The Beauty and Healing of the Shamanic Experience
According to Awakening to the Spirit World by Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman, “Shamanism is the first spiritual practice of humankind and dates back tens of thousands of years. The fact that this spiritual practice of working in relationship and in partnership with the helping spirits is being widely used to day speaks to the potency of the work.”
Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner who reaches altered states of consciousness in order to perceive and interact with a spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into this world.
Hold on a sec…yes, you’re on the right blog, I’m still Princess Rosebud, still Enchanted Seashells haha, just doing a little ENCHANTED exploration with the spirit world in addition to gluing seashells to any available surface. With a nature. land, and animal connection, how could it be anything but good, right?
Let me clarify…I’m not a shaman. Did you think I was? Nope, but I met an amazing woman who is a shamanic practitioner,and I’d like to share her story and my experience with you.
I met Carmen in January. I had undergone an emotional and total body 10.0 earthquake, a tsunami of pain that ruled my life so unbearably for a couple of months until I was so devastated that I was literally unable to function (I’ll tell you all about it when I can.)
A very good friend suggested that I seek out the support of a shaman for healing from these deep heart wounds.
Always a skeptic, I was so far out of my mind and spirit and soul that I would have reached up to the sky to pull down a star if that could have helped me work my way out of depths of despair.
Serendipity, divine guidance, luck, coincidence…who knows what it was, but I found Carmen located in my own little town and booked an appointment.
I had no preconceived ideas about what to expect. I didn’t even Google “shamanism”–I don’t remember how I drove to her office.
I walked through the door with shoulders hunched, tears streaming down my face. There was a candle burning and the scent of sage. I don’t remember filling out her information form…why are you here, and later I saw that I had written, “to save my life”.
Between bouts of sobbing, I told her what had happened to my world; it felt like a death but no one had died. I felt like there was something strangely wrong with me; not a medical issue, although I had absolutely suffered some health issues due to this seismic shift-but more internal, cellular, organic. I felt like there was a toxic or malignant entity inhabiting my body, causing me an incredible amount of despondency- I was tormented.
What is a shamanic journey?
In shamanic practice it is believed that part of the soul is free to leave the body. There are various times the soul might leave the body, during dreaming or to protect the soul from trauma. When a shaman is initiated onto the shamanic path, they usually learn how to send their soul forth intentionally, on the soul flight which is commonly called a journey or the shamanic journey. In early shamanic societies, many shamans were initiated because of having a near death experience. Death being an experience when all of your soul leaves the body, the near death experience is thought to teach an individual to travel with the soul.
The shamanic journey occurs by shifting awareness or consciousness in order to allow part of your soul to leave the body. The drum or rattle is frequently used. The slow repetitive rhythm shifts the individuals “rhythm” so that he or she can journey. Just the way a soothing song can help an someone achieve a calmer state. The rhythm of the drum puts you in the right state to journey. The drum beat used is very close to the frequency that is measured from the earth, and has proved effective for the majority of people. [From https://www.shamanlinks.net/shaman-info/about-shamanism/the-shamanic-journey/]
I’ve learned that everyone’s journey is different. Mine involved an out of body and trance-like dreamy experience — meeting my spirit guides and my spirit animal (a wolf, of course), and a feeling of release of toxins and pain–and a sort of rebirth. I felt as if I was physically still in the room and simultaneously travelled away from my physical body. When Carmen brought me back from the journey and I regained my awareness of the present moment, I felt completely changed from the person who had walked in two hours before. Lighter, less burdened, less desolate, less weighted down by a thousand ton boulder crushing my heart.
Are you asking yourself if I exaggerated or if it was as intense as I’ve shared? Yup, it was, and even more so.
And all I know for sure is that I felt better walking out than I had walking in, and for the most part, that’s stayed with me, along with a renewed sense of purpose, and maybe even healed a bit.
From that moment, I’ve done a lot of reading about Shamanism and I’m fascinated by everything I’ve learned.
