A shamanic apprenticeship is an initiation process, into shamanic life, practice, healing work with clients, society, and the Earth and all her creatures. Typically this follows the pattern known as the “Hero’s Journey.” The hero withdraws from the society and the habitual order or system of knowledge for periods of time, solitude, and inquiry. The fundamental or core questions of life are contemplated. Insights and guidance eventually arise from within the hero’s own depths, and the hero (shaman initiate) returns to the local social order to help, to heal, or to teach (teaching comes in any forms: by example, through writings or art or dance, through music and so on).
Those seeking apprenticeship with me (Mikkal) are thus embarking on an initiatory process involving the following:
- Foundations: Understanding what shamanism is.
- Learning and mastering the Four Shamanic Principles and the Four Acts of Power.
- Developing a solid understanding of soul psychology and the psychology of the heart. Developing a mastery of skill-sets in shamanic counseling and client work (Fire Talks).
- Mastering a useful Shamanic Map of Reality (Cartography).
- Vision Questing and discovering your sacred life purpose, what you are here for, as the axis of your life and projects in the world. Know who you are!
- Acquiring deep self-knowledge and self-healing in order to become a channel or hollow bone of the Spirit.
- Removing thwarting complexes and COEX-systems, and clearing dense energies (Hucha) so that Kawsay (energy) can circulate freely.
- Acquiring therapeutic skill-sets
- Learning solid ritual process, how to assist in and eventually conduct safe and effective transformative ceremonies, learning ceremonial chants.
- Experiencing a mastering non-ordinary states of consciousness for shamanic purposes.
- Developing master in shamanic journeying skill-sets.
- Acquiring Inner Teachers and Helping Spirits and learning to work with them effectively.
- Learning to cultivate and work with your own dreams and assist clients in dream work.
- Align Inner and Outer worlds, head and heart, self and Mother Earth, and Spirit, Self and Community.
- Become an Artist of the Spirit, poet, shamanic mythologist, chant-maker, performance artist, cosmologist, providing clients access to a bigger story in which they can understand their lives, problems, and possibilities, and with hope and inspiration.
- Advanced levels of initiation into soul recovery, extraction and energy work, teaching, Vision quest leadership, Sacred Breathwork ™ and so on are possible once the above foundations are solid.
For those who are able, the best way to apprentice with me is to participate in the Seasonal Workshop programs at Crows Nest, experience the teachings, the important shamanic community, and connect with the land and forest here at Crows Nest USA or Europa. This is normally combined with individualized guidance and instruction through Fire Talks, my name for one on one deep conversation around the sacred fire.
There is basic instruction in shamanic principles and ceremonies, and then special sequences of instruction and training leading to Crows Nest certification in special skill-sets intended for public shamanic work. These are Shamanic Counseling & Coaching, Sacred Breathwork, Advanced Shamanic Journeying, and Wilderness Quest Leadership.
Crows Nest Apprenticeship follows a Tree-structure. The Roots = The basic shamanic principles, shamanic soul psychology, ritual process and sacred ceremony, and Medicine Wheel of Transformation teachings and chant. The Trunk concerns the teaching of and through various healing ceremonies. Shamans acquire their most important knowledge through direct experience. I call this the Wounded Healer School. You do your own self-examination, healing, and personal transformation work, and thus directly learn the territory of the soul, its various conditions and needs, and how to heal it. But there is also important instruction and guidance in shamanic techniques, always in sacred ceremonial context with due ritual process. This includes training in shamanic journey work at basic levels, and advanced. Learning how to journey, mapping the three worlds of the Shaman’s Cosmos, and if you are ready and feel called, learning to work with ancestors, nature spirits, and soul loss and recovery, and extraction. Basic and Advanced level training in shamanic methods and healing work is the trunk. Special mentoring in sacred fire, sweat lodge and other Crows Nest ceremonies are possible. Very advanced work in de-possession is also possible for those who have highly level skill sets in shamanic journeying, and who been practicing at an advanced level for several years. Professional training and certification in Shamanic Counseling or Coaching, and Sacred Breathwork are also provided. Finally, the third level is that of Teacher Mentoring, and entails direct mentoring work with Mikkal, and apprenticing in teaching and conducting vision quests, training people in Sacred Breathwork, and so on. This is a phase when it is good to explore other shamanic cultures and healing systems now that you have solid foundations in a tradition, and advanced training and experience. This is the branching out into the world phase of the shamanic teacher. This phase is also applicable for those needing mentoring in establishing their sacred purpose and projects in the world.
A shamanic apprenticeship is an Initiation with the assistance of a master shaman or ritual elder who facilitates the initiation, holds and maintains ritual space, imparts a tradition or system of shamanic wisdom to guide the initiate. Roger Walsh’s description on the Eskimo Igjugargjuk’s initiation should be read, in his book SHAMANISM. Mircea Eliade’s classic work, SHAMANISM: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (Princeton) is an important reference work to have available. Get a copy and read the initiation by the spirits and by the master shamans sections.
