In this episode of The Practical Shaman Podcast, Renee Baribeau welcomes longtime friend, teacher, and author Meg Beeler for a heartfelt conversation about reciprocity, alignment, nature connection, and the practices that help us stay centered during times of change. Drawing from decades of shamanic practice, journeys to Peru, and a deep relationship with the natural world, Meg shares simple yet powerful ways to shift consciousness, release dense energy, and reconnect with the living presence of the Earth. Together, Renee and Meg explore the wisdom of the elements, the importance of breath, the role of community, and how spiritual practice continues to evolve throughout our lives. From sacred mountains and ancient trees to everyday moments of frustration, this conversation reminds us that balance is not a destination. It is a practice we return to again and again. In this episode, you'll discover: • The Andean practice of releasing dense energy and receiving light • How reciprocity differs from simple exchange • Why breath remains one of the most powerful spiritual tools available • The role of nature in restoring balance and alignment • How community and shared intention help us navigate uncertain times • Practical ways to deepen your relationship with the Earth and the unseen world About Meg Beeler Meg Beeler is the author of Weave the Heart of the Universe into Your Life: Aligning with Cosmic Energy. A teacher, healer, and guide, she has spent decades exploring the intersection of energy practices, nature connection, Andean wisdom traditions, and spiritual transformation. Through her writing, teachings, and retreats, she helps others cultivate deeper relationships with themselves, the Earth, and the greater field of life. Learn more about Meg and her work at MegBeeler.com. and ThePracticalShaman.com

From Oy to Joy: Spiritual Aging, Shulamit Sofia, MSW : by Renee Baribeau The Practical Shaman

Renee Baribeau, The Practical Shaman, and Tracee Dunblazier challenge the traditional shamanic concept of "neutrality," arguing that true spiritual maturity requires taking the side of humanity rather than standing apart from conflict . Both hosts open up about their own uncomfortable awakenings regarding white privilege and family history, discussing the necessary work of dismantling internal bias and facing the "feminine rage" often suppressed by culture . This episode is a call to action for intuitive critical thinking in an era of misinformation . Tracee and Renee demonstrate that the path to deep healing—whether through Tracee’s book Conquer Your Karmic Relationships or honest dialogue—requires pulling back the covers on difficult truths to restore the soul. Tracee Dunblazier is a Los Angeles-based spiritual empath, shaman, and 68-time international award-winning author, and hybrid-publisher at GoTracee Publishing. As a certified grief counselor and multi-sensitive, Tracee’s blend of intuitive information combined with different modalities, has provided the opportunity for thousands to achieve deep healing and create the success and peace they seek in their lives. Tracee serves as President of the Coalition of Visionary Resources, the trade organization for the Mind, Body, Spirit Industry.

In this session, Itzhak shares a ritual teaching from Ecuadorian shamanic traditions on how light is born in times of great personal and planetary shadow. Through story and simple practices, he invites you to face what has been hidden, reclaim your own inner fire, and become a beacon of hope and clarity for others. Itzhak Beery is an internationally respected shamanic teacher, healer, speaker, and community builder, known for bridging the wisdom of indigenous elders with the needs of our fractured modern world. Since 1995 he has devoted his life to shamanism, studying and apprenticing with shamans in Ecuador, Brazil, and other regions, and carrying their teachings into accessible, grounded practice. He is the author of three Amazon bestselling books on shamanism and the founder of Shaman Portal, the Andes Summit, and the Shaman Portal Quarterly Review magazine. Itzhak also co-founded the NY Shamanic Circle and Amaroo Sanctuary in Ecuador and received the Ambassador for Peace Award from the Universal Peace Federation and the United Nations. Through his writing, journeys, and trainings, he mentors a new generation of shamanic healers and Earthkeepers and helps keep the Sacred Inner Fire of the heart alive in challenging times.

Sandi offers a half-hour Native flute concert featuring original pieces and seasonal music. She will introduce several of her handmade flutes, sharing the woods they are crafted from, their tone colors, ranges, and unique personalities. Some songs are written specifically for individual flutes, inviting you into a musical journey that can transport you to magical inner landscapes and soothe the spirit during the Solstice season. Sandi Horton is a composer and performer devoted to the Native American flute. In 2025 she was named "Best Flute Player" at the Native Rhythms Festival in Florida and has shared her music internationally, from Ireland and London to New Zealand and Australia. Her fourth solo album, Native Flute Journeys-4, received "Best Album February 2024" from One World Music Radio. With a background as a band director and school counselor and advanced degrees in music and educational psychology, Sandi now focuses on bringing healing, beauty, and story through her music at retreats, concerts, and spiritual gatherings around the world.

