Discover shamanic healing: reconnect with nature, restore balance, and nurture mind, body, and spirit through holistic practices.
With more than 70 per cent of Australians now using complementary medicines and natural therapies, the divide between Western medicine and alternative traditions is narrowing. A fast-paced, technology-driven, modern society detached from the rhythms of nature is suffering the consequences — emotional instability, chronic illness and a growing sense of emptiness. Many are searching for deeper meaning and a more holistic, nature-based solution to their emotional and physical wellbeing. In this context, ancient wisdom traditions such as shamanic healing are experiencing a resurgence, not as a replacement for modern medicine, but as a vital complement to it.
Western medicine has achieved some incredible advancements in diagnosing and treating illness. It is largely based on the patient handing over their problem to another to “fix it”. On the converse, shamanism, a centuries-old wisdom, passed down through generations, is rooted in the belief that each person can trust their own body, intuition and healing ability. This practice has long been seen as unconventional but is making a comeback. Some Western medical practitioners are now purposefully integrating a holistic perspective into their own methodology.
Antonia Ruhl, shamanic healer and founder of Natural Stress Therapy clinic, says, “True healing begins when you shift your attention away from the diagnosis to the root cause of the pain or disease and listen to what your body and soul is trying to tell you. The pain is not always the enemy. It is a signal to alert you to the real problem and guide you back to wholeness.” By cultivating greater self-awareness and active participation in one’s own wellbeing, individuals are being shown an empowering path to healing, and with lasting results.
Return to nature
Humans are biologically wired to be in tune with nature. Yet the modern world often separates people from the natural world through concrete cities, artificial lighting, endless screen time and schedules that leave little time for rest or reflection. This can often result in poor moods and higher levels of anxiety, depression and disconnect. After all, you can’t expect to thrive when you’re disconnected from the very source that gives and sustains life. This is the view of the shaman.
Shamanism views the human body, mind and spirit as deeply interconnected with nature and the four elements — earth, water, fire and air. Each one holds energetic significance, and shamanic practices use them to help restore harmony, clear emotional or energetic blockages and reconnect individuals to their natural state of balance.
The four elements
Earth — Used for grounding, stability and nourishment, the earth represents your roots and how you connect to the physical world. Rituals might include walking barefoot on grass, laying on stones or crystals, or laying on the ground. Engaging with the healing properties of everyday herbs and plants also helps to foster respect for nature’s pharmacy. These practices can help you to feel more present in your body and reduce overwhelm by giving you the feeling of being “held” and by reconnecting with that which is solid and supportive.
Water — Associated with emotions, water encourages you to allow life to reveal itself rather than resist or control it. In shamanic practices, bathing in salts, swimming in the ocean or visualising flowing water such as a waterfall washing away pain or troubles can help to soothe overwhelm. Water invites emotional release and offers cleansing. This element supports the body’s natural ability to renew and may help to reduce inflammation and flush out toxins from the body.
Fire — In shamanism, fire is a sacred tool used for ceremonial burning and is believed to be the most dynamic of all the elements. It helps to release old wounds, anger or beliefs that no longer serve you. Vitality may be reawakened, and you may find your personal willpower ignited, creating more direction in life. Fire can transform pain into purpose, acting both as a destroyer and creator, burning away the old to make way for the new.
Air — Conscious breathing techniques can regulate the nervous system and relieve stress by stimulating energy flow. Sound healing, music, wind instruments and drumming are also common ways to engage the air element and to shift your emotional state. These practices may bring about mental clarity, a sense of freedom and space for new perspectives. They also support deeper connection to your natural intuition.
Ruhl likens balancing the human body to an orchestra, “If one instrument is out of sync, the symphony will not play in harmony. Shamanic healing aims to tune every aspect of one’s being, and Mother Nature is the maestro that we should all look to for regulation.”
Debunking myths around shamanism
A major barrier to wider acceptance of shamanic healing is misinformation. Shamanism is not a religion or witchcraft, nor does it have to be shrouded in ceremony or reserved for secluded retreats. It is simply a return to something ancient, wise and real that gives us a natural understanding of our health and a deeply restorative path to healing through reconnecting with the earth.
As science has shown us, nature breathes, grows and pulses with true life force and unlike artificial structures, it nourishes and helps to restore our minds and bodies. Ironically