What is Shamanic Healing?

Shamanism is an ancient spiritual practice characterized by a harmonious relationship with nature and recognition of the inherent connection between the physical world and the spirit realm.

Evidence of its practice has been found on nearly every continent, and many variations of it still exist around the world. As a result, ceremonies and rituals can vary from culture to culture, even from practitioner to practitioner, depending on their training, abilities, experience and guidance from their own helper spirits.

But what remains universal is one of shamanism’s main purposes: to heal.

1. What is shamanic healing?

   “Shamanic healing” covers a variety of techniques a shaman or shamanic practitioner uses to essentially perform energy work.

   In shamanism, people are seen as having three parts: body, mind and spirit. While some practitioners provide herbs for the body and counseling for the mind, most do their work on the spirit, or soul, which encompasses a person’s energy.

   It’s believed that everything — even illness — has a spiritual root, cause or component. Shamanic practitioners — people who have established relationships with spirit helpers and the ability to enter the spirit realm to consult with them — aim to uncover and address that spiritual element to bring a person’s energy back into balance and wholeness.

2. How is it done?

   Practitioners work via the shamanic journey, a deep trance meditation during which they consult with spirit helpers to gain insights about their client’s issue and facilitate healing.

   Examples of shamanic healing techniques include:

   Soul retrieval to locate and bring back a soul part — or part of the person’s vital life force energy — that was lost in a traumatic or negative experience

   Power retrieval to clear negative or residual energy and provide a boost of new or restored energy, which could be in the form of a power animal

   Extraction to remove any intrusive energy that doesn’t belong and is making the person feel sick or weighed down

   Transfiguration to channel and emanate divine energy for the benefit of the client

   Trance healing to guide you through meditations and processes that reinforce the energy work

   The idea is that healing on the spiritual level supports healing on the physical and emotional levels. It’s important to highlight that shamanic healing today is meant to support — not replace — treatment by a licensed physician or therapist.

3. Who is it for?

   Most people who could benefit from shamanic healing have an urge to seek it out. They are usually those who:

   • Experienced a negative or traumatic event, situation or relationship

   • Are near or already at the end of a transition or life change

   • Regularly feel exhausted, drained or weighed down

   • Feel disconnected from their body

   • Do not feel like themselves

   • Are ready and eager for change, or

   • Want an energetic check-in and tune-up

4. Who is it NOT suitable for?

   It’s important to note that shamanic healing is not a panacea. It’s not going to help everyone with every issue. In fact, there are some instances where it’s not recommendable.

   Individuals who might not be good candidates for shamanic healing include:

   • Those who are not ready to take responsibility + ownership of their own healing. Even when something is done to us, it’s still on us to heal ourselves. Accepting this is not an easy step, but it is necessary for shamanic healing to be beneficial.

   • Those who expect one session to resolve a lifetime of issues. There can be amazing results after one session, but this work is more about progress and supporting a holistic approach.

   • Those who are pregnant. One of my teachers felt very strongly about this, as pregnancy is a time to focus on the growing baby-to-be and this work can take energy away from that.

   If you have questions about your specific situation or issue, please feel free to schedule a free consultation (15-minute phone call) through our Services page. We’d be happy to talk it through with you.

5. What are the benefits?

   Depending on individual needs and issues, the benefits and results of shamanic healing can vary from person to person. Typically, results are initially subtle and grow stronger over time. Full integration of the treatment can take between two weeks and six months.

   Here is a list of potential results:

   • More immediate:

     • Feeling calmer, more centered + grounded

     • Feeling lighter, even joyful

     • Gaining clarity + confidence about an issue or situation

     • Feeling validated, heard + seen

• Over time:

  • Regularly feeling more centered, grounded + whole

  • Regularly feeling more present in the moment + more joy in life

  • Feeling lighter overall

  • Feeling empowered + more confident

  • Having fewer (or no more) flashbacks or old feelings

Shamanic healing is a sacred process that brings us back to our center, our energetic core and true self. It restores us so we can feel more whole and live more peacefully.

Your first session might be your first step in your healing journey — or if you’ve been working on yourself for a longer time, it might be the missing piece you need.

If you are wondering if shamanic healing is for you, you are welcome to schedule a consultation here. It would be our privilege to assist you.

Please note that TrueHeart Healing is a drug-free practice, and we do not use or promote the use of any kind of psychedelic or mind-altering substances associated with some shamanic cultures.