About Us

 

Our MISSION

The mission of the Society for Shamanic Practice (SSP) is to gather and share extensive knowledge and resources about the practice of shamanism in all its forms, its evolution in the modern world, and how shamanism can be applied in the 21st century. We are dedicated to supporting practitioners at all levels of experience and to helping create an educated and empowered community who walk this spiritual path with integrity, respect and practicality.

HISTORY

The roots of SSP were formed after a group of physicians, interested in shamanic healing, created a series of conferences called “Shamanism in Healthcare”. After the conferences, it was clear that there were many people interested in shamanism but they had no place to go for support and community.

SSP was created to respond to this need. It was originally envisioned as a practitioners’ society to support individuals interested in shamanic healing work regardless of experience, training, or path chosen. To this end, The Journal of Shamanic Practice was created, along with two published books, Shamanism without Borders and Spirited Medicine. We also began to present annual gatherings and conferences for members and practitioners, and added a directory of shamanic services to our website including shamanic practitioners, books and audio, art and jewelry, shamanic tools, shamanic training organizations, and travel & retreat centers.

In 2015 we expanded our membership focus beyond practitioners to included all people interested in walking a shamanic path. At this time we transformed our quarterly print journal into an online article library, and added a new growing audio section to our member benefits. 

SSP has always responded to the needs of our members and striven to address the overall increase in shamanic interest within contemporary culture. We have a core group of members deeply involved in shamanic practices and performing healing work on individuals, their own geographic regions and the planet. Our members reflect a diverse mix of individuals attracted to shamanic practice as a way of life.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jaime Meyer, President

Jaime Meyer’s eclectic background includes earning a Masters’ Degree in theology and the arts from United Seminary of the Twin Cities and studies with a variety of shamanic teachers for more than 30 years. He is the author of two books, “Healing With Shamanism” and “Drumming The Soul Awake.” Twenty of his plays have been produced in various cities in the USA. He co-founded the first theatre in the world for the Hmong community (a refugee population from Laos and Vietnam) and managed it for ten years, mentoring scores of young Hmong actors and writers. Since 2015 he has been learning from Shipibo masters in the Amazon jungle. Some of his teachers include Jose and Lena Stevens, Tom Cowan, Ailo Gaup, Martin Prechtel and Sandra Ingerman.

Website: www.drummingthesoulawake.com

Lena Stevens, VICE PRESIDENT

Lena Stevens is an internationally known teacher and shamanic practitioner. She apprenticed for 10 years with a Huichol shaman from Mexico and has studied cross-cultural shamanic healing from numerous traditions including those from the Amazon basin, Native North America, Northern Europe and Siberia.

One of her specialties is the woven song tradition of the Shipibo tribe in the Peruvian Amazon, the singing of Icaros or healing songs. Lena is the co-author of  The Secrets of Shamanism: How to Tap the Spirit Power Within and a contributor to The Power Path.

website: www.thepowerpath.com

Dave McCormack, Treasurer/Secretary

Dave McCormack is currently a Business Consultant for a Food Brokerage Company representing Consumer Packaged Goods manufacturers from all over the world. In addition to his consulting arrangement, Dave is an active shamanic practitioner in both Texas and New Mexico. He has completed the 1-year Shamanic Studies program and the advanced practitioners training with The Power Path School of Shamanism and studied with various teachers within the Shipibo, Hawaiian, Andes and Native American traditions.

Since starting his shamanic journey in 2011, Dave has worked in taking an active role in supporting individuals, companies and organizations who are interested in pursuing a shamanic based practice as well as helping them to achieve their life and business purpose.

Tom Cowan, PhD

Tom Cowan is a shamanic practitioner specializing in Celtic visionary and healing techniques. He combines universal core shamanism with traditional European spirit lore to create spiritual practices that can heal and enrich one’s own life and the lives of others. He is an internationally respected teacher, author, lecturer, and tour leader. He has taught training programs in England, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia and Italy. Tom received a doctorate in history from St. Louis University. He has studied extensively with and taught for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies.

Tom is the author of Yearning For The Wind: Celtic Reflections on Nature and the Soul, Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit, Shamanism as a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life, The Pocket Guide to Shamanism, The Book of Seance, The Way of the Saints: Prayers, Practices, and Meditations and Wending Your Way: A New Version of the Old English Rune Poem. 