I asked Carmen a few questions and below that is a lot of info about her background and training . Even if you don’t live in our area, she does distance work, and I highly recommend her.
Carmen Tracey: Paradise Reiki, specializing in Reiki, Shamanic Therapies, and Spirit Guidance. 800 Grand Ave — Suite AG1 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Phone:414–367–4325 or 760–576–5133 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paradisereiki/
Questions with Carmen:
What is your favorite specialty area?
Curse unraveling. With enough intention behind our words, a curse can be as simple as wishing someone ill, but sometimes people are really skilled in creating curses with components, with plants or animal parts for instance, and those are really intense to unravel.
Where did you learn this ?
I learned this specialty skill from Betsy Bergstrom
Anything else?
I love doing animal communications and spirit guidance. I enjoy working with animals in that space; they have very rich emotional, mental, and spiritual lives and because we are so focused on everyone speaking the same language we miss out on a lot of information.
I enjoy being the bridge between human and animal communication.
My first animal client was rabbit that was acting out, super horny lol, and I told his owner to get stuffed animal — but what he really needed a mate, and when she introduced him to a female rabbit, it all worked out, he was a great dad and great mate. This experience reinforced my passion to work with animals.
Can you give us an example of a worst curse scenario?
I helped a woman where back in her ancestry an ancestor was at war with a local witch and who placed a spell on the family. The spell had components. The release of the spell originated with that one person but helped the entire family. I was able to release a supernatural being that was bound in the spell in order to heal the family. This will carry forward into the future.
When did you first realize that you had these special gifts and skills?
It was in high school. I always had psychic abilities, have always seen spirits, which got me into a lot of trouble because in the beginning, I had no filter and told everyone what I saw and heard. I “knew” that my 5th grade teachers were having an affair. Their two classrooms were separated by a room divider and their individual desks were next to each other but on either side of the divider. One day I saw them together at their desks along with an image of the two of them in her kitchen drinking coffee. I said to them, “Hope you had a fun time together.” They looked at me, like what are you talking about? The male teacher later confronted me in the hall and threatened that I’d be in big trouble is I told anyone.
More…
Carmen Tracey is the Owner, Teacher, and primary Energy Therapist at Paradise Reiki. She is a Reiki Master Teacher and A Core Shamanic Practitioner. Carmen believes in honoring our ancestors and native teachings as well as using intention based practices for healing in the moment. She also believes it is vital to honor the future ones by re-weaving the tapestry with new healing stories. Her commitment to her client begins before we enter her healing space and continues long after we leave. She offers her support and compassion for us on our healing path and will share her knowledge and skills as a healer in all of her work.. As a healer her number one goal is to help us be in touch with our true self, honoring our own ability to heal and grow physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Carmen believes in creating an environment for learning and provides ample opportunities for growth for her students. She networks extensively in the area in order to provide clients with Holistic options when building their health care team.
Background and Training
1998 — Present — Continued study and exploration of Shamanism with teachings from a Lakota Sioux elder with sacred ceremony, to advanced energetic theories with Kathleen Rude and Betsy Bergstrom. Her personal spiritual path follows the path of the elders deeply rooted in spiritual ecology and intention setting practices. She was blessed with a family who valued philosophy in spirituality and religion and thus explored many faiths around the globe, hence her natural fit with Core Shamanism. She has deep personal relationships with many guides and allies in the world of spirit. She has a deep connection to animals and considers communication with nature as fundamental to our spiritual growth as a species. She considers spirituality as fundamental to our health.
Reiki Master Teacher Fall 2010 — She completed a yearlong Reiki Master Teacher program through The Art of Healing School of Energy Medicine in Elm Groove WI with 100+ hours of clinical and hands on teaching of Reiki.
Chakras 2009 — She completed a Chakra and Advanced Chakra healing program through the Art of Healing School of Energy Medicine.
