Algol: The Shamanic Astrology of the Demon Star & Galactic Healing Transmissions

Algol: The Shamanic Astrology of the Demon Star, Starseed Wisdom and Galactic Healing Transmissions

Algol is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood stars in the night sky — and in Shamanic astrology, it is one of the most powerful. Known in Western astrology as the "Demon Star of Gorgon" and associated in mythology with the severed head of Medusa, Algol has a reputation for intensity that has made it both feared and sought after by practitioners of star magic for thousands of years. Here I want to share what Algol actually is, what it offers from a Shamanic and Alchemical astrology perspective, and what it means to work with Algol's stargate portal for healing and wisdom transmission.

What Is Algol?

Algol is one of the Behenian stars — the 15 fixed stars used by the original Alchemists for the purpose of magic and spellcasting. Algol is a star in the constellation Perseus, located at approximately 26 degrees Taurus in the tropical zodiac. It is a trinary star system, with the two largest stars orbiting each other, which causes it to dim and brighten in a regular cycle visible to the naked eye. This pulsing quality may be part of why ancient astronomers across many cultures noticed it, named it, and attributed to it an intensity unlike other stars.

In Arabic tradition it is called Ras Al-Ghul — the Demon's Head. In Greek mythology it corresponds to the severed head of Medusa, held by Perseus. In many astrological traditions, Algol is regarded as an “unlucky” star and is thought to be one of the worst celestial influences. Across cultures and traditions, Algol carries associations with transformation through extremity, the power of the feminine in its most primal and uncontained form, and the ability to petrify — to stop something in its tracks — which in Shamanic healing terms translates to the capacity to interrupt a pattern at its root.

But, contrary to its tortured reputation, I have found working with Algol to be deeply healing, transformative and beneficial. When I first learned about Algol and the Behenian Stars, I noticed immediately that Algol has a powerful influence through a conjunction in my natal chart. I meditated with this star, and felt not only its ferocity, but its warmth. Yes, the energies of this star are intense — but in the way of lightning, ocean currents and glaciers carving the landscapes. To some, this level of potent, primal power may appear harmful or intimidating. But from my perspective, and the Shamanic perspective, Algol’s power is immensely beautiful, primordial and deeply humbling, as are all forces of nature.

Algol in Shamanic and Alchemical Astrology

In Shamanic astrology and Alchemical practice, fixed stars are understood very differently than in conventional Western astrology. Rather than being abstract influences that color a chart, fixed stars are living spiritual intelligences — beings with their own medicine, their own consciousness, and their own relationship to the humans who call upon them.

Working with Algol in Shamanic practice means entering into direct relationship with the spirit of this star — receiving its transmissions, working with its particular quality of energy in the body and the field, and aligning with what Algol specifically has to offer in terms of healing, insight, and activation. While I happen to have a personal natal chart alignment with Algol, that is not necessary to work with this (or any) magical star — its transformative power and consciousness is open to all who open the portal of connection.

Algol's medicine, in my experience and in the experience of other practitioners I have worked with, is connected to several specific themes:

Artwork: Medusa by Glen Vause

Primal Feminine Power

The Medusa mythology is not a story about a monster — it is a story about the suppression and eventual reclamation of a particular kind of feminine power. Medusa was originally a beautiful priestess of Athena, violated by Poseidon, transformed and then destroyed by patriarchal forces. She represents the usurpation of divine feminine power — a distorted and violated demigoddess, killed as a sacrifice to the emerging Olympic gods. Her energy symbolizes the demonization of primal feminine power, but her head on Athena’s shield shows her presence in Athena’s wisdom and the redemption of the dark feminine. Working with Algol as a Shamanic ally means working with the reclamation of this primal, sovereign, earth-rooted feminine power — in all genders, in all lineages.

Starseed Wisdom and Galactic Connection

Algol (along with all of the Behenian stars) carries strong starseed frequencies — codes and transmissions that connect us with our galactic origins and with the broader cosmic intelligence that moves through us. Many people who work with Algol report a sense of remembering something they already knew, a reconnection with a part of their consciousness that feels ancient and non-terrestrial.

Transformation Through Intensity

Algol's association with intensity, chaos and extremity in traditional astrology translates, in healing practice, to the capacity to work at the root of a pattern rather than the surface. This is not gentle medicine — it is deep and powerful. It is chaotic — not in a negative way, but in the primordial way of organic systems, like the eruption of growth in the understory after a tree falls. In a safely held Shamanic container, Algol's transformative, chaotic frequencies can help unlock what gentler work has not been able to reach.

What Are Galactic Healing Transmissions?

We have a long and richly storied relationship with the celestial realms throughout human history. Temples, stone circles and monuments all over the world are oriented to the stars and astrological alignments — Stonehenge, the Great Pyramids, Chichen Itza, mounds and medicine wheels built by indigenous peoples of North America. The myths of virtually every culture on Earth include tales of heavenly beings, astral wisdom keepers, and the transmission of knowledge from the stars to humanity.

A galactic healing transmission, in the context of Shamanic practice, is a direct energetic download — the receipt of frequencies, codes, information and healing energy from a specific star or galactic source, facilitated through Shamanic journey and ritual. It is not purely cognitive or symbolic. It is something that happens in the body, in the energy field, and in the consciousness of the recipient.

People who have received galactic transmissions in my Stargate ceremonies have reported experiences including:

• Intense visions of colored light

• A deep sense of peace and relaxation that persists for days

• Tingling, humming, vibration and physical sensation throughout the body

• Hearing words, messages and clear guidance

• Feeling a restructuring or realignment in the energy body

• Sensing the presence of galactic beings

• Hearing songs or music with no external source

• Receiving ideas and inspiration related to current creative projects or new directions

One of the most potent transmissions I have received from the magical stars came in the form of a song. I had opened a Shamanic journey to connect with a Stargate portal, when I began feeling surges of energy coursing down through my spine. Suddenly, I heard the words and melody of a song, as clearly as if someone were singing directly into my ears. I listened carefully and wrote down what I heard. After I closed the Shamanic journey, I sang the song to make a recording on my phone, and I felt power rippling through my whole body. I knew that this song was a gift from the star nations to help people connect with their energies. I now offer that song at every Stargate event so that participants can receive this beautiful medicine.

What Is a Stargate Portal?

A Stargate portal, in Shamanic and Alchemical astrology practice, refers to a specific window of time when a star's energy is particularly accessible — when the conditions of the cosmos align in such a way that the bridge between our earthly experience and that star's frequencies is unusually open.

These windows are identified through a combination of astronomical alignment (when a fixed star reaches a particular point in relation to the Sun, Moon, or significant planetary positions) and Shamanic discernment — working directly with the spirit of the star to understand when it is most available for communion.

The Algol Stargate portal in May 2026 is one of those windows. This is the time to open the astral bridge, step through, and receive what Algol has to offer.

Alchemical Astrology and Star Elixirs

One of the distinctive elements of the way I work with fixed star ceremonies is the creation of Alchemically crafted star elixirs — medicines made specifically to carry the frequency of a particular star.

Alchemical astrology includes the practice of working with the correspondence between celestial bodies and physical substances — plants, minerals, metals, and other earthly materials that carry vibrational resonance with specific stars or planets. A star elixir is created by working with those Alchemical correspondences, at the precise moment of a stargate portal, to capture and preserve the star's transmission in a form that can be taken home and worked with over time.

Every attendee at my Stargate ceremonies receives a bottle of Alchemically crafted Star Elixir — a tangible continuation of the transmission that supports ongoing integration and deepening connection with this star's medicine.

Join Us — Algol Stargate Ceremony Near Portland, Oregon

If this resonates with you, I'd love to have you join us at the Algol Stargate: Shamanic Journey & Galactic Healing Transmission on Saturday, May 16, 2–4:30pm, on sacred forested land in Corbett, Oregon — just outside Portland, in the Columbia River Gorge.

Come pray and journey with Algol in the forest temple. The stars are waiting.

View full event details and register →

Explore More Ways to Work With Shamanic Astrology and Star Magic

Star ceremonies and Stargate events are one expression of the Alchemical astrology and Shamanic astrology work woven throughout my practice. If you're drawn to go deeper:

→ Shamanic Healing sessions — individual healing work that may include star medicine

→ 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship — for sustained development of your relationship with the stars and the spirit realm

→ Foundations of Shamanism course — foundational training in shamanic practice including working with cosmic forces

Or book a consultation call to explore what kind of support is the right fit for where you are.

What Is Beltane? A Shamanic Celebration of Abundance, Fertility and Sacred Union

What Is Beltane? A Shamanic Celebration of Abundance, Fertility and Sacred Union

Beltane is one of the most alive and potent holy days in the Celtic Wheel of the Year — a fire festival devoted to fertility, abundance, and the sacred creative power of life in full bloom. In Shamanic and Earth-based spiritual practice, Beltane is a time to align with the generative forces of the Earth, to activate what is ready to grow within us, and to celebrate the sacred union of opposites that makes creation possible. In this article I'll share what Beltane is, why it holds such potent magic, and how I work with it in my Shamanic practice — including in the annual Beltane ritual I host on sacred forested land near Portland, Oregon.

What Is the Wheel of the Year?

Beltane is one of eight holy days in the Wheel of the Year — the sacred calendar of seasonal and solar celebrations honored in Celtic and Earth-based spiritual traditions. The eight holy days fall at the four solar turning points (the solstices and equinoxes) and at the four cross-quarter points halfway between them. Together they map the full cycle of life: planting and growing, blooming and harvesting, dying and returning.

The cross-quarter fire festivals — Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain — are often considered the most potent of the eight, because they fall at the energetic peak between seasons rather than at the solar axis points themselves.

I first encountered Beltane and the other cross-quarter holy days through my Druid teacher many years ago, and it began a deep and long-unfolding initiation with the cycles of life in the land. Participating in ritual celebration and devotion with the rhythms of aliveness in the Earth helped me connect with my own cycles of aliveness and creation in a more potent way.

My first experience participating in a Beltane ritual connected me with a power I will never forget. During the ritual, I felt myself open fully to the forces of creation and life: Life living itself through me. All of my cells celebrating in the symphony of creation. Belonging fully to Life, and the wild joy of being so fully part of this Earthly rhythm.

What Is Beltane?

Beltane falls at the midpoint between the March Equinox and the June Solstice — in the Northern Hemisphere, this is approximately May 5th, but is acknowledged in the Gregorian calendar on May 1st. In the Celtic calendar it marks the beginning of summer and the moment when the light fully overcomes the dark, when the land has warmed enough to support new life, and when the fertile creative power of the Earth is at its most available and abundant.

Traditionally, Beltane was celebrated with bonfires, dancing, flower crowns, and May poles — all symbols of the sacred union of the masculine and feminine principles, the Sun and the Earth, the God and the Goddess, coming together in symbolic marriage. In union, there is creation. There is the spark of new life. There is wholeness and emergence.

In Shamanic practice, Beltane is understood as a time when the veil between the worlds is thin in a particular way — not toward the ancestors and the dead, as at the tomb portal of Samhain, but toward the spirits of life, fertility, and the land itself. Beltane is the portal of the womb. The nature spirits are extraordinarily active and receptive at Beltane, and the Earth's creative frequencies are at their most generative and accessible.

Beltane and Abundance — What's the Connection?

In modern spiritual practice, abundance is often framed as a mindset or an intention. In Shamanic practice, abundance is understood as a living frequency — a quality of aliveness that moves through the Earth and through us, that can be aligned with, activated, and anchored through ritual and ceremony.

