Shamanic Healing in British Columbia: Indigenous and Neo-Shamanic Practices

Shamanic Healing in British Columbia: A Respectful Guide for 2026

British Columbia sits on the unceded traditional territories of hundreds of First Nations, each with their own healing traditions, spiritual practices, and relationships with the land. At the same time, BC has become home to a growing community of neo-shamanic practitioners who draw from cross-cultural techniques to offer healing work in a modern context.

Writing about shamanic healing in British Columbia requires holding both of these realities at once. Indigenous healing traditions are not ours to explain, sell, or repackage. They belong to the communities that have held them for thousands of years, and those communities are the authorities on their own medicine. What we can do is point toward those traditions with respect, explain the neo-shamanic practices that are openly available to the general public, and help you understand the difference.

This guide covers the landscape of shamanic healing across BC for 2026. We will walk through the major practices, explain what each one involves, discuss the ethics of cultural engagement, break down costs, and give you practical guidance for finding an honest, skilled practitioner. Whether you are completely new to shamanic work or looking to deepen an existing practice, this guide will help you navigate the territory with awareness and integrity.

Indigenous Healing Traditions in BC: A Note on Respect

First Nations healing in British Columbia encompasses a vast range of practices. Sweat lodge ceremonies, medicine wheel teachings, smudging with sacred plants, vision quests, and healing songs are just a few examples. These practices are deeply tied to specific territories, languages, family lineages, and spiritual protocols. A Coast Salish healing practice is different from a Haida practice, which is different from a Secwepemc practice. There is no single "Indigenous shamanic tradition" in BC; there are many distinct traditions, each with its own integrity.

The history of colonization in Canada, including residential schools, the banning of cultural practices through the Indian Act, and ongoing systemic injustice, makes the question of who has the right to practice and share these traditions especially sensitive. Many Indigenous communities are actively working to revitalize their healing traditions after decades of forced suppression. This revitalization is led by and for Indigenous people.

As a non-Indigenous person, the appropriate approach is to learn about the First Nations on whose territory you live, support Indigenous sovereignty and cultural revitalization through actions (not just words), attend only those events where you have been explicitly invited by Indigenous hosts, and follow the protocols they set. If an Indigenous healer offers their services to the public, that is their choice to make. Seek out those relationships with humility, and always ask before you participate.

For readers interested in connecting with their own ancestral healing traditions, many neo-shamanic teachers encourage this approach. Rather than borrowing from Indigenous cultures, explore the shamanic and folk healing practices of your own ancestry. European, African, Asian, and other cultures all have rich traditions of spiritual healing that may resonate more authentically with your lineage. This path respects Indigenous boundaries while still honouring your own need for spiritual connection.

What Is Neo-Shamanic Healing?

Neo-shamanism (sometimes called core shamanism or contemporary shamanism) refers to modern healing practices inspired by shamanic traditions from around the world but adapted for a Western, non-Indigenous context. The term "core shamanism" was coined by anthropologist Michael Harner, who spent decades studying shamanic practices across multiple cultures and identified common elements that appeared in nearly all of them: rhythmic drumming, journey work into non-ordinary states of consciousness, relationships with spirit helpers, and soul healing techniques.

Harner's Foundation for Shamanic Studies, along with teachers like Sandra Ingerman, Alberto Villoldo, and others, developed training programs that teach these common elements without claiming to represent any specific Indigenous tradition. This approach has been both praised for making healing techniques accessible and criticized for extracting practices from their cultural roots.

In British Columbia, neo-shamanic practitioners typically offer their work as a complement to, not a replacement for, psychological therapy and medical care. They work with drumming, guided journey visualization, energy clearing, and nature-based ceremony. The best practitioners are transparent about their training, honest about what they are and are not, and respectful of Indigenous traditions.

Neo-shamanic healing in BC often blends well with other wellness practices. Many people combine shamanic journey work with meditation, yoga retreats in BC, sound healing, and energy clearing practices as part of a broader healing path.

Core Shamanic Healing Techniques

Soul Retrieval

Soul retrieval is one of the most widely practiced techniques in neo-shamanic healing. The concept behind it is that intense experiences, particularly trauma, can cause parts of a person's vital essence to separate and become inaccessible. In shamanic language, these are called "soul parts" or "soul fragments." The person may feel incomplete, disconnected, stuck, or unable to fully engage with life even years after the original event.

