Please see TRAINING IN SHAMANIC METHODS TO HELP UKRAINE below for opportunities to train with others to apply shamanic methods to help Ukraine and its people. If you are doing something to help and would like to share with the shamanic community, please visit Core Shamanism Chronicles: Help for Ukraine and leave a comment.

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies has been receiving requests for advice and assistance from people who would like to work together with others to respond shamanically to the tragic events unfolding in Europe. We have also received announcements of various group efforts and shamanic ceremonies that are being organized by others. The situation in Ukraine and Russia, and increasingly across Europe, is truly heartbreaking. How it will resolve is unknown, but it is clear that many are suffering, and will be feeling the effects of these events for a long time to come. We are grateful to be part of a caring and compassionate community that is motivated by such a strong desire to be of service.

It is important to remember that in situations of great complexity involving many thousands of people, animals, lands and waters, we cannot always know what is best, or what should and should not be happening. It’s also important to remember that the ethical practice of shamanism relies on having conscious and informed permission from any individual for whom we want to do shamanic work. These two factors mean that, if we want to be effective, we cannot simply send our helping spirits into a complex situation and ask them to bring about the outcome that we would like to see. Appropriate ethics are an essential part of the effective and powerful use of shamanism – without knowledge of ethics, one may do more harm than good. Please see this FSS Polestar entry.

For those who know how to journey and have connections with helping spirits of the Upper and Lower Worlds, and who understand the ethical considerations, the spirits are a source of enormous wisdom, power and creativity. They are able to guide and inspire us towards powerful and effective ways to take action in ordinary reality to help alleviate the pain and suffering that are occurring around the world. This would be an important time to journey and seek their guidance, and perhaps to form groups with other shamanic practitioners. More about working with the spirits for ordinary reality solutions.

May balance, unity, and harmony be restored and compassion prevail.

In spirit,
Susan Mokelke
President

Thanks to Robbie Staufer for drafting this response.

TRAINING IN SHAMANIC METHODS TO HELP UKRAINE: If you would like to join with others interested in applying shamanism and the power of the spirits to find ordinary reality ways to help, please see the Shamanism for Inspired Local & Global Change calendar. Scroll down to the calendar listings and look for an offering that displays “Focus on Ukraine.”

For updates on shamanism and Ukraine and other important issues, add your name to our email list on the home page. To subscribe, go to shamanism.org, scroll down to the “FREE E-NEWS” on the bottom right and enter your email. Or, join the Circle of the Foundation as a member.

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Polestar logo design by Carolyn Fee ©2010 Foundation for Shamanic Studies
FSS Polestar highlights some of the questions we are frequently asked about contemporary shamanic practice. “Polestar” is defined as “something that serves as a guiding principle.” It reflects our commitment to helping practitioners stay oriented to authentic shamanic methods and ethics, while maintaining their own independent spirituality, which comes from learning directly from the compassionate spirits. Send us your practice-related questions for consideration for Polestar. Use our CONTACT FORM, and put “Polestar” in the subject line.