Summer 202

Issue 16

Spirit Talk
know that the connection is there.

Connecting But it is there. If it were not then

we would not feel that surge of

to the Land happiness when we wake up to

sunshine. We wouldn’t seek out
special places – whether those be
Karen Kelly Interviews the shore of Derwentwater or the
night view over central Hong
Jane Shutt Kong – to make us feel glad.
Yesterday I overheard a woman,
while watching a peacock
What role does nature play in your
displaying, say to her husband,
practice? What about in traditional
‘Darling, isn’t nature the most
societies?
wonderful thing?’ In that moment
I have to ask, ‘What isn’t she was fully aware of her
nature?’ I hear the phrase ‘out in connection, to the peacock, to
nature’ often and, although I the lawns, gardens and
know that it often means woodlands around it and to her
‘somewhere uncrowned with trees husband. And, judging by the
and grass’, I am very aware that smile she gave me as she turned
I am ‘in nature’ everywhere – in around, to everyone else who
my front room, in the centre of had appreciated the sight.
London or on the moors. It is,
therefore, impossible to separate Is a connection to nature vital
nature, of which I am a part, for any shamanic practice?
from my practice, which is a part
Absolutely. How else? I cannot
of me.

Every now and again someone

will say to me something along
Page
the lines of, ‘I know that being a
shaman is the right path for me
Contents No.
because I have this deep
connection to nature.’ I can’t
comment of the validity of the
Connecting to the Land 1
path for any individual but I do
feel that this state of being in a
connection with nature is not
A Sense of Place 6
indicative of being a shaman, it
is indicative of being part of
nature, of being human. It is a
House and Home 8
very natural state for people in
native societies to be in and to
be aware of being in. It is also a
Where the Powerful 11
very natural state for us to be Meet the Vulnerable
in. Sadly, it isn’t always easy to

Editorial 16
Page 2 Issue 16

think of any traditional/native web of life.

shamanic practice that is not in
close communication with the Get to know the names of the
local land spirits. That connection parts of nature that you want to
is always there – we are part of grow closer to. I know that these
nature, part of the land. names are human-given, but
Sometimes our awareness of that they help us to differentiate
connection fades. Christianity between individuals and to
and many of the eastern recognise them. Learn the
religions that are popular now differences between oaks, ashes
teach that, at worst, this world is and beeches. Distinguish
illusion; at best it is a place of between spruce and fir. Find out
suffering, to be left behind with what different birds look like and
relief. Of course, it can be a recognise that the raven that
place of suffering for many. I visits your suburban garden is
don’t want to suggest that life likely to be a carrion crow.
can be easy if
you just make up Be aware of nature when you are
our minds for it not ‘out’ in it. See it in your
to be so, but the home. Not just the house plants
causes of and spiders but the bricks that
suffering – war, are made of clay, the floorboards
famine, flood – of wood from trees, the paint on
are largely the walls, made from oil that is
human made. It made from the bodies of millions
therefore lies with of tiny creatures. Our homes, our
humans to learn food, our clothes all come from
the lessons nature. We have no other
necessary to end resource.
the causes. To
When Christine (my partner,
see this world as
Christine Mark) worked full time
somewhere from which to escape
it was possible for her to spend
as soon as possible is to weaken
five days a week indoors except
our connection with it and,
for the few moments spent
incidentally, to turn from the
between the house and car and
many lessons and experiences it
the car and work. A situation like
has to offer us.
this dulls our sense of
How can I enhance my awareness connection. Be aware of nature
of my connection to nature? while you are indoors but also
get outdoors as well. There are
Find a power place. Somewhere parts of nature that we need to
near your home that you can visit be outdoors to be with. Trees,
in both Ordinary and Non- most animals, rain and wind. Go
ordinary realities. Then get to outside. Just be.
know it, in all weathers and
seasons. The place is part of the Feel the elements, inside and
greater web of all things. By outside of you. Feel them in the
strengthening and becoming obvious ways – get drenched in
more aware of your connection the rain, have a bath, drink a
with it you will strengthen and glass of water – and also in the
become more aware of your more subtle ways – there is
connection with all else in the moisture in the air that we breath
 Issue 16 Page 3

