Further information on the innerwork sessions

These types of practices are thought to be the world’s oldest known medicine, dating from an estimated 35,000 (Rossano, 2007) to 70,000 or more years ago, and are associated with pivotal moments in our cognitive evolution (Flor-Henry et. al., 2017). Evidence of these practices has been found across at least 90% of the world (Lentine et al., 2013) and are still the main form of medicine in some parts of the world (Jauregui et al., 2011; Robertson, 2014).

 

This wisdom connection use is becoming increasingly popular again in the West as a form of Complementary Healthcare (Kowalewski, 2019) to the extent that some psychologists and medical doctors have, on a private basis, adopted shamanic practices within their medical field to increase beneficial health outcomes for service users (Bassman & Ullendahl, 2003; Bock, 2005; Steinhorn et al., 2013a).

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While much wisdom practices were thought to have been lost in what are termed, western cultures,  so much wisdom is still here. The re-adoption of these types of practices into Western culture on a wider scale again has been predicted, supported, and encouraged by some indigenous shamans (Kowalewski, 2019, Sentier, 2013, Villoldo, 1995). For many, learning these practices has stimulated a deep inner knowing that was already there yet has been reawakened.

 

I remember working with a shaman from South America who described learning the wisdom of Sweat Lodge ceremonies felt like it reignited old ancient wisdom within him, and this became a core part of the work they shared. So too, have myself, and colleagues, and students that I have worked with also reported this in learning these practices.
 

Rather than coming from a place of belief, these practices come from an offering of practices to have your own experience within this strong framework. In fact, in my dissertation, I found that most participants had zero belief in these practices before their first session, only an openness to experience the sessions or training that they participated in. It was only after this experience, that they realised that this worked so well for them, and have incorporated these practices gently into their everyday lives.  This means that we offer this as a set of practices that work for us, and invite you to find if they work for you. 

What's in a name?
 

The name shaman comes from a Mongolian word, šaman, thought to mean ‘one who knows’ (Flor- Henry, 2017). In Britain, the ancient Brythonic name is awenydd, meaning an inner knowing (Sentier, 2013). In Australia, the translation is one who is clever (Robertson, 2014). Other terms that roughly translate to what the term shaman can represent include paqo in South America (Villoldo & Jendreson, 2000), machi in Mapuche culture (Bacigalupo, 2014), baqsi in Kazakhstan (Penkala-Gawecka, 2013) and isangoma in Africa (Robertson, 2014). Where šaman began as a reference for a Mongolian practitioner, and the use of the term outside the Mongolian tradition is debated (Krycka, 2000; Lentine et al., 2013, Porath, 2013), the word shaman has now become synonymous with all of these terms (Kowalewski, 2019; Lentine et al., 2013).

 

These practices cover a broad spectrum of interventions, however. Also, I tend to call a spade a spade, so currently call these self-healing or wisdom connection sessions. Though their ripples I find are wider than healing just for ourselves. In the qualitative study I conducted, participants reported multiple levels of beneficial impact, from the physiological, subconscious, conscious, social, ecological, and spiritual to the universal consciousness. Clinical studies have also found wider beneficial impacts on health on the physiological, psychological, asocial, spiritual, and ecological levels (Krycka, 2000; Lentine et al., 2013; Santarpia et al. 2021; Vuckovic et al., 2010).
 

I really also like the Awenydd, for an explanation of this term a video can be found here: https://www.tiktok.com/@creuynni/video/7225516340960890138 . To me, this term describes well that inner knowing through wisdom connection experience.  I also like the description found in DBT of accessing this wisdom, of being able to clear the clouds in the sky and access 'the wise mind'. 

 

Research suggests that these practices facilitate altered states of consciousness (ASC) (Dobkin de Rios, 2002; Kowalewski, 2019), that have been termed a shamanic state of consciousness (SSC) (Flor-Henry et al., 2017; Santarpia et al., 2021). These states have been found to correlate with feelings of dreamlike states with a keen sense of inner awareness, expanded inner imagery, and an experience of inner travel (Flor-Henry et al., 2017; Santarpia et al., 2021). Within these states, a practitioner and/or their client are said to be able to regulate their attention to access information that is not normally accessed in ordinary life (Krycka, 2000). This facilitates the accessing of information, enables insights,  understanding and the ability to elicit transformational change (Santarpia et al., 2021). Biological mechanisms for these phenomena are still being explored, but functional neuroimaging of one shamanic practice indicates a shift from right hemisphere dominance to increased left hemisphere coherence, with increased anterior-posterior coherence and the activation of two bilateral foci in the centro-temporal regions (Flor-Henry et al., 2017).

 

These states are also associated with increased emotional regulation, a key aspect in potentially all psychological therapies  (Turnbull, 2019). A clinical study showed how this emotional regulation outcome can continue after the sessions, where a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reported that the treatments had stopped him from losing control of his emotions (Wahbeh et al., 2017).  

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There are many ways to work with this gentle, safely held, meditative state, which to me often feels to be closer to a natural state of self. One-to-one sessions, workshops, ceremonies, meditation and more can facilitate this. While words and research can assist understanding, I find that the most understanding comes through direct experience of these practices. To experience this with Creuynni, please contact me to learn and talk more: 07472266952. You can also book online via this website and even sign up for the full training for an immersive experience.