Beltane is one of the most powerful times of year to work with abundance, prosperity, and fertile creativity, because the Earth herself is broadcasting those frequencies at full amplitude. When we bring ourselves into alignment with what the Earth is already doing — through ceremony, through offering, through embodied ritual — we become conduits for that creative power rather than working against the current of the season.

This is why Shamanic Beltane ritual focuses not just on asking for abundance, but on becoming abundant — embodying the fertile creative power that is our birthright and our inheritance from the Earth.

I first started hosting Shamanic Beltane rituals where I live near Portland, Oregon because the land itself was asking to hold people in this ceremony. In the meditation where I received this instruction, I distinctly heard the words, “Bring people here to pray,” and I saw wildflowers rapidly growing and overflowing out of my cupped hands. Inviting people here to participate in the magic of Beltane through direct communion with the land has brought more than one participant to tears of gratitude for the beauty of life and generosity of the land.

What to Expect at a Shamanic Beltane Ritual

A Shamanic Beltane ritual is different from a meditation class or a workshop. It is a ceremony — a structured, intentional, energetically held gathering that works directly with the spirits of the land, the seasonal forces, and the participants' own life force and creative power.

In the Beltane rituals I host on sacred forested land near Portland, Oregon, we work with several elements:

Shamanic Teaching

Every ritual begins with teaching — grounding participants in the mythological, seasonal, and energetic context of Beltane so the ceremonial experience has roots. This is where we explore the meaning of sacred union, the nature of Beltane magic, and how to work consciously with the Earth's abundance frequencies.

Shamanic Ritual and Ceremony

The heart of the gathering is the ritual itself — a Shamanic ceremony that works directly with Earth magic, the spirit of the land, and the generative frequencies of Beltane. Participants are guided through the experience step by step. No prior experience with Shamanism is required.

Wildcrafting and Plant Medicine

One of the most beloved elements of my Beltane rituals is a wildcrafting elixir practice — making a personalized plant medicine from the land itself to take home and work with as you integrate your ritual experience. This is hands-on, sensory, and deeply connecting.

Land and Community

Time with the sacred forested land in the Columbia River Gorge is woven throughout. Forest bathing, reflection, tea, and community connection with fellow seekers are part of every gathering.

What People Say About Michelle's Beltane Ritual

“Michelle is wonderful. She looks like a Celtic goddess and sings like one too 🌟. I attended her Beltane event at her home which was magical, mystical, and full of wonderment. Her back yard is enchanting with a beautiful forest and magnificent sculptures. I left the event feeling recharged creatively and spiritually 🤍 Thank you Michelle for creating and hosting this magical event ✨”

— Karlene K. Portland, OR

Join Us This May 2 — Beltane Shamanic Abundance & Fertility Ritual

This year's Beltane ritual takes place on Saturday, May 2, 1–4pm on sacred forested land in Corbett, Oregon — just outside Portland, in the Columbia River Gorge. Sliding scale tickets $22–$50.

What Is Ready to Bloom Within You?

What fertile creative power is waiting to be activated and fully expressed? Beltane is the moment the Earth has been building toward since the first shoots of February. Come celebrate it on the land, in ceremony, in community.

View full event details and register on the Shamanic Events page →

Go Deeper — Shamanic Support for Your Journey

Beltane gatherings and Shamanic events are a beautiful entry point into this work. If you feel called to ongoing support — whether through individual healing sessions, 1:1 mentorship, or structured Shamanic training — I'd love to connect.

• → Shamanic Healing sessions — for deep personal healing work

• → 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship — for sustained spiritual development and guidance

• → Foundations of Shamanism course — my 11-week live online Shamanic training program

Or if you're not sure where to start: Book a consultation call and we'll find the right fit together.

How to Develop Your Shamanic Senses: A Guide to Sensing, Feeling, Projecting and Directing Energy

How to Develop Your Shamanic Senses: A Guide to Sensing, Feeling, Projecting and Directing Energy

One of the most common questions I receive from people beginning a Shamanic practice is some version of: "How do I know if what I'm experiencing is real, or if I'm just making it up?" It's a beautiful question, and it points to something essential about Shamanic development — the cultivation of energetic fluency. In Shamanic practice, your ability to consciously sense, feel, project, and direct energy is not a mysterious gift that some people have and others don't. It's a skill. And like any skill, it develops through practice. In this article I'm going to walk you through exactly what these skills are, how they work, and how to begin developing them.

The Two Core Skills of Shamanic Consciousness Practice

At the foundation of all Shamanic energy work are two core capacities:

Sensing and feeling — the ability to perceive, receive, and notice energy: in your body, in your field, in the space around you, and in others. This is the receptive, listening side of energetic work.

Projecting and directing — the ability to move, transfer, and guide energy with intentional awareness. This is the active, expressive side of energetic work.

Every Shamanic practice draws on both of these. When you are Shamanic journeying to connect with a spirit guide, you are sensing and feeling — receiving information, images, sensations, and messages. You are also projecting — sending your consciousness into the spirit realm and directing your intention toward what you are seeking.

When you are working as a Shamanic healer with a client, you are sensing and feeling their energy field — perceiving blockages, intrusions, soul loss, and areas of depletion. And you are directing — inviting healing forces into their field, guiding energy to move, directing extraction work.

The two skills work together. Both are learnable and can be developed with practice, and the help of validation.

During my very first Shamanic training in 2003, I swallowed my initial anxiety (would I be able to do this? Is this real?) and dove right into trust and surrender of what I was sensing. We practiced Shamanic journeying in pairs, and when I shared with my partner what I had sensed and felt on her behalf, she quickly validated everything I had perceived as extremely accurate, helpful and relevant for her. I felt relieved to have many experiences like this early in my practice, that allowed me to build trust and confidence in my ability to accurately perceive energy. This helped me build a strong foundation for my growing Shamanic healing work and allowed me to consciously develop my skills.

"Am I Making This Up?" — The Question Every Beginner Asks

Let me speak directly to the doubt that most beginners carry.

When you extend your awareness into a space, into a body, or into the spirit realm, and you notice something — a sensation, an image, a feeling, a knowing — a part of your mind will immediately ask: "Is that real, or am I imagining it?"

Here is what I want you to know: the imaginal intelligence is real intelligence. The faculty of imagination is not the opposite of perception — it's a type of perception. The Shamanic realms and the beings who inhabit them communicate through exactly this channel: images, feelings, sensations, symbols, knowing.

When I first began my Shamanic practice in 2003, I felt the same concern I hear from many of my students — “how do I know I’m not just making things up?” But when I asked my teachers about it, they all encouraged me to embrace what I perceived as my imagination. From the Shamanic perspective, imagination is a valid sensory intelligence that allows the practitioner to transcend beyond ordinary reality into subtle realms of perception and collaboration with spiritual forces.

The way you develop trust in your perception is not by waiting to be sure before you act on it. It's by practicing, noticing, journaling, and tracking what happens over time. You begin to build a body of experience that tells you: yes, when I sense something in that particular way, it tends to be accurate.

This is why consciousness practices — the exercises for sensing and feeling, and projecting and directing — are so important. They build the muscle. They make the channel clearer, more consistent, and more trustworthy over time.

Three Exercises I Teach in the Foundations of Shamanism

Here are three consciousness practices I teach in the Foundations of Shamanism course to help students develop energetic fluency and confidence. You can begin working with them on your own.

Exercise 1: Sensing and Feeling in Space

Sit comfortably with your eyes closed and your hands resting palm up on your legs. Take a few deep breaths to arrive fully present.

Front and behind: Extend your attention to the space in front of your body. Feel it. Notice any objects there, and then feel beyond them — all the way to the wall in front of you, and maybe beyond. Then shift your attention to the space behind your body. Do the same. Then extend in both directions simultaneously. Notice whether one direction is easier than the other.

Sides, above, below: Repeat this process for the space to your right, your left, above your head, and below your feet. Then both sides simultaneously, both above and below simultaneously, and finally, all directions at once — 360 degrees around you in a sphere.

The expansion-contraction breath: On your inhale, draw all of your awareness as deep inside yourself as possible — compressed like a tiny, dense marble of light. On your exhale, expand your awareness out in every direction simultaneously, as far as you can. Repeat several times.

What this develops: Multi-directional awareness. The ability to sense and feel what is all around you simultaneously. In Shamanic journeying and healing work, this translates to the capacity to hold attention in multiple directions, dimensions, and relationships at once — what I call energetic bilocation and multilocation. This practice also supports the foundation of intentionally directing your energy through expansion and contraction. This direction can later be refined.

Exercise 2: The Layers of the Body

This is a practice in sensing and feeling into the interior of your own energy body.

Choose one hand. Bring your attention to it completely. Then move your awareness through the layers, one at a time, from outside in:

• The skin — feel the air on your skin, the warmth, the texture

• The muscles — feel their warmth and strength

• The blood — feel the current, maybe feel your heartbeat in your thumb

• The bones — feel the crystalline, mineral structure

• The marrow — that spongy tissue where new blood is born

• The light at the core of the marrow — your starseed consciousness

Then hold all layers simultaneously. Then transfer that full awareness to your other hand. Then jump back to the first. Then both hands simultaneously. Then slowly expand that whole-body awareness through your wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, head, chest, abdomen, hips, and all the way down to the tips of your toes.

What this develops: Precision of attention, depth of sensing, and the ability to project and direct awareness with intention. The "jumping" is projecting. The holding of all layers simultaneously is an advanced form of perceptual multilocation.

Exercise 3: The Tiny Self

This is a practice in deliberate perspective-shifting and Shamanic bilocation.

Project a tiny version of yourself — perhaps an inch tall — to stand in the palm of one hand. Then enter the perspective of that tiny self. Feel the squishy palm beneath your feet. Wrap your tiny arms around a finger like a tree trunk. Look up and see your full-size face above you.

Then jump your awareness back to your full-size self, looking down. Then back to the tiny self. Then jump your tiny self to your other hand. Then hold both perspectives simultaneously — the tiny self looking up, and the full-size self looking down — at the same time.

What this develops: Deliberate bilocation. The ability to project consciousness to another location and perceive from there. This is directly related to the kind of consciousness we work with in Shamanic journeying, soul retrieval, and healing work with clients — where we are simultaneously present in ordinary reality and in the spirit realm.

Over the years, I have found that students tend to already feel comfortable with one area of these exercises, and deeply challenged by others. Students who have an existing meditation or embodiment practice often feel very confident sensing the layers of the body, or the space around them. But many students feel challenged when asked to “jump” their awareness back and forth between their hands, feel into multiple directions simultaneously, or to shift their consciousness into their tiny selves. I have seen many students experience initial frustration (especially at the bilocation and projecting consciousness exercises), only to go practice for two weeks and happily report a newfound confidence and capacity.

The Connection to Shamanic Journeying

Everything in these three exercises is preparation for Shamanic journeying and Shamanic healing work.

In Shamanic journeying, you deliberately enter an altered state of consciousness — a trance-like state — in which you can access the spirit realm, connect with guides and teachers, and receive information and healing. This state is accessed through exactly the same capacities these exercises develop: the ability to extend your consciousness beyond your ordinary perception, to hold awareness in multiple realms simultaneously, to shift perspective, and to project and direct your attention with intention.

The altered state is not exotic or inaccessible. Many people enter it naturally — in dreams, in deep meditation, in moments of lucid waking, in flow states. The difference that these practices create is that you can enter it deliberately, safely, and skillfully — with a clear beginning and end, so that you're in collaborative, skilled relationship with the energy and the realms, rather than being at the whims of whatever happens to arise.

