{"id":1321,"date":"2020-05-17T14:12:51","date_gmt":"2020-05-17T12:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/80db0ca28a.nxcli.io\/shamanism\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T12:49:00","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T11:49:00","slug":"shamanism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/shamanism\/","title":{"rendered":"Shamanism: Siberian origins and practice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/72D96D61-F666-45AB-82A3-30524F1FC5EF-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Warren Shanti seated playing the shamanic drum\" title=\"Shamanism: Siberian origins and practice\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, I\u2019m talking to you about <strong>shamanism<\/strong>, a huge topic that has been with humanity since the very beginning and that I care deeply about: its origins, what it is, and how it\u2019s learned.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The essentials<\/h2>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shamanism was born in the Siberian steppes: it is the world\u2019s first spirituality and the world\u2019s first medicine.<\/li>\n\n<li>Through trance, the shaman makes contact with invisible worlds and spirits.<\/li>\n\n<li>It\u2019s an eco-minded spirituality, rooted in respect for nature and gratitude.<\/li>\n\n<li>It\u2019s learned mainly through experience, over the course of shamanic journeys.<\/li>\n\n<li>No one can proclaim themselves a shaman.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The origins of shamanism<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shamanism was born in the <strong>Siberian steppes<\/strong>, its cradle. Born with humanity, it is the world\u2019s first spirituality and the world\u2019s first medicine. It\u2019s found all over the globe; in France, for example, in Celtic shamanism (Druidry).  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its date of origin is impossible to determine, but Paleolithic animal paintings and engravings may already have been shamanic in origin, created by a kind of priest in trance during ceremonies.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Europe, from the Middle Ages onward, the Church imposed its religious beliefs and led a witch hunt that would last until the 18th century. Only afterward would shamanic practices experience a slow revival. <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shamanic trance<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During trance, the shaman makes contact with the <a href=\"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/the-invisible-worlds\/\">invisible worlds<\/a> and communicates with spirits to get answers, help with healing, and the transmission of knowledge: the possibilities are endless. Each journey is unique and enriching. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the culture, trance is reached through substances, as in some tropical countries, or through the repetitive sound of the <a href=\"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/the-shamanic-drum\/\">drum<\/a> and the rattle, as in Europe.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An eco-minded spirituality<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Someone who follows the shamanic path lives in communion with nature. They respect Mother Earth and Father Sky, as well as all species and all spirits connected to the Great Spirit, the creator. They feel gratitude for everything the Earth offers them, consume reasonably, and give thanks for every offering. That\u2019s why we also say \u201cshamanist\u201d: following the shamanic path doesn\u2019t make you a shaman.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you learn shamanism?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shamanism is learned very little through theory: it\u2019s through experience that it\u2019s discovered and integrated. One expression describes it perfectly: <\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To know if the water in a bowl is hot or cold, you must put your finger in it&#8230; There&#8217;s no point in discussing it. <\/p>\n<cite>Zen koan<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shaman guides the apprentice, but learning happens mainly through <a href=\"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/the-shamanic-journey\/\">shamanic journeys<\/a>. Each practice and each ritual is unique to each shaman: the same ritual won\u2019t work for two shamans. Everything is passed on to them by the spirits during their journeys.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you call yourself a shaman?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No one can proclaim themselves a shaman. They must be chosen by the spirits and by their community, and be named shaman to carry the title. They even say that a shaman who boasts about their gifts loses them immediately. So the shaman is humble: they speak little, they act.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where was shamanism born?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the steppes of Siberia, considered its cradle. Since then, it has been present on every continent. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s the difference between a shaman and a shamanist?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A shamanist follows the shamanic path. A shaman, on the other hand, is chosen by the spirits and named by their community. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To find out how to live this practice today, read my article on <a href=\"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/urban-shamanism\/\">urban shamanism<\/a>. And you\u2014what\u2019s your take on this ancestral path? <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If this topic resonates with you, discover the <a href=\"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/soul-sanctuary\/\">Soul Sanctuary retreat<\/a>, a week blending handpan, shamanic practices, presence, and introspection.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are One. One love. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shamanism, born in Siberia: the world\u2019s first spirituality, trance, connection to nature, learning through experience, and the shaman\u2019s role.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1322,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_surecart_dashboard_logo_width":"180px","_surecart_dashboard_show_logo":true,"_surecart_dashboard_navigation_orders":true,"_surecart_dashboard_navigation_invoices":true,"_surecart_dashboard_navigation_subscriptions":true,"_surecart_dashboard_navigation_downloads":true,"_surecart_dashboard_navigation_billing":true,"_surecart_dashboard_navigation_account":true,"itsec_x_frame_options":"","_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"0","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[102],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shamanism-spirituality"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1321"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2416,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1321\/revisions\/2416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warrenshanti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}