Learn what to expert during a shamanic healing — remote or in-person.

Before their first session, most people don’t have any experience with shamanic healing. If that’s you, it’s only natural to be curious and nervous about what it’s all about.

In this article, I’m going to walk you through what you can expect during a standard shamanic healing session. While every shamanic practitioner has their own approach, most sessions will generally follow the steps laid out below.

I’ll also answer common questions like “What’s better, in-person or remote shamanic healing?” and “Do I have to do anything as the client?”

Let’s walk through a session!

Inside a shamanic healing session

In a shamanic healing session, the shamanic practitioner enters an alternate state of consciousness to connect with compassionate helping spirits and bring healing from these spirits to the client. This is often called a shamanic journey.

For the vast majority of shamanic practitioners, this shifting in consciousness is done via repetitive drumming or ratting, not psychedelics.

Before starting, the shamanic practitioner should always clarify your healing request and get your informed and explicit consent. (More on permission here.)

There are many techniques a shamanic practitioner might use during a session. Some of the most common are power animal retrievals, extractions, and soul retrievals. You can see a longer list of techniques on my Services page. Exactly which techniques are used varies session by session. In all cases, while the client and/or practitioner might suspect which techniques are needed, this assessment is ultimately done by the practitioner’s helping spirits.

In the vast majority of shamanic healings, the client will only need to sit or lay down and relax while the practitioner does their work. Physical touch is not necessary for effective shamanic healing.

Sessions can vary in length depending on the complexity of the work. A simple, single healing can be very fast, taking just a few minutes. Or it can last over an hour depending on the approach, power, and complexity of the healing. Note that the duration of a healing session is not a good measure of its effectiveness.

After a shamanic healing, the practitioner might have information to share about the healing. Or they might not. Typically, the shamanic practitioner will avoid sharing unpleasant details (for example, specifics about negative energies or possessing spirits that were removed), but will share empowering details (like info about power animal retrievals or soul retrievals). The practitioner may also have practical suggestions on how to integrate the healing you received over the coming days, weeks, and months.

Post-healing integration is an important part of the shamanic healing process

Inside a Wildwood Shamanism healing session

Now that you know the broad strokes of what happens in a shamanic session, I’ll break down how I approach this at Wildwood Shamanism. All of my shamanic healing work is remote, so all of the following steps are done via Zoom.

1. Free initial consultation

I require every new client to schedule a free, initial consultation with me before any shamanic work happens. This is a chance for you and me to meet and get a feel for each other. You can share why you’re looking for shamanic support, and I can answer any question you have about shamanism and my approach.

The goal is to make sure you are fully informed and comfortable before we begin.

If and when you decide to move forward — whether that’s at the end of the consultation or later — we can schedule the actual shamanic healing. I like to book 90 minutes for each session. While we may end early, this ensures we have plenty of time and don’t have to rush.

2. Welcome and calling in my helping spirits

During the actual healing session, we’ll take a few minutes to say hi, get settled and address any open questions before starting.

Then I’ll begin with a short ceremony to formally call in the support of my compassionate helping spirits. During this, the client can relax. I will drum or rattle and sing for a few minutes.

3. Guided meditation

Next, I will walk you through a short, 5-10 minute guided meditation. No experience meditating is required. It’s just an opportunity to slow down, let go of any distractions or stresses you may be holding, and bring your attention inward. This can be very healing on its own, and helps prepare us for the shamanic healing.

4. Confirming intention and permission

Before the shamanic healing begins, I check one more time about what, specifically, you want shamanic healing for. Many people have multiple potential issues, and it’s not unusual for a client to switch the focus of the session before we start. This is also another opportunity for me to verify that I have your consent to conduct the healing.

5. The shamanic healing

Now I begin the shamanic healing. During this, the client can sit or relax comfortably. No work or participation is required of them, but it is recommended they remain present and open to the healing. Clients should avoid multi-tasking, checking their phone or other tabs, doing tasks.

As the shamanic practitioner, a healing involves these steps:

Using drums or rattles to enter a shamanic state of consciousness
Sharing the client’s healing intention with my helping spirits
Following my helping spirits’ lead on the healing that is needed (this may require multiple steps)
Clarifying with my helping spirits what, if any, info the client needs

This part of the session can last 15 - 45 minutes. The healing work in every session is unique to the client and the request. It is always spirit-led.

