S03 E01 - Boxes Squares and Spirits

In this episode, Spearcarrier opens up about a tumultuous return to—and swift departure from—a commercial shaman school. After feeling "poked off the dragonfly branch" and losing connection to the spirits, a moment of intervention from the spirit world itself turns everything around. We explore the differences between the expensive, "cookie-cutter" Western shamanic training and the more traditional Ulchi belief that spirits, not schools, select and train the shaman. Spearcarrier discusses the dangers of the commercialized path, the importance of finding a listening elder rather than a guru, and what it means to be a "small shaman" healing in a quiet house. Topics Covered: The decision to leave a shamanic school after less than 24 hours. How a spirit blocked my sight to get my attention (and how I got it back). Discovering the Ulchi path and its parallels to my own upbringing. The problem with "spiritual humvees" and pay-to-play shamanism in the West. Healing from spiritual wounds and the value of taking it one day at a time.