Category: Shamanism

The World Of Shamanism

The world of shamanism is an ancient and powerful system of healing that is based in what many refer to as earth medicine. The word “shaman” itself is Tungusic in origin, harking from the ancient religious practices of the Mongols and the Turks in Northern Asia.

There are many who argue that because true shamanism originated in the forests of Siberia and Mongolia, only the native healers from these regions can be referred to as actual “shamans”. But many native healers from the Americas, Africa, and beyond who practice similar methods utilizing altered states of consciousness also refer to themselves as shamans, and we at The Sacred Science don’t mind that one bit.

What is a shaman?

Fussing over proper terminology when trying to describe something so universally relevant seems to miss the point and complicate what would otherwise be fairly straightforward communication. Words are very tricky things that have the power to either free or enslave the speaker, depending on how much weight is put into their value.

Our definition of “shaman” is as follows (and does not discriminate based on geographic location or tribal origin): A shaman is a benevolent individual who uses altered states of consciousness, whether induced by drum, sacred plant medicine, or any other environmental variable, to connect with the spirit world in order to heal the sick.

Many striking similarities can be found in the magico-religious practices of various native cultures across the 6 habitable continents of this earth. It boggles the mind that medicine men and women from tribes in different corners of the world could know the same healing rites and methods of tapping into the essence of who we truly are as human beings. How could this be?

Welcome to the beautiful mystery of shamanism.

It is often referred to as “a lineage of direct transmission”, because this school of knowledge is passed down word-of-mouth from generation to generation, without any written account. In their teaching, a shaman shows his or her apprentice not only the ceremonial practices and medicinal herbs, but also demonstrates through their actions how to be in this world.

Throughout the course of creating The Sacred Science film and also this blog community, we have grown to know and deeply respect these men and women. But they do not share their knowledge lightly. Centuries of oppression as well as the exploitation of their native traditions have all but wiped out many of these lineages. Most of the true wisdom keepers who remain have learned to keep their ancestral knowledge safe, sharing it only with a select few that they trust.

A Wise Woman’s Rite Of Passage

“The longest way round is the shortest way home.” — C.S. Lewis This idea of finding our way back home to ourselves is nothing new. In many native cultures in North and South America, a young person’s rite of passage – sometimes referred to as a ‘vision quest’ – is anything but a shortcut. A […]

The Hidden Power Of Fasting

Fasting Plate with No Food and only a Glass of Water

Why did our ancestors fast on a regular basis? If you think about it, every major religion — from Christianity to Buddhism to Hinduism (to name a few) — holds the practice of fasting to be sacred and necessary. Is it just a way of showing reverence to the almighty or is there more to […]

Death Of Distraction, Birth Of Awareness

A big misconception about shamanism and native medicine is that it’s a cosmic thrill ride into the spiritual realms that magically helps you overcome anything you’re struggling with. Sometimes it can be. But the journey involves a lot more than reality-altering ceremonies. In authentic Amazonian healing circles, every aspect of your existence is taken into […]

A Modern-Day Shaman Shares Her Wisdom

Nick Polizzi Chatting with Sandra Ingerman

A few days ago, I had the honor of speaking with a woman who has made a profound impact on the world of shamanic healing over the past 30 years. Her name is Sandra Ingerman and her wisdom stems from ancient healing traditions deep in Siberia, the land where the word “shaman” originates. The presence […]

How To Weave Shamanism Into Your Work Life

Nick Polizzi Chatting with Tyler Gage of Runa Tea

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing a man who is making a big impact on the Amazon Rainforest and also changing the way the world thinks about conscious business. His name is Tyler Gage and he’s breaking the mold by bringing sacred shamanic practices into his organization here in the States. Tyler is […]

How Our Wounds Can Heal Us

Child Raising Arms Facing the Light in a Dark Canyon

I came across a quote a few days ago that stopped me in my tracks. “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ― Rumi The poet was probably speaking symbolically when he used the term “wound” above, referring to those places within us that have yet to be healed. But certain indigenous cultures […]

7 Reasons to Rediscover the Transformative Power of Shamanism

Jaguar with Colored Butterflies All Over Its Body

If I asked you to picture a shaman, what would you see in your mind’s eye? A lone mystic, sitting cross-legged in a cave somewhere, wreathed in fragrant smoke, chanting mystical incantations to the unseen forces that shape our lives? Maybe someone in an extraordinary costume with a whole variety of exotic objects hanging and […]

Spring Medicine For The Soul

Footprints on Sand by the Sunlit Ocean Shore

We find ourselves in a powerful and transformative time of year – an interim period between two seasons. The spring equinox was a few weeks ago, but the ground of the northern hemisphere is still remembering the winter and just beginning to wake up to the promise of the warmer months. This transitory phase is […]

A Powerful Habit I Learned From A Shaman

Man with Pancho and Hat Walking Through Sacred Land in Peru

A few years ago, a shaman in Honduras taught me an extremely useful technique that gives you clarity on your path and dissolves stress and anxiety. It’s had a pretty profound effect on my life and today I’d like to share it with you. Like much of the healing wisdom that comes from native cultures, […]

Nourishing Your Inner Garden

White Flower Opening Up and Releasing Sparkling Glowing Energy

I came across the little saying below yesterday and felt called to share it. “Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds, the harvest can either be flowers or weeds.” Our thoughts often pass behind our eyelids without much investigation into their origin, as though these assemblages of information are out of our […]

Soul Medicine For These Unusual Times

Glowing Pool of Water Dripping from Cupped Hands

We certainly live in unusual times, don’t we? When the news headlines are filled with fear and uncertainty, it’s easy to be thrown off keel and get into our heads. But the elders have taught for thousands of years that personal evolution doesn’t occur without a little ruckus, just like new seeds won’t sprout unless […]

A Lesson In Letting Go

Large Flock of Birds Flying Away from a Tree

In the middle of winter, there is a temptation to numb our senses while we wait for the flowers and bumblebees to come back in the spring. But each season holds an equal amount of wisdom that is just waiting to be unlocked by those who are truly awake. Our ancestors had no choice but to […]