During a soul retrieval session, the practitioner uses drumming to enter an altered state of consciousness and "journeys" on behalf of the client. In this inner landscape, the practitioner searches for the lost soul parts, communicates with them, and brings them back to the client. The returned parts are then "blown" into the client's energy body, typically at the heart centre or the crown of the head.

A soul retrieval session in BC usually lasts 90 minutes to two hours and costs $150 to $300. The session includes a preliminary conversation about your history and intentions, the journey itself (during which you lie quietly while the practitioner drums), and an integration discussion afterward where the practitioner describes what they found and gives you guidance for welcoming the returned parts back into your life.

People who have been through soul retrieval frequently describe feeling more present, more emotionally available, and more connected to parts of themselves they had forgotten existed. The experience can bring up strong emotions in the days following the session, which is considered part of the integration process. Many practitioners recommend journaling, spending time in nature, and avoiding intense social situations for a few days after the work. If you are working through past trauma, it is wise to have a therapist or counsellor available as part of your support system alongside the shamanic work.

The process of soul retrieval shares some common ground with the psychological work of processing grief and loss. If you have been through a period of spiritual crisis or deep emotional upheaval, soul retrieval may feel like a natural next step in your healing process.

Power Animal Journeying

The concept of animal spirits as helpers and protectors appears in shamanic traditions across every continent. In neo-shamanic practice, a power animal (sometimes called a spirit animal or totem animal) is a spiritual being in animal form that offers you guidance, protection, and qualities you need in your life.

During a power animal journey, you lie down while the practitioner drums at a steady rhythm, typically around four beats per second. This rhythm corresponds to the theta brainwave frequency (4 to 8 Hz), which is associated with deep relaxation and the boundary between waking consciousness and sleep. You are guided to visualize entering a natural landscape, often through an opening in the earth like a cave, tree hollow, or body of water. You explore this inner landscape and allow an animal to appear. The animal that shows itself with consistency, that approaches you or invites you to follow, is considered your power animal.

Power animal journeying is often the first shamanic technique that beginners learn, and it is one of the most accessible. Group journey circles in Vancouver and across BC offer this experience for $20 to $50 per session. The practice is gentle, does not require any particular belief system, and many people find it surprisingly vivid even on their first attempt. A private power animal retrieval session, where the practitioner journeys on your behalf to find your animal ally, typically costs $100 to $200.

Shamanic Drumming

The drum is the central tool of shamanic practice across cultures. In neo-shamanic work, the frame drum (a flat, round drum typically 15 to 18 inches in diameter) is most common. The steady, repetitive rhythm of the drum serves as both the vehicle for altered states and the anchor that keeps the practitioner connected to ordinary reality.

Research on rhythmic drumming supports its effects on consciousness. A study published in the journal Brain Topography found that rhythmic drumming at specific tempos could shift EEG brainwave patterns. The theta frequency range (4 to 8 Hz), which shamanic drumming targets, is associated with deep meditation, creativity, and access to subconscious material. This is consistent with what practitioners observe: the drum opens a doorway to an inner experience that feels different from ordinary thought.

Shamanic drumming circles are one of the most popular and affordable ways to experience shamanic practice in BC. These groups gather weekly or monthly, often in yoga studios, community halls, or private homes. A typical drumming circle lasts 60 to 90 minutes and includes an opening intention, one or more guided journeys accompanied by live drumming, and a sharing circle where participants describe their experiences. Circles in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, and smaller communities across BC typically charge $20 to $40 per session.

If you are already exploring practices like sound healing in Vancouver, you will find that shamanic drumming occupies a related but distinct space. While sound healing sessions typically involve lying still and receiving sound, drumming circles often invite active participation. Playing the drum yourself creates a different kind of engagement with rhythm and vibration. Some people find that the combination of sound healing for passive reception and drumming for active engagement gives them a well-rounded sonic practice.

Extraction Healing

Extraction healing addresses what shamanic practitioners call "intrusions," energetic patterns that do not belong to the client. In shamanic understanding, these may be thought forms, emotional residues, or energetic influences from other people or environments that have become lodged in the client's energy body. The result might be chronic pain in a specific area, recurring emotional patterns that do not respond to talk therapy, or a sense of heaviness that has no clear medical cause.