This is the difference between energy happening to you and being in conscious, collaborative relationship with energy.

How to Practice: Practical Suggestions

Daily practice: Even ten minutes a day with one of these exercises is excellent. Everything is cumulative and builds on itself. Use the exercises as a practical devotion — not something you do perfectly, but something you do consistently.

Work with nature: These practices come alive outdoors. Stand in front of a tree and extend your sensing into its energy body. Feel the layers — bark, sap, rings, heartwood. Project your tiny self up into a branch. Stand in a forest or a field and extend your awareness in all directions, feeling the energy of everything around you.

Journal: After each practice, take a few minutes to write down what you noticed. Over time, your journal becomes a record of your development — and a body of evidence that your perception is real, specific, and trustworthy.

Be patient with the doubt: The question "am I making this up?" is not a sign that something is wrong. It's a sign that you're doing something real enough to challenge your ordinary sense of what is possible. Stay with the practice. The trust comes.

Ready to Go Deeper?

Consciousness practices are just the base of the pyramid of energetic mastery. In the Foundations of Shamanism course, we move through all six layers of Energetic Mastery — consciousness, clearing, grounding, centering, cultivation, and protection — and you learn how to Shamanic journey, work with spirit guides, develop energetic safety and mastery, and build a grounded, meaningful personal practice over eleven weeks of live online classes.

If you're looking for personalized support in developing your Shamanic senses, Shamanic Mentorship offers a 1:1 container for exactly that kind of deep, sustained development.

And if you're just beginning, my free guide, Activate Your Shamanic Gifts, is the perfect starting point. It's free, and it will help you take your first real steps.

What Is Energetic Mastery? The Shamanic Framework Every Healer Needs

What Is Energetic Mastery? The Shamanic Framework Every Healer Needs

Energetic mastery is one of the most essential — and most overlooked — foundations of Shamanic practice. Whether you are a healer, a bodyworker, a therapist, a lightworker, or simply someone navigating a spiritual awakening, your ability to work consciously and skillfully with energy determines everything: your safety, your effectiveness, your longevity in this work, and the depth of transformation you can hold for yourself and others. This is the framework I teach in the Foundations of Shamanism course, and in this article I'm going to walk you through exactly what it is and why it matters.

What "Energetic Mastery" Actually Means

Energetic mastery is not a mystical achievement reserved for advanced practitioners. It is a set of practical, learnable skills — tools you can develop through consistent practice — for working intelligently, confidently, and fluently with your own energy and with energy in the world.

Think of it as foundational fitness for your energy body.

No matter what sport an athlete plays, it helps to have a solid base level of physical fitness: strength, mobility, lung capacity, endurance, flexibility. All athletes have this foundational presence in the body, and then they specialize based on their particular path. A long-distance runner has different needs than a sprinter. But the base serves everyone.

Your energy body works the same way. The foundational skills of energetic mastery serve you whether you are doing Shamanic healing, mediumship, Reiki, somatic work, or simply trying to navigate the world without absorbing everyone else's energy.

When I began my studies in Shamanism and energy healing in 2003, the topic of energetic mastery and energetic hygiene was largely glossed over. I was told to use the power of intention and visualization, affirmations and invoking my guides for protection. While this instruction was partially helpful, I felt like there was something missing. I still felt depleted after giving intense Shamanic healing sessions, and despite my best intentions, I found myself susceptible to taking on other people’s energy in the world.

I knew there had to be more effective energetic hygiene protocols that would help me feel stable, secure and empowered in my energetic mastery. I eventually learned some of these practices from other teachers, and developed my own through my Shamanic healing practice. I noticed what practices were most effective and which made the biggest difference in my overall well-being. Based on this, I developed the Foundations of Energetic Mastery protocol that I now teach in my Shamanic courses.

Why Energetic Mastery Matters for Healers and Spiritual Practitioners

If you're in any kind of healer, helper, or caregiver role, the stakes are particularly high. You are constantly interfacing with other people's energy — their emotions, their wounds, their spiritual material. Without foundational energetic skills, that exposure accumulates. You end up carrying things that aren't yours. You are more susceptible to burnout. Your nervous system strains. You find yourself depleted after sessions that should feel energizing, or at least neutral.

Energetic mastery gives you:

Safety. The principles of energetic hygiene I teach are the energy equivalent of washing your hands after a hospital visit. You would never hug people, shake hands, travel on an airplane, and never wash your hands. That's just a bad idea. Your energy body deserves the same intelligent care.

Better health and efficacy. When you know how to clear, ground, and maintain your field, everything in your practice works better. Your sessions are cleaner. Your intuition is clearer. Your channel is more open.

Increased power and capacity. These practices support your life force, your vitality, and your ability to hold very powerful energy without it spinning you out. You can do deep, potent work without burning through your resources — so you can show up in service in a way that is resourced, regulated, and confident.

The Pyramid of the Foundations of Energetic Mastery

I teach this framework as a pyramid, because the base makes everything else possible. Here are the six layers:

1. Consciousness Practices (the base) — developing your energetic fluency: the ability to sense, feel, project, and direct energy in your body, your personal field, and the space around you. This is the foundation of all other layers.

2. Clearing — clearing your body, your energy field, and your space. Essential before, during, and after any energy work.

3. Grounding — arriving in full presence. Connecting to the Earth and to your body so you can work from a stable, rooted place.

4. Centering — gathering all of your energy back to you. Reclaiming what has scattered, leaked, or been given away.

5. Cultivation — actively increasing your energy, your capacity, and your life force. Building the vessel so it can hold more.

6. Protection (the top) — the final seal. And here's what often surprises people.

Why Protection Comes Last

Many people who come to me for support with energetic hygiene are primarily concerned with energetic protection. They want to know how to shield themselves, how to keep negative energies out, how to stay safe in the spirit world. And I understand the concern — it feels urgent.

But protection is the last layer of the pyramid, not the first. And here's why.

Most of what we perceive as protection issues are actually cleared up by doing the other work first. If you were to learn protection techniques without doing the clearing, grounding, centering, and cultivation work first, you would still remain vulnerable in other ways. A shield over an uncleared field is like putting a clean coat over dirty clothes. You still need to do the laundry.

By the time you've done the foundational work — by the time your field is clear, you're grounded and centered, and you've cultivated your capacity — protection becomes almost a natural consequence. The cherry on top. It seals and completes what is already solid, rather than trying to compensate for what is missing.

I see this particularly in students and clients who have an activated channel or mediumship practice. While they may be very psychically open, they lack the foundational energetic architecture to remain stable and safe in their channeling experience. This often leads to overwhelm, unwelcome attention from spiritual forces, and even psychic attacks and entity attachments. These people come to me claiming that their shields don’t work, asking for better protection practices. Every single time, when I redirect them away from protection and towards the other foundations of energetic mastery, they notice a huge difference and feel much safer and more stable in their channeling experience.

The Two Modes: Daily Practice and Spot Treatment

Every practice in this framework has two versions.

Daily practice is your training — your energetic fitness maintenance. Like going to the gym or to yoga class, not because anything is acutely wrong, but because consistent practice builds strength, capacity, and fluency over time.

Spot treatment is for acute situations. You just got out of a really draining meeting. You worked with a difficult client. You went somewhere energetically heavy and you can feel it in your field. Spot treatment is how you reset, clear, and return to yourself in real time.

Knowing both versions of each practice — and knowing when to use which one — is itself an important skill.

Energetic Mastery Is a Learnable Skill

There's a misconception in the world of energy work that some people can just do this naturally and others can't. I really don't believe that's true, and it's not what I've observed in years of teaching.

Yes, some people grew up in environments that were conducive to energetic sensitivity, and they may have a head start. But that doesn't mean someone who grew up in a more shut-down or discouraged environment can't develop these skills and become genuinely confident in them through practice.

Just like Michael Phelps has a physiology that naturally inclines him toward excellence in swimming — and he is exceptional — someone without that physiology can also excel through dedicated training. The body learns. The energy body learns too.

These are skills. These are muscles. They develop with use.

Ready to Build Your Foundation?

The Foundations of Energetic Mastery is woven throughout the entire Foundations of Shamanism course — it's not a single module, it's a thread that runs through all eleven weeks of the program because it underlies everything else we do.

If you're already on a Shamanic path and want personalized support building these foundations, 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship may be the right next step.

Not ready to dive in yet? Start with the free guide, Activate Your Shamanic Gifts — a beautiful first step into conscious, grounded Shamanic practice.

Ethical Shamanic Practice: The Three Core Principles of Working with the Spirit World

Ethical Shamanic Practice: The Three Core Principles of Working with the Spirit World

Ethical Shamanic practice is built on relationship — not technique. And like any healthy relationship, it requires certain qualities to thrive. Over years of practice and teaching, I've distilled these qualities into three core principles I call the Three C's: Context, Consent, and Collaboration. These aren't rules imposed from outside. They are the natural expression of genuine, respectful relationship with the living world — with the land, the spirit realm, and all the beings we work alongside in Shamanic practice.

My Introduction to Context, Consent and Collaboration in Shamanic Practice

When I was in second grade, my school went on a trip to the high desert in central Oregon. At that point in my life, visiting a different bioregion was a huge revelation to me. I was accustomed to the towering firs, waterfalls and cascading moss of the pacific northwest rainforest. Encountering such a distinct environment with a completely different architecture of climate, geology, and inhabitants opened my eyes to new awe for the genius of nature. As we learned about life in the desert, I felt the tremendous importance of understanding the constellation of beings, elements and land, and how they all work together in a way that is specific and ideal to that particular place.

That moment planted the seeds of what would later become the three principles I now teach as the foundation of all Shamanic practice: Context, Consent and Collaboration. For the first time, I clearly realized the significance of this dynamic in nature. Later in my teenage years, these ideas took on more structure and definition as I began my Shamanic study and learned practices from my teachers about how to make offerings and communicate with land and nature spirits, and bring these principles into Shamanic healing sessions.

Let’s explore the Three C’s of Shamanic practice and how they can help you deepen your relationship with nature and the spirit realm.

Context: Know Where You Are

Context is the first and most foundational C. In Shamanic practice, context means understanding the existing architecture of wherever you are. What land are you on? Who are the indigenous peoples or original stewards of this place? What are the common plants, animals, and salient geological features? What is the history of this land — its transformation, its grief, its gifts? Who are the spirit guides who work with these frequencies and come from this place?

Context also encompasses the cultural lineage you are working within. Are you drawing on a specific tradition? A specific teacher? A specific geography? The more clearly you understand your context — both the land context and the lineage context — the more effectively and respectfully you can work.

Practically, this means: wherever you are, take time to learn about the place. Research the bioregion. Learn the plants and animals, and their relationships with each other. Research the history. Acknowledge the peoples who have stewarded this land before you. This is not only ethically important — it also makes your practice more powerful, because you are working in alignment with the actual living intelligence and existing architecture of the place rather than imposing something onto it. This is foundational to a practice of ethical Shamanism — there is no true relationship without understanding.

Consent: Ask Before You Act

Asking for and receiving consent to harvest Chanterelle mushrooms.

Earth is a free will planet. This is one of the fundamental principles of Shamanic cosmology. Nothing can be compelled. Nothing should be compelled. Everything we do in relationship with the spirit world, with land and nature spirits, with the beings we work alongside — all of it happens in the context of consent. In an animistic worldview, consent isn’t just a courtesy — it's a recognition that everything around us is genuinely alive and sovereign.

