LESLIE GRAY is a Native American clinical psychologist who coined the term “shamanic counseling” to describe the combination of her background in indigenous shamanism with her training in Western psychology. Leslie maintains an active healing practice in San Francisco, teaches at Bay Area universities, and offers professional trainings. She is founder/director of Woodfish Institute (www.woodfish.org)
Her topic is: “No Word For Art”
ROGER GREEN is an English Professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is working on a second doctorate in Religious Studies & Theology in the Joint PhD program at Iliff School of Theology – University of Denver. His first doctoral dissertation in English Rhetoric & Theory concerned aspects of re-enchantment coded in artistic works that convey notions of expanded citizenship. His research interests are in Spiritual Aesthetics, Ethics, and Political Theology, with particular focus in aesthetic performances of the spiritual and sacred as influential in political decision-making and law.
His topic is: “Seekers Beyond Subjects: The Ethical Problems of Liberal ‘Occulture,’ Entheogens, and Ayahuasca Tourism,”.
Jan Ogren, Story Teller and author of newly released “Dragon Magic” Amazing Fables for All Ages. http://www.janogren.net/
ANNA KATO’S initiation and preparation for “shamanizing” occurred in other dimensions, in the world of spirits. Siberian shaman, Ai Churek Oyun, urged me to “set aside my western mind and do my work.” I hold a master’s degree and a doctorate in Counseling Psychology. Retired from the School of Education at UC Davis, I sometimes teach a course in Counselor Education at CSU Sacramento in addition to working as a hypnotherapist and shamanic practitioner.
Her topic is: “Shamanic Trance, Hypnotherapeutic Trance: Sacred Bridges”
BETSY REILING has 25 years of experience as a Holistic Health Practitioner. For a decade, she has been teaching at The American Medical College of Homeopathy in Phoenix, and she presented her work before an international audience in Mumbai India. She applies holistic principles and knowledge of natural healing to plants, offering revolutionary solutions to build a healthier, more sustainable world.
Her topic is: “Unlocking the Healing Potential of Nature with Homeopathy”
J
ANA DIN is a 30- year veteran high school teacher, co-founder of the Tao Center for Healing, and a shamanic healer. In 1995, Jana’s spiritual awakening began with very dramatic events. In order to find the meaning of these events, Jana embarked on a spiritual path leading to a six – year shamanic healing apprenticeship with Paula Denham.
Her topic is: “Shamanism in a Public School Setting”
JANE DANCINGWATER LASKY is a multi-faceted artist. Her nationally exhibited sculpture, paintings, and installations address themes of transformation in nature and human consciousness. She is currently creating a curriculum in ‘Evolutionary Creativity.™’ As a dancer and movement teacher she has created ‘Dances with Waves™’, a practice rooted in the power of rhythm and fluidity to dissolve tension, increase vitality, and unlock the natural currents of life force in the body.
Her topic is: The Art of Inquiry: Evolving Consciousness through Presence, Intuition and Imagination “
JEAN MILLAY received a B.A. in painting at UC Berkeley; exhibited at Invitational CA Palace of Art; Received film award; NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art – she demonstrated the First Stereo Brainwave Biofeedback Light Sculpture. She began using the first EEG Phase Comparator. With this, she was able to complete research for a PhD from Saybrook University in 1978 in Human Science. She taught Parapsychology at Santa Rosa C. C., and at American River City College. Over the last 50 years, she has practiced, researched and taught telepathic communication.
Her topic is: “Telepathy Training System”
JULIANNE SKAI ARBOR as an artist/teacher/healer, working as a bridge between humans and the more-than-human world, weaving together nature connection, arboriculture, forest ecotherapy, energy medicine, and vision quest guiding, for over 25 years of ecological teaching and personal shamanic practice. As a forest ecotherapist, she integrates interspecies communication and animism into the relatively new therapeutic modality known as forest bathing. She has trained in advanced shamanic healing, following the Sandra Ingerman–Michael Harner lineage.
