Introduction to Shamanism

Shamanism is an ancient form of spiritual practice. Some form of it has existed on our planet for at least 40,000 years. The shamanic worldview accepts that other realities exist simultaneously with our physical one, that all beings have a spirit, and that everything is interconnected in a great web of life.

A shaman is a practitioner (female or male) who enters a non-ordinary state of consciousness (called a shamanic journey) to effect healing on behalf of others. They often use some form of percussive stimulus (from the rhythmic beat of a drum or rattle) to access the shamanic journey and travel into other realities to meet with helping spirits and power animals. They use the shamanic journey to access direct revelation, spiritual guidance and healing experiences.

During Autumn 2007 to Summer 2009, Sheila is on sabbatical from the introductory Weavers in the Web program. Check this website in late 2008 for program dates for 2009-2010.

OTHER SHAMANIC EVENTS:

Descent to Soul in Challenging Times:

An Autumn Intensive for Women and Men

with Sheila Belanger, M.A. and Anne Hayden
 
September 25 to 28, 2008
Whidbey Institute at Chinook, South Whidbey Island
Sliding Fee: $495-$625 
 
The focus of the Decent to Soul intensive is to support you to go to your next level of saying yes to your soul, the unique, wild essence at the heart of your being. These precarious times on our planet demand that we make radical personal and collective shifts. There is no greater gift to the planet than to live the life that your soul requires. Autumn invites a slowing down and dropping into the mysteries of darkness. We will consciously engage with the disintegration processes of autumn to identify, honor and facilitate the release of your old identities that are too small to be your soul container. And we will charge your own soul’s purpose to come forward to match the urgency of the times.

The Decent to Soul is a highly experiential intensive that includes individualized soul-centered practices explored in solitude in nature as well as deepened in group experiences.

It is designed to challenge current ego identities that require you to continue lifestyles, relationships (inner and outer), and work in the world that are too small for your soul. The intensive involves deep and intimate connections with nature (inner and outer); honest and compassionate exploration of personal wounds and shadow; conscious participation in a circle of fellow wanderers; and the exploration of bringing your unique soul gifts to our world. It is in support of those who have previously done inner work and are ready to challenge themselves to take the next step to become a psychologically and spiritually mature adult.

We use the book “Soulcraft” by Bill Plotkin and soul-centered practices as navigational guides for the journey. In this four-day retreat on South Whidbey Island, we’ll explore practices such as:

• Conversation and Relationship with Nature
• Council and Conscious Shadow Work
• Exercises to Support Participation in the Great Turning
• Movement and Self-Designed Ceremony
• Four-Directional Map of Wholeness
• Deep Imagination and Drum Journeys
• Song, Poetry, Silence and Belly Laughter

The intensive begins on Thursdays at 9:30 am and ends on Sundays at 4 pm. A non-refundable deposit of $250 will hold your space. Fee includes tuition, lodging and meals. A short application is required. 

For more information or to apply for the intensive, contact:
Dana Thomas at (360) 579-2290 or at thomas@whidbey.com 

The Guides 

The guides to Descent to Soul use the wisdom and experiential Soulcraft™ work of Bill Plotkin, Ph.D, and the Animas Valley Institute (AVI) in Colorado as potent allies to support the expression of their own unique soul gifts. They have trained extensively with AVI and will incorporate Soulcraft™ work and philosophy into the intensive. An excellent introduction to soul encounter is available on AVI’s website at: www.animas.org/encounter.htm. 
 
Anne Hayden has been shaped by her lifelong mystical connection with nature and her commitment to living a soul-infused life. She has a B.A. in Ecopsychology, has guided wilderness vision quests and facilitated small groups in soul-centered processes since 1994.  She is a passionate, heartfelt and down-to-earth guide for the journey.  

Sheila Belanger has an M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology and has been a counseling spiritual astrologer since 1984 and a shamanic healer since 1993. Since her teen years, Sheila has connected with nature as a life-transforming ally.  Sheila has facilitated spiritual retreats and groups since 1990 and has guided wilderness vision quests since 1997. Sheila is a lively, compassionate and humorous guide for the journey.  

Intro to Soulcraft™

with Sheila Belanger, M.A. and Anne Hayden

Friday, Oct. 17 to Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008
South Whidbey Island, Washington
Sliding Fee: $275-$325
(Lodging options available for an additional fee)

Soulcraft™ is a synergistic set of nature-based practices designed to evoke the life-shifting experience of soul encounter. Your soul is your true self, those qualities that most deeply define and express who you are and the unique gift that you were born to bring to the world. Soulcraft™ practices spring from nature-based cultures, modern depth psychology, the poetic tradition, and wilderness rites of passage-to comprise a truly contemporary Western path to soul discovery and soul initiation.
This retreat is a 3-day experiential immersion designed to deepen your awareness of the path to your greatest fulfillment and the essence of your true offering to others. We'll weave time together in group processes with solitary time in nature. We'll explore a variety of Soulcraft™ practices, including:

• Deep Imagery Work
• The Way of Council
• Soul Tasks in Nature
  
• Self-Designed Ceremony
• Song, Poetry and Intentional Silence
• Map of Inner Wholeness

We use the book Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche by Bill Plotkin as a navigational guide for the journey. Fee includes tuition, meals and facility fee. Nearby lodging options are available.

For more information or to register for the retreat, contact:
Anne Hayden at quests@whidbey.com

For more information on Soulcraft™, go to: www.animas.org

Wild Soul Vision Quests

Early-Summer Quest for Women and Men

Preparation Gathering:
Saturday, May 16, 2009, 9 am to 5 pm

Quest dates:     June 12 to 21, 2009

Sliding Fee: $695-$795

Three-Season Quest for Women:

Spring Preparation Retreat: April 3-5, 2009
Summer Vision Quest: May 29 to June 7, 2009
Autumn Integration Retreat: Oct 2 to 4, 2009

Sliding Tuition Fee: $1025-$1125
Retreat Facilities and Meals Fee: $575

The Wild Soul Vision Quest is a life-shifting journey into wild lands to uncover and retrieve the passion and wisdom of your soul, and the nature of the gift that is uniquely yours to bring to the world. This journey is a contemporary re-enactment of the cross-cultural vision quest and includes three days and nights of solitude with an optional fast.
 
The seasoned guides offer assistance on all levels, from spiritual preparation to help with backpacking equipment to individualized ceremonial options.
 
The quest takes place in a canyon in Eastern Washington where basalt cliffs offer high vistas and the year-round creek attracts wildlife from a wide area. Sagebrush, desert flowers and old-growth conifers provide the outer landscape to mirror your inner journey.
 
Though this quest involves a 2-3 mile backpack, you don't need to have previous experience in backpacking or camping. You will need to be willing to prepare yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually in the weeks and months before the journey.
 
Participation is by application and informal interview.
 
For more information, contact:
Anne Hayden at quests@whidbey.com or (360) 579-2842 

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