Anna Stevens Harrington

Anna Stevens Harrington is an instructor for the Power Path School of Shamanism and a shamanic healing practitioner and ceremonialist with over 20 years of experience working with indigenous shamanic healers around the world. She has in-depth training in both Shipibo and Huichol healing modalities as well as the Paco tradition of the Andes and Native North American traditions.

Anna is also a producer, director and editor, and founder of Green Spider Films. Her past producing credits include a nine part television series, Understanding People (2001), Green Medicine: On the Path of Herbal Remedies (2000), The Mystic Traveler (2002), and Woven Songs of the Amazon (2006). For the past six years she has been working with The Center for Shamanic Education and Exchange to create educational documentaries and material honoring indigenous people and their unique and valuable traditions.

Dr. Steven Farmer

Dr. Steven Farmer is a licensed psychotherapist, shamanic practitioner, and author of several best-selling books and oracle cards, including Animal Spirit Guides, Pocket Guide to Spirit Animals, Healing Ancestral Karma, Earth Magic, Earth Magic Oracle Cards, and Children’s Spirit Animal Cards. Dr. Farmer offers individual and couple’s consultations in person or remotely by Zoom. He draws from a wealth of training and experience as a psychotherapist, shamanic healer, and trauma recovery specialist. He offers a popular Private Mentoring program. For more information please visit his website  www.DrStevenFarmer.com  and Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Steven-Farmer/93018852583

Ana Larramendi

Ana Larramendi has been studying shamanic traditions since 1989 and is an international teacher of shamanic healing practices. She is a minister, public speaker, Vision Quest leader, wilderness enthusiast, ceremonialist, chef, translator and an initiated mesa carrier in the Inka tradition. She is a full-time shamanic teacher and healer at The Hollow Bone with a private practice in rural, southern, Wisconsin. She hosts intimate small group classes in her home, and also offers in-depth shamanic healing by phone, remotely, or sessions in-person. Ana’s earth work includes space clearings and blessings, and various land healing practices. She has spent her life weaving together her spirituality with nature skills creating a skill-set of tools for land healing and teaching students to detect and heal earth trauma.

website: www.thehollowbone.com

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/HealingTheHollowBone

Joan Levergood

Joan Levergood is a Shamanic Practitioner located in Chicago, Illinois. Joan is a longtime member of the Society for Shamanic Practice’s Shamanism Without Borders Leadership Team. Being of service to her community as a shaman goes back to the very beginning of her shamanic training while she was working as a veterinary assistant at an animal shelter. Today Joan works with clients on a variety of life’s challenges. She specializes in unraveling and removing the unhelpful patterns of life, psychopomp or working with the dead, working with companion animals, soul retrieval, shamanic support of medical treatment and finding creative shamanic solutions to life’s sticky situations.

website: www.helpingspirits.net

Dr. Karen Ward

Dr Karen Ward is a Shamanic Therapist, Supervisor and Teacher as well as a practising Psychotherapist. Trained in the Celtic lineage and Druidic traditions, she co-founded and runs the Slí An Chroí School of Irish Celtic Shamanism with her husband John Cantwell. Her very popular Moon Mná (Irish Gaelic for Women) online Courses offer important Celtic Rite of Passage ceremonies inspired by the archetypal energies of the Irish Goddesses.  Karen is author of Change a Little to Change a Lot 2009, co-editor of Soul Seers – an Irish Anthology of Celtic Shamanism 2019, Goddesses of Ireland: ancient wisdom for modern women 2021 and the annual Moon Mná Diary-Journal 2017 to date. She is honoured to have co-rediscovered the Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage in 2013.

Websites: www.slianchroi.ie, www.moonmna.ie, www.drkarenwardtherapist.ie

Staff Members

Lally O’Mara McMahon
Executive Director

Lally O’Mara McMahon grew up in the beautiful forests of Northern New Mexico where she gained a deep and profound respect and love for Nature. Graduating Summa Cum Laude from the College of Santa Fe, with a degree in Environmental Science, further anchored her to the natural world. Her discovery of shamanism and shamanic practices deepened Lally’s connection to Nature and to the spirit world even more. She worked for many years as the Program Coordinator for the Power Path School of Shamanism and as Associate Publisher for Mothering Magazine. She has studied with Sandra Ingerman, Nan Moss and David Corbin, Eliot Cowan and others. As Executive Director for Society for Shamanic Practice, Lally is thrilled to help facilitate the work of this wonderful community. She is very close to her family and enjoys spending time with them and being outdoors. Lally lives happily in Fort Collins, CO after spending most of her life in Santa Fe, NM.