Shamanism Shamanism refers to a group of traditional healing practices that have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times. Although these traditions are diverse in their cultural expression, there are basic structures and methods that are the same across the globe and throughout millennia. Common among Shamanic practices around the world is access and movement through non-ordinary aspects of reality similar to the dream world in the structure of an Upper, Middle, and Lower World. Unlike dreaming, these worlds are accessed when awake and fully conscious via the Shamanic Journey, a technique using the power of rhythmic sound, most often a drum or rattle, to generate a mild trance state in which teachings are imparted. In the Shamanic paradigm of health and disease, not unlike Chinese medicine, we look for places in a person's life where his or her life energy is being drained and through these places of weakness something external can enter into a person’s psyche or mental-emotional being. For example, if a child is constantly criticized, his life energy may be drained in the relationship with the person criticizing him, and eventually may even hear in his head the same criticism he was told. These negative thought patterns did not originally belong to him, but came into his psyche from the external world. Shamanism employs the direction and teaching of spirit guides, which some think of as separate entities from ourselves, while others perceive them as aspects of our own inner knowing. Shamanic methods work to help restore a person's own power and remove influences that are not serving the highest aspect of a person's being. Jasmine teaches Shamanic Journeying privately in session with clients. She has completed advanced Shamanic Practitioner studies through the Anam Cara Foundation. Further recommended reading: The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell The Cosmic Serpent by Jeremy Narby Shamansim: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy by Mircea Eliade The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner