Healing Earth Relations
Shamanic vs Western Worldviews
Jan. 24, 2026   1:00-5:00 pm
Mary Rooker [tyrtle@shamanicspring.com] & Bruce Runk [brr921@yahoo.com]
The neo-shamanism that most of us know and work with is filtered through our Western worldview. We can bring the original animist vision to our shamanism and “decolonize” neo-shamanism with this eye-opening workshop series. We start by asking: What is a Shamanic cosmology, how is it related to animism and Indigenous cosmologies, and how do these compare to Western cosmology?

HANDOUTS, Chant Links
PRACTICES - 3
  • Sunrise-Sunset Practice - daily practice, morning or night
    In either the morning or evening (or both), observe for 1 to 10 minutes the Sun rising or setting.
  • Gratitude Practice - daily practice, morning and night
    -- Morning: Before getting out of bed: "I give thanks for my life. I am grateful for the gift of another day to sing and dance upon the good, green Earth."
    -- Evening: Think of three things you're grateful for. You can write them in a little gratitude journal if you like.
  • Sit spot - 10 to 20 minutes a day as often as you can, daily if possible; seated or walking.
  1. Before you head outside, adopt an attitude of gratitude. Recall 3 things for which you are grateful right now.
  2. Approach in a respectful and mindful way.
  3. Settle in to your spot. Hold the intention that you are just here to observe in a relaxed way. The goal is to simply notice and be, not to see how many things you can see or hear in the shortest amount of time. The goal is to have a sense of the plant, animal, insect, and elemental Earthlings who live on the same land you do. The experience is mostly listening, mostly one-way, from them to their world or to you. Relax into the landscape. Slow down, connect your pulse to the pulse of that place.
  4. Close your eyes. Engage: Ears, Skin (Cheek), Nose.
    a. What’s the quietest sound you can hear?
    b. What’s the closest sound you can hear?
    c. Feel the breeze on your skin— how strong is it? What direction is it coming from?
    d. Can you smell anything in the air? Like a dog, take a bunch of sniffs; multiple short sniffs detect more than one long one.
  5. Open your eyes.
    a. What’s the furthest thing you can see? Focus on it.
    b. What’s the closest thing you can see?
    c. Observe movement and activity on the land; who lives here?
    d. Use your peripheral vision-wide angle vision-Owl eyes. You might pick up on hundreds of ants, a butterfly, a robin. Even in New York City, springs are pumped out of the ground.
  6. Learn the ways of that special place. Ask the Land: what can I learn from you? Please show me your ways, if you are willing.
  7. When done, say thank you to the land, the birds, the sun, the stones, the trees, the plants, all the animals. "Thank you for being part of my life. May I continue to build a beautiful relationship with you."
  8. As soon as you can, talk to someone about your experience who will value and appreciate hearing of it.
For Further Exploration
  1. Mishkos Kenomagwen: The Teachings of Grass, Robin Kimmerer, Bioneers, Nov. 24, 2014 (21 mins.)
  2. Earth Talk: Nature & Genius (65 mins.), Dartington Trust, Sept. 29, 2020; first broadcast July 10, 2016.
    Jon Young shares stories of ancient people and what their patterns of connection and awareness teach us about what's best for our being, and what's missing in modern times. We hear stories of basic routines and practices people are using in modern times that integrate with busy lives and yield amazing results for awareness and connection. The power of these simple and effective routines is self-evident. Jon shares how--even though simple--people "step right past" the importance and potency of these tools, which are often hidden in plain view. There's magic and medicine for modern times to be shared by the fire!
Contact Mary at Shamanic Spring to receive her biweekly e-newsletter or for info on shamanic healing sessions.

About Your Teachers
Bruce Runk
Bruce is a shamanic practitioner focused on healing Earth relations, living in Emmaus PA. An intuitive introvert, he has spent most of his adult life deconstructing what he was raised to believe about the cosmology and systems that are the foundation of the dominant world order, while exploring alternatives. He has come to believe that adopting an animist cosmology as the basis for living our daily lives is essential for the health of the planet. Bruce is a graduate of the Shamanic Spring Practitioner (healer) Apprenticeship Training for advanced students.

Mary "Tyrtle" Rooker
Like Bruce, Mary has personally experienced the power of shifting our perceptions of the rest of the living world and the impact of language. We share a passion for deep animism as a profound path for healing and transforming ourselves and all life on Earth. Mary ...
  • is a member of Betsy Bergstrom's Compassionate Depossession Teachers Alliance,
  • has studied with world-renowned shamans and healers, and
  • is a licensed minister with the Circle of the Sacred Earth.
See full details about her training and credentials.

To learn more about shamanism, see Resources.

​ (c) 1999, Mary Rooker  *   Please obtain permission before reproducing anything from this website. Thanks!
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