01/16/2026
Are there real Shamans, and do they host workshops???
Idk why this s**t irks me so much.
I have had people tell me not to let if affect me, to turn my head the other way, or to not be negative or indulge in negative energy, lol
First off, let's acknowledge that real shamans do exist.
But you ain't gonna find them hosting weekend retreats, teaching you sigils, or spirit guide activations 🤣
They arent gonna teach you about psychic mediumship, or help you find your Spirit animal in an hour long meditation.
Being a Shaman is not a vibe, it's not a title you can claim, or a job description you put on your business card.
Real shamans exist in specific cultures, lineages, and communities.
They are RECOGNIZED BY THEIR PEOPLE!!
Not a certificate.
They are not self appointed.
Their work is FOR THE PEOPLE
The initiation is real.
They are shaped by obligation.
Not branding.
They're not out here hosting workshops and such.
SOOO..
What DOES makes shamanism shamanism, you say??
-Lineage and community recognition - you don’t decide..Your community or an Elder does.
-Long training and apprenticeship..
Were talkin YEARS..Or ometimes decades.
-Spirit work for others- healing, protection, guidance, and negotiation with unseen forces for your people.
-Ethical and cultural obligations..
Boundaries, taboos, and sacred laws are serious.
Teachings are often given slowly and very selectively.
Not through ceremonies meant to alter consciousness or open spirit gates.
Then, there's the dreaded word most of yall can't stand.
:::Gasp::: GATE KEEPING!!
Yes...
Sacred gatekeeping.
I'm personally a fan = )
Some knowledge is never shared outside the culture.
And only some is shared after years of building trust and being of SERVICE
Without these elements, the work may be mystical, magical, or ancestral..
But it is NOT Shamanic
Many cultures do not even use the word shaman at all. Including NATIVE AMERICANS!!
It is an outsider term that collapses many distinct spiritual roles into one simplified label, and I personally don't like that.
Do Shamans Teach??
Yes!
And yes..
Sometimes they ask for an EXCHANGE.
But it’s not a numerical fee for a quick activation.
Traditionally, learning from a shaman may look like
- Service to the community
- Gifts or offerings
- Reciprocity in spiritual or practical ways
This is what we call sacred responsibility.
Not profit.
Idgaf what world we are living in today.
A true Shaman knows that as they do Spirits work, Spirit will see they are provided for.
This is not to dismiss that sometimes travel expenses, room and board and such will sometimes ask to be paid for, and this is part of a fair exchange.
Who does host modern 'Shamanic' workshops??
-New Age facilitators
-Spiritual entrepreneurs
-People blending multiple traditions without lineage
Spirit guide work, meditation, soul retrievals, Reiki, mediumship, tarot, sigils, poppets, paganism, folk magic...
All of these can be taught responsibly.
They are part of Western esotericism, modern mystical traditions, or folk practices.
Some of this work IS meaningful, and some is helpful.
But it is not the same thing as traditional Shamanism, and calling it that creates confusion and erases Indigenous context.
I got a little secret for ya..
You don't need the label 'Shamanic' to be powerful, valid, or transformative.
Calling it shamanic when it’s not???
That’s what we call cultural erasure!!
It's sloppy ethics and yes..
It's harmful.
And don't give me that bulls**t, we're all Indigenous to somewhere.
No s**t Sherlock!!
Yes, we all have ancestors.
Yes, we’re all 'from somewhere'
That doesn’t mean you get to grab sacred regalia from another culture and wear it like a costume.
That doesn’t give you the right to ritual garments that have been earned, honored, and protected by someone else’s community for generations.
It doesn't give you the right to host a spirit guide activation under the name of Shamanism.
I feel bad for the people out here going to these supposed Shamans who don't innerstand the difference
Bottom line!!
Personally, I will never teach shamanism.
I don't claim to be a medicine wombyn
Hell..
I don't even call myself an herbalist, lol
I don’t claim the title, and I don’t need it.
What I do honor:
- Ancestral wisdom
- Folk practices and urban magic
- Spiritual sovereignty
- Native ceremony and traditions
- Ethics over aesthetics
Real shamanism is of the utmost sacred responsibility.
It's heavy, and it's real.
And guess what!??
Your study, your magic, your ancestral practice..
That can be real too.
It can be SO real that you would NEVER consider borrowing words that aren’t yours.
But I guess only those who genuinely believe in their personal gift would get that.
For those of us with urban roots, mixed ancestry, and ancestral memory stirring in our blood..
It's OK to reclaim your mystical practice.
That includes:
-Folk magic from kitchens and back rooms
- Divination as a tool of insight
- Spirit communication grounded in discernment
- Urban ancestral work with respect for the lineages we do carry
There are many valid spiritual paths that involve teaching and workshops:
- Herbalists
- Rootworkers
- Energy workers
- Mediums
- Mystics
- Witches
- Ancestral healers
Pick one and please stop calling yourself a Shaman