Her topic is: “Bridging People and Trees: Interspecies Spirit Communication through Forest Ecotherapy”
LINDA WARREN is a Healing Intuitive, Spiritual Coach, Speaker and Author. A true mystic and healer with training in Esoteric Healing, Pranic Healing, Reiki Master, Native American Medicine, Color Therapy, Hypnotherapy, Magnetism, Huna, and Homeopathy. Co-Author of Standing On All Four: Transforming Cancer to Can-ER with Farangiss Sedaghatpour. Linda was a presenter iat the 2005 & 2007 Shamanism Conference. Ruth Inge Heinze mentored Linda in the early days of the Conference.
Her topic is: “360 Senses in the Energy Field”
TINA AZARIA M.A. is a visual artist and poet who specializes in depth psychological and arts-based healing work. She is the founder of Alembic Arts and has authored two books, Sprung, Poetry of Emergence, and Facing the Depths, Exploring Psyche through the Art of Masks. Her art and writing have been published in magazines and in scholarly and literary journals. She has a BA in Fine Art, an MA in Depth Psychology and has been trained in numerous healing modalities.
Her topic is: “Masks – Bridges to Other Realms”
LINDA GERDNER- Dr Gerdner served as ethnogeriatric specialist at Stanford Geriatric Education Center. She has been a visiting scholar for the Hmong Studies Program at University of Wisconsin. During the past 15 years, Dr. Gerdner’s scholarly efforts have focused on health issues within the Hmong American community. To deepen her understanding of Hmong culture, she visited three Hmong villages in northern Laos as well as the former Hmong resettlement of Wat Tham Krabok in Thailand. She has published extensively with two recently authored books on Hmong culture. Her work has gained the trust and respect of the Hmong American community.
Her topic is: “Demystifying Hmong Shamanism: Practice and use by Hmong Americans Across the Lifespan”
Glenn Aparicio Parry – Author of, Original Thinking, A Radical ReVisioning of Time, Humanity, and Nature, will work with a process of Dialogue which maps a path to reconnect us with Nature which is the source and our ground of being. It is through the examination of the movement of thought that we get in touch with the true source of our consciousness, which is Nature. We are intelligent only because Nature is intelligent. This is a key principle of Ecopsychology. By examining our assumptions through other cultural perceptions we can arrive at a greater understanding of our world.
ANNE-MARIE CHAREST PhD –As a professor at Antioch University Santa Barbara, she completed her MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Somatic Psychology and obtained her doctorate degree in Transpersonal Psychology. Her passion to further understand the role of consciousness and its social justice implications has led her to author a mindfulness program and book entitled InnerU Ocean Adventures, Embodied Mindfulness. As a bridge-walker she bridges the worlds of science and spirituality through her understanding and efforts to re-introduce ancient shamanic rituals into Western culture. Anne-Marie was formally trained through the shamanic teachings of the Kalaalit Eskimo traditions of the far North, Greenland.
Her topic is: “Shamanism in Schools”
BODHI SETCHKO is a multi-talented shamanic flute healer, songwriter, composer, recording artist, producer, teacher & professional band leader. He has been performing and providing music for special events for over 25 years, has produced 9 albums of original music. He is the founder of 2 recording/touring bands, “CRYSTAL WIND” and “RHYTHM MATRIX”. Having studied with renowned artists Paul Horn, William Mathieu, and G. S.Sachdev, he has developed a unique style of improvisation using the sounds of nature as his inspirational source. Bodhi specializes in providing musical soundscapes. His sensitivity to group energy combined with his broad range of talents (Reiki, Breathwork, Meditation), enables him to tune in to, enhance and bring out the feeling tone present at any event, leaving people feeling inspired, uplifted & fulfilled.
His Topic is: “Shamanic flute and conch” – performance
David Cumes David is a medical doctor who was born in South Africa and is a practicing sangoma and surgeon in California. He was initiated as a sangoma by a Zulu Sangoma in Swaziland, in 2002. He has spent extended periods with the San hunter- gatherers in the Kalahari and in contrast, has taught at Stanford Medical Center in CA. He continues to teach, write and document shamanic rituals on film.
His topic: “Primal Knowledge – How Much have we Lost “ “This is the original medicine and it will never change.” Dave’s mentor, Sangoma P.H. Mntshali
Taita Isaias Muñoz Macanilla from Columbia, South America will be with us at this year’s Shamanism Conference to speak on healing with plant medicine.
Maria Owl Gutierrez Maria Owl is founder and director of Sacred Future School for the Transformation of Consciousness & Culture where she directs the Foundations in Sacred Leadership Certification program. She is also Dean of Students and a Professor of Indigenous Medicine at Energy Medicine University.
