Receiving and learning Reiki also led me onto Shamanic pathways. Although I believe  that we can change our destiny  by the choices we make, I am also sure that sometimes a sequence of events allows us us opportunities which indicate that something is meant to be. What we then do with those opportunities is up to us.

In late 2018, in between studying Reiki level 1 & 2, I happened upon an Introduction to Shamanism Workshop hosted by Rhonda's www.centreforshamanism.com  It was such an interesting experience that I  decided to investigate these ancient spiritual ways  further. I attended a couple more workshops, did some 1-1 work with Rhonda and joined in a weekend retreat beside Loch Tay in the summer of 2019 before the world was shut down by Covid in 2020, driving everything online.

I completed an apprenticeship with the same centre in 2021, then graduated with the first cohort of Shamanic practitioner students that Rhonda taught, in November 2023. 

There is an awful lot of debate about who and what a Shaman is, but at the core there is a set of common beliefs and healing practices which are held by all known indigenous cultures as far back as we can track. The word 'shaman' would not have been used by all these cultures .. they would have had their own titles for their medicine people and spiritual advisers  .. sometimes these roles were separate, sometimes a joint responsibility held within the community. Some lineages have rituals and ceremonies which are closed to outsiders, and unless you are invited by elders in those cultures and you are trained  with their permission, it would be considered very disrespectful to carry out those specific  practices outside their communities.

Shamanic Perspectives

From a shamanic perspective it is believed that much of our disease and illness is caused by imbalances between body, mind and spirit. When we are under great duress we can relinquish our personal power or even lose elements of our soul. Through ceremony and healing practices shamanism seeks to return power and  lost soul parts to both individuals and the overall community, or to remove unhealthy attachments in order to restore balance and well being. While an individual may be able to perform some of these skills for themselves, they are often carried out by a trained practitioner.

Many people use these techniques alongside conventional psychological therapies, finding that shamanic aspects enable them to integrate other treatments  more effectively, or gain insights and understanding into further work needing to be done.

It is my belief that however much work we do to improve our individual  well being, there actually comes a time where we reach a limit. In our current times there is a great emphasis on individual autonomy, but I think we are holding ourselves back unless we also take action to improve the holistic health of our societies as well. Only then can we really begin to alter the destructive behaviours that humans constantly display and create a shared vision of what could be possible, people who are more tolerant, compassionate, sharing resources and accepting of each others differences.

To this end I add my voice to the many others seeking similar outcomes. Ever the child of the 70's I still believe in the principles of love.