Joseph Anderson

Shamanic Healing

Shamanism is the world’s oldest known spiritual and healing practice. It remains a vital part of the life of many tribal cultures around the world. I am convinced that shamanic practices have been deeply influential in many “historic religions,” including Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. Shamanism builds on a direct encounter with the natural world to generate a profound and authentic mystical knowing. In my experience this is completely genuine and utterly harmonious with everything I’ve learned from any global wisdom tradition.

I call my personal style of practice “pure heart shamanism”, focused on opening my heart and your heart to radiate pure intention for healing, blessing, and wisdom for the benefit of all beings.

See What is Shamanism? for more about shamanism and my relationship with it.

Shamanic practice involves entering an altered state (in my case a light trance induced by rhythmic drumming) and “journeying” to sacred worlds where extraordinary powers of healing and blessing are waiting to offer assistance. Wise teachers, powerful animal spirits, and vivid symbolic encounters are available, and can be called upon to send gifts of consciousness back to our “ordinary reality” where they become generators of healing, blessing, and wisdom. 

My role as a shamanic practitioner is to travel to these wonderful realms and seek specific help for the client. This may come in the form of removal of unnecessary spiritual blockages, recovering lost power animals or soul parts, wise guidance for the questions and problems of life, and much more.

Healing is integral to the shamanic path, with a plethora of specific techniques to draw upon and a seemingly infinite supply of practices and activities that arise in the moment to fit specific situations. I have the utmost confidence in the efficacy of these practices and am honored to offer them in service to my clients.

I have found this to be a creative, fluid, powerful path, full of vivid guidance and surprising resolutions to the mysterious puzzles of life.  My study of shamanism began through the wonderful Foundation for Shamanic Studies, founded by Michael Harner who was instrumental in introducing shamanic practices to Westerners. I have studied extensively with Julie Charette-Nunn (http://www.crowsdaughter.com/), an amazing herbal healer and shaman who works on Whidbey Island.

Here is more information on my healing philosophy.