Integrative Shamanism: approach, method, emphasis

APPROACH AND METHOD

​I borrow my methodological approach from American and Scandinavian shamanism. Body, energy, voice and sound work are used to support this.

Specifically applied methods include:

• Accompanied shamanic journeying

• Shamanic mentoring

• Shamanic cleansing work

• Soul care

• Soul retrieval

• Spirit mediation

• Ritual work

• Vision work

• Threshold walks

• Medicine walks

​ From energetics and ethnophysics I borrow

• the energetic, vocal and spiritual principles of Aikido and Kotodama,

• the energetic principles of Qigong and Taichi,

• chakra-activating vocal exercises as well as

• Eastern and Western music that activates and dynamizes the chakras and the energy body.

From Buddhism​​​​​​ I learned a lot about

• the functioning of the mind,

• the wholesome way of dealing with communication, confrontation and conflict as well as

• working with people in psychological and spiritual states of emergency.

Not surprisingly, I see my trust in my relationship with the spirits as my central shamanic competence. The Spirits are the experts. As a shaman, I limit myself to establishing the connection, accompanying the process and maintaining the shamanic state of consciousness together with you.

I understand my most essential secondary competencies to be:

• Presence,

• Authenticity,

• Listening,

• Curiosity, and

• Experience.

INTEGRATION INTO EVERYDAY LIFE

Some time ago I consciously decided to preferably accompany only those processes that are similar to those that I have experienced myself. Specifically, these are:

• classic shamanic work in deadlocked live situations,

• vision work and creative realignment

• integration and embodiment of neglected dimensions of experience

• mentoring in times of spiritual crises and shamanic initiations, as well as

• spiritual supervision for professionals.

As you can see from my biography, I have acquired a very extensive knowledge of everyday reality over the course of my life. Specifically about the realities of

• the natural sciences and technology,

• the humanities and social sciences,

• psychology and psychotherapy,

• public administration,

• large EU projects,

• the economy as well

• research and innovation.

When working with the spirits, this knowledge is important in that it helps me to bring your spiritual experiences and the insights provided by the spirits into everyday life and to properly contextualize them in order to support the process of integration.

 At this point I would like to point out that I have personally experienced shamanic initiation crises and exceptional spiritual situations as well as the associated extreme states of consciousness. I know firsthand what it means to struggle to properly contextualize spiritual experiences and create coherent meaning.

​ I have also experienced firsthand and survived the alienation and stigmatization that is often associated with shamanic illness in our culture, which is far from shamanism. Thanks to my natural disposition, I have matured and can now see that I have become more human, happier, more present, more stable and more resilient.

This is precisely why I pay particular attention to clean and professional work with the spirits. For me, this includes a clear separation between everyday and shamanic states of consciousness as well as the correct contextualization, classification and integration of shamanic experiences.

WHY INTEGRATION SO IMPORTANT?

Where they still exist, traditional shamans are at the center of local spiritual tribal societies. Within this they speak to anyone and everyone. Everyone knows the shamans and is familiar with them, the nature of their work and the work of the spirits. To a certain extent, traditional shamanism is work on the open heart of society.

But hardly anyone lives in such a context today. The world has become global. Society is much more complex. The contexts of meaning are more diverse. The mental realities of experience are becoming more divergent and the large metanarratives stand behind mental constructions of reality that are often only loosely connected or completely contradictory. This results in challenges, opportunities and risks.

A very important challenge for shamanic work is that the vast majority of people have grown into a world in which reductionist thought patterns dominate, which do not really leave room for spiritual or even shamanic perspectives. Even where there is talk of spirituality and shamanism. Shamanic work thus becomes work with people for whom a shamanic worldview is very distant and who repeatedly - at least temporarily - want to fit themselves into reductionistic contexts of meaning in order to function.​

Contemporary shamanism must therefore focus much more on the integration of shamanic experiences than is usual in traditional tribal societies. It is not enough to have spiritual experiences and turn to shamanic experience as such; these must also be contextualized in a coherent manner and meanings must be created that people can actually relate to. Otherwise there is a risk of escapism, rejection of mainstream society, withdrawal from social networks or recurring spiritual crisis.

In short, contemporary shamanism must turn to the social mainstream and engage with the zeitgeist and debate with academic elites. This is the only way shamanism can be effective where it is needed most: in the heart of society.

This is why Integrative Shamanism is the kind of shamanism we need in the 21st century.