Contemporary-style Shamanic Healing and Journeying is similar to Soulful Journeying and Visualization.

 

Josephine has a rich cultural heritage and spiritual practices that some have associated with the blend of her ethnic and racial background. She may be considered one who walks a Shamanic path and works with contemporary shamanism principles, with similarities to Filipino practitioners. Josephine is a Society for Shamanic Practice - Shamanism Without Borders member.

 

Similar to Filipino indigenous communities recognizing an individual as a Babaylan, or describing various healers/spiritual practitioners with a word that is not Filipino the closest term would be a 'shaman' or 'shaman/priestess.' Primarily it is a person who may also know about various healing therapies such as working with herbs, spirit guides, massage or manipulation of the body, and relaying messages from the spirit world or the Great Spirit.​

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It is answering an internal calling, by other traditions, that a person knows, feels, or experiences through many life challenges, near-death experiences, spiritually transformative experiences, vivid dreams or visions that guided or taught them similarly to being an apprentice. One may demonstrate strong leadership through advocacy, teaching, healing, spirituality, vision, healing, and/or deeply connected to the Earth, nature, or wildlife.

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Within the Spanish culture, a curandero or 'healer' (shaman) has individualized approaches to healing for mind, body, or spirit. Often this comprised of the knowledge of working with herbs, food as medicine, prayer, holy (blessed) water, smoke (smudging), or energy 'surgery' (moving perceived 'stuck' energy patterns from the energy field of the patient). Similar to modern psychology where the suffering or "dis-ease" is frequently associated with past trauma that causes fragmenting of the perceived self due to unconscious patterns repeating until identified and the neuro-system being reset, traditional shamanism is various cultures believed similarly, but called it retrieving the soul or aspects of the soul or spirit.

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Josephine's approach is similar to some of the traditional understandings of practice. However, having respect for the cultures, she has mindfully acknowledged that her experience and ongoing training have been through a myriad of venues and various mentors, not through traditional apprenticeship within an Indigenous tribal environment.

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She has been called a shaman, or woman on a "medicine path". With her blend of experience, and education - formal and informal training, in modern society, her approach and knowledge are known as contemporary-style shamanism.

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What is Shamanic Healing and Journeying, or soulful journeying and visualization?

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In simple terms, it is a guided journey into oneself. If a person is not skilled at seeing (the human) self from a broader perspective while being fully present in one's physical experience simultaneously, then the purpose of being guided through an "inward journey" is of value. Even skilled practitioners will ask for another to guide them, especially because they understand how to monitor the human body if it is not integrating well to being deliberately exposed to higher vibrationally frequencies for a while, or if some [trauma - old belief] patterns feel difficult to navigate.

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The shaman or healer in many indigenous cultures has been charged with interceding with the spirit world on behalf of another person. This intercession generally involves a request for assistance in healing on a physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual level. To act as an agent or channel for healing, the shaman spends many hours developing relationships with compassionate spirits, understood to be available in non-ordinary reality. The shaman develops these relationships by journeying in non-ordinary reality. The medicine man or woman also journeys in non-ordinary reality (spirit world or nonphysical realm) to seek help from these spirits when asked to provide healing and higher or Divine guidance over a concern or circumstance.

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It is not common for everyone in most indigenous cultures to have access to the knowledge contained in the spiritual realm. However, anyone with good intentions and dedication who understands the nature of the shamanic journey and our nonphysical realm can have this access. Anyone with strong intent, presence of mind, and expanded consciousness can develop a relationship to at least some of the knowledge contained in the nonphysical realm.

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​Drumming, and other instruments - rattles, flutes, and vocalization (singing, chanting, humming), are commonly used as tools for this spiritual practice. Josephine uses a shamanic buffalo drum when working with you. Learn more about Shamanic Drum Healing, here. She has developed a blended method of mindfulness, meditation, and guided somatic energy center healing that is an aspect of her contemporary-style shamanic practice, which you may find, here.

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Similarities between Shamanism and Natural or Holistic Health care and services:

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• The premise of integrative medicine and therapies

• The use of natural remedies and a holistic understanding of health

• The treatment of the body is complex and includes spiritual and material aspects; considering emotional states, attitudes, and spiritual beliefs

• The merging and taking into account of the whole client; lifestyle, belief systems, mind, body, and spirit

• Medicine today is recommending and offering alternative modalities such as reiki, reflexology, massage, acupuncture, and more

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What is Spiritual Counseling?

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It is a form of psychotherapy known for its tactful integration of spirituality with psychotherapeutic guidance and care. Spiritual counseling is also known as spiritual guidance, and can be a type of therapy that helps people explore their spiritual nature and find meaning in their lives. It can be based on a specific religion or a broader set of spiritual ideas, and it's open to people of all faiths or no faith at all.

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Spiritual counselors may use techniques such as meditation, prayer, mindfulness, and visualization. They may also ask open-ended questions, reflect thoughts back to clients, and allow space for silence.

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Spiritual Counseling can help people: 

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• Build relationships - Spiritual counseling can help people build relationships with themselves and others, and treat themselves and others with compassion. 

• Explore beliefs - Spiritual counseling can help people examine their beliefs and values, and commit to what's important to them. 

• Connect with their inner selves - Spiritual counseling can help people find their spiritual path and connect with their authentic selves. 

• Find meaning - Spiritual counseling can help people find meaning in their lives and their sacred stories. 

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How Contemporary Shamanism and Spiritual Counseling work together:

 

• Holistic therapy: Therapists can combine elements of both Buddhist and Shamanic counseling to address a client's emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs simultaneously. 

• Altered states of consciousness: Shamanism uses altered states of consciousness to help clients connect with spirit beings. Therapists can also help clients enter an altered state of consciousness to enhance therapeutic goals. 

• Power animals: Clients can connect with power animals or spirit guides for support and information on specific issues. 

• Mindfulness: Both Shamanic and spiritual counseling can include mindfulness meditation. 

• Rituals: Shamanic counseling can include rituals and drumming. 

• Spiritual dimensions: Shamanic models emphasize closeness to the natural world and spiritual dimensions of life. 

• Personal empowerment: Shamanism can help clients feel empowered and in control of their body chemistry.

 

Shamanism is an ancient tradition that involves establishing personal connections with spirit beings to heal, guide the deceased, and more. Spiritual counseling can involve techniques like meditation, prayer, and visualization to help clients explore their values and beliefs.

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It is understood more than ever before, that being the soulful awareness that we are, will allow the flawed premises to fall away. It's not about healing yourself, or someone else being your healer. It's about realizing that you are the space in the present moment, emanating the well-being life force energy that you are. We all forget sometimes. As a practitioner, I am here to remind you and walk with you as you rediscover how to light your path by shining your light even brighter. Ask yourself, "When was the last time I danced?" ~ Josephine

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Want to find out if this is for you? Let's discuss your concerns and answer your questions, and we'll decide from there. Click the button below to schedule a consultation.