and water trickling through the humans as creatures that take

soil beneath our feet. without thought, will not be keen
to help. We have to allow that
You talk about ‘land spirits’. What spirits sometimes have their own
can you say about these? Are they, agendas that do not always
in your experience, different from mesh with ours. And if,
other spirits you might encounter? sometimes, such spirits lump all
humans together
Maybe the term ‘Middle World and view us with
spirits’ might be better. I tend to suspicion and
use ‘land spirits’ for the spirits of antagonism,
anything that has its home in can we really
this reality. That includes houses, blame
trees, factories, rivers, wind, rain them?
etc. Spirits of things that you can
relate to in both realities. Some
teachers are
When we first seek out our power cautious
animal and then our spirit about
Teacher we go with the intention Middle
of finding those spirits who will World
work with us and for our greater work for
good. In the Middle World there beginners. Do you feel it is okay for
is more of a tendency to seek beginners to talk to land spirits?
out a spirit who can help us with
a specific query or task. I would advise the basic cautions
that are a good idea when
Middle World spirits have had working with any spirits. Word
more to do, on a day-to-day your intention carefully – if you
basis, with humans than most state ‘I am going to find a spirit
Lower or Upper World spirits who will help me with …’ then that
have. They know us. This can is what you will find, and take
help us in our transactions with your power animal with you.
them. If they have had good These are fundamental to any
experiences of humans, if they Journey. But yes, talk to land
have had deep love and care spirits. After all, we live here.
from humans, they are often Here is where our work
more than willing to help us. I manifests. I have only been
have found this with the majority doing this work for just over
of the spirits that I have met in thirteen years, teaching
the Lake District, for example. shamanism since 1997, but, in
The Lake District is filled with my brief experience, I have
people who love it, people who noticed that some people
have chosen to live and work Journey most easily to the Lower
there or people who get away for World, some to the Upper World
weekends there whenever they and some to the Middle. Some
can. people are clearly intended to do
most of their work in the Middle
It can also work against us. Not
World. One practitioner I know
every bit of land is loved as
works almost exclusively in the
Borrowdale is. Some places, that
Middle World. He had great
have been polluted or otherwise
difficulty getting to the other
damaged, that have experienced
worlds to meet spirits, until he
Page 4 Issue 16

made a Journey to the spirit of a you will have other students’

place he There he met the spirit experience to help you.
of the tree there, who is now his
Teacher. If you want to heal the land then,
again, ask your Teacher if this is
So yes, talk to land spirits. But appropriate work for you. It isn’t
use the same common sense for everyone. And bear a few
that you would in talking to things in mind – has the land
anyone that you had just met. asked for your help? Is it within
Go with an open mind and take your capability to give the help?
along a spirit that you Does your Teacher say you
already know and should?
trust. Get that spirit to
introduce you. If the answer to each of these is
‘yes’ then go ahead. Find out
If I feel drawn to doing what is wrong, find out what your
healing work with land Teachers say is needed to put it
spirits where would you right. Do it. I do advise attending
suggest I begin? a workshop in land healing. It
enables you to benefit from
Firstly I would say that others’ experience and lets you
there are two different know how others are working in
aspects to doing this field.
healing work with land
spirits. One is using Do you think using shamanism can
land spirits to help make a physical difference to
you heal people and places? Have you done this? What
the other is healing effect did you get?
the land.
If it didn’t make a difference I’m
To take the first of these – land not sure what the point of it
spirits, particularly, I have found, would be. Several years ago,
plant spirits, can be incredibly when I first moved to Rosedale, I
generous with their healing became aware of a particular
powers, giving healing unselfishly tree. A rowan, it had no flowers or
even when it leads to the death berries the first year I knew it
of the individual plant. If this is and its leaves were yellowed and
the type of healing you are drawn blotched with black. Concerned I
to talk to your spirit Teacher who went to speak to it and to my
helps you with healing. Ask first Teachers about it. The rowan
whether this type of work is asked for my help and my
appropriate for you. If the answer Teachers and I retrieved a soul
is yes, then go ahead. With your part that had been missing for
spirits help and advice seek out some time. This was in June,
the plants that want to help and when healthy rowans have lost
find out exactly what it is they their flowers and are starting to
are willing to do. This kind of form their berries. A few days
work comes into most courses on later I climbed the hill to visit the
shamanic healing and I think it’s tree. It had one spray of healthy,
a good idea to attend a creamy white flowers – of which
workshop in this. As well as there had been no sign the week
having a this-reality teacher to before – and new leaves were
guide you through this process coming out from the tips of the
 Issue 16 Page 5

