Being A Shaman
I have worked as a Shamanic Practitioner for many years, specializing in divination and shamanic mediumship. Before I tell you a little more about my journey, let me first tell you little more about Shamanism.
Shamanism is an ancient form of spiritual practice. Before the evolution of religions, the rise and fall of empires, our ancestors felt a deep connection to the earth and the realm of spirit. They sought answers from the land and the spirits of their ancestors to assist them in everything from hunting to where to camp over winter. Such assistance was vital for their survival, and though we may not face such challenges in modern times, the techniques of Shamanism are just as relevant today as they were for our ancestors and in many parts of the world shamanic practices are still very popular.
In modern times, we may feel more connected. It is easy to shop for food. We have warm, secure homes. We may be able to travel long distance with ease and talk to friends and family across the world via text or the internet. However, more of us are feeling lost and disconnected from each other and the earth than ever before. The work of the shaman aims to re-establish the links between man, the land and the realm of spirit.
It is said that the spirits call us towards the path of Shamanism. I believe this was true in my case. One of my very first memories as a very young child was of playing on the stairs at my parent’s house and having a conversation with the person sitting beside me. However, I also remember very clearly that my parents couldn’t see them.
I was often scared as a child because I could see an austere looking man with a moustache and pipe standing at the top of the stairs watching me. I would hear him walking through the house, I would smell his pipe smoke and on occasion I could hear his pocket watch ticking. When I talked about what I saw and described him, I was told not to worry; it was just my grandfather. Later on, when I saw his picture, I was struck by the fact that this was indeed the man I used to see watching over me as a child though he had passed away many years before my birth.
My maternal Grandmother was a seer, and I spent a lot of time with her as a young child. She taught me all about plants and nature, and we spent a great deal of time in the woods near her home. She sadly passed away just before my 13th birthday but not before she gathered family members around her bedside and gave them predictions about their future. Everything she told them subsequently transpired. Later that year, I was gifted my first deck of tarot cards by my best friend, and I have worked with the tarot ever since. Sadly, they have also since passed into the spirit world. I still feel them close to me, guiding me in my work from beyond the veil.
With a desire, or perhaps destiny to use my gifts, I have dedicated my life to learning and researching as many areas of spirituality and occultism as I could. Having always had a powerful connection to the land, I was magnetically drawn towards Shamanism and I spent many years in apprenticeship, learning from several wise elders within the UK and beyond.
I have been called a healer, a shaman and a witch, among other things. I’m happy with any of those titles, but I don’t choose to use any of them myself. My work is rooted deep in the earth and comes from a place of pure practicality and humility.
Daily, I weave together my shamanic techniques with my work. I have travelled extensively to further my skills. I’ve sat with the spirits of Machu Picchu in Peru, explored Egypt many times, meditated in solitude at the magnificent Petra in Jordon and knelt before a giant Buddha high in the mountains of China. The path of the shaman is not an easy one. It takes a lifetime of hard work and dedication towards working with spirit guides and ancestral spirits. But it is a rewarding path with many mysteries and wonders to be revealed to those brave enough to walk it.