Shamanism is based in animism, the oldest spiritual practice known to humankind. It occurred on all continents simultaneously. Animism comes from the Latin word anima, which means soul. It means that everything is en-souled: animals and plants, rocks, forces of nature like the wind, clouds, water, etc. Everything is sacred. For an animist, the world is a community of persons, only few of which are human and all of which deserve respect.
Our modern paradigm of living is becoming increasingly unsustainable. In these times of global upheaval, environmental disregard, and disintegrating communities, we feel separated from one another, from the Earth that sustains us, and from our connection with the Sacred. We are being called back to our roots, to the original earth-based spiritual practices. We are called to listen and remember the "old ways" of our ancestors: to honour the sacredness and connectedness of all living beings and our planet, to gently walk in oneness with all kingdoms and beings, both physical and non-physical, and to live in harmony and respect with nature, the directions, the elements and the Divine.
To learn more about shamanism and how it differs from animism, please sign up for the free course below.
What is Shamanic Healing?
From a shamanic point of view, the source of all things is Spirit. In a traditional shamanic healing, the shaman journeys to the source of the illness or disharmony in the spirit realm and effects a change there so that healing can occur here.
A shaman’s worldview is not focused on the notion that health is something that can be handed over to another person. Rather, a shaman stands at a junction of powers that are in opposition and holds the balance between opposing forces.
Shamanic healing is not a set of techniques to be applied to a certain malady or certain symptoms, but rather an awakening to our own healed nature.
Shamanic healing is a holistic approach that encompasses mind, body, emotions, soul, and Spirit. Modern research is slowly discovering what traditional healers have always known: that disease exists in the energetic patterns of an individual and is not only a physical issue. The key to healing is transforming the energy of illness into the energy of health. A shaman holds the energy of harmony on behalf of the client and removes the blockages that cause the energetic disharmony, which has lead to mental, emotional, or physical disease.
However, it is important to keep in mind that shamanic healing is not energy healing. Do not expect to lie down on a massage table and have a healing “done to you”. Shamanic healing is ritualistic and you must be an active participant in your own healing process. In shamanic healing you do the work. The shaman facilitates this process and communicates with compassionate helping spirits on your behalf. Shamanic healing is about connecting with nature. It is about ritual and ceremony and reverence. It is about re-aligning yourself with your own healed nature.
For people who experience chronic mental, physical, or emotional pain, depression, or addictions, soul healing can be a means to reach the source of the pain in spirit and release that pattern of suffering from your life. It is a way to repair deep soul traumas without re-traumatizing yourself or giving up your power to a healer. It is a path for reclaiming your power, and for restoring joy and meaning to your life.
To learn more about shamanic healing, please sign up for the free course below.
Traditional forms of shamanic healing may include:
Power Animal Retrieval - to find and connect with your greatest spiritual ally and guide.
Soul Retrieval - to return and reintegrate parts of your soul that were separated, usually due to trauma.
Cord-cutting - to remove unhealthy attachments.
Extraction - to remove intrusive energies that may be blocking you.
Depossession - to remove possessing entities and assist them to cross.
De-armouring - to remove protective armour that no longer serves.
Psychopomp - to assist the soul of the dead who may be trapped between the worlds and create disharmony in your life.
Ancestral healing - to dissolve the dysfunctional patterns passed down to you by your ancestors.
Curse unravelling - to trace and dissolve intentional and unintentional curses and harmful thoughtforms.
House clearing - to remove harmful energies and entities from a dwelling.
Soul Healing Rituals
Ulrike has moved away from the traditional forms of shamanic healing where the client remains passive and the practitioner enters a drum-induced trance to communicate with the helping spirits on the client's behalf.
Instead, Ulrike guides you through elemental rituals in Nature. For example, Fire to transform that which no longer serves your highest good, Water to release old stories or difficult emotions, Earth to plant new seeds or build a foundation, Air for inspiration or learning to use your voice...
She also works in partnership with her horses, allowing the compassionate helping spirits communicate through the horses directly with you. Interaction with the horses can be direct or over the fence, depending on your comfort level.