A Modern Shaman's Journey

There’s a mystery and dare I say, fear, around the word “shaman,” largely due to a lack of understanding. For centuries, the ancient knowledge of our connection to nature was forced into the shadows. I remember my grandmother taking me to see a Mexican curandera when I wasn’t feeling well; it was an underground network where you had to 'know someone' just to get an appointment. This secrecy wasn't about creating mystery,it was a necessary shield against judgment and ridicule.

Whether it was the curanderas of Latin America or the Reiki masters of Japan who went into hiding after WWII to avoid government suppression, the keepers of energy medicine have long practiced behind the scenes. Even today, natural medicine is often met with a raised eyebrow. We live in a society obsessed with a "quick fix," a culture that has forgotten the value of the precious time required to integrate deep healing. We want a pill to silence a chronic complaint, ignoring the inner voice begging for a process that often requires time.

What is a Shaman?

In traditional tribal settings, the shaman served as the essential bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. As healers, they diagnosed "soul loss" or spiritual imbalances to restore a person to health. As "diviners," they ensured the tribe’s survival by reading weather patterns or animal migrations. Through ceremonies, they acted as mediators with nature, praying for rain and successful harvests to maintain the delicate balance between human needs and the environment. Finally, they served as guides for the deceased, safely escorting souls to the afterlife to ensure peace for both the living and the dead.

Overcoming my bias

I grew up with the same skepticism instilled in most of us. I vividly remember insisting my grandmother take me to a "real doctor," dismissing the curandera she trusted. Yet, looking back as a therapist, I realize I always felt better after those sessions, I didn't understand it so I stubbornly refused to give her the credit.

For years, I avoided anything "woo-woo." My university studies, built on creating spreadsheets and memorising formulas, couldn't accept what science couldn't measure. But destiny had other plans. Studying Reiki and Homeopathy completely changed my perspective of health and ignited a childlike curiosity about the energy within plants, minerals, and the human spirit.

This past September, my journey came full circle. I immersed myself in a grueling 300-hour shamanic training with the Four Winds Society. For 28 days, from dawn until dusk, we did more than learn tools; we faced our own shadows. The experience was a reminder that to hold sacred space for others as a therapist, we must first be willing to do the deep, introspective work on ourselves. It was, quite simply, powerful.

Ancient Wisdom and the Munay-Ki

During my training, I was initiated with the Munay-Ki Rites, which carry the ancient wisdom of the Andean people. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived, the wisdom-keepers, the Q’ero, fled to the high mountains. They preserved their traditions orally for centuries, waiting for a time when the "civilized" world would lose its way and need help remembering its connection to nature. That time is now.

The shaman’s role is to act as a caretaker of the earth, healing the fractured relationships we have with nature, ourselves, and spirit. This work is guided by Ayni (reciprocity) and pure intention. We work without attachment to a specific outcome, desiring only to bring harmony and health to all beings—plants, animals, and people alike.

Why Energy Medicine is important

In shamanic tradition, creation happens at four distinct levels:

1. The Body (Physical): The realm of matter and chemistry.

2. The Mind (Mental): The realm of thoughts and beliefs.

3. The Soul (Mythic): The realm of our personal story and journey.

4. The Spirit (Energetic): The highest level of pure energy.

Western medicine primarily operates at the physical level, using chemistry to counter illness. I hold deep respect for this approach in life-threatening crises. However, while a doctor may save a life, the Shaman works to heal the spirit that inhabits the body. This happens because each level informs the one below it: Spirit informs Soul, which informs Mind, which then informs the Body. Therefore healing the energetic aspect of a person allows for profound changes to trickle down to the physical self.

Many of our physical illnesses are simply the result of an emotional imbalance, a buried "unspoken" trauma from our past that survived by being hidden. The Shaman listens for these whispers, looking beyond the spoken word and asking the questions that help people find their inner voice, the one begging to be released, heard and healed.

Practical Tools for Modern Times

During my training, I realized that these ancient practices align perfectly with what I learned at university and in my clinical training as a therapist. They are essential for today’s world—including the business environment.

These tools include the non-judgment a homeopath must practice when listening to a patient, the gratitude encouraged in Reiki, and the integrity that should be a basic human standard. While modern leadership courses often highlight these same values, they often miss a vital component: our connection to nature.

The shamanic path reminds us of the profound healing found in nature and the power of energy medicine. It teaches us that our words and actions are seeds; they carry consequences. By being mindful of what we "plant" each day, we take responsibility for the world we are creating.

The Modern Shaman: Bridging Two Worlds

Today, I am a Medicine Woman who wears a business suit to a meeting and a poncho for a ceremony. Like most women, I wear many hats: mother, wife, health center director, and healer. My life is a constant dance between the mundane routine of remembering where I left my keys and the mystique that lives within each person I meet. I love the challenge. While it might be easier to practice in the isolation of the mountains, my aim is to adapt these sacred traditions to our modern world.

In the past, the shaman’s wisdom was reserved for a few. Today, the world needs more people that recognise the importance of our connection to nature because humanity feels lost and there is much dis-ease in the world.

Modern shamanism lives within the therapist who guides someone through grief

or helps a lost soul find their way. Every time an individual heals, the entire

community, our modern "tribe" gets stronger.

The missing link in our modern life is our connection to nature. We often forget that we are nature. When our environment is unhealthy, we feel it in our own bodies and minds. In much of our world our soil is depleted of important minerals, mirroring our feeling of depletion and burnout. Through ceremonies of gratitude, we can remember the abundance around us and begin to heal our relationship with the earth. By healing ourselves, we begin to heal the world.

The Shaman Today

These ancient roles still play a role in modern context and health. Instead of tracking animal migrations, I help you navigate the cycles of your life and career. The spiritual intrusions are better known today as emotional blockages or trauma that manifest as anxiety or physical pain.

My goal remains the same as the ancient shamans: to act as a bridge. I help you reconnect with your own inner nature, restoring the balance between your mind, body, and spirit so you have the ability to adapt to the constant changes that life throws your way.

The Spark of Connection

When a therapist holds space and supports someone through a crisis, a certain "magic" happens. The true work exists in the unexplained, the invisible spark of energy that moves between people when they listen to each other with compassion. It is the same divine spark that makes the plants grow and the sun shine. I invite you to listen to your own curiosity. Whether you choose Reiki, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, or a deep-dive energy session, the specific modality matters less than the connection you feel towards the therapist you choose.

Healing is a bit like dating; the chemistry must be right. I would be honored to hold space for you, but more than anything, I want you to find the practitioner who makes you feel truly seen and heard. If you’re ready to move beyond physical symptoms and dive a little deeper, let's have a chat.

Sandra Quist Founder and Director of The Hague Natural Health Centre Homeopath & Shamanic Energy Medicine Woman

Connect with Sandra: www.sandradelgadoquist.com | www.thehague-naturalhealthcentre.com