Japanese Reiki 2010 — As part of her continued studies at the Art of Healing School of Energy Medicine she completed a Japanese Reiki and Advanced Japanese Reiki program. These teachings explored the newly released and translated information from Usui Sensi’s teachings. Carmen has integrated these teachings into her Usui Reiki program, merging east with west. Inherent in the original teachings of Reiki are an integrated connection to the natural world, indeed the first part of the kami of the word Reiki contains the word Shaman. Reiki has been a natural extension of Carmen’s healing gifts.
Usui Reiki
We are energetic beings with energy fields surrounding our bodies and around every organ. These fields resonate at a specific frequency when we are healthy and at a different frequency when we are not. Reiki taps into this energy through a gentle hands-on method that creates deep relaxation and reconnects the body to the Life Force Energy known as Ki or Chi. Using just her hands, the Reiki practitioner introduces a pulsing energy field to positively influence the energy fields in and around the body. Reiki energy can bring the energy fields back into their healthy ranges.
Reiki works with energy on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. A Reiki session will help your body relax and feel full of vitality and can lead to increased mental clarity and it can boost energy levels. Reiki is a very nurturing therapy.
Paradise Reiki believes that the whole self needs to be nurtured for healing to be successful. She believes in working with other healing therapies for a holistic approach.
Shamanic Healing
Carmen has advanced training in Shamanic studies and practices. Among these are cord cutting, complex energetic unraveling such as curses and/or thought forms, soul retrieval and guided shamanic journeys to the realms of spirit. Carmen would be honored to help guide you on journeys that help you create relationships with your true self and your guides and allies. Adding these relationships to your own spiritual practices will offer opportunities for growth and healing.
There are many indications that a Shamanic Therapy may be right for you:
* Addiction
* Depression
* Anxiety
* Feeling Stuck
* Feeling drained by events or people
* Feeling not yourself
* The Desire to be on a different path in life
Chakra Healing
There are 7 major chakra centers from the western energy philosophy that correspond to physical positions along the spine. Each chakra represents a wheel or spinning disk of energy often visualized as a flower with petals open. These energy centers correspond to the organ systems of the body. The human energy fields expand beyond the body. Chakra healing works with the chakra centers and the energy fields to cleanse and balance.
There are many wonderful energy theories, such as the Jewish system with the Qabalah and the Nada Yoga practice of chanting the Sanskrit seed syllables for chakra healing. Carmen works with many theories to find a fit that is right for you.
Energy Mapping
Carmen works with a system called Energy Mapping to draw your energy systems, the locations and spin of your Chakras as well as your energy pathways. These are unique to you. There is not a one size fits all system to understanding your own energy centers and pathways. Your needs are also going to be unique to you. Together you and Carmen can map out a path to healing that fits your unique needs.
Blessed Magic Manifesting
From Desire Mapping to Vision Boards, Carmen will offer her insights into manifesting the life you wish to be leading in thoughtful as well as practical ways.
Animal Healing and Communication
All of the techniques that Carmen uses for her human clients she uses for her animal clients. Communicating with her animal clients through shamanic journeys can offer great insight into their needs and their inner lives. She uses her knowledge of animal chakra and energy systems and Reiki to offer healing. She can see your animal friends at her healing space in Carlsbad or travel to your place.
End of Life Transitions and Nurturing
Carmen will travel to your loved one for end of life transition sessions. She can offer nurturing support to you, your family and your loved one during this beautiful transition. Carmen has a gift for spirit communication and can offer her ability to communicate with your loved one, helping you to understand their needs. She can also help your loved one communicate with their guides and allies and their loved ones who are there in spirit to guide your loved one.
Spirit Communication
Carmen uses her Shamanic Practices to work with spirit to communicate to her client’s true self and guides and allies. She can help you learn to communicate in non verbal ways with your friends and loved ones.
Distance Services Offered:
All Shamanic Healing
Animal Communication and Healing
Spirit Guide Communication
Blessed Magic Manifesting
Reiki Distance Healing
All Workshops and Apprenticeships
Call or text: 414–367–4325 or 760–576–5133
