It was late into the night that I drank a mixture of what appeared to be pulverized herbs.
The haunting sounds of a song suddenly appeared around me, intensifying my feelings of being utterly lost in an alien universe. The sounds that kept drawing me in, had a pleading quality that made me want to weep with sorrow.
As I started singing, I realized my song was inviting the spirit of the herb to move into my body. I wanted it to stop, to be over but in that moment I knew it was too late, I had left this reality.
Spiritual Wanderer Course:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ "I started the Spiritual Wanderers Course a short while ago and for the first time in twelve years I have started to experience love, acceptance and compassion for myself and within myself. Thank you so much." – Vivienne S.
I was canoeing through the infinite stream of the unconscious mind, and the song was my solitary paddle. It was up to me to avoid the rapids and control the currents by making the song more beautiful, by begging the Spirit of the herb to guide and heal me.
This was my initiation into shamanism. But before this experience, I had to first understand and identify the signs of my shamanic calling.
What is a Shaman?
At its most basic level, shamanism can be understood as a collection of ancient techniques that help to awaken and expand consciousness, as well as heal humanity’s inner wounds.
Shamanic practice is the earliest known form of religion that our ancestors experienced. The different number of spiritual techniques used to expand our conscious and provoke mystical experiences was astonishing. These techniques ranged from chanting, fasting, and nature immersion, to incessant trance dancing and ingesting hallucinogenic plants.
Unlike most religions where the main concern is finding answers, the Shaman is more interested in provoking you to ask the right questions that will lead you to experience truth. The Shaman doesn’t pursue meaning: he or she creates it by bringing the sacred to an otherwise mundane reality.
The word “Shaman” first originated in Siberia as the word “samarambi” meaning “to excite oneself,” and “sam-dambi” meaning to dance. The shaman, therefore, excites himself into a divine frenzy or ecstasy through drum beating and dancing, until he passes into a trance when his spirit leaves his body.
The scholar of comparative religion and anthropologist Mirca Eliade gave us the most simple shaman definition as “specialists in ecstasy,” with an impressive list of abilities including thought-reading, clairvoyance, firewalking, and spirit interaction, just to name a few.
Shadow & Light Membership:
Dissolve the shadows that obscure your inner Light in this weekly email-based membership! Perfect for any soul seeker serious about practicing ongoing shadow work and self-love.
It’s these moments of ecstasy, of ego death, that provide an experience of reality that is larger, deeper, and infinitely more exquisitely beautiful. Shamans worldwide know that in order to understand society and live more fully attuned to reality, they need to go wild, travel out of their normal minds, and visit the invisible world of Spirit, which is the undercurrent of the visible world.
By accessing the invisible realm, Shamans can tap into a powerful way of guiding their lives and the lives of others.
Training as Wounded Healers
By the time we become adults, most of us are so alienated from ourselves and the earth, indoctrinated by media, and deluded by “false needs” created by the consumer culture, that there’s little hope for us connecting with the other worlds surrounding us.
In tribal cultures, shamans or healers often experienced an illness that gave them the insight they needed to heal themselves and then bring wisdom to their people. This experience echoes Socrates’ notion that “Our greatest blessings come to us by way of madness.“
It’s often through great struggle that Shamans break free from their illnesses and awaken to the truth. By learning how to cure themselves, they also learn how to cure others.
It’s because of this initiation process that Shamans are often called “Wounded Healers.” The shaman being a wounded healer is something I speak about at length in my Spiritual Wanderer Course.
11 Signs of the Shamanic Calling
There are three stages of becoming a Shaman: the Calling, Training, and Initiation process.
In the past, you were trained by a mentor or an older Shaman but in today’s world, most Shamans won’t know how to recognize their calling to even begin their training. Most people undergoing a shamanic calling won’t understand what is happening to them and will, therefore, feel overwhelmed by fear.
But it’s through training that the Shaman-in-making becomes a master of the sacred; of being abe to effectively find, protect, and use the creative but intense energies of the sacred for therapeutic or other beneficial purposes.
Here are some of the signs you might experience if you’re being called to the Shamanic path:
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this article to you, so you can come back to it later!
Your information will never be shared.
1) You feel a strong connection to nature
Shamans understand “the web of life”; that everything on Earth is deeply interconnected through the web of Spirit. Nothing embodies this understanding better than nature, how it nurtures us, and how we nurture it in a mutually dependent relationship.
2) You enjoy solitude and find it hard to fit in with others
Shamans in most cultures were solitary individuals (often living in the outskirts of the village), and they were often considered eccentric or “different.”
However, they were respected because of the wisdom they shared. Because of their unique gifts and sensitivities, Shamans could never fit into typical society because they acted as the bridges between this world and the unseen worlds.
