Shamanic Practice

Shamanism in Practice

Shamanic Practitioners

Shamanic practitioners are women and men who practice shamanism in the Western world, for the benefit of those entrusted to them (mostly clients seeking help). Contacts to shamanic practitioners from large parts of Europe, who have completed at least some of their training with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, can be requested at office@shamanicstudies.net.

Certified Shamanic Counselors®

Certified Shamanic Counselors® (CSC) have completed the long-term training programme in Harner Shamanic Counseling™ through the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Following a specific process design, they work with one client at a time, in individual sessions, supporting the client to use the shamanic journey technique for divinatory purposes. This way, the clients are enabled to contact their spiritual helpers in the Upper and Lower Worlds on their own and receive help for life problems or answers to questions. Essentially, the clients become their own practitioners of shamanic divination. Contacts to CSC can be requested at office@shamanicstudies.net.

Drum Circles

A drum circle is a group of people who regularly meet for common shamanic activity. In addition to life-related topics and specific aspects of shamanism, drum circles primarily foster the further development of individual and collective shamanic practice and experience, the exchange among like-minded people, and the work with clients. The spectrum of formats ranges from open groups, in which anyone can participate (often with payment of a participation fee), to closed and permanently established groups. Contacts to drum circles can be requested at office@shamanicstudies.net.

Drums

For shamans – for those of primeval times as well as for modern practitioners – no tool is more important than the shaman’s drum. Certainly, as they say in Tuva, one can also work with an effigy, a daiak (staff), a little flag or a jaw harp. But for great shamans, the drum is obligatory. The life of the drum is like that of the shaman: it is finite. Even today, in many places, the drums are destroyed when the shaman dies. Sometimes, especially in Altai, it is done by the shaman himself or herself. The drum cracks or breaks, announcing the death of its owner.

Drum Making

Here we present only a small selection of craftsmen or artists – whatever you want to call them – who have succumbed to the fascination of skin and wood.

There are countless drum makers nowadays; you get good quality and affordable prices from the makers listed here.

MIROSLAV KASPAR, Czech Republic: High quality, reasonable price

ACHIM BECKER, Germany: Carefully crafted, rich in detail

CORNELIA BEGLINGER, Switzerland: Where you can also find special things