What is Shamanism?
Shamanism is a spiritual path, a healing modality and a method of personal development that holds, at its centre, a deep connection to Mother Earth. Humans, all over the world, have been practicing shamanism for a very, very long time. It is not a religion but rather a spiritual way which is open to all. In shamanism, we access the world of Spirit in order to gain wisdom, guidance, power or healing, for ourselves or for others.
Shamanism is about healing. It is about connecting to the energy of the Earth and honouring her. And it is about connecting to and honouring our own spirit and the wisdom of our hearts. Some of the ways we do this are through ceremony, sitting in circle, and shamanic journeying. The journeying technique I practice uses shamanic drumming to access an altered state of consciousness, which facilitates a connection with the world of Spirit.
Shamanism can also be a great aid to personal development and can help in dealing with life issues, finding direction, and getting a broader perspective on the big questions of life, death and the meaning of it all. We connect with our spirit guides and with the spirit in all things to gain wisdom, insight and support. This is deep work which reaps rich rewards.
The shamanism I practice is always focused on connecting to Pure Love, honouring the Earth and serving the Light/God/Source. It includes journeying with the drum; ceremony; deep connection with nature, the seasons, the elements, and with land around me; death & life work; working with the ancestors, and honouring the traditional wisdom; bringing peace to places of troubled energy; and Earth healing.
A word on Irish shamanism:
Ancient Ireland was an animistic culture, deeply connected to nature's rhythms and honouring the sacred. We don't have an unbroken tradition of shamanism in this country, as evidenced by the fact that we're using this adopted word ("shaman" from the Tungus language) and so much of our shamanic lineage is lost to us. Many of us Irish shamanic practitioners are doing our best to root our practice in this land; honouring Irish deities, incorporating the Irish language, connecting with ancient traditions and stories. That's important to me. I do also work with figures and practices from other cultures at times, for I'm a modern woman and a citizen of the world.
Who is Karen McLaughlin?
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. I was born and raised in Northern Ireland during the Troubles but for many years now I've been living in the wilds of NW Donegal and loving it. My wandering life path has included voice work, sound healing, community arts, teaching, poetry, songwriting and performance before finding, in shamanism, that thing I've been reaching toward all my life. I live near Falcarragh, Co Donegal but run events across the NW and beyond. Although shamanism is at the heart of my work, I do also offer a range of more general wellness courses and workshops. You can read about how I dance and stumble and fumble through life in my blog, and find out more about all my upcoming events here. I also provide individual healing sessions; more info here. My whole life, I have been a spiritual searcher, constantly striving toward self-actualisation. In Shamanism, I have found a path that brings me great healing and joy, and I absolutely love sharing it with others.
I'm a Certified Shamanic Practitioner, Trained Counsellor, Natural Voice Practitioner, have a Diploma in Sound Healing, a Degree in Education, and training in Sensory Labyrinth Theatre. I've many years of experience as a facilitator in the arts, voice, and wellness fields. I'm an artist, poet, singer-songwriter, mother, living room dancer, star-gazer and enthusiastic tree-hugger.
If you've made it this far: woohoo! I hope we get to meet somewhere along the road!
My Shamanic Practice
I first tasted shamanism around 2011. Shaman/healer Eliza White Buffalo introduced me to the medicine wheel and I did my first shamanic journey with the wonderful shamanic practitioner, Katie Rutledge. It immediately felt like a coming home. I've attended many shamanic workshops and courses since then, culminating in a year-long shamanic practitioner training with Katie. My shamanic practice owes a lot to Core Shamanism, in the tradition of Michael Harner, but also draws on Irish mythology, history and tradition and is firmly rooted in this land and its rhythms. In recent years, I've begun working a lot with Dragons and that has become a major part of my shamanic practice. Dragons are beings of unconditional love who are dedicated to raising the vibration of all life on Earth. I'm part of several groups who work regularly with Dragons to bring healing to ourselves and to the Earth. If this work calls to you, do get in touch for more information.
