Shamanic Therapy
“In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions: "When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by the sweet territory of silence?”
— Gabrielle Roth
What is Shamanism?
Shamanism is a healing modality that traces back cross-culturally for thousands of years, with many anthropologists believing it originated 100,000 years ago. Back in the time of our ancestors, where there was community, there was a shaman.
The word “Shaman” has it’s origins in the Siberian Tungus language. It translates to “one who knows” or “one who sees in the dark”.
The Shaman is one who turns their consciousness inward, travelling through their own consciousness to the “collective unconscious”, as termed by Carl Jung. From a Shamanic perspective, this is known as the “spirit world”, the “otherworld”, or the “dreamtime”.
The Shaman journeys to this space by shifting their state of consciousness to an amplified state. Here they can connect to ancestors, power animals and spirit guides, and access wisdom and knowledge which would not be readily accessible in our ordinary state of mind. They would achieve this through various means depending on their location and lineage, such as with the use of the drum, click sticks or didgeridoo, breath work, or in some cultures, through the use of psychoactive plant medicines.
There are several healing techniques such as extraction, soul retrieval and psychopomp, which have been practiced by the Shaman throughout the ages, in various different cultures. All of these techniques stem from the Shaman’s ability to understand, track and work with pure energy.
The intention of the shaman was to heal. They were the “medicine man” or “medicine woman” of the community, who oversaw the physical, psychological, spiritual and energetic health of their people, the land, and the plants and creatures upon it.
What does shamanic therapy entail?
In the world of soul, I have seldom seen anyone take a risk for growth that was not rewarded a thousand times over, for to trust to experience is to grow, to learn, to develop. - John O’ Donohue.
Unlike traditional psychotherapy and counselling, during a shamanic therapy session we work on a level of pure energy. This allows us to go beyond the story, and get to the energetic root of what is causing dis-ease in your life. Through a combination of energetic medicine and shamanic counselling, we will work together to address and heal this root cause in a simple yet potent, empowering way. This transformation on an energetic level will, as a result, bring balance to the mind, body and spirit.
During our time together, we will work with one or more of the following techniques:
Imbas Forosnai - Divine Illumination
Imbas Forosnai is a core technique which is incorporated into all Extraction work (see below), instead of being offered as a stand-alone treatment.
It involves locating and removing an energetic blockage within the chakra system which has manifested due to your presenting issue, thus creating space for a lighter energy (Imbas) to enter and "illuminate" the body.
The removal of this blockage will result in your issue not carrying the same weight as it did before, creating within you a sense of lightness and freedom.
After receiving Imbas, your energy body, which informs the state of your mental, physical and emotional health, will be able to function at a more optimal level.
Extraction
The process of Extraction involves removing "intrusions" from the energy body, which are energies that are unfavourable to your health and wellbeing.
Intrusions can be present within the energy body for multiple different reasons. Sometimes they can manifest over time as a result of our habitual negative thought or behaviour patterns. In other cases, they may be the result of a disharmonious connection with another person.
Our energy body has its own method of filtering energies from the system, but if they are particularly dense, they may remain within us and cause us to develop symptoms of mental, emotional or physical dis-ease over time.
There is nothing inherently negative about intrusions, nor any need to fear them. They are simply energies that are not conducive to your mind, body and spirit being at their optimal health.
During an Extraction, any intrusions which are present in the energy body as a result of your presenting issue will be removed, creating space for lighter, healthier energy (Imbas) to fill the body. After an Extraction, it is common to feel a sense of freedom, ease and empowerment, as well as experiencing a fresh outlook and decrease in emotional attachment to your presenting issue. In essence, the energy which is the cause of your dis-ease has been removed, so the situation will no longer affect you in the way it did before.
An Extraction is a very powerful experience, allowing us to get right to the energetic root of your suffering. As a result, one session of this type of energy medicine can often be as potent as several psychotherapy sessions.
Extraction work always precedes Soul Retrieval (see below), as it is necessary to create space by clearing disharmonious energy before welcoming back vital, healthy energy.
Signs you may benefit from an Extraction
There are many signs that may indicate that an Extraction could be beneficial for you, hence this list is not exhaustive. Sometimes it may be a black-and-white circumstance in your life, and other times you may just experience an inner knowing and/or intuitive nudge that is drawing you towards this work.
Some signs include:
Frequent pain at a site where there is no obvious bone or tissue ailment.
Reoccurring malaise or illness which cannot be automatically attributed to lifestyle, diet etc.
A feeling that something is weighing you down in life. You may or may not be able to pinpoint the source of it.
Feeling blocked or like something is in the way of you achieving your goals.
Experiencing an issue (be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual) which is causing you dis-ease, and despite having a mental understanding of it or discussing it with a therapist, it still impacts you.
Chronic negative thought patterns.
Frequently experiencing depression, anxiety or anger.
Severe changes in mood.
Addiction.
Soul Retrieval
In shamanic societies, it is the business of the shaman to locate and bring back lost souls from nonordinary reality where they may have strayed or been stolen for, as Mircea Eliade puts it, “only the shaman can see and capture souls” - Tom Cowan.