This means asking before you take anything from nature — a mushroom, a branch, a stone, a handful of herbs. It means asking the land or the space before you do ceremony, Shamanic healing work, or any kind of energetic practice. It means listening for the response, which may come as a felt sense of openness or resistance, as a sound, as an image, as a physical sensation or physical messenger. The principle of asking and attuning before acting is at the heart of what I mean by ethical Shamanism.

What does it feel like when consent isn’t present? I clearly remember an experience several years ago where I was walking through the forest, looking for a space to do some Qigong and Shamanic ritual practice. I came across a spot that visually looked beautiful and appealing. When I opened my senses to ask if I was welcome to practice there, I felt incredibly uneasy. All of a sudden, the birds all went quiet, and I felt prickling on the back of my neck. I acknowledged the refusal and kept walking. As soon as I left the space, the birds resumed singing and the sensation faded. I kept walking until I came across another space that answered my request with warmth, welcome and a feather on the ground.

Collaboration: You Are Never Alone

The third C is perhaps the most liberating: you are never doing this alone. Shamanic practice is always collaborative. You are working alongside your spirit guides, your lineage teachers, the land spirits of wherever you are, the medicine spirits of the plants and elements, your own higher self. All of these are available to you as partners, allies and collaborators.

The shift from ‘I am doing this’ to ‘we are doing this together’ is transformative. When you’re holding space for someone in a Shamanic healing session or ritual, you don’t need to carry it all yourself. When you’re navigating something difficult in your own life, you don’t need to navigate it alone. When you’re facilitating a group or a retreat, you can invite the land itself to hold the container with you.

Collaboration requires the skill of asking, the willingness to receive and the reciprocal flow of energy through offering back. All of these are practices, and like all practices, they deepen with time, attention and devotion.

Putting the Three C’s Into Practice

As you are building your own Shamanic practice, here is a simple way to bring all three C’s into any Shamanic work or ceremony.

1. Before you begin, take a moment to orient to Context: where am I? What is the living architecture of this place? What do I need to understand about these beings and this environment?

2. Then move to Consent: I am asking permission to be here in this way. I am listening for the response and waiting for a full yes.

3. Finally, open to Collaboration: I am not doing this alone. I am working with my guides, with the land spirits, with all the beings who choose to support this work for the highest and greatest good. May my practice be a devotional gift of reciprocal generosity.

This three-part orientation takes only a few minutes and it fundamentally changes the quality of everything you do. It moves you from performing a technique to being in genuine relationship. That difference is everything.

Ready to Deepen Your Shamanic Practice?

The Three C's — Context, Consent and Collaboration — are woven through everything I teach, from individual healing sessions to long-term mentorship to the Foundations of Shamanism course. They're not just principles to read about. They're skills that develop through practice, guidance and genuine relationship with the living world.

If you're ready to build an ethical Shamanic practice rooted in integrity, here's where to go next:

→ Foundations of Shamanism — my 11-week live online course covering the essential skills of ethical, grounded Shamanic practice.

→ Shamanic Mentorship — 1:1 support for your unique path of healing and awakening.

→ Shamanic Healing — powerful sessions for deep personal healing work.

Not ready to commit yet? Start with my free guide, Activate Your Shamanic Gifts, and begin building your own relationship with the living world.

Land and Nature Spirits: What They Are and How to Work With Them

Land and Nature Spirits: What They Are and How to Work With Them

Working with land and nature spirits in Shamanic practice are among the oldest and most fundamental spiritual relationships. In animistic traditions worldwide, the natural world is understood to be alive — not just biologically, but spiritually. Every tree, stone, watershed and animal carries both a physical and an etheric presence, available to us as ally, teacher and guide. I've been in relationship with land and nature spirits since childhood, long before I had words for what I was experiencing.

How I First Encountered Land and Nature Spirits

When I was growing up, my favorite tree was a massive Big-Leaf Maple along a hiking trail in the forest near my house. I met this tree for the first time on a class field trip hike when I was 8 or 9, and then returned regularly to hike with my family. Every time I passed, I would stop to say hello to the tree, give it a hug, and stand in awe at its towering elegance.

Later, as a teenager developing my Shamanic practice, I started to make offerings to the tree. I would bring little crystals, share some water, and offer a prayer of gratitude. The energy of this tree was so grounded, calm and expansive, and I immediately felt a sense of peace and connection whenever I visited. As I continued my study of Shamanism and learned more about land and nature spirits, I came to understand that this special being was a Guardian Tree of the local ecosystem – a powerful nature spirit who helps to anchor and protect the etheric grid of the area.

Since then, I have had the honor of meeting and working with many other Guardian Trees. The land where I live now is home to a massive Hemlock who serves as a temple keeper of this area. She has anchored the prayers, ceremonies and offerings of me, my partner, and countless students and clients.

In Shamanic practice, we don’t work alone. We are always working in relationship — with the Earth, with the beings who inhabit her, and with the animating forces that move through the physical and non-physical world alike. Land and nature spirits are at the heart of this relationship. They are among our most important allies, our most consistent teachers, and often our most overlooked resources. (Read also: What Is Animism? The Ancient Worldview at the Root of Shamanism.)

What Are Land and Nature Spirits?

Land and nature spirits are the individual and collective animating forces that correspond to animals, plants, stones, elements, and geological features. They have both an embodied and an etheric dimension. The Hemlock tree in my yard has a physical body, and also a spiritual body, a consciousness, a medicine.

Some land and nature spirits have a physical presence on Earth right now. Some exist primarily in the etheric realm or in myth. Dragons are very real — just not presently embodied in the way a sparrow or a cedar tree is. Unicorns, pegasi, and griffins exist in different traditions and in the collective mythological consciousness of humanity, even without physical form.

The I, the We, and the All

When working with land and nature spirits in Shamanism, I find it helpful to think in three layers. Take the Guardian Hemlock tree on the land where I live. She is the I — one individual Hemlock with her own personality, her own medicine, her own energetic signature. She is also part of the We — the Hemlock tribe, the forest community, all connected through root systems, chemical signaling, and the mycorrhizal network. And she is part of the All — the tree nation, the Standing Nation, the collective consciousness of all trees everywhere.

When you begin working with a particular coyote who visits your yard — playful, tricky, laughing at you — you’re meeting the I. When you encounter coyote as a collective frequency, as a medicine, as an archetype of the trickster, you’re meeting the We or the All. Both are real. Both are available to you.

Why These Relationships Matter

Imagine holding space for a Shamanic healing session, a retreat, or even a difficult conversation. If your personal energy field is carrying the entire weight of that container, it’s exhausting. But when you’re working in collaboration with the land spirits of where you are — the guardian trees, the local watershed, the particular mountains and stones — you’re not doing it alone. The land itself becomes a co-facilitator. It helps ground the container, process and compost released energy, and hold the field with stability and care.

Land spirits are particularly excellent co-facilitators for grounding and stabilizing a container, protection and clearing, composting released energy, and ensuring your Shamanic work moves in alignment with the existing flow of the place.

Start Local

One of the most important principles in building relationships with land and nature spirits is this: start with where you are. Not the most glamorous tradition or sacred sites you’ve read about. Not the most powerful-sounding beings from somewhere far away. The land where you currently live.

Your animal body is literally made of the land where you live — the water you drink, the air you breathe, the foods grown in local soil. Your body is attuned to the frequencies, the medicine, the particular climate and mineral composition of your place. Some of your most powerful, supportive, and intimate relationships will be with your local land and nature spirits, because that is home.

I often assign my Shamanic mentorship clients the following daily practice, which I also recommend to you: Go outside every day and visit the same tree, rock, water feature or plant (even a humble dandelion growing through a crack in the sidewalk). Make an offering, then wait and notice what you notice. Over time, you will begin to develop a deeper relationship with that being.

How to Begin

You don’t need a formal ceremony or specialized training to begin building relationships with the land and nature spirits where you live. You need presence, attention, and respect. Start by going outside without an agenda. Walk. Notice what draws your attention. Which tree do you keep walking past but never stop for? Which bird keeps showing up? Begin there. The animals that appear repeatedly — what Shamanic practitioners often call power animals — are frequently nature spirit relationships trying to make themselves known. Ask before you take anything from nature. Learn the names — both common and scientific — of the plants and animals where you live. Research who lived on this land before you. The more you know about the context of where you are, the richer your relationships with its spirits will become.

Ready to Go Deeper with Land and Nature Spirits?

Working with land and nature spirits is one of the most grounding and transformative skills you can develop as a Shamanic practitioner — and it's a central thread woven throughout the entire Foundations of Shamanism course.

Not ready for the full course yet? Start with my free guide, Activate Your Shamanic Gifts (below) — a beautiful first step into your own Shamanic practice.

And if you're looking for personal support navigating your relationship with the spirit world, Shamanic Mentorship may be exactly what you need.

Spiritual Awakening, Shamanic Healing and Death

Spiritual Awakening, Shamanic Healing and Death

Last week, my partner and I lost our 20 year old cat, Chandra.

She left her body very quickly, without assistance, and the whole process was about as graceful as it could have possibly been.

As my vet friend offered, “A long life and a short end of life process is a blessing.”

Absolutely.

I have been present with many animals as they left their bodies — from the lizards and birds I had as a child, to the animals of roommates and partners, to a harbor seal on a stretch of otherwise empty beach.

But the most impactful crossing I supported was my childhood dog, Ginger.

Ginger was the being who called forth my healing and psychic gifts and guided my whole family towards holistic wellness. She was my first teacher, and the catalyst for my awakening as a healer.

I was 12 years old when she was diagnosed with diabetes, and it prompted me to put my hands on her and imagine colored light flowing from me into her body to offer healing and vitality. A few years later, my mom took Ginger to a new vet that happened to be next door to a massage clinic, where they also offered Reiki. That was where I learned about energy healing, took my very first Shamanic journey class, and began mentoring with a very skilled healer and psychic who guided me to pursue formal training for my abilities.

While I was away at university, I would practice distance energy healing with Ginger. When I went to Costa Rica in 2007 for my undergrad research, I told Ginger I would understand if she had to leave while I was gone, but I asked if she was able to, could she please wait for me to get back so I could be with her. While I was away, I continued to offer her healing light and love.

She made her crossing about a month after I returned. I got the call from my mom and booked it for the 3 hour drive straight to the vet’s office, praying the whole way.

My family spent Ginger’s last hour or so with her in a cozy room at the vet. I, along with my mom (who had also begun her training in energy healing by that time), offered healing work and prayers the entire time, until the room felt absolutely saturated with glowing light, warmth and peace.

The vet came in to perform the euthanasia. Ginger was ready.

I will never forget what happened next.

A minute or so after the shot, I felt the room suddenly go completely cold and my ears started to ring. It felt as if a giant vacuum had sucked every bit of light, warmth and fullness out of the space.

I knew instantly that Ginger’s spirit had left her body and taken all that energy with her to support her crossing. Even before the vet checked her heart with a stethoscope and confirmed that she had passed, I felt her absence acutely.

That was the first time I supported the rite of Death as a healer, in total devotion to a spirit leaving the body. Even in her final moments, Ginger offered me an awakening opportunity and initiation into death work.

(My death work now mostly expresses as supporting human clients through life chapter transition and energetic death cycles. In the 18 years since Ginger’s crossing, I have supported many people in their energetic deaths as they shed old versions of themselves and embody the next chapter.)

I have since supported many animals in leaving their bodies. Chandra’s crossing was so smooth and I am beyond grateful for the blessing of her easy passage.

Chandra appeared to me in a dream that same night. She looked vibrant, healthy and completely clear, and I knew she was telling me that she was totally okay. I woke up with a smile, and the vision of her trotting around with me and my dog, Athena.

