Written by: Angell Deer, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As relentless progress drives us further into a digital world of eerie lights and anonymous disempowerment, and planetary and ecological destruction increasingly define our Anthropocene era, we ache for a deep connection that is in danger of slipping away.
This isn't only about our disconnection from each other but a connection – to life, spirit, and our planetary home.
Shamanic ways are timeless. They have guided our ancestors, and whether we recognize their call or not, their wise voices offer solace, insight, and a portal to reconnection even today in our technologically advanced and sometimes lost, fragmented world.
The essence of shamanism
At the heart of it, shamanism is our oldest spiritual tradition, built on the belief in a living, interconnected universe where nothing can be separated from anything else, where each aspect of nature has meaning, and where humans are an integral part of that web. Plants, animals, the climate, those stories felt and received in visions. They all speak if you know how to listen. Journeying, ceremony, and the sacred space allow the shaman to interface with the other world through healing, advice, and guidance.
Modern challenges, ancient solutions
These diseases of civilization — stress, aloneness, the planet's deterioration — are all evidence of a more profound loss: the forgetting of our embeddedness in the natural world. To fully experience our connection with the natural world and draw on the shamanism philosophies that cultivate a direct experience of balance, harmony, and reverence for all living things are potent antidotes.
Learn to move more slowly. Listen to what the Earth is telling us. Collective remembering can help us recognize that we are 100 percent reliant upon all creatures, plants, soil, minerals, and water — and we cannot exist without any of these.
Shamanic practices for today
Drawing on shamanic principles to grow more whole in the modern world can be as simple as it is profound. First, remember nature is sacred, and you are a part of it. Grounding, or walking barefoot upon the Earth, can help us remember this. Meditative journeying, focused on the beat of a drum or the breath of our bodies, can open inner doors to inner and otherworldly wisdom. Ritualize your life each time the seasons turn, when the moon moves, or when you undergo a significant life transition.
Sustainability through shamanic eyes
This deep ecological consciousness of shamanism naturally leads us to congruence with sustainability goals and the human relationship with Earth, the living sacred ancestral force from whom all life springs and upon whose breath we rely. The Earth is alive, our family, and our life's source. This relationship is reciprocal. Shamanic practices compel human beings to live sustainably, in grateful memory of the gifts of the Earth. They teach human beings to interact with their environments in an ecologically healthy way that honors the Earth and minimizes harm to ecosystems. It's a fully sustainable, spiritually satisfying lifestyle.
A journey of transformation
These shamanic ways of being allow for healing the planet and provide paths for individual transformation. These particular ways can provide the insight to see through and beyond societal illusions so we can step out of them and reveal – and heal – our own authentic selves in relationship to one another and the planet, with this awakening then altering how we live, work and move through the world.
Conclusion
Shamanic wisdom is a call to remember what we used to know – to reawaken to the cycles and rhythms of the land, the spirits and power of the natural world, and the deep wisdom of the ancient soul.
Shamanism sustains the hungry spirit and offers a pathway home to balance and wholeness in a world starved for meaning and connection. To those called, the starting step is to listen, honor, and love the living Earth and all her diversity of creation.
This shamanic wisdom can help us shape a new narrative for the future informed by ancient cultures' wisdom. To learn more about the shamanic wisdom and healing practices I have mentioned, visit The Sanctuary website to explore resources, workshops, and a community dedicated to spiritual growth and ecological stewardship.
Angell Deer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Angell Deer is the visionary behind The Sanctuary, a center for shamanic studies and ancient wisdom. With a rich tapestry of experiences as a medicine man, ordained minister, and lover of all living beings, Angel brings a unique blend of Andean Cosmology, Norse Shamanism, and environmental stewardship to his teachings. His work as an international speaker, permaculturist, and beekeeper underscores his commitment to healing individuals and the planet itself. Angel's articles delve into the mysteries of life, offering readers a chance to explore the depths of their own spirituality and connection to the natural world. Angell's teachings are an essential guide for those drawn to the path of self-discovery and ecological harmony.