Most of us carry far more power than we ever learn to use. Judy invites you to explore where your power lives, how it leaks away, and how you can gather it back to shape the coming year with intention. Through shamanic perspective and practical guidance, you will learn how to partner with Spirit and your own deep knowing to align your energy with what you truly want to manifest in 2026. Judy Ramsey has been a shamanic practitioner for twenty years. She offers shamanic training as one of Sandra Ingerman's teachers, provides healing for both humans and more-than-humans, and mentors emerging practitioners. Judy has been doing WindWork for nearly five years. An ordained animal chaplain, she also teaches and offers animal communication and is currently supporting Penelope Smith in her online certification program.

Christina explores what it takes to remain grounded, open-hearted, and effective when the world feels like it is unraveling. Drawing on decades of shamanic practice, she shares tools for cultivating inner steadiness and courage, transforming fear into informed action, and becoming the medicine that is needed in your family, community, and culture. Christina Pratt is the founder of Last Mask Center in Portland, Oregon, where she offers a full online curriculum of shamanic life skills as well as healing for individuals, families, and communities. Her four-year in-person training, The Cycle of Transformation, prepares people to step into passionate, responsible action on behalf of the Earth and future generations. Christina is known for bringing ancient animist ways into the realities of contemporary life so that we, the living, can heal, innovate, and become good ancestors. She is the host of the archives of the podcast Why Shamanism Now, author of the two-volume Encyclopedia of Shamanism, and a frequent summit presenter, sharing practices for ecological and economic responsibility in everyday action. Her current focus is the healing of ancestral lines and the initiation of young people into spiritual adulthood so that all life, human and more-than-human, can flourish.

Drawing from his Xhosa and Swazi Sangoma lineages, John shares how to listen for the guidance of your ancestors in uncertain times. Through story, prayer, and simple practices, he shows how dreams, signs, and the natural world can reveal the path forward and how ancestral connection can strengthen your heart, restore belonging, and help you walk with courage. John Lockley is a fully initiated and ordained Sangoma, or African shaman, in the Xhosa and Swazi lineages of South Africa. Apprenticed for ten years under his teacher MaMngwevu, who first saw him in a dream, he received the name Ucingolweendaba, the messenger or bridge between cultures. John is the author of Leopard Warrior and the audio teachings The Way of the Leopard from Sounds True. For more than seventeen years he has led Ubuntu and Way of the Leopard retreats around the world, helping people reconnect with indigenous African medicine, the Earth, and their ancestors. He holds an honours degree in Clinical Psychology, has practiced Zen meditation for more than thirty years, and was recently honored by his Xhosa community as an elder sangoma in recognition of nearly three decades of walking his calling.

In this equine-guided session, Aimee invites you to connect with the sentinel nature of horses and mules who quietly watch over their herds and humans. The rescue animals of Coachella Valley Horse Rescue will energetically hold sacred space as you are led to unearth soul memories, awaken intuitive guidance, and remember your own role as guardian for the beings and places you love. Aimee Mosco is a co-founder of Intentional Healing Systems, LLC, an author, columnist, animal communicator, and spiritual teacher devoted to collaborative healing between humans and animals. Her practitioner network spans the globe, bringing her work into many cultures and communities. A passionate advocate for animals, Aimee gives voice to their messages and works closely with the rescue horses and mules of Coachella Valley Horse Rescue in Southern California, where she serves as both a volunteer and executive board member. You can find her work at ihsunity.com.

Across the world it can feel as if the living fabric of Nature is being torn apart. Evelyn invites us to step into our role as shamanic visionaries and to participate in the Earth's renewal. Through guided journeys and ceremony, you will explore how to draw deep stability and power from the Earth, hold a clear heart-centered vision of a vibrant planet, and stand in resilient faith rather than collapse into despair. Evelyn C. Rysdyk is a beloved shamanic teacher, storyteller, and author whose work has illuminated the path for spiritual seekers around the world for more than three decades. Her books, including The Norse Shaman, Spirit Walking: A Course in Shamanic Power, A Spirit Walker's Guide to Shamanic Tools, and The Nepalese Shamanic Path (with Bhola Banstola), have become trusted companions for those called to this work. As cofounder of Spirit Passages Academy and a featured instructor for The Shift Network, Sounds True, and other international programs, Evelyn is known for her loving humor, depth, and warmth, and for inspiring people to live more joyful, purposeful, and spirit-guided lives.