Core shamanic training with the Foundation For Shamanic Studies:

The Way of the Shaman;

Shamanism & the Spirits of Nature;

Advanced Shamanic Divination;

and Shamanic Dreamwork

“Shamans are often called “seers” or “people who know” in their tribal languages, because they are involved in a system of knowledge based on firsthand experience. Shamanism is not a belief system. It’s based on personal experiments conducted to heal and to get information.

In fact, if shamans don’t get results, they will no longer be used by people in their tribe. People ask me, “How do you know if somebody’s a shaman?” I say, “It’s simple. Do they journey to other worlds? And do they perform miracles?” 

Michael Harner, Ph.D., Founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and author of The Way of the Shaman and Cave and Cosmos

Innate Wisdom Connection is excited to announce a series of four training workshops on core shamanism, taught by the Foundation for Shamanic Studies (FSS).

The workshops will take place in the Yarra Valley and Melbourne

The dates are:

• 26–27 Jan 2023: The Way of the Shaman: Shamanic Journeying, Power and Healing. The basic workshop in Core Shamanism

ADVANCED COURSES (These require The Way of the Shaman to be completed first)

• 28–29 Jan:  Shamanism & the Spirits of Nature
  

• 4–5 Feb:  Advanced Shamanic Divination
  

• 11–12 Feb:  Shamanic Dreamwork

Core Shamanism

Core Shamanism is the universal or near-universal principles and practices of shamanism not bound to any specific cultural group or perspective, as originated, researched, and developed by Michael Harner. Since the modern world overwhelmingly lost its shamanic knowledge centuries ago due to religious and political oppression, the programs in Core Shamanism from The Foundation for Shamanic Studies (FSS) are particularly intended for modern persons to reacquire access to their rightful spiritual heritage through quality workshops and training courses.

Training in core shamanism includes teaching students to alter their consciousness through classic shamanic non-drug techniques such as repetitive drumming so that they can discover their own hidden spiritual resources, transform their lives, and learn how to help others. FILM Trailer about the work of the FSS: http://www.shamanism.org/Michael-Harner-Way-of-the-Shaman-movie.php

The Way of the Shaman: Shamanic Journeying, Power, and Healing

The Basic Workshop in Core Shamanism

Polana Retreat, Yarra Valley (residential or non-residential options)
26–27 Jan 2023. 9.30am–6.30pm each day.

Investment: $475 (full) or $415 (Concession)

During the Basic experiential workshop, participants are introduced to core shamanism, the universal and near-universal basic methods of the shaman to enter non-ordinary reality for problem solving and healing. Particular emphasis is on the classic shamanic journey, one of the most remarkable visionary methods used by humankind to explore the hidden universe otherwise known mainly through myth and dream. Participants are initiated into shamanic journeying, aided by drumming and other techniques for experiencing the shamanic state of consciousness and for awakening dormant spiritual abilities, including connections with Nature.  Practice includes comparisons by participants of their discoveries in shamanic journeys as well as being introduced to shamanic divination and healing. They are also provided with methods for journeying to meet and study with their own individual spirit helpers in non-ordinary reality, a classic step in shamanic practice. Participants learn how the journey is utilized to restore spiritual power and health, and how shamanism can be applied in contemporary daily life to help heal oneself, others, and the Planet.

Advanced courses from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies (require the basic Way of the Shaman course first)

Shamanism and the Spirits of Nature

Polana Retreat, Yarra Valley (residential or non-residential options)
28–29 Jan 2023.  9.30–6.30pm each day.

Investment: $475 (full) or $415 (Concession)

From ancient times, shamans have worked with the spirits of nature for healing, survival, and knowledge. By learning from the plants and animals, from the rocks and mountains, from the winds and waters, and from the sun, moon, and stars, shamans helped their peoples live in harmony with the universe.

In a world now out of balance, the way of the shaman can teach how again to respect nature, our Planet, and its inhabitants at a deep spiritual level. As our ancestors everywhere once knew, our survival depends on the survival of the other species. By working together intensively through shamanic journeys and other spiritual experiences, we will dedicate ourselves to working in both non-ordinary and ordinary reality to restore and maintain a living Planet.

Advanced Shamanic Divination

Melbourne, (Hawthorn)
4–5 Feb 2023. 9.30–6.30pm each day.

Investment: $475 (full) or $415 (Concession)

One of the classic tasks of the shaman is to journey into non-ordinary reality in order to obtain answers to questions, both at the request of others and for oneself. Participants in the workshop have the opportunity to engage in divination journeys for each other as well as for themselves and to gain experience in using various time-tested shamanic divination techniques. In the shamanic search to become persons of knowledge, they learn, as shamans have from time immemorial, how to converse with plant and animal spirits, how to learn about the use of quartz crystals, and how to seek and receive revelatory knowledge from visionary sources.

Shamanic Dreamwork

Melbourne, (Hawthorn)

11–12 Feb 2023. 9.30–6.30pm each day.

Investment: $475 (full) or $415 (Concession)

In this unique experiential workshop you will have the opportunity to explore the nature, meaning, and use of dreams among shamanic peoples, with dreamwork practices from a range of cultures. Researched and developed by Michael Harner, subjects to be covered include shamanic dream theory and big dreams, as well as dreams and the soul, spirits, shamanic journeys, the Dreamtime, and the vision quest.

