The Grand Plan, Subject to Countless Revisions

Groups vary. Some people come in with some, or a lot of experience. Others are complete beginners. In the introductory evening I spend a few minutes on definitions, history, contemporary history, my background, and what/how I teach.

Here's my favorite short definition: Shamanism is the attainment of an altered state through the use of monotonous sound (drumming and rattling), singing and dancing for the purposes of healing, insight, and well-being of others. This is done with intention, control and the assistance of helping spirits. These are essential elements in the work. If they aren't there, it isn't shamanism, at least in the early phases.

We meet twice per month, in the evening from 7 to 9:30 in a space that accommodates our circle with room to move around and for everyone to lie on the floor without touching one another. We begin by learning about drumming, singing and dancing and altered states. We learn to go into, and come out of those states with intention and the first basic work is seeking a helping spirit.

People move at different speeds. Part of my job is to help maintain a pace that allows for everyone. People do a lot of work with each other. It is almost all experiential. I introduce some simple rituals that are useful "triggers" for altered states and healing work.

When most people are comfortable with their new relationship with their helping spirit (this can be plant, animal or human, or several) we are ready to move into specific healing work. There are many variations on these but three common ones are power animal retrievals, soul retrievals and extractions. The goal is for each person to work in their own most powerful way.

Participants soon learn to work in more personal ways too. For example, people who are going through something difficult in their ordinary reality life will use a shamanic method to seek answers to a problem. Artists may work to find new inspiration. I even knew someone who found his mate that way. However, it is important to mention that this side of the work can get careless with too much psychological interpretation. Working on behalf of others is much clearer and easier. I should also mention that I am strict about interpretation in general and don't allow much in a circle in which I teach. Of course we have to understand whatever meanings we can get from a shamanic vision but we have to be very careful about interpreting visions for other people. We want each practitioner to find their own meaning in their own shamanic work.

The above usually takes about a year. As the group matures participants begin bringing more of what they want to do. Example: "my mother has cancer; can we all work for her comfort and healing?" Somewhere in the process I bring in sound. My personal shamanic work involves a lot of sound. I think sound is a vital tool in healing work. It is difficult for many people to find their own song, or sound. So, we work with that. This can take several months.

The last phase is experimental. If the group has matured and is comfortable enough I introduce some rituals that are much heavier and more challenging. This final phase might happen late in the second year but probably in the third year. If the circle is strong others want to join and members have to decide if they want to mentor new people or keep it closed. I consider the work successful when we can merge with nature in such a way that we are in and of it, rather than a separate observer. This is an indescribable experience that is probably more like the participatory consciousness of tribal peoples up until about 10 or 12 thousand years ago, before agriculture and city states. This may be where we come from. (and where we’re going?) Something opens to us and our life is changed.

Lastly, I should say that this is not Native American Spirituality. To casual observers it can look like that, but it is vastly different in ways too complicated to mention here.