SHAMANIC HEALING
 
With so many alternative / complementary / holistic therapies on offer, it can be difficult to decide which ones to try first – let alone understand them all.

Here, Firechild's trained shamanic healer, Taz Thornton, explains the basics  for those wanting to explore the benefits of an ancient, and deeply rooted, healing tradition.

SHAMANIC healing is thought to be one of the oldest healing practices, stretching back thousands of years and linking to indigenous cultures across the globe. Essentially an energy-based therapy, shamanism is rooted in the belief that everything has an energy and that, sometimes, work needs to be done to bring things back into balance.

Traditionally, a shaman was an important part of tribal life - a medicine person, said to be able to communicate with spirits and 'journey' to spirit realms with the help of their own spirit allies. Modern-day shamanism follows a similar pattern, with properly-trained shamanic practitioners working with power animals and spirit helpers to seek advice for the client.

Typically, the shamanic practitioner sees health issues as being connected to the loss of energy, or power, and will work to balance these issues, often seeking to return lost energy, remove negativity and return the client to wholeness. Sometimes, the practitioner will bring back advice from the spirit realms, perhaps action points, mantras or 'homework' for the client to aid them on their healing journey. As with most energy-based therapies, there is always some responsibility for the client to be absolutely willing and ready to make the change towards a positive, healthier way of being.

During your session, the practitioner may use drums, rattles, chimes, chanting and song, as well as 'sacred smudge' - a method of burning herbs or incense to spiritually cleanse and bless the area. Sometimes, the practitoner may use other healing tools, such as feathers, as well as a combination of hands on, or off, healing, similar to that experienced during a reiki session. 

Taz offers one-to-one shamanic healing sessions in your own home, for which she charges an hourly rate of £85 plus mileage. Your first session will include an initial consultation and energy balancing, at no additional cost. 

Spiritual guidance sessions, which may include channelling, medicine card readings and Shaman Stone consultations, are also available, either face to face or via telephone or Skype. These sessions are also charged at £150 per hour or £80 per half hour (mileage rates plus travel time are also applicable for sessions in your home).

Taz is also happy to refer you to one of her tribe of healers, all of whom have trained with her and will be in different geographical locations and with different charging structures. 

If you'd like to discuss shamanic healing and/or guidance in more depth, please don't hesitate to get in touch via the Contact Us page.