During an extraction session, the practitioner uses journey work, direct perception, or hands-on energy sensing to locate the intrusion. They then remove it using their hands, breath, or energetic intention and dispose of it safely (typically into the earth or running water, symbolically or actually). The space left by the removed intrusion is filled with healing energy or light.

Extraction healing sessions in BC cost $100 to $200 and last 60 to 90 minutes. This technique is sometimes combined with soul retrieval in a single session, as practitioners may find that removing an intrusion creates space for a soul part to return. If you have explored aura cleansing techniques, you will notice overlap between the concept of energy clearing and shamanic extraction. The underlying idea, that we can accumulate energetic material that is not ours and benefit from releasing it, appears across many healing traditions.

Death Rites and Psychopomp Work

Psychopomp work (from the Greek "guide of souls") refers to shamanic practices that assist the dying and the dead. In many shamanic traditions, the practitioner helps guide the soul of a dying or recently deceased person to the appropriate place in the spirit world. This work also addresses the needs of the living who are grieving.

In BC's neo-shamanic community, psychopomp practitioners may sit with dying clients, perform ceremonies after death, or work with family members who feel that a deceased loved one is "stuck" or still present in a disturbing way. The work is gentle and focused on peace, completion, and release.

This is specialized work that relatively few practitioners offer. It requires extensive training and personal preparation. If you are seeking this type of help in BC, ask specifically for practitioners with psychopomp training and experience. The Foundation for Shamanic Studies offers specific courses in this area, and some BC practitioners have completed these programs.

Plant Medicine in British Columbia

Plant medicine has a deep history in the shamanic traditions of many cultures. In BC, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities engage with plant allies in various ways, though the practices, contexts, and legal frameworks differ significantly.

First Nations in BC have used native plants for healing, ceremony, and spiritual connection since time immemorial. These practices are part of specific cultural knowledge systems and are not for outsiders to describe in detail or replicate. If you are invited by an Indigenous community to participate in a plant-related ceremony, follow their protocols exactly and ask before recording, photographing, or sharing anything about the experience.

In the neo-shamanic and wellness communities, plant medicine often refers to psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca. BC has been at the forefront of Canada's evolving relationship with psilocybin. Several clinics in Vancouver and Victoria have offered psilocybin-assisted therapy under Health Canada exemptions, primarily for patients with treatment-resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety, and PTSD. Research from Johns Hopkins University and Imperial College London has shown promising results for psilocybin therapy in clinical settings.

If you are considering any plant medicine experience, prioritize the following: verify the legal status of the substance; ensure the facilitator has proper training in both the medicine and psychological support; disclose all medications you are taking (certain antidepressants, particularly SSRIs and MAOIs, can interact dangerously with psychedelics); have a plan for integration after the experience; and never participate under pressure from anyone.

For those interested in plant-based healing within fully legal frameworks, herbalism and flower essence therapy offer rich traditions that do not carry legal risk. Many shamanic practitioners in BC incorporate local plants like cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and devil's club into their practice (though it is worth noting that some of these plants hold specific significance in Indigenous traditions, and their ceremonial use should be approached with cultural awareness).

Shamanic Healing Practices and Pricing in BC (2026)

Here is what you can expect to pay for various shamanic healing services across British Columbia.

Shamanic Healing Across BC: Where to Find Practitioners

Vancouver and the Lower Mainland

Vancouver has the largest concentration of neo-shamanic practitioners in BC. You will find individual practitioners offering private sessions, regular drumming circles at yoga studios and wellness centres, and workshops on shamanic skills. Banyen Books and Sound on West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano is a long-standing hub for the shamanic community; their event board and website list upcoming workshops, circles, and retreats. The store also carries an extensive selection of frame drums, rattles, books, and other shamanic tools.

Drumming circles in Vancouver typically meet weekly or biweekly in studios around Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and East Vancouver. Some are open to beginners, while others expect participants to have basic journey experience. Always check with the facilitator before attending your first session to understand what is expected.

If you are in Vancouver and already engaged with wellness practices like crystal work or meditation, adding a monthly drumming circle or journey group can deepen your practice by introducing a more active, participatory element.

Vancouver Island

Victoria and the broader Vancouver Island region have a strong shamanic community supported by the island's natural beauty and its culture of alternative living. Practitioners on the island often incorporate the local landscape into their work, leading outdoor ceremonies in old-growth forests, on beaches, and beside rivers. The island's slower pace and proximity to wild nature make it a natural setting for shamanic retreat work.