branches. In September the energies’ – showing the energy

flowers turned to a spray of spirits new paths to cross fences,
orange-red berries and the busy roads, pedestrian precincts,
leaves began to turn red. Winter things that had been built with
came and the leaves fell. The the intention of blocking and
following spring the tree was diverting. Other work involved
covered in flowers and healthy giving new purpose to the town
new leaves. spirits now that the fishing fleet
has almost gone and tourist’s
There are a couple of points to needs are changing.
make here that apply to any kind
of shamanic healing. One is that Over the years that we have
it is no good bring a soul part been doing this something has
back to the same situation that changed in the town. Some
m a d e i t g o i n t h e first place. If sense of liveliness has returned
the woodland that you that is obvious enough for
are fond of is having a friends who know the town
road cut through the well but have no interest in
centre of it, causing shamanism to notice and
soul loss to the trees comment on. And the council
that are left then write has built a sewerage works.
letters to your M.P. The beach now has a blue
and go out to flag. Of course, these things
demonstrate but don’t might have happened
do a soul retrieval yet. anyway, although our
Leave that until the Teachers say not.
cutting and building is over and
the heavy machinery has gone. What ethics apply to work with land
(Although you can certainly use spirits?
shamanism to bring comfort and
symptom relief as an interim I can’t see that the ethics
measure if your Teacher thinks needed for work with land spirits
that is okay.) This situation are any different from those
exists in case of on-going needed to work with anyone,
pollution, for example. You don’t spirit or human or anything else.
want to make things worse by Honesty, integrity, an awareness
your actions. of boundaries, seeking
permission before doing work on
The other point is that, in any someone/thing/where and
shamanic healing we are treating keeping in mind that everything
the spiritual cause of the has its own path of which their
situation. The pollution (for soul knows more than we do.
example) is a symptom of the
spiritual dysfunction.

In one of the coastal towns near Jane E. Shutt is a shamanic

us there has, for many years, practitioner and teacher. With her
been a pipe pumping raw partner Christine Mark, she runs the
sewerage into the sea. The sea North Yorkshire Shamanic Centre
has been too polluted to swim in. (see workshop listing for details of
Christine and I have done many forthcoming workshops).
years shamanic work in this town,
much of it involving ‘clearing
Page 6 Issue 16

many, many aspects of life.

A Sense Of Yet despite this, core shamanism
Place can often be a set of techniques
to heal, journey, psychopomp,
retrieve soul parts, etc, especially
Mark Gough if you have felt apart from the
community in which you live, as I
have often chosen to do. With a
belief that I had very little in
For most of my life there has
common with most people of
been a fascination within m e
today, I built the barriers
concerning the development and
between my world and theirs very
history of the human species,
high indeed.
particularly in Europe from the
Ice Age to around 1000AD. My love of history and
archaeology and the love and
This transpired into a
wisdom of my spirits are showing
particular desire to
me that I am a useful part of the
understand and
community; a community with
learn more about
which I have a great deal in
Neolithic, Bronze
common.
Age and Iron
Age Britain. I have believed for a few years
This, in turn, led now that Britain and much, if not
me to study all, of the European mainland,
paganism and was once full of shamans.
later to practise Shamans working for the benefit
what is usually of their communities and
termed ‘hedge interacting with many spirits to
witchcraft’: one ensure the safety of the
who practises community and the success of
what is essentially the hunting or farming activities
witchcraft but who does so alone throughout the year. I believe
as opposed to within a coven. ancient shamans worldwide,
whether consciously or
After moving from the West
unconsciously, set in motion the
Midlands to Hull in East
seasonal observances that have
Yorkshire, I came across an
become the festivals of every
advertisement for the North
religion.
Yorkshire Shamanic Centre and
attended my first beginner’s Recently, new archaeologists,
workshop soon afterwards. I had who are willing to speculate and
always felt that witchcraft had theorise, are looking to the
grown or splintered from practices of surviving tribal
shamanism, and in the four societies to help them
years that have followed since understand a little of the mindset
that first workshop I have learnt of the cave painters, the hinge
many core shamanic techniques and megalith builders, those who
and had life changing and built the burial chambers and
enhancing experiences and burial mounds and who carved
challenges, which continue to spirals, lozenges and other
develop me, expanding my shapes in rock formations. What
knowledge and understanding of
 Issue 16 Page 7