Chandra sunbathing with Athena, days before her crossing.

I am so grateful for the many animal teachers who have allowed me to support their crossings. Each experience has helped me deepen my practice with trust, humility and reverence for the soul journey.

Are you looking for support or guidance through a life transition moment?

Are you ready for Shamanic healing to help you shift into the next version of yourself?

>>>Book a call with me to talk about what type of support is right for you!

Shaman vs. Shamanic Practitioner: What’s the Difference? (And Why It Matters)

Shaman vs. Shamanic Practitioner: What’s the Difference? (And Why It Matters)

The terms "Shaman" and "Shamanic practitioner" are often used interchangeably, but they carry meaningfully different implications around lineage, training, initiation and accountability. There are also important considerations regarding cultural appropriation and respectful, informed use of these terms. Understanding this distinction matters whether you are exploring Shamanism for the first time, deepening your personal practice, or considering how to describe your own work in the world. Here's how I understand and navigate this distinction, and why I've thought carefully about it for over two decades.

When I began studying Shamanism in 2003 at age 15, the concept of cultural appropriation was not yet widely discussed. As I understood it from my trainings, a Shaman was someone who was deeply immersed in their practice of animistic and mediumistic service, who had received trainings and initiations, and was living a life of service to their community. The indigenous teachers with whom I studied didn’t even use the word Shaman — they had their own terms for the role of that person in their community.

Jóska Soós, Hungarian Shaman from Clan Baksa

When my mentor gave me a formal Shamanic initiation in 2011, I asked her about using the term “Shaman” to describe myself. She said yes, it would be appropriate for me to use that word according to my many years of deep study, existing commitment to service, and now this initiation. (A Shamanic initiation is a formal ceremony in which a practicing Shaman or lineage holder formally recognizes and empowers a student's readiness to carry and transmit the tradition. My lineage traces directly to Jóska Soós, a renowned Hungarian Shaman from Clan Baksa whose teachings spread this tradition throughout Europe. Keep reading for the story of where the word “Shaman” comes from in my lineage.)

I sat with this inquiry for 3 years. In the meantime, I described my work as Shamanic practice, including Shamanic journeys, Shamanic healing and Shamanic energies. But I didn’t actually call myself a Shaman until 2014, because that was when I finally felt ready to embody the full depth of the term and to publicly demonstrate my commitment to service in this way.

“Shamanism” and Cultural Appropriation

I immediately encountered pushback. In the 11 years since I began my Shamanic studies, the concept of cultural appropriation had reared its head in the zeitgeist. The accusing conversation usually went something like this:

“Random person: “You’re calling yourself a Shaman. Are you Native American?”

Me: “No, not to my knowledge.”

Random person: “Then you can’t use that word. That’s cultural appropriation.””

No room for actual conversation. No room for understanding. No curiosity, inquiry or nuance.

At first, I was surprised and taken aback about the argument of, “You can’t use the word Shaman if you’re not Native American.” After all, none of the Native American teachers I had studied with used that word to describe themselves. They had terms in their own language, none of which sounded remotely close to “Shaman.” I even asked a few of my teachers and indigenous friends, all of whom replied “Yeah, that’s not our word.” But I also saw the valid concern about cultural appropriation and the real harm that comes from people carelessly adopting practices and assuming terms without respect, proper acknowledgement and cultural deference.

This is an important opportunity for understanding. So let’s talk about it.

Where Does the Word "Shaman" Come From? (And Why It Matters for Cultural Appropriation)

If you’ve spent any time in Shamanic circles, you’ve probably noticed that the words people use (such as Shaman, Shamanic practitioner, Shamanic healer, and medicine person) vary widely, and can carry strong connotations. These are not just semantic differences. They reflect different relationships to lineage, training, service, and accountability. Here’s how I understand and navigate these distinctions.

Personal Shamanic Practice vs. Professional Shamanic Practice: What's the Difference?

Think about Christianity. There are millions of people worldwide who identify as Christian and maintain a personal spiritual practice. They may go to church, lead a Bible study, pray daily, and share their faith with loved ones. This is a personal practice — meaningful, valid, and complete in itself.

And then there is the ordained priest or minister who has gone through years of deep theological study, received formal training and initiation, and now holds a lineage in service to their community. They have a professional practice, and with it comes a different level of accountability, training, and responsibility.

This same distinction applies to Shamanism. You do not need to hang out your shingle in order to have a meaningful and fulfilling Shamanic practice. You can have a personal Shamanic practice that nourishes you, enriches your relationships, deepens your connection to the land, and flows naturally into moments of support for the people around you. That is beautiful and complete.

What Is a Shamanic Practitioner?

A Shamanic practitioner is someone who works with Shamanic tools and frameworks, such as journeying, working with spirits, energy healing, ceremony, but may not identify with the specific cultural context and weight of the word Shaman. Many people in the Western world choose this term as a way of acknowledging their training and practice while remaining humble about lineage and cultural context.

What Is a Shaman?

I know of two origin stories for the word “Shaman.” The more common understanding is that the term “Shaman” originates from the word “saman” in the Tungusic language of the Siberian people, where it means “the one who knows.” This word was then adopted by white anthropologists and then used as a universal term to describe the role of “spiritual teacher/medicine person” in indigenous communities around the world.

But there is another etymology from my own lineage: my Shamanic great-grandfather Jóska Soós, who came from the Hungarian Shaman Clan Baksa, and who is largely responsible for spreading this lineage throughout Europe, taught that the word derives from “Shamash:” the Mesopotamian sun god. The priests and priestesses of Shamash were known as “Siamas:” the ones who serve the light. A Shaman, in this understanding, is one who serves the light of knowledge, of self-knowledge, of life — and shares that light with the world.

“The Shaman is one who serves the light of knowledge, of self-knowledge, of life — and shares that light with the world.””

In most contexts, the title of Shaman (or whatever language-specific term of that particular people) is not self-appointed. It comes through initiation, through years of disciplined training, through community recognition. It comes with deep responsibility: to hold the lineage with integrity, to serve rather than perform, to be accountable to the beings (spirits as well as incarnate teachers) and traditions that have invested their wisdom in you.

Why I Use the Word Shaman

I’ve thought carefully about this. I’ve discussed it with my teacher. I’ve sat with the cultural charge around it. And I’ve chosen to use the word Shaman because I believe it matters to use it with clarity and intention.

There is a lot of confusion in the Western world about what Shamanism actually is. There is legitimate harm that comes from people who adopt the aesthetic of Shamanism without the training, the lineage, the ethics, or the accountability. By showing up clearly as a Shaman — with 23 years of practice, with multiple lineage trainings, with a named teacher, a named lineage, and a formal initiation — I have the opportunity to be an educating force about what it means to hold these traditions responsibly.

Do I receive criticism and pushback? Yes. People who don’t know my background sometimes cry cultural appropriation. I’m okay with that, because it’s an invitation to have a more nuanced conversation about integrity, to offer teachings and extend the hand of compassionate understanding and care.

What About Other Terms Like Medicine Person, Healer, Ceremonialist?

Beyond "Shaman" and "Shamanic practitioner," you'll encounter many other terms in these circles: medicine person / woman / man, healer, ceremonialist, spiritual guide, Curandero, priestess / priest, witch. These terms often carry culture- and lineage-specific meanings. Many practitioners — especially those working within indigenous traditions — prefer them over the word Shaman entirely. Whatever term you use or encounter, the most important questions remain the same: What is this person's training? Who are their teachers? What lineage(s) do they carry? And how do they hold themselves accountable to that lineage?

Which Path Is Right for You?

There is no hierarchy here. A personal Shamanic practice is not lesser than a professional one. Calling yourself a “Shamanic Practitioner” or a “Shaman” (or something else entirely) should be deeply rooted in inquiry, integrity and commitment to service. What matters is the quality of your relationship with the work, the land, the spirits, and the people you serve. Whether you’re just beginning to explore Shamanism or you’ve been practicing for years, this inquiry and review of your commitments to service is exactly the right place to start.

Ready to go deeper? Curious where you are on this path? Start with my free guide, Activate Your Shamanic Gifts (below), or explore the Foundations of Shamanism course to begin building a solid, ethical foundation for your practice. Or if you're ready for personalized support, book a call to discuss Shamanic mentorship with Michelle.

Shamanic Mentorship for Healers and Practitioners: What It Is and How It Works

Practitioners! Healers, coaches, therapists, bodyworkers — Today’s article is personalized for you.

(Non-practitioners — your personalized article went out the other day. Did you see it?)

“I’ve been practicing for a long time but I know there are more intuitive or Shamanic gifts that I need to explore and incorporate into my work.”

“I’ve taken so many trainings, courses and workshops in spirituality and healing modalities, but I feel like there’s something missing. I still don’t feel like I’m fully embodying my personal magic and I need help figuring out what that is.”

“I feel called to be a healer or spiritual practitioner because I want to help people, but I’m not sure where to start.”

These are just a few of the common themes I hear from people coming to me for support.

Do any of these sound like you?

Hi! I’m Michelle Hawk — Shamanic mentor and teacher. I’ve been studying and practicing Shamanism and other modalities since 2003.

There were so many times, particularly during the beginning of my journey, where I felt confused, frustrated and as though I was fumbling around in the dark. I was going through intuitive healership initiations and mediumship awakening. The thing that made the biggest difference for me was the personal guidance and mentorship of powerful teachers and healers.

Instead of feeling lost and alone, I felt seen and supported.

Instead of feeling like I was totally crazy and making things up as I went along, I felt validated and empowered.

I have been so blessed to receive support from some fantastic mentors over the last 20+ years. I know how essential it is to have someone in your corner who understands what it means to go through spiritual initiations and guide you through deep transformation into grounded mastery.

Do you need that kind of support?

Do you want it right now?

I am opening spaces for new clients to come into 1:1 Shamanic mentorship work with me!

***There are no prerequisites for working 1:1 with me. I work with advanced practitioners who have years of training and study and want personalized support for themselves and their work. I also work with new and aspiring healers and practitioners who want support in foundational skill development and processing their awakening.***

This work is for you if:

• You’ve been studying energy healing or various modalities for a long time but it feels like something’s missing. You want to go beyond the certifications and modalities to anchor into your personal gifts and authentic magic.

• You have taken lots of online classes, read lots of books and want practical, personal support that goes beyond a generic “Spiritual 101” curriculum.

• You have a gift for intuitive practice, channeling and mediumship, and you want to explore it safely with support and guidance to discover the authentic expression of your intuitive gifts.

• You feel the presence of spirit guides and you know you are going through powerful spiritual initiations. You want help anchoring the codes and transmissions that you are receiving so you can integrate them fully into your life and your practice.

• You have been “on the path” for a while, but you feel like you’re not growing past a beginner or intermediate level, and you want to source your practice from deep knowing and mastery, and refined spiritual skill development.

• You feel stuck or blocked in your continued development, or like you’ve reached a plateau, and you’re looking for some fresh energy and perspective to help you renew your transformation and growth.

• You have a professional spiritual or healing practice and you are tired of trying to make it fit in a box that was never meant for you. You want someone to help you structure your programs, offerings and business practices in a way that actually aligns with your sacred work and your lifestyle.

• You are a practitioner, healer, therapist, coach or medical provider. You have been “in the closet” about your Shamanic, intuitive or magical self, and you are ready to stop hiding and start sharing this aspect of your practice.

• You have a “normal” job or career that is making you miserable and you are finally ready to shift out of it and explore your soul-aligned service.

