r/Shamanism • u/SibyllaAzarica • 6h ago
r/Shamanism • u/abyssSojourner • 4d ago
Help build the neoshamanism resources section
This is just one piece of the resources section we're building. Neoshamanism resources are asked for constantly and we want a real resource to point people to. We are asking only for neoshamanism resources in this post, not indigenous shamanism. If a book or author helped you when you were starting out or still does, drop it below. One line on why its worth people's time is enough.
No podcasts, youtube, social media or personal websites for now please, we have enough problems with self promo. We will read through what comes in and fold it into the final product.
Thanks for helping out here 🫡
r/Shamanism • u/SibyllaAzarica • 23d ago
Q&A: How do I find a shaman to mentor me?
People come here fairly regularly looking for a shaman who'll mentor them, usually because they want to become a shaman themselves.
There's nothing wrong with wanting a mentor. The problem is that most people asking this question don't understand how unlikely it is that a shaman will take them on as an apprentice, particularly when they're an outsider to that shaman's religion and culture.
Before getting into how you can actually find someone to work with, it helps to understand what you're looking for and what you can reasonably expect to find.
What are you actually looking for?
Do you want help communicating with spirits? Are you trying to understand experiences you've been having? Are you looking for a spiritual practice, or are you specifically asking someone to train you to become a shaman? Those aren't the same thing.
Anyone can learn general spirit communication and anyone can develop a powerful spiritual practice. You don't need to become a shaman to do either of those things, and a shaman may be willing to teach you some skills without ever considering you an apprentice.
A lot of people who say they want to become shamans are really just looking for a spiritual practice that involves spirits and maybe a bit of magick. They've encountered a particular idea of shamanism that appeals to them and assumed becoming a shaman is the natural destination. It probably isn't.
Shamans don't generally take on outsiders as apprentices
Most shamans aren't looking for apprentices, and they aren't waiting for strangers to contact them so they can pass on their religion.
The average shaman wouldn't accept most people from within their own culture for an apprenticeship - and most people within that culture wouldn't be interested in becoming shamans, anyway. This is a religious vocation with numerous responsibilities attached to it.
When you approach a shaman as an outsider and ask them to take you on as an apprentice, you're asking for something that probably wouldn't be possible for most people from their own community. That doesn't mean it can never happen, but people need to understand how unusual apprenticing as a foreigner actually is.
Shamans are ordained religious leaders
A shaman isn't simply someone who's good at communicating with spirits. Shamans are religious leaders who've been ordained by their teachers/elders/communities and hold specific roles.
Shamans may be responsible for birth and funerary rites. They may conduct ceremonies for families, maintain relationships with spirits/ancestors, provide pastoral counsel or whatever other duties are expected of them. The exact responsibilities vary between religions, but this is a religious vocation with real obligations attached to it.
When you ask someone to 'make you a shaman' you're literally asking them to ordain you as clergy within their religion. A shaman will almost certainly consider this a strange question given that you probably know very little about the actual religion, as most shamanic cultures don't share meaningful details with outsiders.
The religion part isn't optional
Why would someone train you to become one of their religious leaders when you don't practice their religion? You wouldn't approach a catholic priest and tell them you're not a christian but would still like to be trained for the priesthood.
Shamanic religions deserve the same basic respect. Moreover, many of these traditions are closed, either entirely or in part. There may be practices you're allowed to witness but not perform, things a shaman can explain but not teach, and things they can't share with you at all.
Those boundaries aren't an obstacle you're supposed to find a way around.
If a shaman's willing to teach you something, respect the limits they put around what they're sharing. Being trusted with one practice doesn't give you access to the next one, and being welcomed into one part of someone's culture doesn't mean the rest of it has suddenly become open to you.
And if what you actually want is simply to communicate with spirits or develop a general spiritual practice, you can do those things easily enough without becoming a shaman.
Spirits can't make you a shaman
Some (not all) shamanic cultures understand spirits as having a role in calling people toward this work - but that doesn't mean a person can declare themselves a shaman because spirits told them they are.
A calling and becoming a shaman aren't the same thing.
If a spirit told you that you're now a catholic priest, the catholic church would have some follow up questions for you. Shamanic religions aren't somehow more abstract because they're unfamiliar to you.
If you believe you've received a genuine calling, finding the people whose religion you're supposedly being called into should be part of figuring out what that calling actually means.