they are arriving at is a theory Howe, an enormous late Neolithic

that these societies were earth mound. Like Silbury hill, it
shamanic or shamanistic, and is devoid of burials, but now has
these remnants are evidence of a deep cleft in it caused by the
journeys, ancestor worship, collapse of a Victorian
things they experienced when in excavation. Sadly, the Folkton
trance states. round barrow, which contained
the fabulous chalk drums (now in
In Britain there is a great wealth the British Museum), has been
of prehistoric structures in various completely ploughed away, but
states of condition; a wealth I there are many other surviving
fear the relevant government round barrows dotted around the
departments do not appreciate landscape.
enough.
So here I am at the Winter
Not far from Hull is the village of Solstice of 2001, with a
Rudston, famous for its realisation of a link back to
monolith. Upon further research, shamans who worked for the
inspired by Julian Cope’s community around Rudston that
wonderful book The Modern built or shaped the wonderful
Antiquarian, I have realised that structures there thousands of
Rudston stands at the centre of a years ago to myself, a shamanic
sacred landscape, in its own way practitioner living within a human,
as impressive as that of Avebury plant, animal and earth
or Stonehenge. community to which I know I can
contribute. The walls will take
The monolith itself stands upon time to come down, as I have
a hillock, which is now surrounded much personal development and
by roads and buildings. The work to do on myself in order for
monolith even has to share the this to happen, but I also have
mound with a church and much more exploring at Rudston
cemetery. In prehistoric times it to do. The East Riding of
would have been very different, Yorkshire finally feels like home,
with the monolith’s mound boxed and not just where I happen to
in by four cursuses. live.
A cursus is a long strip of land Mark Gough is a shamanic
marked apart from the practitioner living in Hull.
surrounding land by a ditch and
inner bank, which are dug all
around the perimeter of the strip
of land. The remains of the
longest cursus at Rudston run for
one and a half miles, with the
ditches about sixty yards wide.
The purpose of a cursus is
unknown, but it seems the land
within the ditches was special and
so separated from the
surrounding land.

Another structure of note in the

surrounding landscape is Willy
House and
Page 8 Issue 16

in each room on a regular basis

Home - stories to make sure that they are still
happy and comfortable.
of middle One thing that seems to m a k e
them very unhappy is decorating.
world spirits It seems that house spirits like
their homes to be clean, tidy and
clutter-free, none of which is
Karen Turner possible when stripping
wallpaper. In my naivety, I
It is well known that s o m e simply started decorating the
shamanic practitioners do not bathroom, without any
recommend journeying to middle explanation or apology to the
world spirits, as they regard spirits. I soon found that tools
these to be particularly went missing, filler wouldn't set,
dangerous. However, it seems wallpaper wouldn't come off, and
both discourteous and short- so on. Once I had explained to
sighted to ignore the the spirits what I was doing, they
spirits who surround us reluctantly allowed me to
every day, and provided continue, but made it quite plain
that we approach them that they were hating every
with the same healthy minute of it, and in s o m e
respect that we would instances were grieving for the
show any other spirits, loss of old fixtures and fittings.
they have a great deal to
teach us. One of the most important things
I have learned is that middle
A good place to start world spirits apparently live only
might be to meet the in the present - they seem to
spirits of your house and have no ability to see what things
garden, and to ask what could look like in two or three
you can do for them. weeks time. All they can see is
When I journeyed to what is in front of them at that
meet the spirit of our particular moment which, in the
house, a huge green case of replacing the kitchen
dragon appeared, curled around units, can be very traumatic for
the house with her tail in the them. However, once any
back yard and her head improvement works are finished,
somewhere around the front the spirits are generally very
upstairs windows. I asked how appreciative. The spirit of our
my partner, Mark, and I could kitchen appears as a very large
honour her, and she taught me a spider, and for weeks after the
song, and specified a ritual for us new kitchen was installed, s o m e
to carry out once a week. We of the biggest spiders we had
light a candle and some incense ever seen came sprinting from
in every room, greeting each the general direction of that
room spirit by name, rattle round room. Mark took this as a sign
the room and sing the song that that the kitchen spirit might be
the house spirit gave us. This is trying to attract our attention,
very fulfilling in itself, but also and journeyed to see her. It
offers a good opportunity to seemed that she was so pleased
connect with the individual spirits with her new-look kitchen that
 Issue 16 Page 9

