Shamanism, for me, isn’t an organized religion but a deeply spiritual practice that crosses all faiths and cultures. It taps into something ancient—reaching deep into our ancestral memory. As one of the oldest belief systems, even predating organized religions, it has its own rich symbolism and cosmology. These spiritual realms are filled with beings, gods, and totems, which appear differently depending on where they come from, but they all share similar qualities.

What is shamanism?
Shamanism, at its heart, is a spiritual practice that has been a part of cultures worldwide, from ancient times to now. What I find fascinating is how adaptable shamanic practices are. They’ve survived through the rise of different cultures, systems of government, and organized religions. Even today, you can trace shamanic roots in major religions like Buddhism and Christianity, especially in the way they maintain a deep connection to the divine in all things. But shamanism itself isn’t about a strict belief system or ideology. It’s more about the shared activities and experiences of shamans around the world, practices that have always adapted to different cultural and religious environments.

Individual practice
Today, especially in non-indigenous cultures, many people—including myself—choose to walk the path of shamanism as a personal journey. The idea is to live in relationship with the spirit in all things. By connecting with non-ordinary realities, we gain insights that help us shape our lives more intentionally. What’s great about this approach is that it doesn’t necessarily conflict with other religious practices—it can complement any belief system that allows for a personal connection with a higher power.

Consulting with shamans
Just like in ancient times, people still seek out shamans for practical help with everyday issues. Whether it’s dealing with illness, navigating professional challenges, resolving family problems, or even addressing ancestral matters, modern-day shamans are often called upon. What I do—and what other shamans do—is enter voluntary, ecstatic trance states. This lets us alter our consciousness and travel to invisible realms where we work with spirits to make changes that heal individuals and communities. It’s a relationship-based practice—our partnerships with spirits allow us to make these invisible changes that have a real, tangible impact on the physical world.

What is a shaman?
Stanley Krippner, a well-known psychologist, described shamans in a way that resonates with me: we are “community-assigned magico-religious professionals who deliberately alter consciousness to gain information from the spirit world.” Shamans are healers, diagnosticians, psychotherapists, religious figures, performers, and storytellers—all rolled into one. Unlike others, we travel between the spirit world and the physical world, using these spirit relationships to create changes that help heal both individuals and the community.

Abilities of shamans
According to Christina Pratt in The Encyclopedia of Shamanism, a shaman has mastery over three key things:

• We can enter and control altered states of consciousness at will.
• We mediate between the needs of the spirit world and the physical world in ways the community can understand and use.
• We address the needs of the community that other practitioners, like doctors or priests, can’t meet.

Shamans work in the unseen world—the spiritual, emotional, mental, mythical, and archetypal realms—and bring about healing for individuals and communities in the physical world.

Categories of shamans
There are different types of contemporary shamans:

1. Those who come from an unbroken shamanic tradition and continue practicing in their native cultures.
2. Those who bridge their indigenous traditions with the modern world, adapting rituals for contemporary contexts.
3. Those who are called by Spirit to serve their communities, even if they are culturally removed from their shamanic roots.

How shamanism benefits health and wellbeing
People seek shamanic healing for many reasons. In shamanic cultures, healing is a holistic approach, involving physical healers, herbal medicine, diet changes, and shamanic work. In the Western world, though, shamanic healing might seem unfamiliar. Still, more and more people are turning to shamans, especially when conventional medicine isn’t providing satisfactory results. Whether the issue is physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, shamanism offers a different perspective on disease and healing.

Shamanic healing
Healing through shamanism requires two main phases: diagnosing the energies—both seen and unseen—at the root of the issue, and then performing the specific rituals needed to resolve it. As shamans, we work to either remove unwanted energies or return lost ones, like through soul retrieval. This process restores harmony within the individual, between the individual and the community, and between the community and the spirit world. In modern times, it’s important for shamans and clients to create the right environment for integrating and processing this healing.

Finding a shamanic practitioner
If you live in an indigenous community, shamanic practitioners are well-known. But for most people in the Western world, finding a shaman can be a little more challenging. There isn’t an official certifying body, but organizations like the Foundation for Shamanic Studies offer directories of trained shamanic counselors. When looking for a practitioner, it’s important to ask about their initiation, training, and how they practice. You should also make sure they’re available for support after major healing sessions, like soul retrieval, because the work doesn’t stop when the session ends.

This is how I relate to shamanism, how it works in modern times, and how people can benefit from it today. Discover the power of Shamanic Healing:

Schedule a session with Shaman Flavio and start your journey toward spiritual and physical well-being today.

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