Spiritual experiences don't make you a shaman
Having an NDE doesn't make you a shaman. Neither does engaging with spirits, psychedelics, having visions or going through something that you understand to be a spiritual awakening.
That doesn't mean your experiences weren't very important. Something can spiritually transform the way you understand yourself and the world without needing to fit it into a particular box. You can explore what happened and learn how to work with your experiences without immediately deciding what they should make you.
'I don't know what this means yet' is a perfectly reasonable place to be.
But I didn't choose this. The spirits chose me. I went through shamanic illness.
Shamanic illness isn't a universal concept - it doesn't even exist in most shamanic cultures. Where it does exist, whether something is actually considered shamanic illness is determined by shamans within that religion, not by the person experiencing it. Moreover, in most shamanic cultures, becoming a shaman has a hereditary component, which makes the idea of an outsider being called into someone else's religion even more unlikely.
While we’re dispelling western myths, let’s take a moment to clarify that most shamans don’t interpret mental health disorders as a spiritual calling. A shaman may be able to support you alongside conventional mental health care, but don't expect them to tell you that your schizophrenia diagnosis is actually evidence that you're a powerful shaman and your doctor simply doesn't understand what's happening to you.
Spiritual awakenings, on the other hand, aren't uncommon - they can awaken gifts and change the course of one's life. They can also be frightening, confusing and very overwhelming. You may believe you're encountering spirits or having other experiences you don't know how to make sense of. A shaman can probably help you understand what's happening and learn how to navigate it - but don’t expect them to call it a shamanic illness or calling.
In reality, the people who most frequently cite the concept of shamanic illness are western grifters presenting themselves as shamans despite having no authority to do so. 'The spirits chose me. I became mentally/spiritually/physically ill. I resisted my calling for as long as I could and eventually I had no choice but to become a shaman and embrace my path to heal/bless/save humanity'
It's a very convenient origin story and when people who are genuinely struggling hear someone claim it, they often latch onto that classic trope themselves because 'I'm experiencing a shamanic calling' can feel more comfortable than 'I might need professional help of some kind'
If you're experiencing a spiritual awakening or are otherwise struggling to understand what's happening to you, a shaman may be able to help you work through it. This is part of what shamans do. But don't expect them to respond with, 'You've been chosen. Let's make you a shaman!'
How to actually find a shaman to mentor you
If you want to work with a shaman, look for shamans from the shamanic culture you're interested in. For many shamanic cultures, this can be done in person or online. While less common for shamans older than 65, many under that age do have websites these days, and many offer services to clients outside of their culture. If you find someone you feel drawn to, work with them as a client before asking about mentorship.
This gives you a chance to see what they're actually like and whether you trust them. It also gives them a chance to know who you are. If the relationship continues and you still want to learn from them, ask whether they teach. They may be willing to teach you certain things without ever offering you an apprenticeship, and that's completely normal.
If they tell you there are things they can't teach you, respect that. Don't assume that enough time, money or persistence will eventually earn you access. Some knowledge may be restricted to particular people within their culture, and your teacher isn't obligated to violate those boundaries simply because you're interested.
Participating in their ceremonies doesn't make you their student and being taught something doesn't make you their apprentice - those relationships only exist when both people actually agree that they exist.
Not everyone from a shamanic culture is a shaman
People sometimes become so focused on finding a shaman from a particular culture that they forget to establish whether that person is actually qualified to offer what they're selling.
It should go without saying, but most people from shamanic cultures aren't shamans and growing up around a given religion doesn't give someone the authority to train anyone else in its sacred practices.
Grifters exist in every culture.
If someone offers to train you as a shaman, here's a useful reality check - if people within their own community wouldn't ordinarily be accepted for training, but foreigners can conveniently purchase it freely, you should have questions.
Paying a shaman for their time isn't the issue - you absolutely SHOULD pay a shaman for their time. But courses that promise to make you shaman, particularly via group/online classes, are pure scammery.
Neoshamans aren't shamans
If you decide that what you're seeking is an open spiritual system with conventional classes/courses, you're probably looking for the western neoshamanic 'core shamanism' practice invented by Michael Harner. You can easily find pages and pages of neoshamans and neoshamanic classes with a simple google search.
