Hi!
As more people join us, the needs of our community are changing. We need to support both those just starting out, and those who are ready to dive deeper. That’s why we’re introducing self-directed courses – giving First-Steps graduates the flexibility to build solid foundations, while also freeing up more time for us to offer more advanced courses (and write more books!).
Self-paced courses still retain the heart of what matters: community. Discussion groups will continue, and with a steady stream of new students, we’re excited to see these courses thrive as vibrant hubs for connection and shared learning. We are also keeping live sessions, just in a slightly different format.
I prepared a short video where I cover all the changes and also share details of the 2025 course line-up, including brand-new trainings:
… or jump to a specific section:
If you want to do a Further Step course, you need to do a Next Step first.
Our courses are divided into three natural stages. It all begins with the First Steps course, which every student starts with. From there, we have the Next Steps courses, all designed to help you build a deeply rooted connection to the Lower-World as a solid foundation for the rest of your shamanic practice. Finally, there are the Further Steps courses, which delve into a wide range of shamanic work, from soul loss and soul retrieval, to time travel, death and dying, the chakra system, and much more.
Initially, we were quite firm about students completing First Steps, then Next Steps, before moving on to Further Steps. Over time, though, we relaxed this rule and allowed some students to skip Next Steps and go straight to Further Steps. While it seemed like a good idea at the time, it’s caused some difficulties and sometimes left students without the grounding they needed to get the most out of the experience.
With this in mind, we’ve decided to return to the original progression. From now on, once you’ve completed First Steps, you’ll need to take a Next Steps course before moving on to Further Steps. This change ensures everyone has the grounding they need to fully benefit from the deeper work. And this leads to the second change we’re going to be making.
1. SELF-PACED NEXT-STEPS COURSES
In the past, we’ve been flexible about requiring a Next Steps course before moving on to Further Steps, partly because there weren’t always Next Steps courses available. Sometimes, the next opportunity was six months or more away, as we can only run so many courses each year. To address this, we’re gradually transitioning all Next Steps courses to a self-directed, open-enrolment format. This means there will be no fixed start or end dates and no live sessions attached to these courses—though there will still be live session options (see below).
This new option gives you the freedom to access course materials and study at your own pace, without being tied to specific dates.
What’s included?
- Each self-paced Next Steps course consists of six pre-recorded theory modules (at least 12 hours of teaching, and often more), available immediately upon registration. Alongside the modules, you’ll receive additional materials: handouts, journey suggestions, and other resources to deepen your learning.
- Community support: You still get access to a website forum and an optional Signal discussion group for sharing experiences, asking questions, and staying connected. In the past, the discussion groups would quieten down after the course ended, but with a steady stream of new students joining, they should stay vibrant and provide ongoing learning opportunities for everyone.
Additionally, with the new live session format, you can continue to enrich your learning journey by joining live sessions whenever you feel you need more support from the community (see here).
OPENED NOW!
Go deeper still into the practice of Hollowing-Out. Find a truly Lower-World Human Guide, and maybe your Lower-World Human Tribe too. Discover the healing power of the Elemental Transformational Practices, of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.
Discover what they really are, their teaching and healing gifts, and how to work with them. Find out what understanding the Other-Than-Human People can show us about what Humans really are and should be, and how to take our healthy place again on the Web of Life.
2. LIVE SHAMANIC JOURNEYING SESSIONS
What is changing?
As you know, these days, theory sessions are all pre-recorded on our courses, but alongside those on each course, we’ve usually offered some live Shamanic journeying sessions. These aren’t teaching sessions. They are people journeyed together and then sharing their experiences and discussing things and asking questions.
What we’re going to do is we’re going to separate these live sessions from the courses themselves. So when a course is running, there will be live sessions running alongside the course, but the live sessions will be open to any of our students who have done a First Steps, whether they are signed up to another course or not. So if you’ve done a First Steps with us whenever you want, you can sign up just to do the live journeying sessions themselves.
We’re keeping the cost of these really low. It’s going to be 30£ for a block of six sessions. That’s only 5£ per session – a two hour class, cheaper than most yoga classes or Pilates. And there’s a further discount if you do sign up for the live sessions alongside a course as well. You get the live sessions half price. So six live sessions for only 15£.
Why Join THE Live Sessions?
Live sessions provide an opportunity to:
- Connect with like-minded individuals who share your interest in shamanism.
- Clarify teachings and deepen your practice through discussion and sharing.
- Stay motivated and engaged and deepen your practice, even if you’re taking a break from courses.
3. THE 2025 COURSES
- NEW! Embodied Shamanism: Somatic Therapy and Shamanic Practices.
- The Shamanic Worlds: The Teaching and Healing Power of the Realms of Sea, Land, Sky and Fire.
- Exploring the Upper-World: ShamanicSpirituality, Mindfulness and Meditation Practices.
- First-Steps courses.
- NEW! The Shamanic Practitioner training.
As always, we welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing your thoughts on these updates.
With gratitude,
Paul Francis
December 2024
All OUR UPCOMING SHAMANIC TRAINING COURSES IN 2024 to 2025
(IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
December 2024. Animals, Plants and Stones. Working With Other-Than-Human. A Self-Directed Next-Steps course. BOOKING NOW!
December 2024. Exploring the Lower World. A Self-Directed Next-Steps course. BOOKING NOW!
February 2025. Embodied Shamanism. Reichian Character Structure & Wisdom Of The Body. A Further-Steps course. BOOKING NOW!
February 2025. First-Steps in Therapeutic Shamanism and Animism.
May 2025. First-Steps in Therapeutic Shamanism and Animism.
August 2025. The Shamanic Worlds. Teachings and healing powers of the Realms of Sea, Land, Sky and Fire
August 2025. First-Steps in Therapeutic Shamanism and Animism.
November 2025. Exploring the Shamanic Upper-World. Shamanic Spirituality, Mindfulness and Meditation Practices
November 2025. First-Steps in Therapeutic Shamanism and Animism.
Late 2025 (date to be confirmed). Our Shamanic Practitioner Training.