vision for them. You may receive vivid dream guidance. You’re not afraid of low-frequencies because you know how to hold your own energy. You know that different levels of consciousness exist within humanity, and how to create your own reality within that spectrum.

Many people come into the healing arts because they’ve had to do lots of their own inner alchemy. Through experience, they’ve learned how to clear negative energy.

The way I see it, this is the essence of how to be a shaman – you are the one that guides the transformation of poison into medicine.