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In this episode, I bridge into applied shamanic counseling and unearth what this is and how and when to incorporate it into your healing journey. Per a listener's suggestion, I've been taking you on a journey to explore Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling. The journey started a couple of weeks ago and the episodes build on each other and work where each episode stands steady on its own.
I am Erica Smigielski, a Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Practitioner. Soulful Soundbites is for anyone looking to nourish their soul in practical and relatable ways.
In this episode, I bridge into applied shamanic counseling and unearth what this is and how and when to incorporate it into your healing journey. Per a listener's suggestion, I've been taking you on a journey to explore Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling. The journey started a couple of weeks ago and will go through March. The episodes build on each other and work where each episode stands steady on its own. Future episodes in this series include commonly asked questions about these modalities, ways to tell if this practice is for you, and things to consider before entering a plant medicine ceremony.
Main takeaways from this episode:
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Hey friends!
Per a listener's suggestion, I've been taking you on a journey to explore Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling. The journey started a couple of weeks ago and will go through March. The episodes build on each other and work where each episode stands steady on its own.
To get your footing, we started this journey with an overview of Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling. Then we dived into the depths of Depth Hypnosis and how you can heal at the crux of your issues. Today, we'll bridge into shamanic counseling and unearth what this is and how and when to incorporate it into your healing journey.
Future episodes in this series include commonly asked questions about these modalities, ways to tell if this practice is for you, and things to consider before entering a plant medicine ceremony.
Exploration
So let's explore Applied Shamanic Counseling. Shamanism is a practice that keeps you healthy and brings meaning to your life. It's been a way of living and a healing method used by many people over the millennia.
Shamanism is ancient Earth-based indigenous wisdom that's unique across cultures. It belongs to those cultures. Applied shamanism respectfully utilizes certain shamanic practices found in most cultures. I rely on shamanic practices in a practical and adapted way relevant to today.
I humbly use applied shamanism in a therapeutic context with modesty and respect. I rely on applied shamanism as I hold the intent to help heal and maintain the well-being of the self, the Earth, and all beings. The shamanic healing processes I depend on include shamanic journeys, soul retrievals, power retrievals, space clearings, and drum healings. These processes occur naturally in applied shamanic counseling and depth hypnosis sessions.
Applied shamanic counseling is an entryway for you to step into a shamanic journey. And in shamanic counseling, we couple the shamanic journey with dream interpretation to amplify the experience and insights. Dream interpretation renews your relationship with your inner psyche. It allows you to tap into your inherent wisdom and access guidance and clarity. Which is also a similar pathway to processing your shamanic journeys.
Experience
You may be asking yourself, "What symptoms might I be experiencing when I want to consider applied shamanic counseling?".
Symptoms you experience run the gamut from stress and depression to disconnected or stuck. How this plays out is that you feel fragmented or not yourself. It may result from power loss, soul loss, or other entanglements that occurred over your life. And when this happens, you tend to experience depression, anxiety, addictions, a streak of 'bad luck,' or even prone to illnesses.
Here's the thing. A physical issue can be connected to the mental, emotional, or spiritual levels of your being. So when treating your symptoms, you need to heal the layers behind the issue. That's when practices like applied shamanic counseling and depth hypnosis come into play. In other words, when you heal at your spirit level, the healing often carries through to your emotional, mental, and physical levels.
Whoa! Let's bring it up a bit. I'll share examples of what this transformation may look like when leaning into applied shamanic counseling and shamanic processes.
If none of that is landing, I invite you to hold this concept. Applied shamanic counseling is a stepping stone for solving old problems in new ways. It's an approach for you if you're experiencing friction in life and suffering from it. It's an outlet for you to take refuge so you can access clarity and meaning. And with these insights, you neutralize the friction you experience. Then you move forward grounded and in alignment with yourSelf.
Setting
In shamanic counseling sessions, the sound of a drum or rattle helps you enter an altered state of consciousness. The steady drumbeat holds you in that state while you experience a shamanic journey. In this meditative state, you work with your essence on the subconscious level. What I mean by that is when your mind rests, you connect with your consciousness and access your higher self. It's an interactive meditation. You may choose to speak your journey aloud or recount it when you return to the room.
You may find applied shamanic counseling helpful when you
By the way, shamanic counseling is excellent for children. Their imagination is vibrant and alive. So when I create a container for them to enter into and lead a shamanic journey, their intuitive experience is eye-opening!