Her topic: “Reclaiming Indigenous Mind: The Journey of Ancestral Remembering.”
Meg Beeler is a shamanic guide and Energy Alchemy expert who weaves shamanism, meditation, and energy healing into all her work. She guides seekers into joyful connection, transformation, soul healing, and passionate purpose. Meg is the founder of Earth Caretakers and author of Living in the Heart of the Universe: Expanding Your Relationship with Earth and the Cosmos.
Her topic: “Reading the Signs: Bridging Eagle (Mind of the North) and Condor(Heart of the South)”.
Ann Drake Ann Drake was a Peace Corps volunteer in a remote village in Malaysian Borneo. She returned there years later to begin an apprenticeship with a gifted shaman, Ismail Daim. In addition to working as a healer, Ann teaches shamanism and is a writer. She authored the book, Healing of the Soul: Shamanism and Psyche.
Her topic: “Tracing the Bridge from an Ancient Healing Practice to Modern Times.”
Sha Sha Higby Sha Sha is a creative Sculptural Dancer & Storyteller who has done research on the cultural dance forms traveling to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Sumatra, and India. She has studied mask making in Bali, puppetry in central Java, dance in New York and San Francisco, and the Japanese arts: Noh masks, calligraphy, and tea ceremony in Japan. She has won many awards; her performances stretch the boundaries of reality. Her innovative self- expression makes her performances memorable, even astonishing.
Sha Sha will offer the uniquely beautiful performance called “Paper Wings,” with visual art, masks, puppetry and dance that transports you to another world. This shamanic piece is ethereal, abstract, and fascinating.
Peter Fairfield OMD, LAc, for 42 years: Acupuncture, Oriental and natural medicine, qigong/meditation. Clinic in Nepal, 7 yrs, using pulse diagnosis to observe advanced practices of yogis in retreat -3 months to 40 years. Childhood experiences propelled him to develop an East/West model of psycho-physiology, linking our deep spiritual selves into a clear picture of mood, behavior, personality., and the fundamental intelligence of illness. Rated master level by the National Qigong Association, recently ordained as Swami Premanand. His book is “Deep Happy. His topic is “Clearing the Bridges to our lineages and our full Potential: Assessing and Healing Human Bonding Deficits”
Andrea Kalff–Cordero was born and raised in Chiemgau. Kim Keum Hwa first recognized her healing gifts and in 2006, Andrea was initiated as a shaman, making her the First European initiated in Korean Shamanism in South Korea. Her topic: a film about Korean shamanism called “Andrea’s Sky,” directed and produced by award – winning Paris Artist Natacha Nisi.
Audrya Corbett Chancellor grew up in a Cree Community in Northern Alberta, Canada. From a young age, she learned the importance of respecting and honoring our Mother Earth. While earning her BFA, Chancellor studied and integrated Shamanic practices into her art form using meditation, dance, music and natural materials to create Mandalas. She has been invited to participate in various Indigenous ceremonies and was granted permission from an Australian Indigenous Elder to play the didgeridoo as a tool for healing.Her topic is “Building our Bridge to Mother Earth through Meditation, Art and Sound”
Janet Caliri is a human potential practitioner and founder of Visible Transitions. She is a former medical professional in cardiovascular radiology, professional photographer, a certified life coach, published author and trained artist teacher for emotionally disturbed and at-risk youth. Ms. Caliri is a staff member at TRU Education and has been studying and practicing classic Non- Duality Shaiva Tantra Yoga since 2012. She recognizes child-like wonder as the educational bridge between Non-Duality and Shamanism.
Her topic is “Non-Duality: The Bridge to Child-Like Wonder”
Fariba Bogzaran, Ph.D. is an artist/scientist and was the founding director of the Dream Studies program at John F. Kennedy University. She has been a shamanic practitioner since early 1980’s and was one of the disciples of the Hungarian shaman Joska Soos. She has taught graduate level academic courses on Dreams and Shamanism, and has developed and used methods of drumming with dream re-entry for thirty years. Among many of her publications are two co-authored books published by State University of New York Press (SUNY): Extraordinary Dreams (2002) and Integral Dreaming (2012).