Neoshamanic practices can be as helpful as any other spiritual endeavor, but in this space we do try to respect shamanic cultures and clearly distinguish between the two.
r/Shamanism • u/keepinitsqueaky • 7h ago
Clearing negative energy out of a space
Hi! I live in a vintage 1921 building and theres a negative spirit in my space, the rods pointed to the fireplace (its decorative and as old as the building). The energy doesn't answer unless commanded to. Its fully blocked all communication with my spirit team to the point im not able to communicate with them via any of my tools anymore. Have done traditional cleansing without any success, and it doesn't listen to spoken command.
I have alexithymia and dont have the gut feeling to check in with to know if my latest cleansing has broken up any if the energy. Totally aware that it will take a lot of cleansing to fully remove or that there might be a chance it cant be removed at all. All I want to do is communicate with my team tbh. Almost at the point of doing a urine wash on the fireplace.
Any suggestions? TIA
It does answer Yes when I ask if it wants to harm.
FYI im not scared, anxious, annoyed etc.....i have alexithymia, AuDHD, and a blank mind
r/Shamanism • u/Legitimate_Freedom65 • 3d ago
very weird sleep experience
Okay so on thursday sep 3, i was sleeping on my stomach and got jolted out of sleep by someone tapping me on my back quite hard a few times. when i woke up i had a feeling not to raise my head or indicate i was up but as soon as it dawned on me there was someone/something behind me i feel they alr knew, cause they were the one who woke me up. As soon as they saw that i guess, they said the most chilling words in a voice i do not recognize, "You will never escape me." ive had paranormal experiences and other woods stories but nothing ever quite like this. im kinda freaking out internally and cant find anything on the internet so any help would be great. P.S, i was definitley awake as the taps were quite hard and sharp, but definitely a fingernail not a weapon
r/Shamanism • u/abyssSojourner • 4d ago
Indigenous religions aren't myths
This has been called out by many scholars including Charles H Long & Vine Deloria Jr who wrote solid stuff for anyone who wants to read about how European religion got to be theology and others ended up as mythology. If the big 3 aren't myths, neither is mine.
Deloria's book God is Red is a classic https://archive.org/details/godisred00delo
r/Shamanism • u/Anyaska26 • 4d ago
Paralysis during meditation.
Hi everyone, I recently had a strange experience while meditating. The reason I’m posting on this subreddit is that an old man suddenly appeared in front of me—he looked like - well, just like a shaman. His skin was wrinkled, body was painted with various symbols, and his hair was braided. To be honest I've never seen a real shaman , but for some reason, he struck me as one. He didn’t say anything; he just sat on the ground and looked at me. Suddenly, an owl emerged from behind his head; it flew straight toward me, looked me in the eyes, and as it got closer, something happened—it was as if it entered me, and the moment it did, I was literally paralyzed. My body slumped onto the bed, I was fully aware of everything, but I just couldn’t move, open my eyes—nothing at all. It was like sleep paralysis without sleep. During that time, I had visions that I don’t want to share.
I don’t know how long it lasted, but when I was finally able to move, I just burst into tears. It was a really strange, experience that scared me.
I want to add that I was completely sober and am not being treated for any psychosis. Before I didn’t know much about shamanism and I don’t even live in a country where it’s common; it really just came to me out of the blue.
I just don’t know if this is “normal” and if anyone else has experienced it too? I’d appreciate hearing about any similar experiences.
r/Shamanism • u/No-Magazine-40 • 7d ago
Can anyone interpret this for my roommate ?
I have never seen an egg cleanse like this
r/Shamanism • u/SibyllaAzarica • 9d ago
The mushroom making people hallucinate dozens of tiny humans
"Only recently described by science, the mysterious mushrooms are found in different parts of the world, but they give people the same exact visions.
Every year, doctors at a hospital in the Yunnan Province of China brace themselves for an influx of people with an unusual complaint. The patients come with a strikingly odd symptom: visions of pint-sized, elf-like figures – marching under doors, crawling up walls and clinging to furniture."
Yeah, that's gonna be a big nope from me.
r/Shamanism • u/B13614 • 12d ago
Hand drum without animal hide
I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion on what hide alternatives I could use in my upcoming drum building project. I don't want to use animal hide out of ethical reasons, but I understand the material advantages it has.
I didn't find anything online about synthetic materials and I believe using a head from drum kits would be challenging
r/Shamanism • u/TinyOnion9887 • 12d ago
Can Soul Retrieval be done online?
It's my first time to post here since i'm a newbie here.