she was sending us presents of the spirit of the door, I'm the
as many spiders as she could get spirit of the doorway.' I said,
her hands on - quite formidable 'But I asked to speak to the
for the lifelong arachnophobe spirit of the door.' He said rather
that I am! dismissively, 'Oh, I ate that
years ago.' After a stunned
Having spent the last six months silence, I questioned him further
decorating various rooms, I have and it emerged that he felt there
now established a 'best practice wasn't room for both of them,
guide'. What I have now taken and in any case he was hungry
to doing, before starting any a n d s o h e a t e it, and what was
home improvements, is more, he fully intended to eat
journeying to the spirit most the spirit of the new door as well.
likely to be affected, saying 'This Ever since that conversation, we
is what I'm going to do, it's going make a point of being especially
to be horrible and you're going to polite to the spirit of our
hate it; what can I do to make it doorway.
easier for you?' Our living room
spirits insisted on cake and beer The improvements
every week until the work was are at long last
finished, but still tried to hinder complete, and the
work in progress by hiding house spirits have
paintbrushes in the strangest of settled down,
places. having pronounced
themselves very
When we planned to have our old happy with what we
wooden front door replaced with a have done.
upvc one, I thought it would be Unfortunately, this
polite to journey to the old front is not the case for
door and explain what was going the house on the
to happen to it, and to thank it opposite side of
for protecting us for such a long the street to ours. The man who
time. I asked to see the spirit of lives there seems to start
the door and a huge giant stripping a room in preparation
appeared. He sat on the floor for decorating, but then goes no
with his legs outstretched, and further with it. Similarly, half the
patiently listened while I paintwork on the outside has
explained what was going to been stripped, and half the porch
happen. 'So where will you go?' I has been built, and half a wall
finished. 'I?' he said, 'I? Go? has been knocked down in the
I'm not going anywhere.' back yard. Concerned for his
house spirit, I journeyed to meet
I said, 'But if the door goes, it and found a female dwarf
doesn't that mean you have to sitting on the roof, kicking her
go with it?' He seemed feet against the tiles. She had a
nonplussed, and asked, 'What suitcase by her side, and said,
have I got to do with the front 'Either he goes or I do. I aren't
door?' I was becoming a little stopping here to see him do any
exasperated, and said, 'If the more damage to my house.
door goes, and you're the spirit He's took the plaster off the
of the door, then don't you have walls, he's took all the skirting
to go together?' 'Oh,' he said, boards off, all the doors off, and
understanding at last, 'I'm not he's took the bathroom out. It's
Page 10 Issue 16

damp, filthy, smelly, and I hate shamanic

it and I hate him. And his dog.' practitioner.
I asked if I could do anything to
help her, and she said it was
neither my business nor my
problem, and unless I could Bone
arrange for him to be taken
away, she wasn't interested in
talking to me. I came back
Song
suitably rebuked and humbled.
A few months later, a possession Caitlin Mathews
notice appeared in the window,
the occupant moved out, and the I was gorse on the track
For Sale sign is swinging in the beaconing the way,
breeze. I suspect that the house I was seal in the sea, braving
spirit is now exhibiting a certain the swell
amount of triumph. I was wind-cuffer mounting the
bitter winds,
Gardens are, naturally enough, I was cloud billowing higher
no different in terms of than Hoy.
contacting the spirits who live
there. Our garden is very small I was the stillness of midwinter
but quite densely planted, and sun,
whenever we journey to meet the I was the gleaming in the
garden spirit, we are surrounded causeway stone,
by little people jumping up and I was the narrow waist between
down in great excitement, two lochs
tugging at our legs and shouting I was chaff from the quern
'Look at us! Aren't we pretty? when oats were spun.
Aren't we growing big?'
I was prey clutched in the
My own spirits gave me the eagles’ claws,
rather challenging task last year I was mist rainbowed over
of journeying to meet the spirit squall,
of each and every plant in the I was yellow flag over the black
garden. At the last count, this bog,
was something in the region of I was the fish between the
two hundred and fifty, and one otter’s paws.
summer turned out to be not
quite long enough, so the task is All these have called to your
set to continue this year. The dancing round,
result so far is a large number of IN fire’s gleam in star’s seed,
healthy, happy plants, and many when you sleep sound.
passers-by who stop to admire Before I was led to the
them. The most common ancestors’ home,
request from garden spirits Listen the song of my
seems to be 'Feed us, water us, splintered bone.
talk to us, love us.' More or less
the same requirements, in fact, (From a sequence of songs
as any other member of our given by the Tomb of Eagles).
community.

