Some traditional cultures make a clear distinction between shamans and non-shamans. Others encourage folks to learn as much about healing and spiritual medicine as one can responsibly manage. I am of the latter camp and respect that people are called to develop in different ways and to different degrees.  

At my current level of development I am confident mentoring others in the foundations of the shamanic practice. Most foundational skills tend to transfer should you have the good fortune to apprentice directly with a wise old shaman elder. From my perspective, foundations include: crafting individual and group ceremony, relating well with guides and allies including your own ancestors, engaging safely and effectively with natural forces and elemental energies, learning to read dreams and the symbolic level of reality, possibly learning shamanic healing practices, and basically working through your own burdens enough to pray with confidence and an open heart for yourself, others, and the world. Beyond that, what our path looks like is largely a function of our personal medicine or unique destiny. All tools and techniques are in service to remembering our purpose here and living it with passion and joy for the wellbeing of the world.

If you feel called to develop yourself through shamanic practice or ceremonial arts, be in contact and we can discuss what you have in mind and if individual or small group mentorship sessions would be a good fit.

Training

Although we are hardwired as humans for spirituality and ceremony, some form of study with other living humans is usually necessary to actualize this potential. Shamanic practice, like most anything, must somehow be learned. For the vast majority of us who were not raised in a healthy indigenous culture this is great news as it means deeply transformative learning can occur at any age. 

In addition to monthly circles there are two formal trainings I currently offer.  One is the earth medicine intensive and the other is the ancestors weekend intensive. In addition to these two trainings, I have co-created with Linda Held and others a Mount Shasta vision quest in summers of 2007 and 2008. Each summer 11 questers fasted for three nights and parts of four days, surrounded by their prayer ties while a similar number of supporters held daily purification lodges. This 2008 flyer gives a little feel for the ceremony: Mount_Shasta_2008_Vision_Quest.doc. 

In 2009 most community offerings will either fall under: earth medicine work, ancestor work, or the Shasta quest. The underlying intentions, in brief, are through the earth medicine work to help folks enter into more intimate relationship with the specific land here in the Bay Area, through the ancestor work to help folks be in a healed and empowered way with their ancestors of blood and families, and through the Shasta quest ceremony to possibly help folks have more clarity about their life path and personal medicine.

In 2009 I am not scheduling the day-long foundations/intro level training; however, if there were a group of four or more people who would wish to do such a training, I am happy to dialogue and arrange something (similar with the ancestors weekend). Some of the foundational skills that I am comfortable guiding others in include:  basics of shamanic practice (inc. establishing sacred space and shamanic journeywork), seven directions/wheel work including with the elements, intro to animal medicines, using prayer and intention, opening to sacred song/sound (inc. drumming), and crafting medicine/use of the arts in ceremony.   

Although the focus of my work is very much here in the SF Bay Area, I am open to the possibility of guiding select events elsewhere, just be in touch if you live elsewhere and want to talk about possibly setting something up.

Daniel Foor   (650) 248-8917   danielfoor@yahoo.com