• You want support from a grounded spiritual mentor who has been on this path for a long time, who can help you see what you might be missing and give you specific tools, teachings and guidance that is aligned for you as you grow and transform.

If any of this sounds like you, I invite you to step into 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship with me.

Our sessions together may include some combination of the following:

• Shamanic and energy healing work.

• Teaching and instruction about specific principles and tools of spiritual practice from Shamanism, Alchemy, and other lineages.

• Shamanic journeying, intuitive and mediumship practice to connect with the spirits for guidance and healing.

• Personal ritual or ceremony.

• Learning and practicing embodiment and movement work, consciousness practices, energetic techniques.

• Personal guidance, processing, support and reflection.

• Working with your spiritual business or soul-aligned practice, planning and strategy.

With 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship, you get me in your corner for 3 months of personal support. 3 sessions x 3 months = 9 sessions of powerful work.

If you’re ready to work deeply with a mentor who gets it —

If Spirit is beckoning you to step into mastery and you want support while you do —

If you’re aching to express your personal magic and higher service and you want a guide in your corner to help you —

>>>Book a call with me to discuss if this work is right for you!

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

Shaman in Portland, Oregon

Shamanic Healing for Your Transformational Journey

Are you going through a deep transformation or healing journey? Are you looking for Shamanic and spiritual support? — Today’s email is personalized for you. (Practitioners — your personalized email is coming on Wednesday. Stay tuned!)

“I feel disconnected from my power, joy and purpose, and I need help finding my way back to myself.”

“I feel like there are energetic blockages and karmic / ancestral / past life wounds I need to heal, but I want someone to guide and support me.”

“I want to connect with my spirit guides for healing and messages — I feel them trying to get my attention but I don’t know where to start.”

“I feel totally alone on this path and I need help from someone who gets it.”

These are just a few of the common themes I hear from people coming to me for support.

Do any of these sound like you?

Hi! I’m Michelle Hawk— healer and Shamanic mentor. I’ve been studying and practicing Shamanism and other modalities since 2003.

There were so many times, particularly during the beginning of my journey, where I felt confused, frustrated and as though I was fumbling around in the dark. I was going through deep healing initiations and underworld transformation cycles. The thing that made the biggest difference for me was the personal guidance and mentorship of powerful teachers and healers.

Instead of feeling lost and alone, I felt seen and supported.

Instead of feeling like I was totally crazy and making things up as I went along, I felt validated and empowered.

I have been so blessed to receive support from some fantastic mentors over the last 20+ years. I know how essential it is to have someone in your corner who understands what it means to go through spiritual initiations and guide you through deep transformation into grounded empowerment.

Do you need that kind of support?

Do you want it right now?

I am opening spaces for new clients to come into 1:1 Shamanic Healing and Mentorship work with me!

***There are no prerequisites for working 1:1 with me. I work with spiritual seekers who want powerful tools for their healing and transformation. I also work with aspiring, new and established spiritual practitioners for their growth and skill development.***

This work is for you if:

• You are committed to your personal growth and development. You want practical spiritual tools in your personal tool kit that are more than guided meditations.

• You are going through a big life transformation and you want practical support to help you process, stay grounded and feel present/connected to your inner wisdom through the transition.

• You are going through a deep personal healing journey. You want support with trauma healing and nervous system regulation, relationship challenges, childhood wounds, energetic blocks, beliefs and conditioning, or physical symptoms that “don’t make sense.”

• You want to reconcile ancestral and karmic wounds in order to heal and clear karma and rewrite soul contracts and patterns.

• You want support with soul retrieval, integrating the wisdom and lessons of past lives and coming into full expression of your Higher Self knowing.

• You have a gift for intuitive practice, channeling and mediumship, and you want to explore it safely with support and guidance to discover the authentic expression of your intuitive gifts.

• You feel the presence of spirit guides and you know you are going through powerful spiritual initiations. You want help anchoring the codes and transmissions that you are receiving so you can integrate and live them fully.

• You feel stuck or blocked in your continued development, disconnected from your purpose or like you’ve reached a plateau, and you’re looking for some fresh energy and perspective to help you renew your transformation and growth.

• You feel alone on your path, you don’t have any spiritual community and you want to be able to talk and process with someone who doesn’t think you’re bonkers.

• You are participating in sacred plant medicine work and want help processing, integrating and anchoring your experiences and translating them into aligned shifts and healing in your life.

• You want support from a grounded spiritual healer / mentor who has been on this path for a long time, who can help you see what you might be missing and give you specific tools, guidance and healing support that is aligned for you as you grow and transform.

If any of this sounds like you, I invite you to step into 1:1 Shamanic Healing and Mentorship Work with me.

Our sessions together may include some combination of the following:

• Shamanic and energy healing work.

• Teaching and instruction about specific principles and tools of spiritual practice from Shamanism, Alchemy, and other lineages.

• Shamanic journeying, intuitive and mediumship practice to connect with the spirits for guidance and healing.

• Personal ritual or ceremony.

• Learning and practicing embodiment and movement work, consciousness practices, energetic techniques.

• Personal guidance, processing, support and reflection.

With 1:1 Shamanic Healing and Mentorship Work, you get me in your corner for 3 months of personal support. 3 sessions x 3 months = 9 sessions of powerful transformation.

If you’re ready to work deeply with a healer who gets it —

If Spirit is beckoning you to step into your transformational healing journey and you want support while you do —

If you’re aching to resolve old wounds and reconnect with your joyful purpose and you want a guide in your corner to help you —

>>>Book a call with me to discuss if this work is right for you!

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

Shaman in Portland, Oregon

What to Expect from 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship: A 3-Month Deep Dive

Are you called to develop your intuitive and Shamanic gifts? Do you feel Spirit beckoning you into your soul-aligned path, but you want support from a mentor who gets it?

“I’ve been practicing for a long time but I know there are more intuitive or Shamanic gifts that I need to explore and incorporate into my work.”

“I’ve taken so many trainings, courses and workshops in spirituality and healing modalities, but I feel like there’s something missing. I still don’t feel like I’m connecting to my personal magic and I need help figuring out what that is.”

“I feel called to be a healer or spiritual practitioner because I want to help people, but I’m not sure where to start.”

These are just a few of the common themes I hear from people coming to me for support.

Do any of these sound like you?

If you’re here, you're ready to:

• Awaken your authentic gifts and inner knowing.

• Release blockages, old structures and everything holding you back.

• Develop powerful spiritual skills to transform your life and the world.

I’m pleased to offer you:

3 Month Shamanic Mentorship Intensive

3 sessions x 3 months = 9 sessions of powerful transformation.

3 x $ 1200 or $ 3300 pay in full. Option to add 1:1 retreat.

After a decade of offering 6-month 1:1 Shamanic mentorship containers, my guidance is nudging me to offer a shorter time commitment.

While 6 months offers extra spaciousness for gradual integration, I’m aware that the time commitment may be a barrier for some, and I want to do my best to help you receive the support you need in a way that fits your lifestyle and capacity.

The world feels like it’s moving extra fast these days. My existing clients are noticing huge shifts from one session to the next and it feels like we’re collectively moving through a very accelerated process.

Are you called to receive Shamanic support from a mentor with 23 years of practice?

With Shamanic Mentorship, you get me in your corner for 3 months of personal support.

If you’re ready to work deeply with a mentor who gets it —

If Spirit is beckoning you to step into transformation and you want support while you do —

If you’re aching to explore your personal magic and sacred path and you want a guide in your corner to help you —

>>>Book a call with me to discuss if this work is right for you!

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

Shaman in Portland, Oregon

3 Month Shamanic Mentorship Intensive

Do you desire spiritual mentorship and Shamanic support, but 6 months just feels like a long time?

What if you could receive powerful transformational support in a concentrated dose?

I’m pleased to offer you:

3 Month Shamanic Mentorship Intensive

3 sessions x 3 months = 9 sessions of powerful transformation.

3 x $ 1200 or $ 3300 pay in full. Option to add 1:1 retreat.

After a decade of offering 6-month 1:1 Shamanic mentorship containers, my guidance is nudging me to offer a shorter time commitment.

While 6 months offers extra spaciousness for gradual integration, I’m aware that the time commitment may be a barrier for some, and I want to do my best to help you receive the support you need in a way that fits your lifestyle and capacity.

The world feels like it’s moving extra fast these days. My existing clients are noticing huge shifts from one session to the next and it feels like we’re collectively moving through a very accelerated process.

Are you called to receive Shamanic support from a mentor who gets it?

What Is Shamanic Mentorship?

New clients always ask, “What is your process for 1:1 mentorship? What do you do with your clients?”

There is no standard answer to that because every client is on a unique path, but there is a general method and process to my mentorship style. I draw upon a vast array of tools, techniques and decades of training to support each client in their individual journey.

Each 1:1 Shamanic Mentorship client process includes:

Evaluation/Assessment

I help you understand your unique path, your initiations and yourself.

When you’re in a transformational portal and you’re not even sure what’s going on, it can seem impossible to make sense of anything, let alone formulate a coherent action plan. With my 20+ years of training and practice, I can help you sort out and understand your spiritual process. We’ll evaluate your primary needs and chart the course for our work together in healing, practice and spiritual skill development.

Healing and Energy Work

I help you clear obstacles and bring in healing energies.

According to your unique needs, we may work with Shamanic and energy healing techniques, intuitive mediumship practice to invite in healing spirits, Shamanic journeying, soul retrieval, past life and karmic clearing. We may also work with nervous system regulation, trauma release techniques and movement practices. If appropriate, I can help guide you in a personal healing ritual or ceremony.

Teaching and instruction

I give you spiritual teachings and practices that you can immediately apply in your life.

According to your needs, I’ll share teaching and instruction about specific principles and tools of spiritual practice from Shamanism, Alchemy, and other lineages. You’ll learn relevant embodiment and movement work, consciousness practices, energetic techniques. Every session includes integration and action steps so you can apply this work in your life every day.

Coaching/Processing

I help you talk it out and make sense of it all.

Being on a spiritual journey can feel lonely and isolating if you don’t have anyone in your life who gets it. Believe me, I get it. Our work is a safe place to process all the “weird” spiritual stuff you can’t share with anyone else. This is also a space for personal inquiry, guidance, support and reflection. I’ll help you understand exactly how these particular spiritual forces are working in your life, and perspective to grow from that understanding. We may also work with your spiritual business or soul-aligned practice (designing your new program, making a retreat budget, updating your website and your intake forms), or discuss other projects and processes in your life.

With Shamanic Mentorship, you get me in your corner for 3 months of personal support.

If you’re ready to work deeply with a mentor who gets it —

If Spirit is beckoning you to step into transformation and you want support while you do —

If you’re aching to explore your personal magic and sacred path and you want a guide in your corner to help you —

>>>Book a call with me to discuss if this work is right for you!

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

Shaman in Portland, Oregon

Sneak Peek and First Dibs: Shamanic Training this Spring

Pssssst! Come closer! I have a juicy sneak peek to share with you.

Early Bird enrollment for the Foundations of Shamanism course starts on February 3!

But if you know this work is for you, send me an email and I’ll make sure you’re on the First Dibs list. (First Dibs List gets an even better discount than Early Bird!)

We are almost done with our fall/winter cohort and it has been SO potent. Here are a few of the great things students have to say:

“I have been doing the practices and I am noticing a huge difference in energy at the end of the day!”

“I had a tremendous meditation over the weekend and met a guardian spirit whom I’m excited to get to know better.”

