Shamanic Glossary: Core Concepts

Shamanism 

• Ancient spiritual practice found worldwide, involving a shaman who mediates between the physical and spirit worlds for healing, guidance, and empowerment. Not tied to any specific religion. 

  
  

• Shaman 

  A healer, guide, and teacher chosen by spirits, often through personal experiences of illness and healing. Shamans perform healing, offer guidance, empower individuals, and foster community harmony. 

  
  

• Soul 

  The essence of a person. Soul loss (due to trauma or emotional pain) is believed to cause illness or imbalance. Soul Retrieval is the process of recovering lost soul fragments to restore wholeness and vitality.  

Sacred Space 

Sacred Space is a protected, energetically cleansed environment created for spiritual work, healing, meditation, or ceremony. In shamanic practice, establishing sacred space ensures safety, focus, and a strong connection to spirit, guides, and the natural world. 

How to Create Sacred Space: 

• Physical Preparation: Clean and organize the area. Use meaningful objects (crystals, candles, feathers, drums, etc.). 

• Energetic Cleansing: Smudge with sage, cedar, or tobacco; use sound (drumming, rattling, bells) to clear stagnant energy. 

• Intention Setting: State your purpose for the space (e.g., healing, guidance, transformation). 

• Calling in Directions/Elements: Invite the energies of North, South, East, West, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit to protect and empower the space. 

• Invocation: Call upon ancestors, spirit guides, power animals, and helpful energies. 

Opening and Closing the Circle 

Opening the Circle is a ritual that marks the beginning of shamanic work, creating a boundary between ordinary reality and sacred space. Closing the Circle is performed at the end to release energies, thank guides, and return the space to its normal state. 

Opening the Circle 

• Begin with Intention: State the purpose of the gathering or ceremony. 

• Call in Directions/Elements: Verbally invite the spirits of the four directions and the elements. 

• Invoke Guides/Ancestors: Ask for protection, guidance, and support. 

• Seal the Space: Visualize or mark a boundary (with salt, stones, or simply intention). 

Closing the Circle 

• Thank Guides and Spirits: Express gratitude for their presence and assistance. 

• Release Directions/Elements: Verbally release the energies and close the connection. 

• Grounding: Take a few deep breaths, touch the earth, or eat/drink to return fully to ordinary reality. 

• Clear the Space: Smudge or use sound to cleanse any residual energy.  

Why It Matters: Opening and closing circles help practitioners feel safe, focused, and energetically protected. They honor the spiritual forces involved and ensure that all energies are respectfully invited and released. 

Rituals & Practices 

• Opening and Closing the Circle Ritual 

• Opening the Circle: Creating sacred space before shamanic work by calling in the directions, elements, ancestors, and spirit guides for protection and empowerment. 

• Closing the Circle: Thanking and releasing the energies, guides, and spirits called in, ensuring the practitioner returns fully to ordinary reality and the space is cleared. 

  
  

• Drumming & Rattles 

  Central to shamanic practice, drumming and rattling create repetitive rhythms that help practitioners enter altered states of consciousness, synchronize brainwaves (hemisynch), and journey to spiritual realms. Used for healing, grounding, and group rituals. 

  
  

• Hemisynch (Hemispheric Synchronization) 

  Achieved through rhythmic drumming, rattling, or sound, this practice synchronizes the left and right hemispheres of the brain. It induces trance states (Theta/Delta waves), deep relaxation, and facilitates shamanic journeying and healing.  

  
  

• Intention Setting 

  Clarifying your purpose before practice guides energy and focus. Common intention: “Show me what I need to know.” 

  
  

• Guided Meditation 

  Structured visualizations to connect with clans, elements, ancestors, or spirit guides for healing and insight. 

Shamanic Worlds 

• Lower World 

  Realm of animal guides, power animals, and earth energies. Offers grounding, healing, and ancestral connection.  

• Middle World 

  Realm of dreams, faeries, elementals, and alternate realities. Provides practical guidance, nature spirit connection, and creative inspiration.  

• Upper World 

  Realm of angels, ascended masters, gods/goddesses, and wise teachers. Source of spiritual guidance, empowerment, and expanded awareness.  

The 7 Shamanic Clans & Elements (Hank Wesselman) 

• Earth Clan: Grounding, stability, ancestral wisdom. Associated with physical health and manifestation.  

• Water Clan: Flow, emotion, intuition, cleansing. Supports emotional healing and adaptability. 

• Fire Clan: Transformation, passion, creativity, purification. Brings empowerment and spiritual illumination. 

• Wind/Air Clan: Communication, intellect, clarity, movement. Enhances wisdom, learning, and intuition. 

• Stone/Mineral Clan: Endurance, ancient wisdom, protection. Stones hold memory and are used for healing and energetic balance. 

• Nature/Plant Clan: Growth, healing, nourishment, renewal. Connects to cycles of nature and offers medicine and guidance. 

• Animal Clan: Instinct, protection, guidance, power. Animal spirits provide practical wisdom and empowerment. 

Indigenous Shamanism & Sacred Plants 

• Indigenous Shamanism 

  Spiritual practices and healing traditions of native cultures worldwide (Native American, South American, African, Hawaiian, Celtic, Egyptian, etc.). Each tradition has unique rituals, cosmology, and plant medicines, but all share the core principle of connecting with spirit for healing, guidance, and community well-being.  

  
  

• Ayahuasca 

  Psychoactive brew made from Amazonian plants, used by indigenous shamans in South America for spiritual healing, divination, and connection with spirit realms. Ceremonies involve deep emotional release, visions, and insights. 

  
  

• Peyote 

  Small cactus native to Mexico and the southwestern US, containing mescaline. Used in Native American ceremonies for vision quests, healing, and spiritual communion. Rituals emphasize respect, prayer, and community.  

