I just finished facilitating a 4 day Transformational Retreat in Byron Bay with 19 individuals from all different walks of life ranging from creatives to psychologists, engineers to corporates and entrepreneurs. It was my 24th retreat that I’ve curated, and what never ceases to amaze me is how similar we all are. No matter what our career is, there is a deep longing to feel more love, peace, joy, freedom and connection within ourselves and with each other.
And no matter where people are in their lives, they are always dealing with the fear of not doing enough or being enough. The age of story of “am I enough?” can show up as imposter syndrome, or the fear that we are not living to our fullest potential, and therefore wasting our lives.
I believe that ancient wisdom traditions are increasingly capturing the attention of modern day professionals in our fast-paced modern world because they offer a non-rational solution to rational problems. It is like Einstein said, “You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.” For example, we had an engineer on the retreat who had been staring at a technical problem in building this particular software for weeks. During the retreat, in an Jana light therapy session which featured LED lights flashing in a sequence to duplicate a psychedelic effect of DMT being released from the brain, he came to a non-rational solution in an instant. He had approached the solution by going through a non-linear, non-rational process, and his boss approved the new solution and it is going to be implemented at work.
At the heart of shamanic practices, is stepping beyond linear space and time, and entering into an altered state of consciousness, or a trance state. Thinking outside the box requires actually stepping outside the box completely with your total mind, body and heart. You cannot think your way through everything. From the outside, it may seem bizarre to be connecting to ancestors, angels or spirit guides; however, the biggest shifts in your psyche happen through the language of symbols, like the ones you find in a dream. And in dreamtime, the seemingly impossible, suddenly becomes possible with the blink of an eye. Who wouldn’t want to access this expanded state all the time to grow and evolve new ways of thinking and being?
Origins and Benefits of Shamanic Practices
A shaman is a broad term that speaks of individuals who have the capacity to travel to non-ordinary states of consciousness like yogis, indigenous healers, psychics, etc. Essentially, every human on the planet has access to this ability. Depending on the culture, various rituals, tools and practices are used to promote healing, self-discovery, and a connection with the unseen realms. Practices like drumming, vocal toning like chanting, ingesting plant medicine to go on vision quests, and symbolic ceremonies that involve offerings are keys to entering into these altered states that eventually lead to transformative experiences.
If your desire is to be the leader of your field, and be the most elevated version of who you are professionally and personally, learning to awaken your inner shaman can lead to…
- Deeper self-knowledge and breakthroughs in limiting beliefs, unlocking hidden potential and fostering a quantum leap in personal growth.
- Access to ancestral wisdom for guidance on your personal and professional path, tapping into a wellspring of knowledge that informs decisions with depth and intuition from an expanded perspective that what stepping outside of the box actually is.
- Strengthened community bonds and more creative collaboration, as shared spiritual experiences solidify a common purpose that amplifies the feelings of trust and a feeling of kinship with your colleagues.
- Improved stress management and emotional resilience, providing tools to navigate the complexities of work life with a sense of ease, grace and strength.
- Enhanced decision-making through spiritual connection, integrating intuition with the rational mind to create solutions that are strategic, yet deeply intuitive.
The Pioneers Blending Business and Shamanism
Modern practitioners are finding innovative ways to bring shamanic principles into corporate environments by translating the language to make it more palatable for the work place by saying things like inner guidance instead of spirit guides. Many progressive CEOs are taking their teams into the mystical jungles of Costa Rica to go on ayahuasca retreats to help reveal what their internal blocks are and to help them become more open and vulnerable leaders.
Corporate coaches who normally take 6 to 9 months to build trust among teams are seeing instant trust formed on shamanic healing retreats over night through a shared spiritual experience. Toxic behaviours that seem to be unbreakable, dissolve with a lot more haste because the consciousness of these teams have been radically upgraded through shamanic practices.
This happens because at the core of the ancient wisdom tradition is connection. How can we deepen our connection with ourself, nature and what we know as Source, Energy or the Cosmos? Whether you ingest plant medicine on a shamanic retreat, or you go through a series of dynamic breathwork techniques or sit through light therapy all of which duplicate a mirrored DMT experience – what is undeniable is that the broken link between you and the Universe restores itself.
Once connection is restored, trust in yourself and the others around you deepens, communication improves, and the circuitry of your brain is more prime to allow for creativity to flow.
Integrating the Shamanic Approach
For busy individuals, incorporating shamanic practices takes some intention and creativity. Simple entry points include meditative nature walks to reconnect with the earth, setting up an ancestral altar to remember where you have come from, or exploring one’s dreams through journaling as a gateway to the subconscious.
Over time, activities like attending drum circles, participating in vision quests, deep DMT breathwork, ingesting plant medicine and seeking a shamanic guide can pave the way to deeper transformation. These practices invite us to step outside the everyday rhythms of corporate life, offering a sanctuary of spiritual exploration.
For those new to shamanism, finding a community or a mentor can provide invaluable guidance. Local workshops, online forums, and spiritual retreats are excellent resources for connecting with like-minded individuals and deepening your shamanic practice.
A Call to Inner Awakening for Personal and Professional Renewal
By blending ancient wisdom with modern business needs, professionals can lead more conscious, connected, and fulfilling lives, even in high-pressure roles. The shamanic path offers time-tested tools to help us hear the inner call to growth and positive change. It challenges us to look beyond the material, to find balance and purpose in our actions, and to cultivate a sense of peace and fulfillment that transcends professional achievements.
Incorporating shamanic practices into our daily routines and decision-making processes doesn’t just benefit us individually; it can transform the cultures of the organizations we lead or are part of, fostering environments where creativity, wellness, and mutual respect flourish.
As we stand at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, the shamanic path beckons us to embark on a journey of discovery that harmonizes the soul’s desires with the world’s needs. It’s an invitation to evolve, to embrace a more holistic view of success, and to contribute to a more compassionate and connected world.
