Shamanism and the Spirits of Nature

Woman2Woman guest author, Anna Smith talks about her time at a shamanism workshop in Canada.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to attend a workshop on shamanism in Canada. I had read about the way this movement had become popular among western people wanting to reconnect with nature and I wondered how a traditional belief might work in the twenty-first century.

I wondered too if it was just a head-trip; a hobby that you could have grand ideas about without ever doing much. And I thought how cultures who still used shamanic practices in their daily lives might resent westerners wanting to learn shamanism for themselves.

Over time I found out that while some native people were unhappy about ‘teaching' shamanism to those outside their culture, others welcomed the way Nature was receiving more respect everywhere.

The universal prerequisite seems to be an open heart and a willingness to accord respect to the earth as a living, breathing, spirit-filled place.

Shamanism is definitely a process. It has to be learnt in a ‘hands on' manner. No matter how many books and articles you study, until you go outside, the process remains a mystery.

And yet, the more time you spend reconnecting with the rhythms and energies of the natural world, the closer you approach this ancient form of wisdom. Put simply, shamanism today is an attempt to draw on the wisdom of the natural world, both practically and spiritually. Retreats and teaching sessions are held in places as close to ‘wilderness' as possible. Participants are encouraged to get in ‘touch' with local animals and objects such as stones, trees, streams. Vision quests are introduced. Sometimes people spend twenty-four hours alone in the outdoors, seeking answers to a whole range of questions, but drawing always on the world outside for inspiration.

However, to participate in a workshop on shamanism can be very expensive. It is amazing to hear and meet people trained in this art, but it isn't really essential. Anyone can ‘connect' with nature, and in any number of different ways. No one practice or wisdom tradition owns the right to decide who can go on a vision quest, for instance. You might not have the benefit of a native tradition behind you, but everyone can deepen their encounter with the natural world, can learn to ‘dwell' with stones and trees and streams and so deepen their experience of and respect for the earth.

I take my dog for a walk every day and when I can, I allow that busy always-thinking part of my mind to be still. When that happens, you can find yourself in a meditative space that opens your inner world to the grace and healing power of the outer world. This is the beginning of shamanism - and it's free!