It is believed that Shamanism originated over 10,000 years ago and practiced on every continent in the world. For native people, a shaman was an individual that was able to bring healing to tribal members by communicating between the physical and spiritual worlds. They would use trance, rituals, visualization and flight of soul to do so. Flight of soul is what differentiates this healing modality from others. By visiting the outer realms of reality, the Shaman can return and bring back information to people.

Modern shamans do much the same thing in assisting their clients in healing soul wounds or in finding much needed guidance by inviting them to also visit other realms of reality. The shaman believes in three worlds: The Upperworld, The Middleworld and the Underworld.

The Upperworld is the realm of the cosmos where the secrets of one’s life are found along with helpful spiritual guides.

The Middleworld is the reality in which we appear to be living on a daily basis. It is layered over by the other two worlds. It is from here that one can travel to other dimensions.

The Underworld is where our ancestral spirits live. It holds our deepest, often times unconscious secrets and emotions. It is the home of the deep psyche or the collective unconscious. A shaman will often advise that a client enter the Underworld escorted by a positive circle of helpful guides and spirits. Much deep healing is accomplished during and after accessing this level.

A Shaman will most often help their clients to make direct connections with their spirit and animal guides. They believe everything on earth contains a spirit and we are all part of the greater whole of existence. Since we are all part of the greater whole, when one person is healed, it helps in the healing of the world.

Shamans often use herbs, artifacts, drumming, rattles, power animals, medicine wheels and dreams to assist the healing of others. They serve as a bridge between the various realities in the universe to assist their clients and their cultures. During a shamanic healing session, an individual may be led into a trance where flight of soul occurs. They may experience visions, events from the past that need healing, or total relaxation. Shamanic healing can help release physical, emotional, and spiritual barriers to healing. The best shamans are those who have been trained from childhood in the ways of their native cultures. They have innate understandings, clear intuition and many secret practices handed down to them.

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