English
French 
To better understand this article, read ” Shamanism: The spirit science” (Inspiration section).
” The way of the Shaman ” is the name given to the seminar introduction to shamanism by the FSS. Over a period of two days , it is framed by certified practitioners. Training is available around the world. And here I am in California , in the Monterrey area south of San Francisco. Housed in a Lodge, it is 10:00 am and the session is about to get started start .
We are ten people, sitting quietly in a circle around a candle that brings a first spark of magic in our initiation. Tim introduces himself and begins to introduce the basics of shamanism and the outline of the weekend. The circles are typically female-dominated , this weekend serves as an exception.
The program is announced :
- Take a journey through the upper and lower world
- Meet our power animal and our teaching
- Perform a divination
- Retrieve an animal to a partner
- Request a healing
At the beginning of each session , Tim calls the four directions and asks us to call our helping spirits. Then takes place the” Soul Dance “: drum and maracas in hand, the pace is launched . Bodies and tempers flare to the rhythm of drums that filled the stage with a sacred twist. Everyone speaks , moves, whistles , hums as he is emblem .
The room is now full of energy and awaken souls. Tim announces the next atelier. Everyone creates its own personal space , lie down or remains seated , covers his eyes and gathers his spirits.
Boom boom boom boom , the pace is fast , the engine is started. Everyone makes his journey, makes contact with this new aspect of itself. The typical duration is 15 min .
Suddenly the rhythm changes , the drum announces the end and is calling us , we must return . As we are back, insulation continues until everyone has carefully carried out his diary elements , signs, or important meetings experienced during the journey.
it’s time to share our feelings and analyze this new experience: we exchange impressions, meetings, feelings… This is the opportunity to clarify his experience, doubts and ask questions that surface .
Each case is unique. Mine was no exception to the rule. I had a hard time letting go and trusting my feelings . Is this simply the product of my overactive imagination ? This is the typical challenge faced by many young initiates . Our design calls for a serious reassessment to expect an improvement in the shamanic path .
I follow the seminar with the bitter feeling of not being able to perform shamanic journeys. Among the group , I ‘m the only one in this case . But I do not lose hope, Rome was not built in one day.
When I write these lines , I am gaining some confidence and begin to give more power to my experiences. My trips are improving but I m still skeptical. I still have a lot to work on the relationship I have with imagination.
Santa claus is a shaman
Many of the traditions we see across the world that are tied to the Christmas holidays have a suprising similarity to the ancient traditions of Siberian Shamans. Through the description below, you can easily see the role of Santa Claus being filled by the local shaman. His gift to everyone on Chistmas (Winter Solstice)… dried out mushrooms that were hung by the fire with care.
It all begins with a mushroom. Yes. A mushroom. Did you expect it to begin with something man made? Then you’re not thinking far back enough. Humanity’s first interactions were with earthly things.
The name of the mushroom is Amanita muscaria, also called Fly Agaric. Muscaria is a psychotropic, causing visions and altered states. It is also toxic, and must be handled in a particular manner so as to get the psychedelic effects without the toxic ones. The word “shaman” is a word from the Tungus-speaking people of Siberia. The Tungusic are Russian indigenous people who live in the arctic circle (north pole) and they are reindeer herders. A shaman dealt with the mushrooms, as both a safety practice and as part of the spirituality of the people.
—–
The shaman would collect the mushrooms in a bag and deliver them to families, who would then often hang them in socks around the fireplace to dry – the mushrooms would be ready to share their revelatory gifts in the morning of the solstice.
Amanita Muscaria grows only beneath a Christmas tree (coniferous/pine tree) in a symbiotic, non-parasitic relationship with the roots of the tree. It used to be thought to be the fruit of the tree.
And what about Santa’s outfit and Christmas tree ornaments? Well…
To this day Siberian shamans dress in ceremonial red and white fur-trimmed jackets to gather the magic mushrooms. First they pick and place the mushrooms to partially dry on nearby pine boughs which prepares them for ingestion and makes the load lighter. This is why we decorate our Christmas trees with ornaments and bulbs, because the gatherers would always adorn trees with drying mushrooms.
And of course, the final touch is how the shaman would enter homes to distribute the “gifts”:
The tradition of the Shaman,[...], was to go into the forests and collect these shrooms that grow under pine trees or evergreen trees. The Shaman would collect enough for the entire tribe and then go to each of the houses,sometimes due to heavy snow the doors would be snowed in and the Shaman would have to enter through the smoke hole in the roof!
And then there’s the flying reindeer. How did they fly? Mushrooms of course.
Source: www.shamanswell.org
Shamanic healing
Having a shaman close by is not common, so I took advantage of my stay at Tim’s and asked him to do shamanic work. Here is my experience . I have omitted some details considered too personal .
Soul Retrieval
It is 15.00, Tim makes me lie in the garden. A blanket is installed for the occasion. We talk about me, of what I want him to look or heal. I mentionned to him my strong disappointment in love that literally changed my life when I was sixteen. A real emotional shock. A part of my soul didn’t resist, there’s no doubt.
He stands beside me and began the journey with his ratle . My duty is simply to stay present , conscious and alert. About 10 minutes passed before he stoped and started to write down what happened.
“I have not been able to bring it back ” he told me. He met my power animal that led him to my soul part. He saw a red glittering jewels at the bottom of a well. But my power animal was opposed to his recovery , saying that I was not yet ready for this part of me to be returned. He also asked to see the circumstances surrounding the event and was able to give me some important details.
He also told me other things about my personality, an affinity with certain things or places that could help me or just to recharge my batteries .
curses
Tim took a look at curses. Thus, towards the end of my stay, we organized a second shamanic session. This time, there was work to be done :
A curse : he saw a curse cast by a man upon my two brothers and me when I was less than six years.
A loss of power : He saw me over 18 years, having had an argument or disagreement with a friend, resulting in a radical change of direction. This sudden loss of energy resulted on a digestive system disorder. ( Indeed, digestive problems appeared and followed me for about 2 – 3 years. )
An energy blockage : He saw an energy blockage in my shoulders caused by a feeling of inaccessibility me to my father’s expectations . Preventing the free expression of my personality in decision -making , initiatives etc.
Tim gave me back what was mine and released external blockages. Thank you .
I started this journey with an article I called “On the road towards myself .” Already two months have passed, the first step is done. The metaphor comes to life. The road continues.
Next step: healing and energy practice and hopefully a holotropic breathwork. To be continued …