“I did our most recent practice this morning at my meditation spot and a great horned owl came and sang to me right after I finished! What a treat!”

“I love making offerings back to the land. I felt so held and received by the spirits.”

Returning this spring:

The Foundations of Shamanism

11 week course, March 10 - May 19

In this course, you’ll learn:

• Practical skills and easy tools for impeccable energetic hygiene and safety.

• Foundational Shamanic practices to connect with Earth and the Spirit realm.

• How to anchor your healing, ceremonial or spiritual work into the powerful foundation of your local Earth grid and energetic ecosystem.

• Steps and tools to heal and reclaim your own indigeneity.

• Shamanic journeying: safety, best practices, tools and instruction.

• How to communicate clearly and confidently with Spirit guides and the unseen realms for the purpose of guidance, illumination and healing.

If this work calls to you, send me an email to get on the First Dibs List and secure the best price for this course!

First Dibs List: $947

Early Bird: $997

Regular Price: $1197 or three payments of $ 467

First Dibs List is open through February 2. Let me know if your name should be on it!

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

Shaman in Portland, Oregon

My First Shamanic Training

I took my very first Shamanic class in 2003, at age 15.

And one of my strongest memories of this experience was my feeling of profound relief —

Relief that I was finally given a vocabulary to explain the concepts that my heart already knew to be true.

Relief that I wasn’t “just making things up” and that other people shared my connection with nature and the spirit realm.

Relief that I wasn’t alone in my psychic abilities and reverence for life.

Relief that there were practical tools and skills I could develop to shape and strengthen the intuitive and energy work I was already doing naturally.

This day-long class in Shamanic journeying changed my life. In addition to giving me skills and tools that began my Shamanic practice, it gave me a sense of belonging and trust that I didn’t have before.

This introduction to Shamanism opened my eyes to humanity’s ancient and powerful animistic origins. It helped me understand why I felt so alien and clumsy in “normal” teenage pursuits and helped me feel at home in myself. It gave me refuge during university when my peers literally laughed in my face for talking about energy, consciousness and the spiritual aspect of nature in connection with biological research and medicine.

This same sense of relief and belonging is something I often hear from incoming clients and students:

“I don’t have anyone else to talk to about this, I’m so glad I found this [Shamanism] course.”

“I feel so isolated and I’m so grateful for community with other people who get it.”

“Thank you so much for telling me I’m not making this up/crazy!”

Are you called to Shamanism and longing for a like-hearted community?

Do you feel relief and excitement at the idea of not only gaining Shamanic tools, but also connecting with other people who get it?

Is your inner teenager jumping up and down at the opportunity to make friends as weird as you are while also learning powerful Shamanic practices?

If you are ready for that kind of relief and belonging —

The Foundations of Shamanism course begins on November 17!

The Foundations of Shamanism

11 week online course, November 17 - February 2, 2026

Classes are live, on Zoom, Monday evenings, 5 - 6:30pm PT. (No class on December 22.) All classes will be recorded. No prior experience is necessary for this course.

>>>Check out all the details and register here.

Through the Foundations of Shamanism Training, you will:

• Practice Shamanic journeys to connect with spirit allies and learn how to integrate their medicine into your life and spiritual practice.

• Anchor your healing, ceremonial or spiritual work into the powerful foundation of your local Earth grid and energetic ecosystem, for the purpose of grounding, protection and amplification.

• Learn how to clear, ground and protect your energy so you can confidently and safely navigating the unseen realms.

• Make offerings and prayers to connect with spirit guides and Shamanic allies, and build your connection with these guides.

• Learn how to communicate with the spirit realm so that you may receive their messages, signs and teachings.

• Master basic concepts of ecology so that your Earth-based spiritual practice is informed by a practical understanding of your local ecosystem.

• Take steps to heal and reclaim your own indigeneity as you connect to Gaia in a new way.

• Connect with like-hearted seekers and build community with others who get it.

The Foundations of Shamanism course begins on Monday, so if you’ve been thinking about signing up, now is the time!

Are you ready to answer your Shamanic calling?

>>>Check out all the details and register here.

Mustang Stallion and Energetic Mastery: Shamanic Training for Life

What do galloping horses and astral travel have in common?

It’s not a riddle. Read on and find out!

I recently had a very powerful experience with a mustang stallion. Like, wow.

I have always loved horses. I was fortunate to spend several years as a kid going to horse camp and receiving riding lessons. In my early 20s, I reconnected with the horse world through animal communication and energy healing work.

In 2018, I became connected with a local wild mustang rescue ranch. In order to volunteer at this ranch, I received some training in natural horsemanship, which is all about connecting with the horse, learning from equine sign language and leadership.

But the biggest component of natural horsemanship that they don’t actually spell out for you is what I call principles of Energetic Mastery. (This is one of the topics I’m teaching about in my upcoming Foundations of Shamanism course, where I definitely spell it out for you because it’s super important and useful.)

Energetic Mastery is a practical set of spiritual skills that you can learn to strengthen and develop, just like any other skill. It is not some mysterious, woo-woo thing that some people have and others don’t. These skills are essential components of healthy relationship dynamics, leadership, healing and patient care, parenting, astral travel and psychic practice, and so much more.

Energetic Mastery is also a vitally important skill set when it comes to working with horses.

Let me tell you about my new friend, Elsu (the mustang stallion) and the powerful experience I received from him.

I recently attended a rewilding leadership retreat in Central Oregon, where our group got to dip our toes into natural horsemanship.

This ranch owner talked about leadership within a herd, communication between horses and how any group of horses will immediately sort out leadership dynamics when they’re put together.

To illustrate this, she turned out five horses together in an arena and we watched their dynamics and communication as they galloped around. My eyes immediately picked out the feisty kid, the troublemaker, two pacifists and the clear leader — the only mustang in the herd, whose energy powerfully moved the other horses around the arena like a mighty wave.

Our group split into pairs, my partner and I worked with the mustang. I rooted deeply into my feet, and as I took his lead rope, I reached out from my heart to his and extended an invitation to connect. I felt him take a deep breath and we both sighed, relaxing into each others’ presence.

This simple connection called upon my skill development of Energetic Mastery: making sure I was grounded and centered in myself, then sensing and attuning to his energy in order to connect.

After taking a moment to simply tune in, we practiced an exercise: leading our horse across the arena and back using our energy (the first time while holding a lead rope, the second time “on liberty,” meaning no rope / without any physical connection to the horse).

When I unclipped Elsu’s rope, I took a moment to still my mind. I gathered my energy to feel myself brimming with radiance, gave a gentle tug on our energetic cord, and silently told him, “Walk.” I started walking, and he fell into place behind me. We practiced stopping, starting, and turning without a physical attachment of any kind. I felt like I was in a glowing trance.

This exercise used my Energetic Mastery skills of staying clear and cultivated in my energy, then projecting and directing him to move with my energy body. This was just like what he had been doing earlier: as the lead horse, he had been using his powerful presence to move the other horses around the arena.

I lead him back to my partner waiting at the end of the arena, still feeling that glowing trance. I handed her the rope, gave Elsu a scritch and wished them well with the exercise, then turned to walk away.

And instead of staying with the person holding the rope, he started to follow me.

I immediately realized that I had neglected to close our energetic connection, and he was still following me as the leader.

I stopped and deliberately released our energetic tether. I thanked him and told him that we were complete. He blinked and turned away.

I stood there for a moment, coming out of my trance, and was struck with the power of what had just happened.

In working with Elsu, I had (without consciously intending to do so) dropped into the same state of consciousness that I feel during Shamanic journeys or energy healing work.

The principles of Energetic Mastery are so ingrained in me through years of training and practice that they allowed me to easily drop into a deep connection with this powerful stallion, the lead horse of his herd.

This attunement was so powerful, in fact, that he followed the energy instead of the rope.

Horses are incredibly sensitive. They communicate with each other through subtle signs and respond to presence. A horse has no ego — Elsu didn’t “decide” to follow our energetic connection instead of staying with the person holding the rope (the physical symbol of connection and leadership). He simply felt the presence, so he responded to the presence.

The principles of Energetic Mastery are fundamental skills that support every other skill. I’m not exaggerating even a little bit. The Foundations of Energetic Mastery are like basic conditioning for any athlete — there is a foundation level of fitness, strength and mobility that is necessary for playing any sport. Energetic Mastery skills are the basic conditioning of spiritual practitioners.

Energetic Mastery is universally applicable. The same skills I use in my Shamanic healing work and psychic practice are exactly the same skills I used with this horse, and they’re the same skills I use in my personal energetic hygiene, communication and relationships, ceremonial facilitation and daily presence.

What is possible for you with the skills of Energetic Mastery?

• Learn foundational principles of how to work with energy.

• Develop skill and confidence in your intuition, cultivate your sensitivity and learn how to purposefully direct energy in your body and your field.

• Learn skills to support your trance state and Shamanic journey practice.

• Receive messages, signs and communication from spirits.

• Learn techniques to clear your energy field on all levels and layers.

• Learn how to ground into your body, into the Earth grid and into full presence.

• Learn practices to center and reclaim all parts of your energy and consciousness. (Prerequisite for Soul Retrieval.)

• Learn how to cultivate your energy field, amplify your energy body, and expand your capacity to hold life force.

• Tools for working with high-vibration and powerful spirit guides.

• Learn how to protect your energy body.

Do you want those skills of Energetic Mastery?

Are you ready to develop these skills and feel their power in your life?

Registration is open for this upcoming course:

The Foundations of Shamanism

11 week online course, November 17 - February 2, 2026

Register now!

This course is live, on Zoom, and all modules will be recorded.

Classes are on Monday evenings, 5-6:30pm PT (every Monday except December 22).

>>>Check out all the details and register here.

Foundations of Shamanism Training in Portland, Oregon and Online

Pssssst! Come closer! I have a juicy sneak peek to share with you.

It’s been almost two years since I’ve offered this training as an open enrollment course, and Spirit is (loudly) telling me it’s time to bring it back, with a few tweaks and updates to make it even more potent!

Early Bird enrollment starts next week on September 22!

But if you know this work is for you, send me an email and I’ll make sure you’re on the First Dibs list. (First Dibs List gets an even better discount than Early Bird!)

I am delighted to re-introduce:

The Foundations of Shamanism

11 week course, November 17 - February 2, 2026

In this course, you’ll learn:

• Practical skills and easy tools for impeccable energetic hygiene and safety.

• Foundational Shamanic practices to connect with Earth and the Spirit realm.

• How to anchor your healing, ceremonial or spiritual work into the powerful foundation of your local Earth grid and energetic ecosystem.

• Steps and tools to heal and reclaim your own indigeneity.

• Shamanic journeying: safety, best practices, tools and instruction.

• How to communicate clearly and confidently with Spirit guides and the unseen realms for the purpose of guidance, illumination and healing.

If this work calls to you, send me an email to get on the First Dibs List and secure the best price for this course!

First Dibs List: $797

Early Bird: $847

Regular Price: $997 or three payments of $397

First Dibs List is open through September 21. Let me know if your name should be on it!

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

1:1 Immersive Shamanic Healing Retreats in Portland, OR

Did you see that article where I told you that bookings are open for 1:1 immersive retreats?

The opportunity is still open, but things are filling up! So far there are six 1:1 retreats booked on my calendar for the summer, but I do have space for you if you’re called to dive deep.

Last year I hosted 13 retreats for clients who were called to come experience deep healing and personalized support.