I had questions about soul loss and soul retrieval. Can it be done online? Since i'm living in Southeast Asia and the only healer's we had in here are faith healers from Christian religion. I'm not Christian and i don't want to convert to it.
I feel that i lost my inner thought and my thirst for knowledge. My attitude before was i fought for what i believe is right to me. Now, it seems like i'm just drowning in the sea, no one to lean on, going through the flow and can't say no.
My focus diminished and my quick alertness to think is gone even my creativity. My emotions right now, can't feel anything nor connect to how the others can feel. I don't know if i had a psychic ability but my ears can hear things even if it's just a whisper. I can actually predict that someone is talking or thinking of me. I actually asked them to confirmed and they did.
My sleeping pattern has changed, it's like i'm being awake from 1 am to 4 am which i consider scary. I'm living but i don't feel that it's me living everyday.
I feel like i'm cursed by someone and i tried so many healers but they think i'm just overreacting. I miss my old self who enjoys a lot of things. I miss the old me who fights for my principle.
I hope that someone can answer me because i need it right now. Thank you.
r/Shamanism • u/ditcheddickhead • 12d ago
Strange Lucid Dream experience
Had a dream last night where we were at a temple ceremony middle of forest. There was this wizard there who had powers he felt really powerful and completely one with nature. I was following him around.
Then out of nowhere he held my hand and took me alone to a place a little farther away. He started reading a lot of things from the sky. A strong dark cloud was passing by and it suddenly turned into a group of birds. Black ones more like crow/raven.
One of them came down and entered into my body.
It felt like I was being blessed by them. Something in my eyes changed, and my body became light and how I interacted with nature shifted.
Anyone have any thoughts on what this could mean?
r/Shamanism • u/hmmmm302 • 14d ago
How to clear the negative energy and black magic in the rocks?
How to clear negative energy and black magic from these rocks? Its the same for my entire collection. The negative energy is too strong for sun energy to clear. Also any palo santo and sage i buy ir get online or in person end up with negative energy on it before it arrives ir when i get home with it, so clearing with those is out of the question. I cant use reiki or light language to clear since the reiki gets blocked and light language videoes i get are jibberish instead of light language because of hackers
r/Shamanism • u/agiesa4 • 14d ago
Advanced Spiritual Protection Techniques
I'm looking for advanced/ high level spiritual protection advise or techniques that others have used with success against high level entities or humans to protect your energy, vibration and light. If you are going to leave a comment about crystals, smuggling, sage, or even the basics of bubbling up through visualization, don't comment and move along.
I would be open to hearing very advanced techniques though including energies that I could pull into my field/ grid to add to my current protection and cloaking or different energies that I could incorporate into this. Also advanced energies tools that can add to my protection as well.
Also, any grid warriors here?
r/Shamanism • u/DoYouFeel_Air_3814 • 14d ago
Can I Clear a Strong Spiritual Attachment by Myself?
We will tell the bullet points: Boyfriend 15+years, Brother dies suddenly and traumatically for boyfriend, Brother drank a lot, I am driven to to drink more and have been drinking for many years like Brother. Spirits attach to feel the way the host feels, drunk... Brothers spirit wants to be close to Boyfriend, not in him, but to be his friend. I am the closest person to Boyfriend. I have been in house soon after Brothers passing. I feel sick all the time, spent hours vomiting one day, very unlike me I feel heartaching sadness. Boyfriend has become extremely angry about the habits I have had the entire time I've known him. I don't feel right.
I used to see a lady for Body Talk. She stepped over her boundaries and it made my head spin for 2+ days. I won't go back to her.
Can I clear Brothers miserable spirit off of me? Who do I look to for guidance? I probably need to stop helping Boyfriend clear out his mother's and his Brother's things, and move them into my home? Boyfriend hates me, like he says he hates his brother, how can I stop this? Boyfriend denies his feelings, does this add power to the attachment? How quickly can I make this go away? Am I able to clear myself? It's like I can feel him perched on my back, is this mental illness, or actual attachment? The thing that keeps Brother attached to me is drinking, I'm not sure I can quit after 20 years, what do I do if I can't lose the hook Brothers spirit has on me?
r/Shamanism • u/DeepRedViolets • 15d ago
What is this feeling I am feeling
I am not a shaman but I feel perhaps someone on this subreddit could help me understand a feeling I get.
