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In these times of chaos, crisis and hope, shamanism is a reservoir of wisdom
that is as relevant to our survival today as it was to our forebears
hundreds of generations ago.
Dear Friend of Shamanism, 

 

We are writing to you with a message of hope, even though there has been so much in the news lately that might lead us to despair.

When we look at the magnitude of recent tragic events in Japan; when we hear about the violence around the world in places like Libya or closer to home in our own cities; when faced with scientific reports of environmental crises such as the melting polar ice caps - it is easy to feel overwhelmed when we are bombarded daily with bad news.

Where can we find help? Wise, unbiased, altruistic, and compassionate advice? How can our souls be nourished so we have the will to continue to give and work passionately to transform our troubled world and nurture this amazing living Earth?

Michael Harner

Michael Harner
�2009 Hans Li Photography

The ancient ways of the shamans, made contemporary by Michael Harner's pioneering work, have provided answers to these questions for many hundreds of thousands of individuals. Once you know as the shamans knew that everything is alive and inspirited, you are changed in a fundamental way. Through the shamanic journey, we can gain a profound knowing with the heart about the oneness of all things. We know, not as a matter of faith, but because we experience it directly. Through the practice of shamanism, we can travel out of this troubled reality to the compassionate realms of nonordinary reality to seek the wisdom and healing power of enlightened spirits, our teachers and our power animals, and bring it back here, right now, to wherever it is needed. And, in so doing we ourselves are inspired, heartened, and renewed. Learn more...
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VISION

This is why we continue to dedicate ourselves to carry forward the work of the Foundation. Shamanism offers a time-tested avenue for healing, wisdom, and transformation. When Michael began his work more than a half a century ago, this pathway had been virtually lost to contemporary society. It is a testament to the efficacy of shamanism itself that it has taken root so strongly recently - though without an effective vessel to carry it forth into the world, it might have been discarded as an archaic practice without relevance to the present-day. Learn more...

The Foundation has been that vessel successfully for more than 30 years. Now we are moving into a new phase of our work: mainstreaming - seeing that the power of shamanism and shamanic healing becomes fully integrated into our society. The Foundation is well-positioned to lead the way in this new phase by virtue of its authentic, ethical, and effective training programs steeped in decades of anthropological research; its global network of trained and successful shamanic healers; and its experienced international faculty, teaching hundreds of workshops annually. Learn more...

In this mainstreaming process, it is important to include shamanic divination practices, so that more people will be able to bring the wisdom of the helping spirits to bear on the myriad problems facing our society-such as environmental destruction, violence, and alienation from each other and from the beings of this Earth. Not everyone will become a shamanic practitioner, but there is tremendous value to be gained if more people can access the spiritual realms to gain insight, advice, and pragmatic solutions for everyday personal and community problems.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

We have several ideas to help implement our vision of mainstreaming in the next phase. First, we plan to make contemporary shamanism available to a wider audience of people by reaching out to educational institutions, beginning with those already concerned with complementary and alternative modalities. We have already been in contact with two of these organizations. This venue will help to foster a mainstream awareness and acceptance for shamanic healing and an understanding of the importance of treating, as shamanism does, the spiritual aspects of illness. This will not only result in more people benefiting from shamanic healing, but also increase enrollments in Foundation trainings, thus making even more well-trained practitioners available to those in need, as well as providing more support for our work. We also have plans in process to promote relationships with larger circles of people, particularly through the effective use of social networking and internet technologies, such as live web casts, and through writing and advertising in spiritually-based, psychological, therapeutic, and alternative healing publications.
PRESERVATION
Living Treasure Sichingua

Living Treasure Sichingua


Not only do we want to build into this next phase, but we also want to continue to preserve the ancient wisdom of past and current indigenous shamanic peoples - through the Living Treasures of Shamanism program and as we are doing in the Shamanic Knowledge Conservatory (SKC). This tremendous and unique archive, through the research efforts of Michael and Sandra Harner, has provided and continues to provide, profound depth to the Foundation's workshops and training programs, making this wisdom available to everyone who has taken our training programs. It is our hope that the SKC will some day inform new generations of people of the primal wisdom of our ancestors.

YOUR SUPPORT

There is so much more we need to accomplish. We have received requests for shamanic training programs from Dubai, South and West Africa, Botswana, and India. China recently extended an invitation to Michael to speak on shamanic healing at their first scientific conference on complementary and alternative medicine.

We need your support at this critical juncture in the work of our Foundation. Join OnlineThere are so many ways you can participate. For as little as $55 a year, you can become a member of the Circle of the Foundation, aiding our work, and also receive special benefits. You can also make a donation to support our work - donations of cash, stock, and including the Foundation in your estate plan are all most welcome. Study with the Foundation - take a workshop or enroll in advanced training.

Each one of you has been drawn to be part of this work - it has touched your life in ways large and small. The Foundation would not be in this place of possibility without you. We hope you will continue to be with us as we move into the next great adventure of our work.
With appreciation for your partnership as we move ahead!

Michael Harner and Susan Mokelke

PS -  Join or renew your Circle membership promptly or donate securely and easily online - save trees and FSS mailing costs! 

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