THE ROLE OF THE AUTHENTIC SHAMANIC TEACHER
In the Western world today, more and more nontribal Westerners are seeking out a teacher of shamanism; as a result, increasing numbers of shamanic teachers are now appearing on the screen. But how do we ensure that we will be drawn to an authentically initiated individual who will serve us well?
In the beginning, many of us decide to seek out teachers in the indigenous world, often through participating in travel groups or tours into remote regions like Peru or the Amazon. These tours, which are usually accompanied or led by an acknowledged or self-proclaimed expert, can be intense, exciting, and life-changing. However, we frequently discover that these travel adventures lack an ongoing connection to facilitate developing our shamanic skills and abilities.
Some of us seek out indigenous spiritual elders closer to home, yet we usually discover that there are very few of them now who still know the old traditions and fewer still who may be inclined to share their spiritual wisdom with outsiders. Some of us are lucky, though, and find our way into relationship with an elder like Hale Makua, who has chosen to extend their knowledge to everyone, regardless of culture, race, or ethnicity—and this is what it means to be an authentic medicine person.
Then there are the growing numbers of spiritual seekers who become aware of the shaman’s path through the published works of individuals who have “spent time” with indigenous peoples or who have had visionary experiences themselves. Some find their way into relationship with these individuals who offer knowledge as well as experiential training in seminars and workshops at institutes and conference centers. The hands-on experiential workshop with an accomplished teacher offers opportunities for intense immersion in the shaman’s worldview and practice. These structured settings provide tools and techniques designed to bring us into an enhanced connection with our spirit helpers, our spirit teachers, and our Spirit Guides, creating a good working foundation for our own practice.
In the shaman’s world it is always understood, however, that the real teachers are found on the other side of the mirror. Only the spirits can convey true teaching as well as initiation to the shamanic practitioner. Accordingly, the job of the authentic shamanic teacher is to facilitate this connection.
Once the shamanic aspirant has been brought into relationship with their helping and teaching spirits, the role of the outer teacher is essentially done. Yet it is also true that many initiates return to work with a singular teacher in serial training workshops in order to deepen their practice in specific areas, such as working with ancestral spirits, soul retrieval, transpersonal healing, or exploring the dimensional realities of the other worlds.
In doing so, we discover that the ancient methodologies of the shaman, developed across tens of millennia by our Stone Age ancestors, are the birthright of all human beings everywhere. As we have observed, it is not required that you be a Zulu or a Siberian, a Mayan or a Hawaiian, an Aboriginal or Lakota to practice shamanism. The practice, the core method, is essentially the same the world over. It belongs to us all.