Several multi-day shamanic retreats operate on Vancouver Island, typically at rural retreat centres or private properties. These programs combine journey work, drumming, nature connection, and group ceremony over two to five days. Prices range from $400 to $1,200 depending on the length and what is included (accommodations, meals, private sessions).

The Okanagan and BC Interior

The Okanagan, Kootenays, and other regions of BC's interior have smaller but dedicated shamanic communities. Practitioners in these areas often work solo or in small groups, and their work tends to emphasize connection with the specific land and seasons of their region. Retreats in the BC interior offer seclusion and access to mountain, lake, and forest environments that support deep inner work.

If you are combining a shamanic retreat with other BC wellness experiences, many of the yoga retreat centres across the province also host shamanic workshops or have connections to local practitioners.

The Ethics of Shamanic Practice: A Deeper Look

The ethics of shamanic practice in a settler-colonial context like BC are layered and require ongoing attention. The fact that Indigenous ceremonies were literally illegal in Canada from 1884 to 1951 under the Indian Act, while today non-Indigenous people freely sell "shamanic experiences" for profit, is a painful irony that the neo-shamanic community must sit with honestly.

This does not mean that all non-Indigenous shamanic practice is inherently wrong. Humans across every culture have sought altered states, spirit connection, and healing through drumming, chanting, and nature immersion for tens of thousands of years. These are not the exclusive property of any one people. The problem arises in the specifics: when a non-Indigenous person takes a specific song, ceremony, medicine, or practice from a specific Indigenous community and presents it as their own, especially for profit.

Many of BC's most respected neo-shamanic practitioners navigate this territory thoughtfully. They are clear about their training lineage. They acknowledge the Indigenous peoples on whose land they work. They do not use Indigenous ceremonial objects, songs, or languages unless they have been explicitly given permission. And they actively support Indigenous rights and cultural preservation.

As a participant, you can support ethical practice by choosing practitioners who meet these standards and by doing your own learning about the First Nations on whose territory you live. The spiritual awakening process often includes a growing awareness of how your personal spiritual path connects to broader questions of justice, history, and community responsibility.

How to Find an Ethical Shamanic Practitioner in BC

Finding a trustworthy shamanic practitioner requires more care than finding a yoga teacher or massage therapist, because shamanic healing is unregulated. There is no licensing body, no college of shamanic practitioners, and no legal standard for what qualifies someone to offer this work. This means the responsibility for vetting falls to you.

Ask about training and lineage. A credible practitioner will tell you where they trained, how long their training took, and who their teachers were. Common respected training paths include the Foundation for Shamanic Studies (Michael Harner's organization), Sandra Ingerman's programs, The Four Winds Society (Alberto Villoldo's program), and various individual teachers with established reputations. Training programs typically involve 200 or more hours of study over multiple years, plus ongoing mentorship and supervised practice.

Ask about their tradition. An ethical practitioner will be clear about whether they practice core shamanism, a specific cultural tradition (with appropriate authorization), or their own developed approach. They will not claim Indigenous heritage or authority they do not have. They will not use vague spiritual language to avoid direct questions.

Ask for references. A practitioner with experience will have past clients willing to speak about their work. If a practitioner cannot or will not provide references, that is a concern.

Trust your instincts. If something feels off during your first conversation, pay attention. A good practitioner will answer your questions openly, respect your boundaries, and never pressure you into booking additional sessions.

Red Flags in Shamanic Practice

Watch for these warning signs when evaluating a shamanic practitioner in BC.

Preparing for Your First Shamanic Healing Session

If you have decided to explore shamanic healing, here is how to prepare for a positive experience.

Choose the right entry point. For most people, a group drumming circle or guided journey session is the best first step. These are low-cost, low-commitment, and give you a taste of shamanic practice without the intensity of a private session. If you feel drawn to deeper work after attending a few circles, then explore private sessions like soul retrieval or extraction.

Set a clear intention. Before your session, spend some time thinking about what you want to receive. This does not need to be specific (you do not need to know "which soul part is missing"). A simple intention like "I want to understand what is blocking me" or "I want to feel more connected to my own strength" gives the work a direction without limiting what can happen.

Prepare your body. Eat lightly before the session. Avoid alcohol and recreational substances for at least 24 hours beforehand. Drink water. Dress comfortably. If you are attending a drumming circle, wear layers since rooms can get warm when filled with people and drums.