Sometimes we can experience events in our lives which cause a part of our energy (soul) to fragment and leave us when there is a perceived threat. This is an inbuilt survival mechanism of the psyche. In psychotherapy, it is referred to as "disassociation", but through a shamanic lens we view this as "soul loss".
Soul loss most often occurs as a response to experiencing a shock or trauma, but can also occur due to an event which is seemingly innocuous. As we all respond to life’s events differently, instances of soul loss will vary from person to person.
Most of the time, these fragmented parts of our energy/soul will make their way back to us naturally. However, there are sometimes occasions when the soul part cannot come back without assistance. Without these soul parts, it is common to feel that there is something missing from your life that you just can't put your finger on, and over time, it may lead to the development of physical or mental dis-ease. In these cases, the intervention of a Shaman may be necessary to guide this soul part back to you.
The retrieval of this vital part of your energy will feel like a homecoming. With it comes a new lease of power, presence and purpose, allowing you to step forth as a more whole and embodied being.
During a Soul Retreival, I will journey (enter into an altered state of consciousness) on your behalf to find and bring back a lost soul part which has previously left you. We do not focus on a particular event or circumstance in your life, but instead, we allow space for the soul part that is ready to come back to be revealed. In other words, we allow the energy to organise itself. The soul part does not come back carrying any attachment to the initial incident that caused it to fragment, instead returning in its healed state. We will then work together to integrate this soul part back into your energy field and take steps to ensure it will remain with you going forward.
Signs you may benefit from a Soul Retrieval
There are a multitude of signs that may indicate that you are experiencing "soul loss". Just as the cause of soul loss will vary from one person to the next, the signs that you may benefit from a Soul Retrieval will be individual too.
Some common signs include:
Lack of connection with your surroundings.
Frequent lack of presence and/or feeling ungrounded.
Feeling disconnected from yourself and/or your life purpose.
Lacking clarity and direction in life.
Feelings of emptiness, numbness or stagnation.
Memory loss.
Depression and anxiety.
Feeling that you are not functioning at your full capacity.
Addictions.
End-of-Life Support and Death Rites
This may be.. the greatest gift of shamanism to the history of human spirituality: the ability to find pattern and structure in death and to render it familiar and acceptable - Tom Cowan.
One of the ancient meanings of the word "shaman" is "one who has died many times." The shaman has greatly explored their relationship with death, hence can step forth with poise and compassion to be of assistance and support to those who are dying and their loved ones.
During a person's final days, the shamanic therapist can be called upon to hold space and assist with the release of any fear or trepidation through energy work. Their intention is to facilitate a "good death", a gentle and relaxed passing.
The shamanic therapist can also offer what is known as the "Death Rites", which assist the complete removal of the energy body from the physical body after death. Whilst from an energetic perspective we naturally know how to die, occasionally part of our energy may get stuck on its release from the physical body at our time of death (often due to fear), which will slow down our soul's transition back to source/the afterlife. The Death Rites will ensure a smooth, complete passing.
These Rites are purely based on energy work, tied to no particular belief system, hence they do not conflict with the traditions or Rites of any religions and may be used in tandem with them.
Psychopomp
The term "Psychopomp" is derived from the Greek word psychopompos, which means "guide of souls". In many traditions, the Shaman acts as a Psychopomp, assisting the souls of the deceased to make their transition to the afterlife.
When a soul crosses over after death, they can sometimes encounter problems in their full transition from the physical to the non-physical realm. This can happen for a multitude of reasons, including fear of death or retribution, confusion or negative emotion experienced at time of death, unfinished business in the physical world, or a strong bond to a loved one or possession.
This difficulty in navigating the afterlife can often be sensed by those who are close to the deceased, who may get a feeling that their loved one is not fully at peace, or that their energy is lingering in a particular environment.
Psychopomp work addresses any circumstances that may be keeping the soul of the deceased earthbound or hindering their full transition in the afterlife, and allows them to ascend to freedom. This work can be performed by the shamanic therapist alone or with the assistance of the deceased’s loved ones, and can take place any time after the person's death.
Whilst helping the deceased to find peace and completion in the afterlife, this work can also have a ripple effect on those who were close to them, gifting them a sense of release and happiness.
If humans committed themselves to their deepest allurements with the same devotion that stars bring to their own activation of power, the earth would enter a new era of well-being. - Brian Swimme.
To enquire about scheduling a Shamanic Therapy session, please contact me via the booking form or on 0833089905.
Location: My clinic space is located in a private and tranquil location just outside Craughwell village. It is approximately a 30 minute drive from Galway city centre.
Pricing: €70 per session, approx. 1 1/2 hours in length.
About Andrea’s Shamanic Training
Andrea has trained with shamans John Cantwell and Karen Ward of Slí an Chroí over a span of two years, completing both The Medicine Spiral and The Healer’s Spiral.
The Medicine Spiral involved a nine month training and initiation into both core and native Irish Shamanism, centred on developing personal knowledge and practice.
This was followed by a further nine months of training in the Healer’s Spiral, which focused on developing the skills and competency to practice as a Shamanic Therapist. Part of this process involved completing 27 case studies before graduation, with several of them supervised in person.
Andrea currently continues her shamanic training through the lectures and trainings of Irish Shaman, Martin Duffy, and Peruvian Curandero don Oscar Miro-Quesada.