January/February 2010 Alternative Health
Shamanic Breathwork: An Inner Healing Journey

by Linda Star Wolf

If you believe that none of us are here on Earth by accident, then we can only suppose that we must be here on purpose. Each of us has a wise one within who remembers the way back to wholeness and our life’s sacred purpose.

If you are seeking a more fulfilling way to be on this planet and longing for a soulful path of living, the Shamanic Breathwork process can guide you there. By using your breath in a powerful and transformative way, you can move beyond the ego long enough to reach your core self and engage in a highly intuitive connection to your inner teacher, or higher self, also known as your wisdom keeper.

This inner place of wisdom has all the solutions, guidance and answers that can’t be found anywhere else. I often refer to this inner healer and wisdom keeper as “the shaman within.” When you awaken the shaman within, you begin to walk and act in empowered ways in the world.

Shamanic Breathwork is a safe and powerful healing process that uses the breath, chakra-attuned music, focused bodywork, art and group sharing to help individuals connect to their own inner healer/shaman, heal wounds and release blockages, get clarity about next right actions, and step into a life of power, passion and purpose. As old wounds and dysfunctional patterns are released and transformed, individuals begin to regain lost soul parts and remember the magic of who they truly are. Empowerment brings wholeness and healing back into their lives, to the lives of those they love and to the world at large.

This process is highly experiential and the wisdom and healing gained comes from each individual's inner experience. Shamanic Breathwork honors and blends the timeless wisdom of ancient shamanic traditions with cutting-edge psycho-spiritual methods of healing and teaching. It functions as a rainbow bridge, honoring the best of both worlds while creating a new paradigm for body, mind, heart and spirit.

In the past, and still in some remote areas, the shaman was sought out much as a physician, counselor or minister is today. In the shamanic tradition of old, the healer/shaman attempted to restore healing and balance to others by performing sacred rites or ceremonies which usually included prayers, songs and chants. They would also journey into other realms while being assisted by power animals, spirit guides and allies. Shamanic Breathwork differs in that it is aimed at awakening the inner shamanic healer in individuals undergoing the process.

Shamanic Breathwork begins by establishing sacred space through various rituals such as smudging with sage while offering prayerful invocations. Individuals lie down and focus on surrendering to the healer/shaman within, calling upon that which is most sacred and holy to them, such as guides, power animals and higher power. The drumming then begins, leading into a powerful musical journey varying in length from one to two hours. As the individual uses the power of deep connected breathing to create a natural altered dreamlike state, the ego defenses are released and the journey unfolds.

Each person's shamanic journey is a highly individualized process and no two are ever the same. Some of the states of consciousness reported range from divine, otherworldly bliss states to the struggle to be released from negative forces in the psyche. Rebirthing is a common occurrence, as is the life review where one relives or observes their lifetime experiences. Old patterns of dysfunction may be brought to the surface. Addictions are sometimes healed during this process, and feelings of grief, fear, rage and anxiety may be released. 

After the process, each person creates a mandala, which is an art piece that helps the journeyer to begin to integrate the journey. Then all participants come back together to share their journeys and receive suggestions from the Shamanic Breathwork facilitator on ways that to integrate the wisdom they have accessed into their everyday lives.

Anyone can go on a journey and see many of interesting things. Taking what you experience back into your life in a grounded way helps you make the shift from an ego agenda to your true soul purpose.

Linda Star Wolf, founder of Venus Rising Institute for Shamanic Healing Arts, is the author of Shamanic Breathwork: Journeying Beyond the Limits of the Self. She presents events at New Renaissance Bookshop in Portland on Jan. 22-23. Visit www.shamanicbreathwork.org.