Shamanism Course

Lesson 1 • Core Cosmological Concepts

Introduce the three-world model and animist principles central to shamanic thought. Provides the conceptual map students use throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Spirits, Allies, and Power

Catalogue the types of spirit beings encountered in shamanic practice. Students build vocabulary for identifying and relating to non-ordinary beings.

Lesson 3 • The Role of the Shaman

Define the shaman's social, spiritual, and healing functions within community. Students understand the responsibilities and boundaries of the shamanic role.

Lesson 4 • Origins and Global Distribution

Survey shamanism's archaeological roots and cross-cultural presence. Grounds students in the universality of shamanic practice across continents and eras.

Lesson 1 • Methods of Consciousness Alteration

Survey non-pharmacological and plant-based techniques used across traditions. Students evaluate methods appropriate to their practice context.

Lesson 2 • Neuroscience of Trance States

Examine brain-wave patterns and neurological correlates of shamanic trance. Provides scientific grounding that supports safe and informed practice.

Lesson 3 • Safety and Psychological Preparation

Address contraindications, psychological risks, and protective protocols. Ensures students approach altered states with appropriate caution and self-knowledge.

Lesson 4 • Discernment in Non-Ordinary Reality

Teach criteria for distinguishing meaningful spirit communication from projection. Builds critical thinking skills essential for responsible shamanic practice.

Lesson 1 • Rattle Work and Percussion

Introduce the rattle as a cleansing and spirit-calling instrument. Connects percussion variety to specific healing and ceremonial applications.

Lesson 2 • Sound Healing Applications

Apply sound tools to healing sessions for individuals and groups. Bridges technical skill to therapeutic practice introduced in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Voice, Chant, and Power Song

Develop vocal techniques including toning, overtone, and personal power songs. Students discover and cultivate their unique shamanic voice.

Lesson 4 • The Sacred Drum

Explore the drum's cosmological symbolism and construction principles. Students understand why the drum is called the shaman's horse and vehicle.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Power Animals

Define power animals as spiritual allies embodying specific qualities and medicine. Students learn why these relationships are foundational to shamanic effectiveness.

Lesson 2 • Working with Teacher Spirits

Extend spirit relationships to Upper World teachers and ancestral guides. Expands the student's spirit team beyond power animals.

Lesson 3 • Power Animal Retrieval Journey

Guide students through the Lower World journey to retrieve a power animal. Provides the first complete journey practice with clear protocol.

Lesson 4 • Retrieving Power Animals for Others

Apply retrieval skills in service to clients experiencing power loss. Introduces the practitioner role and ethical responsibilities toward recipients.

Lesson 1 • Soul Loss Theory and Diagnosis

Define soul loss, its causes, and its psychological and physical symptoms. Provides the diagnostic framework used throughout healing practice.

Lesson 2 • The Soul Retrieval Journey

Execute the full soul retrieval journey protocol from preparation to return. Students practise the most complex journey type in shamanic healing.

Lesson 3 • Extraction Healing

Identify and remove misplaced energies causing illness or blockage. Complements soul retrieval by clearing space for returned soul parts.

Lesson 4 • Integration and Follow-Up Care

Design post-healing protocols that support lasting transformation in clients. Bridges the healing session to the client's ongoing life and wellbeing.

Lesson 1 • Seasonal and Life-Cycle Ceremonies

Design ceremonies aligned with natural cycles and human transitions. Connects cosmological timing from Chapter 1 to practical ceremony creation.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Sacred Space

Establish the energetic and symbolic foundations of creating sacred space. Students understand why space preparation is inseparable from effective ceremony.

Lesson 3 • Ceremony Design and Structure

Apply a universal ceremony architecture: opening, body, and closing. Students learn to sequence ritual elements for maximum coherence and impact.

Lesson 4 • Fire Ceremony and Offerings

Use fire as a transformational and purification element in ceremony. Students learn offering protocols that honour spirit relationships established earlier.

Lesson 1 • Ethics in Divination Practice

Apply ethical standards to divination and counselling interactions. Protects clients and practitioners from harm and misuse of guidance.

Lesson 2 • Formulating Effective Questions

Craft precise questions that yield actionable spirit guidance. Directly improves the quality and usefulness of divination results for clients.

Lesson 3 • Interpreting and Communicating Guidance

Translate symbolic spirit messages into clear, useful client communication. Bridges non-ordinary insight to practical, grounded advice.

Lesson 4 • Shamanic Counselling Framework

Structure a counselling session that integrates divination with active listening. Provides a repeatable session format for professional practice.

Lesson 1 • Practitioner Self-Care and Sustainability

Establish personal maintenance routines that prevent burnout and spiritual depletion. Ensures long-term effectiveness and wellbeing for the practitioner.

Lesson 2 • Legal and Professional Considerations

Address scope of practice, disclaimers, and professional boundaries in shamanic work. Protects practitioners and clients within applicable regulatory frameworks.

Lesson 3 • Designing Your Practice Model

Define service offerings, session formats, and client pathways for your practice. Translates shamanic skills into a coherent professional service structure.

Lesson 4 • Cultural Respect and Appropriation

Navigate the ethics of practising traditions outside one's heritage. Equips students to engage respectfully with source cultures and communities.