A fierce love for Nature You might have noticed the colours in this sketch are Earth colours, the same colours we see when looking back at Earth from space. The shamanic aura is the same as Gaia’s aura, our Earth Mother, because we are her healers. Earth, for the Shaman, is our home and our larger body, that which we and everyone else are a part of. Shamans are healers who seek to protect and restore the wholeness of Life/Gaia/Nature.

Feeling blessed and grateful As a shaman I know I am blessed, simply because I exist here on this incredible planet. Our green mother, dressed in robes of rolling green hills and forests full of life, gives us a home, food, shelter, community and so much more. I give thanks every day for the abundance that surrounds me. A shaman knows the gifts given by Gaia are part of the great cycle/spiral/circle of life and care must be taken to protect, foster and support these natural eco-systems, rather than taking mindlessly, greedily, and not giving anything back.

An holistic, empathic, animistic mindset. A shaman thinks in a holistic way, seeing the bigger picture and the way everything connects as one whole. The shaman knows we are all connected, all of life, as one big tribe. We also believe that everything has a spirit, a soul, an aura, a life-essence. This includes non-human animals, plants, forests, rocks, mountains, objects and place. And when you put all of this together, it’s not hard to understand why it’s so easy for us to empathise with the world around us.

An ability to enter trance states and step outside of themselves. The empathic ability of the shaman, combined with their awareness that we are all One, enables them to step out of their physical body/reality and “see” reality from a different perspective (eg like a soaring bird looking down from above). The shaman’s spirit isn’t stuck in their physical body: it’s a fluid, adventurous entity that loves to go exploring! This capacity and desire to “see” from perspectives outside of their own enables to shaman to be highly observant and mindfully aware of their inner and outer reality, with the sharp-eyed watchfulness of a hawk, or an owl, or a dingo.

Placing value on being grounded and being of service. A Shaman might be able to travel beyond their physical body/reality/perspective but they always keep a part of themselves anchored (grounded) in their physical body and the shared consensus reality of their tribe/community. And they might be hermits who enjoy being alone with Nature but they also know that other humans are a cherished part of Nature and they do what they can to contribute to the wellbeing of the whole.

Observant composure and discernment. Shamans don’t waste energy unnecessarily. They are efficient with their actions and words. They stay centred and cannot easily be provoked, tricked, sucked dry or snuck up on. They don’t lose their cool. They don’t gossip and they’re good at zipping their lips and keeping secrets.

Not letting your ego get the better of you. This means making authentically nourishing and empowering choices, rather than letting your need to feel important/heroic or appear wise/successful/right etc, dictate your behaviour. The negative ego is Trickster energy, sucking us in, leading us nowhere good, and projecting our insecurities and fears out into the world while not owning our own shit.

Familiarity with death and loss. Death is the natural prelude to rebirth. The death-rebirth cycle is a magical process of transformation that helps us grow, evolve, and prevent stagnation. Many shamans have experienced trauma, loss and dark nights of the soul; this can be exactly what leads them to the Shaman’s Path. Endings and death are an inevitable part of life, so we accept this whilst also cherishing and savouring life. A typical shaman knows life is short and that they must live in an authentic way which honours this truth.