You will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge to contemporary life, including the use of dreams in divination, health, and healing. *(This course works with dreams shamanically,. We’ll work primarily with dreams you have had, and train to work with ones you will have in the future; it is not a how-to-remember-your-dreams program, though memory may improve during and after the course).

 

Special Offer for those who wish to take all four workshops:
$1650 (Waged) or $1450 (Concession)
Advanced course bundle (for those who have already taken The Way of the Shaman and just want the 3 advanced courses
$1425 (Waged) or $1145 (Concession)

 

Facilitator: Kevin Turner, MA

(Kevin will teach via live zoom link, projected onto a big screen, with assistance in the room for live exercises and ceremony with Phoenix Arrien and Mike Lowe of Innate Wisdom Connection)

Kevin is the Director for Asia, a teaching faculty member, and a field research associate for The Foundation for Shamanic Studies (FSS). He practices shamanic healing, and is the author of the book, Sky Shamans of Mongolia: Meetings with Remarkable Healers.

After years of study with yogis, monks and lamas in India, Nepal, Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Japan, Kevin met Michael Harner in 1997 and began his shamanic path. Kevin has worked with shamans in Mongolia, Indonesia, Nepal, Peru, and Mexico. In 2007 he was invited to Mexico to train a group of Mayan Elders in psychopomp work (assisting those who did not transition to the afterlife states well). He publishes his research into Mongolian, Balinese, and Nepalese shamanism in the annual Shamanism journal, and does regular presentations at the annual FSS Council Meetings.

Kevin has worked for Save the Children in a Cambodia at civil war, airlines in Taiwan, IBM in Japan, and has lectured at a dozen universities. He was a residential facilitator at The Monroe Institute for over 12 years. Kevin has been a Kriya Yogi since 1986, being personally initiated by Swami Hariharananda Giri, the last living disciple of Sri Yukteswar in the original Karar Ashram in India (as described in Autobiography of a Yogi). He has also received initiations and training in the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. Though born in Arizona, USA, Kevin has lived in Asia for over 30 years and currently has a shamanic healing practice in Asia.

Kevin spoke at the International Transpersonal Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, in September 2017. The entire talk and slide presentation is accessible free of charge: HERE

What previous participants said:

• Dear Phoenix and Mike. I want to thank you deeply for inviting the Foundation for Shamanic Studies to Australia. It was a fantastic week of courses, but not only that, I feel that it really helped to bring contemporary shamanic practice into our country in a way that all people can practice, no matter where they are from. I personally believe contemporary western society is deeply ill and in dire need of shamanic help and you have helped open a door to that in a very real, practical way. Thank you so much for all the work you do in this space. xxx ” Fam Charko
• The course was everything I hoped it would be. I look forward to practicing what I’ve learned, and I feel I received a lot. The teacher’s approach was great. He made us all feel confident as we undertook the journeys. He’s humble yet very knowledgeable, and offers a gentle but sure atmosphere. I look forward to advanced courses soon.
• Eye-opening, super-effective, and gave me confidence and trust. The teacher’s explanations made me feel that it was easy to access the Upper and Lower Worlds, and it was!  I’m definitely registering for advanced courses.
• I was amazed at how easy it was to enter the Lower and Upper Worlds. The teacher is full of humor and patience. His explanations were thorough and with examples pulled from a wide variety of spiritual disciplines.
• Wonderful – new levels of experience came one after the other.
• Nice flow overall, and good balance of theory and practice. We got right into the work!
• I made connections to worlds I hadn’t known before.  I could relax and have fun.
• The teacher’s answers to questions were not just replies but rather full of rich clues to understand the nature of shamanism more deeply.  I look forward to applying these principles in my life.
• A great workshop. Our guide displays a deep knowledge of the Spirits. I look forward to learning more in advanced workshops.
• The explanations were clear, comprehensive, easy to understand and supported by the teacher’s own rich experience. I feel he’s a wonderful person in both knowledge and humanity.
• To know the existence of the Upper and Lower Worlds alleviates much of the distress here in the Middle World. I feel much lighter. Fascinating talks – I now feel like I’ve read several books on shamanism as a result of this course.
• Learning and practicing shamanism in a shrine is the best of all locations – it had an immense effect on me.
• The teacher maintained a very high quality of course material throughout the duration of the two days – I felt his sincerity.
• The many practical exercises were fun, exciting, easy to learn and understand.
• A very substantial course. Everything worked beautifully. The practices and explanations were profound.
• The course was an amazing experience for me – my first time to experience the Lower and Upper Worlds!
• The teacher knows his material thoroughly, and his sense of humor helps us all relax and feel comfortable.
• Learning to have experiences of my own has been just essential and this workshop succeeds in offering participants their own experiences.
• I felt a wonderful unity in the group, and the shrine in which the course is held is a very holy place.
• Informative, precise, with lots of laughter and stories to explain the principles. I believe this course is the best way shamanism can be offered.
• Enlightening – a good mix of theory and practical exercises. The light-hearted approach worked well.
• I feel inspired and want to study shamanism more! Exciting, interesting. The teacher was just great, and the shrine was the ideal place to practice.
• Learning the essence of shamanism at such a low price is amazing!  “Core Shamanism” is just great – it bypasses the ritualistic and religious baggage.
• I now have an overall understanding of shamanism, and what can be achieved with these techniques.
• The teacher is very knowledgeable and makes challenging concepts easy to understand. Very enjoyable.
• Our teacher has a very thorough knowledge of his subject, and I feel fortunate to have had him as my instructor. I look forward to advanced courses with him soon.