  
  

• Tobacco 

  Sacred plant in many indigenous traditions. Used for prayer, offerings, purification, and as a medium for communication with spirits. Tobacco is often smoked, burned, or offered in ceremonies to carry prayers and intentions.  

  
  

• Other Sacred Plants 

o   Magic Mushrooms (Psilocybin): Used in some cultures for spiritual insight and healing. 

o   San Pedro (Huachuma): Cactus used in Andean shamanism for heart-opening and visionary experiences. 

o   Rapé: Snuff made from powdered tobacco and herbs, used for clearing energy and grounding. 

Spirits and Guides 

• Spirits and Guides 

  Non-physical beings, energies, or archetypes that assist, teach, protect, and heal. Includes power animals, ancestors, elemental spirits, and spirit teachers/guides. Practitioners connect with these allies during journeying, meditation, and ritual for wisdom, support, and transformation.  

Ancestral Healing 

• Ancestral Healing 

  Reconnecting with the wisdom, strength, and support of your lineage. Involves journeying to meet ancestors, understanding family patterns, and receiving guidance or healing from those who came before you. Benefits include emotional relief, personal growth, connection, empowerment, and integration. Rituals may include offerings, prayers, or ceremonies to honor ancestors and invite positive change.  

The Sidhe 

The Sidhe (pronounced “Shee”) are mystical beings in Celtic tradition, known as the “People of Peace” or “Shining Ones.” They are seen as a parallel race to humans, deeply connected to nature and spiritual wisdom, and often described as guides or collaborators for healing and transformation. They are making contact with humans more and more. They are tall, unlike faeries.

Divination Tools & Medicine Wheel 

• Medicine Wheel 

  Symbolic tool representing the cycles of life, directions, elements, and spiritual lessons, used for self-discovery and healing.  

• Divination Tools 

  Card decks (e.g., Sacred Path Cards, Medicine Cards, Power Animal Oracle Cards) used for guidance, meditation, and personal insight. 

  
  

Common Rituals & Tools 

• Nature Walks 

  Connecting with earth, plants, and animals for grounding and inspiration.  

• Journaling 

  Recording experiences, insights, and emotions for integration and growth. 

• Rituals 

  Personal ceremonies (e.g., lighting candles, gratitude offerings) to mark intentions and transitions. 

Challenges on the Path 

• Resistance 

  Fear, doubt, or skepticism; normal to experience and overcome.  

• Emotional Release 

  Healing may bring up intense emotions; allow yourself to process and integrate.  

• Integration 

  Applying insights and healing to daily life; may require patience and reflection.  

Teachers and Types of Shamanism 

• Key Teachers: Michael Harner, Hank Wesselman, Sandra Ingerman, Robert Moss, Jamie Sams, José Luis Stevens, Nicki Scully, Don Oscar Miro-Quesada, Alberto Villoldo, Malidoma Somé, John Lockley, John & Caitlín Matthews, Jaime Meyer, Kevin Turner

  
  

  Types of Shamanism: 

• Mongolian/Siberian Shamanism (Central Asia) Kevin Turner

• Amazonian Shamanism (South America) Alberto Villodo

• Andean Shamanism (Peru, Bolivia) Don Oscar Miro-Quesada, Jose Loius Stevens, Jaime Myer

• Native American Shamanism Lewis Mehl-Madrona, Jamie Sams, Nicki Scully

• African Shamanism John Lockley, Malidoma Some

• Celtic & European Shamanism John & Caitlin Matthews, Phillip Carr-Gorman, Danu Forest, Peter Knight, Kris Kristopher

• Egyptian Shamanism

Nicki Scully, Normandi Ellis, Zahra Inddigo Ronlov

• Hawaiian Shamanism

Hank Wesselman

• Japanese Shamanism 

• Urban & Eclectic Shamanism 

Michael Harner, Hank Wesselman, Sandra Ingerman, Robert Moss, Jaime Myer

Each tradition has unique rituals, cosmology, and healing methods, but all share the core principle of connecting with spirit for healing, guidance, and community well-being. 

 

Elements in Shamanism 

• Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Spirit are foundational in shamanic cosmology, each bringing unique qualities to rituals and healing practices. 

• Earth: Stability, grounding, physical health 

• Water: Emotional healing, purification 

• Fire: Transformation, purification, empowerment 

• Air: Communication, intellect, spiritual connection 

• Spirit: The unifying force, sometimes included as a fifth element. 

• Elemental Rituals: Working with the elements helps balance excesses and deficiencies, offering gifts such as courage, flow, presence, and renewal.

• Native American Medicine Wheel: The four directions are associated with the elements—East (Air), South (Water), West (Earth), North (Fire)—and each direction brings its own lessons, animals, and spiritual attributes.

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Stone Clan 

• Stone Clan: Stones and crystals are seen as ancient record keepers and sources of grounding, stability, and healing. Indigenous traditions recognize the Stone Clan as embodying qualities of endurance, wisdom, and energetic protection. Stones are used for balancing energy, clearing blockages, and amplifying intentions.  

• Hank said Shamans are mostly Stone Clan People because their bones (Stones) hold the Stories, and they are Storytellers. His website is: [sharedwisdom.com],

• Stone People: Stones are considered spirit helpers, offering lessons in balance, serenity, and connection to the Earth. They are used in rituals for healing, protection, and attracting specific energies.

Nature Clan 

• Nature Clan: Includes plants, trees, and all living green things. Nature spirits offer medicine, nourishment, and guidance for physical and spiritual well-being. The Nature Clan teaches about cycles of growth, death, and rebirth, and the importance of living in harmony with the environment.