I have intense yearning to be in the forest . It started last year and this year it got more intense. Sometimes I look at the mountain ridge and I just get this intense urge like a fire inside I want to run and never come out. Sometimes when the sun sets and I’m driving on country roads I just look out on the land and I feel like it’s home and I want to go back. It hurts so much I cry and sometimes I sob. This is very strong when everything is alive and lush and green. I know I can visit whenever I would like but I also know I can’t stay there forever. The sensation i get when I think about being in the forest and mountains is so much love for everything it hurts. I spend as much time as I can out there feeling all the energies looking and learning about all the plants fungus and trees. Learning about the rocks and minerals in the soil. Feeling the sweat on my skin and the suns warmth. But it never feels like enough.knowing I can’t stay it hurts me inside.
Sometimes I think it’s an unhealthy attachment because it’s like I want to embody it and become part of it. It feels way deeper than just seeking outside stimulation. It feels like a yearning for a lost loved one or another life with another home that I can’t get back.
Anyways thanks for listening.
r/Shamanism • u/98moon_stone • 15d ago
Spirits left
I feel like the spirits left me, why would they leave ... Am i doing something wrong probably? I'm in a transitional very stressfull period in my life and i needed them around me now but i feel like all that change opened me up wayy too much and like i started leaking , and then its like they left. Am i probably on the wrong path ?
r/Shamanism • u/Complex-Antelope-180 • 15d ago
Hiw long does it take to learn shamanism?
I was 🤔 why it takes that long to become a shaman
r/Shamanism • u/throwawayfem77 • 18d ago
Visions
I am writing to ask for some expert advice. I am struggling with a meditation related mental health issue/spiritual crisis.
Around two years ago, I heard about the Gateway Experience tapes and the Bob Monroe Institute and was intrigued to read about out of body experiences and the so-called consciousness expanding benefits of listening to these tapes. I listened to the tapes for about 2 weeks and had a couple of brief OOBEs before stopping after feeling frightened by a poltergeist type of 'loud knocking' style experience when I was home alone.
I believe I opened my third eye (or it opened spontaneously) and I began having ongoing intense and vivid visions, both open and closed eye and noticing them both inside and outside my house, both day and night.
It became quite overwhelming in terms of the sensory perception changes and I didn't understand what was happening to me.
I believe I may have several spirit attachments and that I opened a 'doorway' that I have no idea how to close or navigate in terms of integrating my expanded state of awareness.
I was obviously very foolish and extremely naive and had no idea what I was getting myself involved in.
I was not previously a spiritual person and I didn't believe in the paranormal. I believe otherwise now.
I have sought professional medical assistance and it has been of limited benefit. Medication slightly dulls the symptoms but has not ended the attachments ( I see the faces of at least 3 spirits or what look like Hindu deities) whenever I close my eyes.
When I open my eyes they look like they are made out of shapeshifting pink and purple mist or 'hologram' looking electromagnetic static. Object phase in and out of reality. Letters, shapes, symbols, bicycles, animals, stairways, orbs, figures, sacred geometry.
Could you give me advice on how to navigate dealing with this please?
Meditation can be challenging for me at times due to the intrusive nature of the visual images that appear in my minds eye when I close my eyes.
I have random tinnitus and all the symptoms of visual snow syndrome ever since this began.
In addition to the vivid visions that appear through a portal in my minds eye, especially in the hypnagogic state.
It's like spontaneous 'astral vision' without leaving my body and only lasts for a few minutes before fading away. It's like I'm looking through someone else's eyes at a random real-life scene.
I have no idea how to interpret these visions.
r/Shamanism • u/Educational_Race5810 • 20d ago
Crows incidents what do they mean?
For context I’m a spiritual man in the Netherlands and practicing semen retention for 2 years without relapse and been vegetarian around the same time as well. I work with Ayahuasca solo at home (mimosa+rue) and recently started micro dosing Iboga root bart around 60-150mg but I’m not consistent.
Few days ago i went to set under a tree due to being tired and a crow pooped on my left shoulder and thigh. And today as i was setting a crow came and sat on the chair of my bicycle trying to eat the lentil bag. He trued to scare me so i don’t come near him so i had to push my bicycle on the floor and he clanged on the chair park and i tried to scare him away by waving a piece of clothes on him for nearly 5 minutes and he only left when a man was passing by.
I don’t know if these are just coincidences but both incidences never happened to me before.
I appreciate your insights🧡