Shamanism vs animism: how to live spiritually in modern times - Nicholas Breeze Wood

In this week’s show, Lian is joined by Nicholas Breeze Wood. Nicholas has practiced shamanism for over 40 years, combining it with the 'earthier' end of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as with 'medicine' teachings from Native North American peoples. He has worked with many gifted medicine people and shamans over the years, and is deeply apprenticed to his own spirit helpers, whose teachings never fail to awe and surprise him.

Nick’s shamanism is a fusion of traditional Himalayan and Mongolian forms, combined with teachings from his own spirits. He works especially deeply with ritual objects - such as bronze shaman's mirrors, phurba daggers and many other Mongolian and Tibetan shamanic and Buddhist ritual objects - for which he holds traditional teachings and, where required, traditional initiations.

Despite being a ‘rather uneducated Buddhist,’ he is an ordained Tibetan Buddhist lama, a type called a ngakpa, whose role is similar to a shaman’s. Ngakpas are non-monastic, non-celebrate lamas who live in the community, specialising in ritual and magic for people within their community.

Nick is the editor of Sacred Hoop Magazine - a leading international magazine about shamanism - which has been published since 1993. He is also a musician and artist.

 He is the author of several books including, 'Walking with the Tiger,' 'Sacred Drums of Siberia,' 'A Little Book of Revealing,' 'Voices From The Earth,' 'The Book of the Shaman,' 'The Shaman Box,' and 'The Resplendent Other'.

 He runs the large Facebook group 3Worlds Shamanism, has done a podcast called the 3Worlds shamanism podcast on and off since 2006 and also has a somewhat neglected YouTube channel, also called 3Worlds Shamanism.

In this conversation, Lian and Nick trace the line between animism and shamanism. They explore how industrial life thinned our old ways, and what simple rites restore a living conversation with the more-than-human world.

They look at what actually helps: a small daily offering that slows you down, a tree-side ceremony that teaches you to listen, and the humility of walking behind the sacred rather than in front. Listen if you have felt the pull back to nature and wondered whether it means animist, shamanist, or simply human… answering an innate way of seeing.

We’d love to know what YOU think about this week’s show. Let’s carry on the conversation… please leave a comment wherever you are listening or in any of our other spaces to engage.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• How a living-matter view changes our lives, and why calling it “animism” might clarify the pull you already feel

• Why simple offerings reshape your pace and attention, and how reciprocity steadies you when life gets noisy

• What happens when humility leads, and the subtle signs that tell you a deeper calling is knocking

Resources and stuff spoken about:

• Visit Nick’s websites:

  • Sacred Hoop Magazine

  • 3Worlds Podcast

• Buy Nick’s books

• Join Nick on YouTube

• Join UNIO, the Academy of the Soul. This is for the old souls in this new world… Discover your kin & unite with your soul’s calling to truly live your myth.

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