And speaking of children, you, too, may find the child-like side that allows you to be more authentic and vulnerable when you're in a shamanic journey. You can let go of needing to buy into the whole shamanic model and simply experience it. Shamanic counseling is an excellent practice if you have authority issues or trust issues. The work requires you to trust the connection you establish with a helping guide. And as your trust in your guide deepens, the trust within yourself also deepens.
Stories
I'll share a couple of experiences from my client practice to help root this for you.
A client we'll name Sherri lacked energy and motivation at a deep level. She wanted to find her spark. Sherri was new to this work. We relied on applied shamanic counseling to meet a guide who could help her understand her lack of energy and access insights to find her spark.
In Sherri's first session, there was no clear signal that she met her guide. She felt disappointed. She thought she had done something wrong. Through gentle probing, she explored what might've gotten in the way of meeting her guide.
In our next session, we looked at her dreams. Sherri gathered insights into her lack of energy and motivation. She noticed a pattern of searching and not getting there. It reminded Sherri how there was a pattern of her looking for inspiration and not finding it over the last couple of years. Next, she moved into a shamanic journey and connected with a guide. Sherri described the guide's nature, how it made her feel, and its power.
In our next session, we revisited her dreams. Sherri's blessed to have vivid dreams and healthy dream practice. She deduced that to find her spark, she needs to take ownership. She needs to clear out old patterns, habits, routines, and tendencies to make room for new ways. Brava! We go into another shamanic journey, and she asks her guide for insights into finding her spark. She described receiving energy from her guide. She noted how this energy viscerally elevated her. I offered that perhaps this was a power retrieval. She agreed. She related this retrieval to aid her desire to find her spark.
In the following sessions, Sherri received more insights. However, she noted them as being subtle and indirect. And this felt underwhelming for her.
In our last session, Sherri shared her new insights. She reviewed notes from her dreams, journeys, and our sessions. She even Googled the spiritual meaning of a few symbols to help provide more depth. She was humbled and excited with what she uncovered.
I noticed how Sherri seemed to have more life energy. I was honored to be in her sacred space during these sessions. It was also a privilege to be a student of her and her guide's discoveries and insights.
Another experience I'll share is with a client named Maya. She has an established spiritual practice and was a returning client. She expressed how she was still grieving after her husband's divorce and noted the grief ebbs and flows. She experienced fear and self-doubt when trying to establish a self-care and self-love practice. Maya wondered if she was leaking energy.
We reviewed her dreams, and she noticed a pattern of insecurity. Through gentle inquiry, Maya unraveled her insecurity to its potential source. She determined parts of her soul fled during a pattern of traumatic moments as a child. Maya agreed a soul retrieval of those parts would help her become more whole and empowered as a being. So we decided that I'd retrieve those parts of her that were ready to return.
I completed the shamanic process. Maya described seeing a young part of her that was scared and now is playful. She felt a sense of solidarity. She described a golden light around her heart as a protective shield for her chest. Then I led her through a guided meditation to integrate these soul parts. Afterward, she expressed feeling more embodied. She recounted the conditions when the parts fled and shared the gifts these returned parts brought her. She also noted the ways she was shown to embrace and nurture these parts.
Let's break down these two experiences into chewable insights. Hang with me as I attempt to oversimplify this multidimensional work.
Maya's session illustrates a shamanic process. This is an example of how the processes come into a setting with a seasoned healer and returning client.
In Sherri's applied shamanic counseling sessions, her series of sessions flowed something like this...
The similarities between dream interpretation and processing a shamanic journey are noteworthy. Each form of translation is powerful. And when they're woven together, it becomes an impressive and reliable source to another dimension of wisdom.
To Wrap
Applied Shamanic Counseling is a self-exploration. Briding your dream practice with the shamanic journey makes this counseling model palatable. And you don't have to admit you're in therapy when relying on this healing practice. Ha!
Did these bitesize insights get your attention? Maybe they piqued your curiosity? Take a step forward in your healing journey, and let's have a conversation. Visit me on sparkpathhealing.com, where you can schedule a brief call with me. Or DM me on Instagram @SparkPath to drop me a message and connect.
Takeaways
Here are the main takeaways from today's episode.
And, I'll leave you with that…
See you in the next episode.