Karen lives in Hull, England and is a

 Issue 16 Page 11

Where the
Vulnerable Meet
the Powerful
John Ketarkus

In many or most countries, the

helping/teaching professions
have a code of ethics to guide
them. These codes have
appropriate and enforced
sanctions for non-compliance.
Examples of those professions
include doctors, psychologists,
schoolteachers, college
professors, the clergy, etc.
These codes of ethics recognize As with any referral source,
that when those seeking responsibility for these tragic
help/guidance/ instruction outcomes needs to be shared by
interface with those who provide the guides and group leaders
such services, that there is a who take people to visit shamans
hierarchical relationship.... "that lacking in integrity.
the playing field is not level for Unfortunately, these guides and
all participants" ..."that the group leaders often engage in
vulnerable are meeting the the same unethical behaviours
powerful"... "that the issue of themselves. Guiding vulnerable
consenting adults is not a factor" people, "seekers", is a sacred
....and, "that the power trust. Vulnerable people, by
differential is both sacred and a definition, cannot give consent to
matter of integrity." be taken advantage of.

Shamans, and the people who What can you do to protect

guide others to shamans, do not yourself? Here are some
operate under a code of ethics. suggestions;
As a result, accounts of people
being taken advantage of are, all 1. Be aware of your
too often, the norm. People with vulnerabilities, particularly a
health, addiction, relationship, need to have your ego
emotional, and other problems stroked. Do not consider any
place their hopes and trust in shaman as necessarily
shamans. Too often, these "spiritual" or "ethical". By
people's experiences range from elevating a shaman you may
simple "flim-flam" to being be simply putting yourself in
conned out of considerable sums a one-down position...in more
of money, to rape. Many times ways than one. Many writers
"positive" results are often short- describe shamans as
lived and solely emotionally "technicians of ecstasy"...and,
based. like any other technician, they
Page 12 Issue 16

are simply human. seek out shamans because

they choose not to interact
2. If you elect to have a with clergy who perform
shaman perform a cleansing ceremonies for hire... and,
or "healing" ceremony, ask if that is simply what many
yours will be private or shamans do.
witnessed by others. Ask if
you will be required to 6. Note if the shaman is a
disrobe. Ask if you will be put marketeer... selling CDs,
into a group or "production books, postcards, paintings,
line" ceremony. crafts, etc. When the
emphasis is on marketing
3. Ask if the shaman makes his and business it is seldom on
or her living solely by doing long lasting healing and
"healing" ceremonies. Many spirituality.
legitimate shamans work at a
regular occupation 7. Do not ingest any mind-
...just like you. Ask altering substances without
if any part of the having a trusted and
shaman’s income completely sober person with
from doing you during the entire
ceremonies benefits experience. Unfortunately,
the local community shamans have taken sexual
directly...and, ask advantage of their clients
what evidence there were "under the influence",
is of any claim made drugged. Beware of shamans
regarding helping who flatter and use
others. suggestive/seductive
behaviours. Women who
4. If you can, ask other have had sex with shamans
people, particularly almost always end up
other non-tourist people regretting that experience
about the effectiveness and when the reality hits that the
integrity of the shaman. Do shaman and/or guide were
not necessarily take the only seeking sexual
group leader’s word about satisfaction, and nothing
these important matters. more.

5. Regarding the price for any 8. Beware of shamans who do

"healing" ceremony... Be sure not have the integrity to tell
to establish this BEFORE the people that they do not need
ceremony takes place. Does a "healing" ceremony...not
the shaman charge tourists every person does.
and native people
differently.... in other words, 9. Know that shamans often
charge "what the traffic will produce "credentials". These
bear"? Does the group credentials are often nothing
leader get a percentage or more than documentation of
other benefit as a result of having paid a fee to protect
bringing people to the their turf from those who
shaman? Does the would intrude. These
emphasis seem to be mostly "credentials" are no
on money? Often people assurance of integrity and are
 Issue 16 Page 13