In the words of one retreat client:

“The 1 on 1 shamanic healing retreat I did with Michelle was sublime and powerful. The flow and balance of work sessions with rest and integration time gave the space needed for deep healing. After every session I had profound experiences of revelation, recognition and peace. The underlying current throughout the 3 day process was a deep connection within and coming home to my soul.”

There is depth and potency in the immersive experience that you just can’t find anywhere else.

Do you crave in-person magic and connection with nature?

Do you desire deep spiritual practice, healing and initiation work in the forest?

Do you want to get out of your daily grind and spend a few days in a temple with a master healer and teacher?

Book your one-day, two-day or three-day intensive retreat now!

Here are the remaining available summer and early fall retreat dates:

• June 22-24

• July 6-8

• July 10-12

• July 15-18

• July 24-26

• August 14-17

• August 25-28

• September 11-13

• September 18-20

Are any of those dates calling your name?

>>>Book a call with me to schedule your retreat.

Do you want to book a retreat, but don’t see a date that works for you?

>>>Book a call with me anyway and we’ll look at the calendar.

Optional glamping in the Lotus Belle Tent.

1:1 Intensive Retreat Details

• 1-3 days, including temple lodging and nourishing meals.

• Deep Shamanic and energy healing work.

• Shamanic journeying, intuitive and mediumship practice to connect with the spirits for guidance and healing.

• Teaching and instruction from Shamanism, Alchemy, and other lineages.

• Personal ritual or ceremony.

• Embodiment and movement work, consciousness practices, energetic techniques.

• Personal guidance, processing, support and reflection.

• Coaching and strategy, visioning, working with your spiritual business or soul-aligned practice, writing your book.

• Hiking, forest-bathing and relaxation time in beautiful nature.

• 3 online sessions for preparation and integration.

• Current 1:1 clients receive a major discount!

More words from retreat clients:

“This retreat showed me how powerful I am without plant medicine and that deep spiritual experiences can happen without plant medicine. I feel like I reclaimed more of my authentic true self and feel more connected to spirit. I am remembering that I am the medicine and my clairvoyance is very strong. Michelle, I really appreciate you welcoming me into your sanctuary and sharing your wisdom and love. I felt safe, seen and heard.”

“I wanted to thank you again for such a fun retreat!  It really was important and powerful to mark this point in my journey.”

"Well, shit! That [retreat] had far greater implications than I was able to predict. I have felt a deep shift in my approach to relationships and life. It was a wonderful energy that put my life into balance. On the heels of that energy came a flood of transformative energies that are continuing to break me open."

>>>Book a call with me to schedule your retreat.

Books About Shamanism from Michelle Hawk in Portland, Oregon

People often ask me for recommendations of books about Shamanism, so I thought I would share a roundup of my favorites with you.

… just kidding! I don’t have any favorite books *about* Shamanism. Here’s why:

Books *about* Shamanism are most often written from either an academic perspective (anthropological analysis, descriptions and observations of practices), or a how-to perspective (step by step instructions of how to “do” a Shamanic practice). In both cases, there is usually a strong flavor of intellectualizing, logicking, as well as a degree of separation that places the reader in the role of observer or recipe-follower.

Reading a book *about* Shamanism is like reading a book about how to learn to ride a bike. Maybe you would learn some interesting history and background about bikes and study the theory of physics. But it would be kind of useless to you in the practicality of actually riding a bike.

Reading a book about Shamanism might be intellectually interesting, but it’s kind of useless to you in practicality.

Shamanism as a practice is all about relationship. It’s about immediacy, intimacy and immersion.

Shamanism is an animistic practice (the belief that all things are alive and connected through that universal aliveness) and a mediumistic practice (active communication and relationship with the spiritual forces all around us).

A book can’t teach you about being in relationship with the life force in all things. A book won’t prepare you for what it feels like to connect with powerful spirits. You must experience those things directly to truly know and understand.

While I don’t have any favorite books *about* Shamanism, I do have some other recommendations:

When I was a child, my favorite books were all folktales about talking animals, magical plants, sacred springs of healing water, elemental spirits and deities. I loved stories where a young person went on some kind of journey or quest, and met wise allies to guide them on their path. The humans in these stories who showed disrespect or disregard for the wisdom of nature always suffered the consequences, and those humans who listened and respected the Earth and her children were supported.

I read creation myths such as How Raven Stole the Sun and the legend of Quetzalcoatl. I read stories of gods and goddesses from around the world, these personified forces of nature with magical powers and unique wisdoms. I read fictional stories set in our world about young people who lived closely in nature, such as Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain.

Stories and folktales like this help us access our own mythopoetic consciousness. They help us enter into the liminal spaces through imagination, beyond the confines of logic. They help us readily accept a reality where animals talk and the unseen realms are very real. They teach us about principles of respect, right relation, and honoring the laws and wisdom of Earth and non-human consciousness. They teach us energetic dynamics of creation and destruction, destiny and sovereignty, agreements and contracts, death and rebirth, wounding and healing, wisdom, initiation and actualization.

These are all Shamanic principles.

This is the traditional style of wisdom transmission: storytelling and direct experience. Receiving wisdom teachings through stories invites us to imagine ourselves as the protagonist, to see ourselves in the myth, and opens the door to our subconscious wisdom and connection. And direct experience and contact with the mysteries is how we anchor that wisdom into our embodied consciousness.

So instead of reading books *about* Shamanism, I always invite people to go out in nature. Talk to the trees. Allow yourself to daydream and imagine. Read animistic folktales. And if you really want more information related to Shamanism and related topics, check out my podcast, Shaman Sister Sessions. There are currently 138 episodes full of great stuff. Find it on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

And of course, if you’re interested in exploring Shamanism through receiving healing work or developing your own Shamanic practice, please reach out to me and we can talk about what kind of support is right for you: >>>Book a call with me here.

Do you have favorite books about Shamanism, or animistic folktales or stories? Comment and let me know!

Why do I practice Shamanism?

Why do I practice Shamanism?

(And why you may want to, if you are called to it.)

I don’t practice Shamanism for my clients. I practice it first and foremost for Life.

I practice Shamanism because I love Life. By that I don’t only mean my life specifically, I mean capital-L Life itself. I love that Life exists.

I love that consciousness has manifested in the incarnate. I love that so many different bioforms have evolved over millennia to cooperate and live in concert with each other. I love that plants eat sunlight and trees sing to each other through the mycelial network. I love that elephant matriarchs remember for decades where to find water and pass this knowledge down to their daughters and granddaughters. I love the song of the red-winged blackbird. I love that hawthorn thorns eventually grow into branches, and what starts out as sharp and protective evolves into a flowering wand that bears abundant fruit.

I love that Life exists, and I am so grateful that I get to be a part of it.

I practice Shamanism to be awake in my life, to celebrate Life and to collaborate with this grand symphony of aliveness all around me every day.

I practice Shamanism as a student and steward of Life. I study the cycles. I study the darkness, hibernation and death. I study decay, rotting logs, and bones left after a cougar kill and scavenging coyotes. I study the explosion of budding flowers, eagles flirting, squirrels fortifying their nests. I study the rise and fall of the river. I study the movement of the stars and the planets, and the pattern of wheeling vultures.

I study Life so that I may collaborate with it, move in alignment with the flow of creation and be a harmonious contribution to something so, so much bigger than me: Spirit. The Great Unknowable. Thou. Life.

By studying Life, we learn its flow and rhythm. We learn what expands and supports and generates Life, and what contracts or restricts it. We learn to feel and collaborate with this flow of Life in our bodies, our health, our relationships, our daily experience. Healing and growth is the study and practice of Life-generating worldview and behaviors, and of course that offers a huge personal benefit to us.

But that’s only a tiny fraction of the whole. And the longer I practice Shamanism (now over 20 years), the more I feel absolutely certain that it’s not about us and our personal experience at all.

Something beautiful comes from de-centering the self. This inherently goes against all of the conditioning and foundation of modern, western culture (especially in the US) which is based on individualism and, to be brutally honest, this weird fetishization of selfishness. My rights. Look out for #1. Selfies. If it’s not on social media, it didn’t happen. Endless navel-gazing and pathologizing and self-diagnosing and therapizing and making it all about me, me, me.

How lonely. How small. How inherently blind.

But what happens when we de-center ourselves? What happens when we truly embrace that if I am sovereign, it means that all beings are sovereign? What happens when we remember that if I am a unique and special expression of consciousness, it means that all beings are unique and special expressions of consciousness? What happens when we believe that if I am devoted to cultivating life in myself, it means I am devoted to cultivating life for all beings? What happens when we make our Earthwalk into a prayer of gratitude and generosity to Life?

How connected we become. How expansive. How loving.

De-centering the Self helps us remember that consciousness is living itself through us. Life is living through us, just as it is living through all things. It helps us to take responsibility for what we are personally accountable for and to surrender burdens that do not belong to us. It helps us to be generous. It helps us to remember that we belong. You belong to Life, and Life loves you.

I practice Shamanism because I love Life, and I love that I get to be a part of Life, but even more than that, I want Life to thrive. I want so deeply with every part of my being to devote every day to honoring and advocating for the sovereignty of all beings. I am so excited to live in this world and cultivate relationships with forms of Life–people, plants, animals, mountains, elements–so that I can know Spirit in as many ways as possible. I practice Shamanism because I know truly that by devoting myself to Life, and collaborating with Life, and studying Life, it benefits me, and everyone around me, and all beings on Earth, and the Earth herself.

I practice Shamanism because it is the best way I know how to love myself, and you, and Thou, Life.

I cannot give you your why. I cannot make you fall in love with Life. I cannot give you the key that will make you excited to wake up every day and participate in this gorgeous symphony. That is for you to discover, if you haven’t already.

But I can help you learn how to listen. I can teach you Shamanic practices. I can guide you through Shamanic journeys, mediumship cultivation and help you connect with the spirits. I can give you the best tools that I know of to study Life, to awaken to your animistic consciousness and mediumistic gifts, to honor the spirits, to connect with something bigger than yourself.

Are you called to Shamanism?

Have you experienced a Shamanic awakening, but aren’t sure where or how to begin developing your practice?

Do you already have a Shamanic practice but are looking for deeper support, personal mentorship or healing work?

Get Support:

>>>Book a call with me to talk about your journey with Shamanism and what type of support is right for you!

The medicine you need most might surprise you

Yesterday during a healing session, I offered my client a Shamanic journey to connect with one of their animal guides.

The journey was very beautiful, and the animal guide came through very strongly. It told me about some of the medicine that it wanted to share with my client, and *wow.*

After the journey, I told my client which animal guide had emerged. “Huh, that’s surprising,” they said. “I never in a million years would have guessed that.”

The guide who stepped forward was an ocean animal, and my client shared that they didn’t really resonate with the ocean. “I’m more of a desert and forest person.”

“Let’s see how this guide wants to support you,” I told my client. I guided my client through a journey to connect with their guide, and I journeyed simultaneously to receive more information and transmissions about the medicine this guide was offering.

My client surfaced from the journey with new appreciation for this guide. They told me what the guide had shared with them, and how it perfectly related to their current life circumstances.

Then I shared with my client what the guide had shown me regarding its medicine, and my client ended up in tears. “That’s exactly what I feel like! Yes, I definitely need that. That is f***in rad.”

All of this to say —

The medicine we need most might surprise us.

Some of the deepest, most powerful lessons and support can come from areas of our lives where we feel less familiar or comfortable.

Are you ready for your medicine to surprise you?

Are you open to powerful lessons and support from unexpected sources?

Are you called to work with powerful spiritual forces for the purpose of guidance, illumination and healing?

>>>Book a call with me to talk about what type of support is right for you!