Welcome to the Foundation for Shamanic Studies

Dedicated to the preservation, study, and teaching of shamanic knowledge for the welfare of the Planet and its inhabitants.

About the Foundation for Shamanic Studies

“What Yogananda did for Hinduism and D.T. Suzuki did for Zen, Michael Harner has done for shamanism, namely bring the tradition and its richness to Western awareness.” – Roger Walsh and Charles S. Grob

Started in 1979 as the Center for Shamanic Studies, the Foundation for Shamanic Studies presents the world’s foremost training programs in shamanism and shamanic healing. They are based on the pioneering work of anthropologist Michael Harner, who brought shamanism to contemporary life in the West after extensive field and cross-cultural investigation, experimentation, and personal practice. He originated, researched, and developed core shamanism, a system designed for Westerners to apply shamanism and shamanic healing successfully to their daily lives. This system is based upon the underlying universal or near-universal principles and practices of shamanism, rather than upon culture-specific variations and elaborations. Read more...

Tuva: Shamans and Spirits

Documentary of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies' 1993 expedition to Tuva in Central Asia.

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Learn the Way of the Shaman: Workshops and Training
in Shamanism and Shamanic Healing

Join the thousands each year who take our rigorous training in core shamanism, the universal and near universal methods of shamanism without a specific cultural perspective.

200-plus training programs are given each year in North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia.

Complete course descriptions and schedules available in Workshops.

Start your shamanic training now...

The Basic Workshop, The Way of the Shaman:
Shamanic Journeying, Power, and Healing

Experience the classic shamanic journey, one of the most remarkable visionary methods used by humankind to explore the hidden universe otherwise known mainly through myth and dream. Participants are initiated into shamanic journeying, aided by drumming and other techniques for experiencing the shamanic state of consciousness and for awakening dormant spiritual abilities, including connections with nature.

News

Shamanic Journey Drumming CD Now Available for Digital Download
East Coast Two Week Shamanic Healing Intensive November 8 - 19, 2009
Foundation Supports Last Jaguar-Shaman
West Coast Shamanic Healing Intensive, April 12 - 23, 2010
The Foundation on YouTube
Michael Harner Receives Pioneers in Integrative Medicine Award
Michael Harner Celebrates his 80th Birthday
Certificates of Completion for FSS Graduates
Harner Method Shamanic Counseling Training

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Join the Circle

The support of our members helps preserve the knowledge and practice of shamanism among indigenous peoples and the renewal of shamanism in a contemporary context. We invite you to learn more about the benefits of membership and to join the Circle.

What is Shamanism?

Over tens of thousands of years, our ancient ancestors all over the world discovered how to maximize human abilities of mind and spirit for healing and problem-solving. The remarkable system of methods they developed is today known as "shamanism," a term that comes from a Siberian tribal word for its practitioners: "shaman" (pronounced SHAH-mahn). Shamans are especially distinguished by the use of journeys to hidden worlds otherwise mainly known through myth, dream, and near-death experiences.