A Shaman Enters an Altered State of Consciousness at Will — Journeying to Non-Physical Worlds, Then Returning to Ordinary Awareness.
Connecting with divine spiritual forces and universal creative energy, a shaman communicates with the spirit world for guidance and healing — helping their community stay in right alignment with the forces of nature and spirit.
A Bridge Between Worlds
A shaman undergoes a deliberate change in their state of consciousness, engaging at will with the forces of the spirit world in an intentional, purposeful way. This communication is two-way, and the shift in consciousness is induced voluntarily — by entraining to a repetitive drum rhythm. The method is intentional and replicable, not random. That deliberate, repeatable quality is an important distinction between shamanism and other forms of spiritual experience.
"The Shaman Bridges the Human World and the Spirit World."
Humanity's Oldest Healing Tradition
Shamanism is an ancient method of healing and spiritual practice that has been integral to indigenous cultures around the world for tens of thousands of years. Its origins trace back to the Paleolithic era, when shamans were the first healers, teachers, and spiritual leaders of their communities — responsible for maintaining balance and harmony between the natural and human worlds.
The practices and ceremonies of different shamanic societies vary according to the unique traditions of each culture. Yet despite countless variations between clans and cultures, the central principles and methods of applied shamanism are remarkably consistent in their function the world over. During the colonial era, shamanism was persecuted as organized religion spread with the colonizing powers. Today, as we free ourselves from that legacy, applied shamanism is once again recognized as a powerful, practical method of healing, growth, and spiritual development.
"Shamanism Is Humanity's Original System of Healing and Spirituality — Practiced Across the World for Over 50,000 Years."
Mending the Soul and Spirit
Shamanic healing mends the soul and spirit. By alleviating traumas that affect the soul, it restores the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic body to balance and wholeness. It occurs within a shamanic journey, undertaken by a shaman for themselves or for others. Often the effects of a single session create positive reverberations across many areas of a person's life for years to come.
"Shamanic Healing Is the Oldest Healing System Known to Humankind."
Travelling With the Spirit Mind
A shamanic journey is often described as the Dreamtime — a distinct state of conscious awareness, separate from ordinary waking consciousness. It is not guided visualization, hypnosis, hallucination, dream, psychosis, or fantasy, and it should never be shaped by suggestive manipulation from a teacher or mentor.
When we enter a shamanic journey, we use a part of our conscious awareness that is distinct from ordinary waking awareness, in order to perceive a world that ordinary awareness cannot reach. This is why it's often said the Dreamtime must be experienced to be understood — it cannot simply be explained.
Ordinary Reality
The reality we experience in the physical world during normal waking consciousness, perceived through the logic mind.
Non-Ordinary Reality
Alternate realities, not bound by the physical world, experienced in non-ordinary states of awareness — including guided visualization, hypnosis, intuition, and dreams.
The Shamanic State of Awareness
A specific state of consciousness used to access non-ordinary reality effectively — similar to a lucid dream, sometimes known as the Dreamtime.
The Birthright of Every Human Being
Anyone Can Learn to Safely Take a Shamanic Journey — regardless of race, gender, age, or religion. Shamanism, the ability to connect directly with the world of spirit and return to ordinary reality at will, is the birthright of every human being. You don't need to ingest psychotropic substances to be a shaman — in my experience it's best not to — and you don't need to be initiated into a specific cultural format to practice.
And it isn't hard. To journey, you simply learn to consciously use a different part of your awareness than the one you use in waking life — accessing what I call the spirit mind to attain shamanic awareness of the spirit world.
The Shamanic DrumRhythm, Not Substances
For thousands of years and across countless cultures, the shamanic drum has carried people into shamanic consciousness. Shamanic Spirit Medicine uses a repetitive drumbeat to induce and focus the journey state. As shamanism has spread in recent years, the use of ayahuasca and other psychotropic substances has grown exponentially — but taken out of their cultural context, these rituals offer a limited view of shamanism and constrain how it can be applied in the modern world. You can read more in Shamanism Without Ayahuasca.
The Science of the DrumWhy Rhythm Works
There's a neurological reason the drum is so effective. Our brainwaves shift through measurable states, and shamanic journeying happens in Theta (4–8 Hz) — a deeply relaxed, inwardly focused state where the brain's innate healing and creative capacities come alive. Theta is induced by exactly the kind of rhythmic, repetitive sound a shamanic drum produces.
This is why the drum matters: in Theta state, healing visualized in the mind travels down the nerves and prompts real regenerative responses in the body. Visualization in the shamanic state of consciousness is a lived experience — communicated via the Spirit Mind through a distinct channel of awareness we perceive as visual stimuli. This is a radically different understanding of visualization than is commonly taught, and the drum is the most direct, least taxing way to reach the state where it becomes possible — and to return to ordinary awareness gently afterward.
The Dreamtime Must Be Experienced to Be Understood
No description of shamanism compares to taking your first journey for yourself. Begin with the Fundamentals of Shamanism, or watch the free introduction first.
Questions About Shamans & Shamanism
What Is a Shaman?
A shaman is someone who enters an altered state of consciousness at will to journey to non-physical worlds, then returns to normal waking consciousness. Connecting with divine spiritual forces and universal creative energy, a shaman communicates with the spirit world for guidance and healing. The primary role of the shaman is to help their community stay in right alignment with the forces of nature and spirit.
What Does a Shaman Do?
A shaman undergoes a deliberate, voluntary change in consciousness — induced by entraining to a repetitive drum rhythm — in which they engage intentionally with the forces of the spirit world. This communication is two-way, and the method is intentional and replicable, not random. That deliberate, repeatable quality is an important distinction between shamanism and other forms of spiritual experience.
What Is Shamanic Healing?
Shamanic healing mends the soul and spirit. By alleviating traumas that affect the soul, it restores the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic body to balance and wholeness. Shamanic healing occurs within a shamanic journey, undertaken by a shaman for themselves or for others. Often the effects of a single session create positive reverberations across many areas of a person's life for years to come.
Do I Need to Be Indigenous to Practice Shamanism?
No. Shamanism — the ability to connect directly with the world of spirit and ground that connection into Mother Earth — is the birthright of all human beings. The ability to access the spirit mind is inherent in all people, regardless of race, culture, religion, or gender; many of us have simply forgotten how to use it.
Do I Need to Be Initiated Into a Lineage?
No. Unless you come from a specific culture, imitating that culture's particular shamanic practices isn't necessarily productive or appropriate for an outsider. If you wish to learn specific cultural practices, it's best to work directly under a member or initiate of that culture. But if you're drawn to shamanism and shamanic healing in general, you'll receive far more benefit from learning and practicing Shamanic Spirit Medicine.
Are Psychoactive Substances Used in Shamanism?
Not in this work. Shamanic Spirit Medicine uses a repetitive drumbeat — not psychedelics — to induce and focus the shamanic journey state. Practices built around ayahuasca and other substances, taken out of their cultural context, offer a limited view of what shamanism can be. You can read more in Scott's article, Shamanism Without Ayahuasca.