not issued by organizations resonate, to varying degrees,

that have an enforceable with these developmental age
code of ethics. milestones. Even
Shakespeare knew this!
10. BEFORE going with a guide There are countless
either individually or in a examples of shaman’s
group to visit a shaman, "tricks" . They have been
always ask for a and are students of human
comprehensive "unfiltered" nature.
list of previous clients and
solicit as much feedback as 14. Many shamans are offering
you can about those people’s training programs or
experiences. apprenticeships geared to
stroking egos while emptying
11. Learn to trust yourself. Pat wallets and purses. It is
attention to and trust your interesting how many
gut reactions and instincts shamans will report that it
regarding shamans. Do not took years for them to
get emotionally attached to a become a shaman...and yet
shaman. Do not let your ego will tell the public that they
lead you astray. Again, be can become one in 6 or 9
honest with yourself about weekends.... for a price.
your vulnerabilities. Do not Many people have been
give your personal power fleeced of hundreds of dollars
away. You definitely do not just so that they could brag
have to do what a shaman that they were a "shaman’s
tells you to do...you have a apprentice". This is not to say
choice. that valuable helping skills
cannot be learned in a
12. Read all you can about weekend workshop...but, it is
shamans and how they heal. the simple truth that not
There are many good, non- everyone can obtain the
"air-fairy" books available same degree of healing or
both from scientific and non- helping skill...no more that
scientific perspectives. any doctor or psychologist
can.
13. Be alert to shaman "tricks".
Not unlike many T.V. Wonderful, ethical, authentic
evangelists, shamans often shamans can still be found,
"play the percentages" in though usually they are not on
their diagnostic "readings". the tourist circuit. Many
They will often speak in previously ethical shamans have
generalities, hoping that you lost their skills to facilitate long
will supply the specifics, while lasting healing.... and, that has
they are watching your every often coincided with shift to a
reaction to what they say. strong focus on the acquisition of
For example... "The candle material wealth.
flame tells me that
something happened to you For all professionals, ethics are
at ages 7, 14, 21, etc.... give either internally imposed
or take a few years either because the course of action is
way". A complete no-brainer! the right thing to do...or
Almost every person will externally imposed because the
Page 14 Issue 16

profession needs to be seen as Venue: Cornwall residential-

credible. The later option in camping
shamanism is almost unknown. Contact: Lu Wray 01736
796660
Price: £150
A great and famous shaman
once said, "By their works shall
ye know them." He did not say, 6 Shamanic Work With
"By their words...” Check out the the Land Part 1 of 3
Jane Shutt
long lasting effects of any work a
Develop your relationship with
s h a m a n d o e s . Don’t be misled the land and its spirits. Working
by their words. as described in the article in this
issue.
Lastly, within each of us there is Venue: North Yorkshire
a shaman waiting to be Contact: 01751 417795
awakened...awakened to a Price: £35
higher level of healing service to
our fellow life travellers. The 10-14 Shamanic Dance,
shaman’s candle is simply a Shamanic Song
metaphor for our own inner light Chris Luttichau
striving to shine in the darkness Shamanic cultures all over the
of today’s world. Earth have used dance and
song as a way to connect with
John Ketarkus lives in the Andes of the spirit world and to let the
northern Ecuador. He can be world of the known and the
contacted through www.jambi- unknown come together. This
course is an introduction to
ecuador.com
these old practices.
Venue: Cornwall residential-
camping

F
Contact: Lu Wray 01736 796660
Price: £250

19-21 The Shaman’s Journey

orthcoming Jonathan Horwitz
During this basic course,
participants will be introduced
Events to some of the core ideas and
methods used by shaman
around the world, for
thousands of years. The main
JULY emphasis of the course will be
on the shamanic journey to
the other, non-ordinary reality
to gain power and knowledge
5-7 Doorway Of The Drum for oneself and others.
Chris Luttichau Venue: Sweden
During the course the wider Contact: 00 46 031 775 2630
cultural context of shamanism
will be explored, and there will
be an emphasis on how to
apply and translate the direct, 20-21 Shamanic Healing Part
personal shamanic 2 of 3
experiences in the Jane Shutt
contemporary world without Working With the shamanic view
loosing the roots of this ancient of health and some of the ways
path. that you and your spirits can
 Issue 16 Page 15