While the healing work is being done, the client may or may not feel shifts physically, emotionally, or mentally. Whether or not you feel anything isn’t a measure of the effectiveness of the healing. It’s just that some people, at some times, seem to be more in-tune with these sensations. I mention this just so you’re not surprised if you do feel something or disappointed if you don’t. It’s not good or bad.

6. Time to integrate

After the healing, I’ll confirm that the healing is complete and give you some time to integrate that. Some clients don’t need this and are ready to move ahead. Others are glad to have a few minutes to rest in this healing space. It’s totally up to you.

7. Space to share

Once you’re ready, I’ll share any information about the healing that is appropriate. As mentioned, this might be as little as “the healing is complete” or as much as a full description of the shamanic healing. How much I share is guided by my helping spirits. The goal is always whatever will be most healing and empowering for the client.

There is also space for the client to share anything they noticed or felt during the session, as well as ask any questions.

8. Suggestions for integrating the healing work

Finally, I will share recommendations on how the client can take care of themselves and integrate the healing they received. “Integration” just means adapting to the healing you’ve received, similar to how you might need to drink extra fluids after a deep massage. For shamanic healing, this can include practical steps like rest, relaxation, and time in nature. If the healing involves a power animal or soul retrieval, I will share actions you can take to get to know your new power animal or returned soul parts.

9. Check-in

One or two weeks after the session, I will follow-up with an email to see how you’re doing.

Follow-up shamanic healing sessions can be scheduled at any time. For the best results, I strongly recommend scheduling at least three sessions. Monthly or quarterly pacing is ideal. Of course, the frequency and pacing is up to you.

Common questions about shamanic healing sessions

Here are quick answers to a few of the most common questions people have shamanic healing sessions:

“Do I have to believe in spirits or a specific religion for this to work?”

You do not need to follow any religion for shamanic healing to work. Shamanism is not a religion; it is a spiritual practice. Shamanism can be embraced by followers of any faith, as well as by people who are not religious. The key insight here is separating “religion” and “spirituality”, which are different things.

As for belief in spirits, if you’re not even open to the possibility that they might exist, it’s unlikely you will seek out shamanic healing. That said, the anthropologic literature on shamanism is full of accounts of non-believing anthropologists witnessing shamanic experiences they can’t adequately explain.

“What about indigenous shamanic healing? Is this cultural appropriation?”

At Wildwood Shamanism, I practice Core Shamanism. This is a culturally-agnostic approach to shamanism that is not tied to any specific indigenous tradition. Instead, it only uses universal or near-universal shamanic techniques to avoid both cultural appropriation as well as practices that lose their meaning and power outside of their specific cultural context and traditions.

The shamanic healing session described in this article is typical of a Core Shamanic practice. Specific indigenous traditions may have different approaches, but I don’t purport to speak for those traditions. You can read more about my thoughts on this topic in my Code of Ethics.

“What’s better, in-person or remote shamanic healing?”

Both can be equally effective. Shamanic healing happens in the spirit realm, which is outside space and time. This means shamanic healing can be provided in-person just as well as remotely (via Zoom, phone or asynchronously).

“What is shamanic journeying, and will I be journeying too or just the practitioner?”

In a shamanic healing, only the shamanic practitioner goes on a shamanic journey. This is where part of the practitioner’s soul leaves their body and travels through the spiritual realms to connect with compassionate helping spirits and bring healing to the client. While the practitioner is journeying, the client says in “ordinary reality”, usually sitting or laying down comfortably and relaxing.

A shamanic healing journey can last just a few minutes or upwards of an hour, depending on the client and needs. During the healing journey, the practitioner may sit, lay down, or move around the space. How they move – and how much – depends on the practitioner and the needs of the specific healing.

Learn more about shamanic journeying here.

“How should I prepare for a shamanic healing?”

The best preparation for a shamanic healing is to make sure that you have enough time both before and after the session to transition. Life can be busy and filled with major problems and minor stresses. Leave yourself enough space so you can be present, as best you can, during the healing. And leave yourself some personal time immediately after the healing – as well as over the following days – for extra rest.

“How do I pick a qualified shamanic practitioner?”

I cover this topic in depth here: Is shamanism safe?

“What should I wear?”

Wear whatever you want! There’s no dress code, but something you can comfortably sit or lay down in is recommended.

Next steps

To learn more about the shamanic services I offer, visit the Services page.

And to schedule a shamanic healing, book a free consultation or ask a question, you can reach out via the Contact page.

Thank you for reading!

What happens in a shamanic healing session?