Shamanic Spiritual Awakening and Transformation

There are different ways to catalyze healing and transformation. A powerful tool that can be used is through the process of tapping into spirit, intuition, and shamanic methods. This helps one to recognize who they are while assisting breakthroughs in every area of one's life. Understanding the path of the shaman and how to use this for your own awakening can assist with health, knowledge, and purpose.

In ancient practices, shamanism transcended through time and space, becoming a part of society's rituals and ways of being.

In tribal communities, it was the medicine man, seer, sage, or spiritual priest that played the role of the shaman. These were the individuals that did not maintain their presence with the boundaries of this world but instead were able to see the energetics and dynamics of other dimensions. They applied this to assist with the healing and guidance to their communities and tribes.

Shamans would have different gifts or practices that would assist with this guidance. In some instances, it was to see a spiritual truth that the community needed to know. In other practices, the shaman was the healer that assisted the soul and spirit to heal and the body to follow. Many shamans were the guides for rituals and rites of passage for both individuals and the community.

Shamans work with a circle that unites and balances nature, spirit, and man. When one is off-balance, it does not function. More importantly, each can be used in order to create deep transformation, awakening, sense of purpose, and harmony with one's soul.

The practitioner always works with all 3 elements to create this sense of harmony. If an individual is sick, they use nature with spiritual rituals to create harmony. The practitioner is interested in the individual and community to maintain balance. They are also interested in nature and its relationships to spirit, the community, and the individual, allowing them to be the caretakers of all that is harmonious.

When working with shamanic journeys, the spiritual awakening is always based on natural land or herbal substances as the teacher and connection to spirit. The shaman is the one who opens the gateways for this to take place. Most shamans rely first on sacred vortexes and places throughout their community that has amplified energy and are sacred. For healing, remedies are taken from the spirit of nature to create the same results.

Each culture has its own form of shamanic practices, rites, rituals, and honored individuals that continue to practice in the community. Most are called from a young age to walk the path of the spirit and to be a part of the shamanic culture and beliefs. Following are some cultural examples:

Hawaiian Kahuna: The spiritual priest, or Kahuna, is considered shamanic. Most practitioners are tuned into the natural setting, using this for healing practices, spiritual insight, and to read into the surroundings. Kahunas were considered the "chief" of communities and still continue their practice by preserving the community and guiding and healing those in the surroundings.

Korean Shamanism: Also known as Shinism, and often believed to originate from Siberia. Those who practice this in Korea are focused on rites of passage and merging the natural world with the community. Individuals today continue to consult with the mudang, or shamanic leader. The individuals also participate in the rites of passage for those who have passed and assisting with someone to overcome "han" or the emotional shortcomings that one would have.

Peruvian Shamans: The shamans in Peru are known for their connection to the spirit and nature, and for guiding those in the community through their deep relationship to both. Many of these shamans focus on healing remedies through the use of herbs and rituals that help to cure ailments and disease. The Peruvian shamans are known for their mystical powers that help the community to thrive.

These are some of several examples that highlight the main concepts of shamanism and how it interacts within cultural communities as well as the role that this practice brings to the community.

The practice of shamanism serves as the root for almost all ancient communities and tribes, offering a continuous gateway to the spirit of men and of nature.

The profound healing that takes place is inclusive of powerful recognition of how to alter one's life so they are more aligned with spirit. Miraculous results are noted when one works with these journeys, including moving further into the spirit, healing from physical ailments, finding life purpose, transforming from ritual, and awakening to one's own soul and spirit. This happens with the ability to work with different tools while moving into healing modalities introduced through the site.

Shamanic practitioners will use specific tools to assist with connecting the spirit and body, allowing one to move into an internal journey. This is often connected to the natural elements, either as a medicine or using the energetics of the Earth for one's transformation.

The goal of the shaman with any healing is to create a transformation of the spirit. It is believed that all ailments, whether mental or physical, begin from the spirit and the mind. By clearing these blocks, it is possible for one to awaken to true soul and spirit while leaving in a state of health and consciousness.

Shamanism is interested in the performance of rituals and rites of passage for significant times in one's life. Coming of age, finding purpose, awakening to parts of one's soul, and death are some of the main rituals that will be identified.

At a community level, shamans will focus on the rituals that embrace nature and the changes which occur each year. The rituals are used to honor the spirit of nature and to embrace the best of each season and time for the greater good of the community and harmony within nature.

The performance of rituals and rites of passage is different for each community and culture. The use of dance, sound, natural elements (e.g. fire or water), aromas, and special foods are often used to stimulate the senses during this time. These are combined with the ability to connect deeper to the soul during these auspicious times and to allow one to embrace the open gateways to spirit.

If the ritual or rite of passage is individual, then it takes place through specific actions. For example, a rite of passage for someone coming of age in Hawaii includes a day of Lomi Lomi massage so one can transcend the body and find their purpose in the spirit. A rite of passage for death in Bali is filled with song, fire, and transformation of the body into the water. Each is designated as a way to connect the body back to the spirit for the purpose of harmony and to move into the new stage of the soul.

The breakthroughs that participants have through this healing modality are followed with practical tools that one can use in their daily life. One known teaching is based on intuition and inner guidance, specifically where one listens to the spirit in their daily life to continue with transformation, growth, and awakening while outside of the sacred sites. Intuition is the link between the shamanic world and the world that we now exist in. When one begins to use their intuitive abilities, it allows them to connect even further into the spirit while offering breakthroughs in the spirit. It is through this particular technique that one is able to practice continuous healing, transformation, and growth.

As shamans continue with their practice, the gift of intuition transforms into deeper connections to spirit. For example, some are focused specifically on healing while others are known for their guidance and knowledge. Others are able to provide connection to the spirit through the connection to nature. Depending on the practitioner's gift, different practices will guide the journey of the shaman.