3) You’ve experienced a near-death, out-of-body or mystical experience
To be a Shaman, you must experience a complete “death and rebirth,” and often this can present itself as a temporary illness or shocking crisis of some kind that ignites an existential crisis.
It’s through overcoming and healing from this terrifying ordeal that the Shaman-to-be surrenders everything they know as true for whatever wisdom they’re meant to learn.
4) You’ve felt a subtle healing energy in your hands
Many Shamans are born with the capacity to act as “curanderos,” as masters of living energy. In other words, they have the ability to control and manipulate the energy in their bodies and the bodies of others.
Carrying healing energy is often manifested as having good circulation of blood in your hands. Your hands will almost always feel warm to the touch (or even boiling hot) and you might sometimes feel subtle energy emanating from them.
5) You have the ability to “read” others
Some Shamans are born with the gift of “vision” or the capacity to look at other people and see the illness they may be carrying or spiritual obstacles they must overcome.
People with a shamanic calling frequently report psychic abilities such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, or other paranormal experiences.
6) You have ancestors who were healers or medical herbalists
Many cultures believe that the gift of being a Shaman is inherited and can only be passed down through generations.
Of course, in today’s world, it’s almost impossible to know whether any of our ancestors were healers as our recent ancestors, much like ourselves, never claimed and cultivated this Shamanic gift.
7) You have vivid or prophetic dreams
Some Shamans are born with the natural ability to travel between realms, to bring back information, and even see visions of future events through their dreams.
8) You are visited by spirit animals
Animals or hybrid animals (half animal half human) play a big role in the Shaman’s journey. Spirit animals serve as Guides that share vital information and serve as reminders whenever we require their help.
9) You see things that others can’t see
The ability to access other realms and hidden dimensions can start at a very early age. To be an effective Shaman you must have the fluidity of mind to be open and receptive to new information.
It’s this unique trait that has resulted in many Shamans being labeled and prescribed as mentally ill by modern medicine.
Spiritual Awakening Bundle:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ "Luna & Sol, your words have been like salve to my soul. I have been searching for a way to heal and reconnect to my true self for so long (20 years) but have never found anything that truly made a difference… Until I read your books." – Stac
10) You have physical abnormalities that set you apart
In the past, many physical characteristics, such as being born with extra fingers, toes or with a caul (thin membrane) covering your head at birth were considered spiritual signs or omens that a person has a special relationship with the spirit world.
11) You feel a calling to help, heal or ease the suffering of others
Ultimately, Shamanism can be seen as a practice of balancing or self-correcting our relationship with others and the natural world around us.
Whenever a Shaman sees suffering, they’ll feel a strong desire to heal it in order to re-establish that lost harmony within the web of life.
***
The fact that you’re looking up or reading this article on Shamanism is a sign you’ve been guided to learn about something very few people are interested in.
These signs may be general and can happen to a lot of people, but in truth, many of us are being called by spiritual forces, yet few of us answer that calling.
Some may be able to go through life without listening to this spiritual calling, while others might experience depression and physical illness the more they close off and neglect to listen.
So what happens once you do listen to your calling, how can you find training? Ideally, nothing is more effective than training and learning under a mentor or spiritual guide.
Shamanism is a spirituality that is experienced, not thought about or theorized. The internet can be useful in allowing you to look up local practitioners that may offer apprenticeships, though be discerning and aware as this field is open to much trickery.
For those who can’t find local mentors, I’ll continue writing on this topic – and if you want to go deeper, I explore the shamanic archetype within our Spiritual Wanderer Course.
Tell me, do you feel called to this path? What initiated you on the shamanic journey?
Whenever you feel the call, there are 3 ways I can help you:
1. The Spiritual Wanderer Course: Need "big picture" direction, clarity, and focus? Our Spiritual Wanderer course is a crystallization of 10+ years of inner work, and it can help you find your deeper path and purpose in life as a spiritual wanderer. You get 3+ hours of audio-visual content, workbooks, meditations, a premium test, and more!.
2. Shadow & Light Membership: Want weekly intuitive guidance to support you on your awakening path? This affordable membership can help you to befriend your dark side, rediscover more self-love, and reclaim inner wholeness.
3. Spiritual Awakening Bundle: Looking for a collection of all our essential transformative resources? You get five enlightening ebooks, seven in-depth journals, plus two empowering bonuses to help you soul search, heal, and awaken.
This made me in tears. I know I am a Shaman, I can feel it. But what to do now? I go for a trancejourney to a Shaman every month. Do I tell her that I want to become a shaman? I don’t want to go in her way. Can I ask her if she wants to mentor me with this or not? I’m a little confused. What do I need to do?
Shamanism is not and has never been a religion. It is a practice. It is the oldest known practice in human history yes, but not a religion. It started out when they discovered dreams while sleeping. Some people took it to the next level to figure out what they were. and the ones who went deeper and deeper every night discovered meditation which I’m sure they had a different name for it back then. Then it turned into trance meditation and seeing the spirit world and Spirit guides like I do today. After 15 years I practice.
