January 15, 2010
Dear FSS Circle Members and Friends:
The tragic events in Haiti have elicited a great outpouring of calls for shamanic healing from practitioners, not only as individuals, but through drumming circles and FSS Two-Week Intensive and Three-Year program graduates email lists.
Many trained shamanic healers are bringing the power of their helping spirits to the region to address the spiritual aspects of this emergency, complementing the efforts of the ordinary reality relief workers. This is shamanism at its best.
We all wish to help. We hope you will keep in mind – that for our shamanic efforts to be effective, ethical, and truly compassionate – some of the work, such as long-distance healing, should be undertaken only in consultation with their souls and if you have had the necessary adequate training. We recommend journey work to get permissions, even if it must be done on a mass basis. The Haitians have their own spiritual traditions, and we need to be fully respectful.
Let us work together, according to our training, to do what we can with the help of the compassionate spirits to alleviate the pain and suffering of all beings in Haiti. And, of course, our spiritual work should be combined with ordinary reality efforts and donations as well.
With our best wishes for all,
Michael Harner & Susan Mokelke
Note: If you wish some guidance on issues of permission, you may review the article, Ethical Considerations in Shamanic Healing.