Shamanic Techniques for Healing

April 11, 2024 juniper stokes

Spirit is endlessly creative, and given that shamanic healing happens in partnership with spirit, there are literally infinite healing methods that can be used for shamanic healing. And of course, different shamanic cultures have their own traditions here, as well.

But…there are a few practices that have become pretty popular among practitioners in the modern Western world. If you’re going to see any sort of practitioner trained the core shamanic practices of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies or other well-known practitioners — Sandra Ingerman, Bestsy Bergstrom, Hank Wesselman, and more — there are at least a few types of shamanic healings you can expect to be exposed to.

Psst, shamanic healing tends shamanic illness, so you might want to check this article out, too!

And of course, I’m writing from my own bias here, as well! I use all of these techniques in my own shamanic practice :) Here we go….

Power Retrieval

In shamanism, power refers to your ability to affect change. This is spiritual power that allows you to take action on your dreams, experience physical vitality, and cultivate emotional resilience.

One of the most common techniques for restoring power is through a power animal retrieval. Your power animals carry gifts, medicine, and power that they can share with you.

Yet of course, this isn’t the only way to restore power. Plant and stone allies may also be restored, carrying more unique gifts. Power leaks may be stopped. You might even be given rituals or lifestyle shifts to make in ordinary reality in order to cultivate more personal power.

It is your birthright to embody and express your personal power.

Soul Retrieval

When we experience trauma — whether an instant affront or an ongoing circumstance — it’s possible that part of our soul essence may leave as a protective measure. Restoring this essence is an essential part of shamanic healing, and this is done through the art of Soul Retrieval.

From what I can tell, most cultures have some sort of practice for restoring soul essence. In Taoist alchemy, a combination of acupuncture and anointing can be used to call back soul parts. In modern Internal Family Systems, dialogue can be used to integrate exiles.

In modern core shamanism, practitioners travel the otherworlds in order to find the soul essence that has left. Then, in partnership with helping spirits, they restore this essence by blowing it into your heart.

Obviously, this is just a simple overview of a very complex practice. If you’re interested in learning more, see my classes on the topic.

Extraction

This is another common practice in shamanic healing sessions. Extraction refers to removing foreign energy that doesn’t belong to you.

Traditional shamans would often perform extraction with the breath, sucking in and blowing out the foreign energy. This can be quite dangerous for the practitioner unless they are completely filled with power and very experienced…so don’t try this at home ;)

The hands can also be used to obtain and remove foreign energy, and certain tools can assist the process. I’ll often use a large crystal as a magnet to call out foreign energy from the body.

Whatever is removed is then transmuted by the elements. You really don’t want to leave random energies flying around to attach onto someone else!

Cord Cutting

Most of you have probably heard of cord cutting — it’s certainly not unique to shamanism. It is incredibly useful for working on entanglements, though. Whether you’re bound up with another person, a habit, a place, a substance, a belief…cutting the energetic cords that keep you entangled is essential.

Psychopomp

Psychopomp is the art of helping souls cross into the light when they leave their earthly bodies. From the Greek, we use this word as both a verb for the work we do and a noun for those who do this work.

Shamans will bless babies as they are born, and bless and guide the dead as they depart this plane of reality. This is serving as a psychopomp.

Occasionally, souls will get lost or stuck in a realm they don’t belong in, rather than transcending to the next phase of their evolution. When this happens, the shaman serves as a psychopomp, guiding lost souls back home to the light.

Depossession

Sometimes a disembodied spirit being attaches to an embodied living being, like a human (though they can also attach to places and things!). In this case, depossession is called for. Depossession involves separating the attachment from the human and helping it move on.

There are many ways shamanic practitioners engage with the work of depossession. Some do the entire process in the spirit world, almost like performing psychotherapy with ghosts :)

Betsy Bergstrom has popularized compassionate depossession, which involves having the affected person “give voice” to the attached spirit as part of the separation process.

In Toaist alchemy, I’ll anoint sacred trinities of acupoints with essential oils in order to expel a foreign spirit from the energy body.

Depossession has always been a big focus of mine, and I have a series of articles that go into much more depth with this topic.

Curse Unraveling

Like it or not, curses are real. When intention is somehow funded — usually with a combination of strong emotion and physical materials — that intention can affect ordinary reality, becoming a curse.

Just like all cultures were shamanic at some point, all cultures were cursing at some point. So, most of us experience the effects of curses that have taken root somewhere in our ancestry. And most people continue to give and receive curses without even knowing it in daily life today!

There are many approaches to curse unraveling, and it tends to be one of the more complex shamanic arts — you’ll need to use extraction skills to remove funding, psychopomp skills to free up beings that might be involved, disentangling skills for the energetic webs of the curse…

It’s a lot, but it’s powerful.

Transfiguration

Transfiguration is the art of healing with spiritual light. This word and practice were given to Sandra Ingerman from guides more ancient yet related to the Egyptian Neteru. And yet, it is similar to what we find in modern quantum healing.

In short, transfiguration is the art of dropping form and becoming one with the light that is the truth of all things. You see the light all around you, and you are the light.

Of every technique mentioned here, transfiguration is probably the most foundational, impactful practice. Though seemingly simple, if you do nothing else, transfiguration will make a difference.

Other Techniques

As I mentioned, there is no end to the creativity of shamanic healing. During my sessions I’ll perform various kinds of energy work, bring in crystal grids, work with sacred aromatics, use sound healing, offer divinations, provide energetic attunements, and offer guided journeys and visualizations. Magical spells, ceremonies, and rituals are all part of shamanic healing techniques.

Do you feel drawn to receiving a shamanic healing? Learn more about working with me.

Resources

Want to learn more about shamanism and shamanic healing?

Dive into how shamanic illness works with this free class.

Learn how to take a journey in this mini course.

Find your power animal in this jam-packed workshop.

Deepen your practice with 144 journey prompts.

Join me in person this June! I’m offering a 3-day immersive workshop all about spiritual rewilding, shamanic practice, intuitive development, ritual, ceremony, nature communication…all the good stuff.

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