deal with illness. and suffering that spans the

Venue: Yorkshire inc. basic generations and whose seeds
accommodation live in soil we stand. We are
Contact: 01751 417795 asked to hold the great task of
Price: £90 the shamans, to hold the
balance of the world and to
23-28 Spiritual Healing & work for the great work of
healing the world soul.
Ecology Venue: London
Jonathan Horwitz Contact: Karen Kelly
We will focus on 01223 562838
communicating directly with the Price: £75-£120
Spirits of Nature, learning from
them and allowing them to
teach us to help others, and 16-22 Core Shamanic
ourselves, to come into Counselling Training
harmony with our surroundings.
We will learn from our spirit Jonathan Horwitz
teachers and helpers how to Shamanic Counselling is a
sense, identify, and safely spiritual counselling method
remove power intrusions, as based on classic shamanism.
well as how to find and use The aim of shamanic
spirit-medicine. Much of the counselling is to put people
course time will be spent in into contact with their own
nature. spiritual power by teaching
Venue: Sweden them the basic techniques of
Cost: 4300 SEK the shamanic divinatory
Contact: 00 46 031 775 2630 journey.
Venue: Sweden
Contact: 0045 32 54 28 08
21-25 Shamanic Dreaming Price: DKK 5500
Chris Luttichau
Venue: Cornwall residential-
camping 30-1 The Shaman’s Journey
Jonathan Horwitz
Cost: £250
See July course for details
Contact: Lu Wray 01736 796660
Venue: London
Contact: 0208 459 3028
Kathy Fried
AUGUST

2-9 Shamanic Walking

Chris Luttichau
Venue: Finnish Lapland
Cost: 425 euros
Contact: Lu Wray 01736 796660

16-22 Shamanism and

Peacemaking
Myron Eshowsky
We live in a world of
separation, a world whose
greatest wound is the illusion
of separation from the great
web that connects us all. It is
the task of our times to heal a
long history of war, trauma
 Page 16 Issue 16

In the long night of dancing, the

Editorial
Policy
Editorial drums beat all night, the dancers
circled the fire all night. It was
Spirit Talk is a the kind of ceremony that
grass roots normally I would have felt that
networking In April, I went out to Shamanic
Circles’ Gathering at Oracle in as one of the organisers I had to
newsletter for
people interested Arizona in April. It was inspiring be dancing all night.
in and working t o s e e s o m a n y shamanic folks
with core gathering together to work In the end, I slept for several
shamanism. unselfishly for this Earth we are hours in the middle of the night,
What draws us
all part of. The part of the knowing with utter certainty that
together is our
gathering that touched me most the circle would hold and that the
work with the
deeply was the All Night Dance of dance would continue without
spirits: the focus
of Spirit Talk is Renewal. me. I have returned feeling
therefore on somehow softer with myself,
personal I went out to Oracle feeling tired. feeling more able to let go and
experience and I think its fair to say that my trust. And somehow knowing
the gifts of our practise has been through a low that in that long dance of
spirit kin rather
point recently, thus the long renewal, of giving for the Earth, I
than being tied to
interval between this Spirit Talk myself was renewed.
any one tradition
or teacher. Let and the last. I love the spirits, I
love the beauty and the We are all part of the dance, of
this newsletter be
a s hining thread challenge that working with them the Earth. As we destroy her, we
that draws us brings me and I love this destroy ourselves. As we turn to
closer. birthing community. healing, we heal our own bodies
and souls.
Disclaimer At the same time I have been
Spirit Talk does feeling burnt out by it all. Last
not knowingly
summer my friend David Scott
publish any
material that is who ran the London Drumming
inaccurate or Group with me for years, decided
libellous. The to emigrate to Holland to be with
views expressed his partner. I thought I had to
are not carry on alone and whilst I had
necessarily those asked two friends Malcolm and
of the Editor.
Shenoah to step into facilitating
Whist making
every effort to be with me, I wasn’t really letting
accurate, the go. At the same time last
editorial team will autumn I finally let go of working
not be with the man who had been my
responsible for teacher for years. And I was
any errors struggling (am struggling) to find
omissions or
inaccuracies a way of practising that is honest
appearing in Spirit and real with who and where I
Talk. am.

Publisher The result of all this was that I

120 Argyle Street arrived in Oracle feeling like I
Cambridge had to do it all alone. In my
head I knew that was rubbish,
but somehow that was how I was
feeling and acting.