Hello, dear soul. I was diagnosed with major depression after a narcissist/empath marriage. I have two girls, the divorce put us all through dark times. I was severely depressed and my youngest became so as well. They put me on meds that made things worse, then they diagnosed me with bipolar, after a 10 minute assessment. The meds gave me seizures. My family basically left me to rot, and had to take myself to the doctor after the seizures and come home alone. My for my father has always travelled and would be there if he could, it was him and my two girls, the only ones that ever stood by me. My youngest was very depressed when I was very sick as well and her father left to travel the world cut off all support and I had to work, try to keep myself together and her. Not three days after he left she tried to commit suicide. He didn’t return home. I had to quit work, had no child support and so applied for government assistance which I fought and fought for but received nothing. I had a low point and almost myself took my life but when… Read more »
Please can you help me.. I will make this message as short and to the point as possible. About 4 years ago i was in a very dark place, one day i learned of DMT and spent a few months researching, then a few more months of building the courage and trying to have that ‘break through’ experience. At the same time trying to open the pineal gland, i achieved this in a spectacular fashion, and shortly had my first of many breakthroughs. I felt the light and power course through my body awaking many different things including a deep understanding of EVERYTHING ! I felt as though i had achieved what i set out to do at that time. However the last 2years of my life has come to stop (no work, no woman, no love, no direction) and nothing but a deep sinking feeling has consumed me. I’m not sure what, but something made search for the answer online.. which has lead me to researching shamanism, and as soon as i start to read anything on the matter, i’m overwhelmed and instantly burst into tears and become emotional (VERY unusual for me). I know this is a message… Read more »
great website. no test available. all about generating revenue for your classes. what about the people who are not sure about the experiences that they are Having? this was the closest thing that i found that acknowledged the type of experience that i was seeking advice on.
This article proved a point that I am a shaman in training. I’ve had many near death dreams, prophetic dreams. I’ve had this dream where I was walking alone, it was a long road with many twists and turns but inside of me was courage and I knew I had to find a specific place and I found it. I had this other dream where I was being chased by a powerful spirit. I was running! And running for my life. I was alone. Then when I stopped fearing the spirit it stopped chasing me. I was relieved. These were all tests. These were my shamanic spiritual tests and I have many more to come. I even met my twin flame. I am this person that cannot be around anyone. They have to have a good vibration. I cannot be around or stand evil people. Many persons hate me because they see something in me they can’t take or have. I even got baptised. As I said people hate me, including some family members like my brother. My brother is egoistic, sad and self centered. I tried to forgive him, I even pray for him but he proves to me… Read more »
This article proved a point. I’m undergoing shamanic trainingtraining as in one of my dreams the spirits made me roam roads alone. I didn’t felt uncomfortable I just felt like I needed to find a specific place. I saw no one, it was just me and my inner compass. I eventually found the place in my dream but the road was long and full of twists and turns. In the other traumatic dream I was being chased by a powerful spirit. I was running! I didn’t stop running. I was scared of what it would do to me. It was me alone, again! I then somewhat stopped fearing the spirit and it stopped chasing me. It was a test! I had many near death dreams and even prophetic ones, fun dreams too. As a shaman I’m never comfortable around anyone. I can feel others envy against me, their hatred and other stuff. I’m never comfortable in my environment unless I’m alone or around good people. Sometimes my mother say its like I’m not living in reality. When I’m alone my mind goes far away and its like I’m being pulled in. I don’t ever want evil people around me! A… Read more »
Is it weird this made me tear up & for a brief moment, felt a moment of peace.? I was born under the same circumstances; always felt there was a reason behind it. People don’t suffer for no reason & to be able to rise above & use that learning to heal others is the most beautiful & sacred gift one can give to another in today’s world. I don’t know anyone interested in this topic – very alone! This is the start of a WONDERFUL journey. Peace & love. Thank you for understanding us.
I have felt this calling for a long time now about 3 or 4 years and I meet all the required criteria of the signs that i am ment to be a Shaman. I do not want to deny this calling that is my destiny, and i know I have so much potential to heal others and this world.
My greatest problem is that I can’t find my mentor/teacher, so i have been struggling to train myself the best way that i know how but i know i need help and guidance to see myself through this transition. Any advice on how to go about this would be greatly appreciated.
I just found out I’m a shaman !!!!! Literally like last night I’m about to cry and burst with excitement. I had absolutely no idea why I had this recurring dream of Bulldogs with crystal ball eyes for years and years it was a mystery. Peace and love to everyone!! And any one in the struggling stage of the journey seriously keep going it’s so worth it !!!!!+!+ thanks for all the info, I read yours in the dark night about 3am thank you for sharing all the info at such a crazy time !