Long Distance Apprenticeship or Mentoring with Mikkal
Long Distance Apprenticeships or Mentoring in sacred purpose and projects entails an interview, and Skype or telephone sessions arranged in a way that is affordable and doable for both of us. The current fee for a Fire Talk is $150.00, so these may be schedule as you can afford and are ready. In addition to individual one on one work with me, it will be important for you to come to Crows Nest for a day-long apprentice group from time-to-time. You will meet your cohorts, and keep in touch in between through a face-book page.
The APPRENTICESHIP STRUCTURE:
The Letter of Application
We begin by a letter of application for Apprenticeship with Mikkal. In this letter you give your vital information and background. I need you story, your history of wounds and healing, and to know about the familial environment you grew up in. I need to know your religious and spiritual history, your educational background, and any shamanic healing or shamanic training you have had. If you have been reading shamanic books, I like to know which ones.
The Initial Fire Talk
The initial fire talk with be a structured interview in which I seek to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, so I can develop with you an individualized course of study. I will lay out for you the basic parts of the apprenticeship, and suggest where you begin your studies.
About 30- percent of your study will be recommended reading and writing reports to me (the verbal component). This is necessary to form a good map and understanding of the territory of shamanism and apprenticeship. I will give you a reading list. About 70% will be experiential work on your own, following our individualized plan of study. This will include doing inner work, shamanic inventories and ceremonies, shamanic journey experiences (which will be reported back to me during our scheduled fire talks, although they may be emailed to me in advance).
Shamanic apprenticeships take time and seasoning through experience. Basic Apprenticeship can last two years or more. Advanced apprenticeships are at least two years.
Core Curriculum of Basic Shamanism Apprenticeship
Defining Shamanism and what Shamanic Practice Means Today
(in the light of the planetary crisis) -by direct transmission
Introduction to Medicine Wheel of Transformation as a mythological and symbolic structure for sacred ceremonies and the initiation process. By direct transmission.
Shamanic Soul Psychology and the Heart
(Three-Soul Theory and Heart, NGS- System)
Read my articles and books on this topic. Also read Urban Shaman by Serge King
The Structure of Initiation, Ritual Process, and the Hero Journey
Basic Shamanic Journey Skill-sets (defined in contrast to advanced)
Exploring Soul Loss and Recovery Methods (Training in classic SR/E is Advanced Work)
Shamanic Counseling and Coaching Skill Sets. There includes theory and principles, such as heart psychology and core questions, some Focusing Skills, and Toltec-type inventories, but is largely a learn by doing, with my guidance and mentoring along the way. Some Jungian psychology is used as a modern culture bridge-language with shamanism. Combining your shamanic counseling practice with the shamanic journey work with clients. Readings: My books and web articles, my sound cloud recordings on these topics. Other Required Readings Focusing, by Eugene Gendlin, and The Radical Acceptance of Everything, by Anne Weiser-Cornell. The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Toltec Wisdom, by Sheri A. Rosenthal. See also my website practices: Core Questions, Core Questions Inventory, Shamanic Counseling and Soul Recovery articles, Finding Your Place (fyp), and Clearing the Heart (JFH/gz).
Vision Questing
It is recommended that you take a Vision Quest, and the Wounded Healer Summer School, two events the happen concurrently on S. Manitou Island each August (see website for INFO and details). The Vision Quest normally involves a year long preparation.
Keep connected and support Crows Nest as you participate in Crows Nest groups on Facebook. We have a Community Page and a Public page, and a special page for apprenticeship cohorts. Also, I have the large JUNG AND SHAMANISM IN DIALOGUE discussion group on Facebook. Sign up for the website newsletter at www.crowsnestshamanism.comlocated on the home page.
Review of various topics: Sacred Fire Ceremony, Sweat Lodge, Vision Quest, Blessings of houses, land, work space, plant medicine teachers and other entheogens. Special study opportunities are offered from time to time on entheogenic plant teachers, in the Peruvian Amazon.
Special eBook Reading List (Amazon):
Michael Harner: Cave and Cosmos
Serge Kahili King. Urban Shamanism
Carlos Castaenda. The Teachings of don Juan (download narrated audio book by Luis Moreno)
Soul Recovery and Extraction, by Ai Gvhdi Waya (my Cherokee-metis teacher)
C. Michael Smith. Jung and Shamanism in Dialogue: Retrieving Soul/Retrieving the Sacred.
Robert Moss. Dreamgates (download audio book)
Eugene T. Gendlin. FOCUSING. Available as CD or download recording.
Carol Weaver. Journey with Laughing Wolf (A good drum journey CD)
Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman. Spirit Shamanism.
Note: In addition to Fire Talk formats and email exchanges, some apprentices come for a weekend or over-night at Crows Nest. This usually entails two or three lengthy Fire Talks, and prescribed individual experiential work in solitude in the forest or guest cabin. A Friday night and Saturday for example, or a Saturday night and Sunday. The cost of these individual overnight intensives runs $300 – $400 if it is a two-night intensive.