What is the most fascinating thing on Earth
My own Being
I, a microcosm of the Universe.
    ~ Robert Muller

Shamanism is the most ancient healing art, from which all other healing systems have evolved. From a shamanic perspective, there are non-ordinary realities that coexist with our physical one. This “non-ordinary” reality is in essence the true reality, seeing beyond illusions of separation into universal oneness. All realities are interconnected in a great web of life, with all beings having a spirit. The essence of Shamanism is healing and experiencing nature as an oracle, using animals and plants as mirrors of our spirit to understand our true nature.

A Shaman is a healer (male or female) who enters the non-ordinary state of reality, often identified with myths, dreams or near death experiences. This practice is called a Shamanic Journey, with the intention to enter these realities for healing others. They often use drums or rattles to enter the path of the Shamanic Journey, meeting supportive spirits and power animals to access guidance for deep, healing experiences. The Shaman is a seer of our true nature and will journey to reveal this for healing at the deepest levels of the soul.

A climactic Rite-of-Passage for becoming a Shaman is a Transformational Illness or Trauma. The Shaman emerges from the ordeal transformed, with expanded consciousness and connections to non-ordinary realities for healing self and others. This process of Transformational Illness is why the Shaman is referred to as a “Wounded Healer.” Because we all are a microcosm of the universe, we all have experienced this universal process to a certain degree. Thus, we all are Shamans at some level and can access these abilities to heal ourselves and others. Joseph Campbell describes this phenomenon in his discussion of myths:

"The passage of the threshold is a form of self-annihilation… Here, instead of passing outward,
beyond the confines of the visible world, the hero
goes inward, to be born again. Once inside, he may
be said to have died to time and returned to the
World Womb, the World Navel, the Earthly
Paradise…No creature can attain a higher grade of
nature without ceasing to exist.”
 ~ The Hero with a Thousand Faces
  

One definition of Shaman is "death by intent." This is a conscious choice to be reborn into the same body with access to higher truths. This “death” may be experienced figuratively or literally at multiple levels of the body, mind or soul transforming into a rebirth. An omnipresent example is the cycles of life and death in nature all around us.

We all have experienced this transformational illness at some level. However, our culture often views this as a negative experience, seeking immediate choices to submerge the physical symptoms and essentially numb the soul. It’s important to expand our consciousness about this process as more of a call from our soul for self-development or self-realization. For more information on this, please read my Explore section regarding Spiritual Emergency. I also want to be clear that it is NOT my belief that illness or trauma is the only way to expand consciousness. But if it is part of your path, we can work with it in a constructive, transformational way.

What is Trudy's Approach to Astroshamanism? >>