Prepare your mind. You do not need to believe in spirits, power animals, or non-ordinary reality for shamanic work to be meaningful. Many people approach it as a form of active imagination, guided inner exploration, or symbolic healing and find it valuable on those terms. Come with an open mind and suspend judgment for the duration of the session. You can analyze the experience afterward.

Plan for integration. After your session, give yourself space. Do not rush back to work or a busy social environment. Walk in nature if possible. Write down what you experienced. Notice your dreams over the following nights. Some people feel energized after shamanic work; others feel tired and emotional. Both responses are normal. Drink plenty of water and be gentle with yourself for a day or two.

The integration period after a shamanic session is similar to the processing that happens after other deep experiences. If you have been through a kundalini awakening or other intense spiritual opening, you will recognize the need for rest and reflection after inner work of this kind.

Shamanic Healing and Mental Health

Many people come to shamanic healing because conventional mental health treatment has not fully addressed their needs. This is understandable. Talk therapy, medication, and cognitive approaches work well for many people, but some find that their distress has a dimension that these approaches do not reach, a feeling of spiritual emptiness, disconnection from self, or a sense that something is "missing" that is not explained by psychology alone.

Shamanic practices can complement mental health treatment in meaningful ways. The drumming used in shamanic practice has documented effects on brainwave states and stress hormones. Soul retrieval addresses dissociation and emotional numbness through a symbolic framework that some clients find more intuitive than cognitive reframing. Nature-based shamanic work provides grounding that supports nervous system regulation.

However, shamanic healing is not appropriate for everyone, and it is not a substitute for professional mental health care. People with active psychosis, severe dissociative disorders, or unstable mental health conditions should consult with their mental health provider before engaging in shamanic work. The altered states induced by drumming and journey work can be disorienting for people who already have difficulty maintaining their grip on shared reality.

The ideal approach for many people is to work with both a mental health professional and a shamanic practitioner, keeping each informed about the other. Some therapists in BC are open to or even knowledgeable about shamanic approaches. If your therapist dismisses shamanic work outright, that is their prerogative, but you may want to find one who can at least hold space for your experience without pathologizing it.

If you are navigating a difficult period of inner upheaval, understanding the stages of spiritual crisis can help you distinguish between a meaningful process of transformation and a mental health emergency that needs professional attention.

Shamanic Tools and Home Practice

You do not need to see a practitioner every time you want to engage with shamanic practice. Many techniques can be practised at home once you have basic training and experience.

Frame drum: A good quality frame drum (15 to 18 inches) costs $80 to $300 in BC. Banyen Books in Vancouver carries a selection, as do some online retailers specializing in shamanic supplies. Once you have attended a few drumming circles and understand the basic journey rhythm, you can drum for yourself at home. Many practitioners also use recorded drumming tracks for personal journey work.

Rattle: A simple gourd or rawhide rattle ($30 to $100) is the other primary shamanic tool. Rattles are used for energy clearing, calling in spirit helpers, and breaking up stagnant energy in a space. They are also easier to play for extended periods than a drum, since they require less physical effort.

Nature connection: One of the simplest and most accessible shamanic practices is spending intentional time in nature with the awareness that the natural world is alive, intelligent, and communicative. Walking in a BC forest and simply paying attention to what you notice, what draws your eye, what sounds reach you, what feelings arise, is a form of shamanic practice that requires no tools at all. BC's old-growth forests, coastlines, and mountain landscapes provide a powerful setting for this work.

If you work with grounding crystals or root chakra practices, you will find that shamanic nature connection reinforces the same grounding and stabilizing effects through a different pathway.

Journaling: Keeping a record of your journeys, dreams, and shamanic experiences helps you track patterns, recognize recurring symbols, and build your personal symbolic language over time. Many practitioners recommend maintaining a dedicated journal for this purpose.

Shamanic Retreats in British Columbia

For those wanting a deeper experience, multi-day shamanic retreats offer immersive opportunities that are not possible in a single session or weekly circle.

When choosing a retreat, ask about the facilitator's training and experience (especially with holding group energy over multiple days), the retreat centre's facilities and safety protocols, the daily schedule and what is expected of participants, their cancellation policy, and what is included in the price (meals, accommodations, private sessions). Read reviews from past participants if available, and trust your sense of whether the facilitator and the setting feel right for you.

Getting Started with Shamanic Healing in BC