Hello, my name is Julia. I am a shamanic practitioner living in the beautiful Forest of Dean, hence the name “Sylvan” meaning ‘of or from the Forest’. I have had a fascination with tribal peoples and shamans in particular since my adolescence. In my youth, I’ve been an avid visitor of the ancient places on our beloved Isle, studying the old ways and celebrating the different seasonal festivals throughout the year. This brings me close to Nature and helps me find a connection to our ancestors.
When I rediscovered my passions in shamanism, my life was transformed. It connected my way of celebrating Nature and the turning of the year with my desires for my own healing and ultimately making a difference in the world.
The discovery that shamanism has had a new lease of life and was being taught in the 21st century, led me to seek a shamanic practitioner closer to home in order to experience shamanic medicine first hand and begin my healing journey. This then inspired me to study core shamanism and to become a shamanic practitioner in order to heal others as I have been healed.
My daily shamanic practice has made my life blossom, has enhanced it beyond measure, brought about profound healing and given me a deeper connection to Spirit and the natural world around me. Shamanism is a powerful tool for discovering your true self, understanding where you come from, connecting you to the human and non-human world around you and bringing about a deep, life changing experience. It will help you step forward with confidence on a new plane, bringing with it personal knowledge, a clearer sense of self and a feeling of inclusion; we need never feel alone…..
Being a shamanic practitioner for me is about healing myself and others for the greater good of humanity and our beloved Earth. It is blessed work.
I live and work in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. I have a beautiful healing space at my home. Much of the healing work can be done remotely, so it doesn’t matter where you are in the world.
What is Shamanism?
Shamanism has become a modern, generic term for those individuals previously known as ‘witch doctors’, ‘medicine men’, ‘sorcerers’ or ‘seers’. These were the most important members of the tribe, as they looked after the health and welfare of the clan, the surrounding land and animals, paramount for survival.
The word shaman (pronounced SHAH-maan) originates from the language of the Tungus people of Siberia. Well known in shamanic circles is the anthropologist Michael Harner. His description if a shaman is:-
‘a man or woman who enters an altered state of consciousness – at will – to contact and utilise an ordinarily hidden reality in order to acquire knowledge, power and to help other persons. The shaman has at least one, and usually more, “spirits” in his personal service.’ From his book ‘The Way of the Shaman’
Shamanism is the oldest belief system we know of. It dates back 40,000 years at least and has been practiced unbroken until the last century. It involves a partnership with spirit, sometimes called tutelary spirits, spirit kin, ancestors, animal spirits and spirit guides. The connection is achieved through a shamanic method used by all tribal peoples throughout the world. This method is called the shamanic journey. To achieve this state, different methods are used such as:- the drum played at 4-7 beats per second, using the voice, bells, rhythms found in Nature and psychotropic drugs such as Ayahuasca, to bring the mind into a ‘theta’ state, which is between awake and asleep. Here you are accessing the realm of spirit and can experience the 3 worlds, meet your spirit teachers, ask for healing, guidance and have questions answered.
This ‘Theta’ state is also called the Shamanic State of Consciousness. This term was devised by anthropologist Michael Harner in the 1960’s after he was accepted by the Jivaro and Conibo people with whom he lived and studied. After extensive training, 30 years of research and personal practice he discovered a number of ‘core’ shamanic practices widespread among indigenous cultures. He later opened the Centre for Shamanic Studies in America in 1983. The Centre for Shamanic Studies in Europe called The Sacred Trust was started by Simon Buxton who was taught by Michael Harner.
Sylvan Shamanic Supplies
Drum Cases
I have been a creative textile maker for many years and I design and make 100% sturdy, felt, shamanic drum cases in a variety of colours. They can be basic or individually tailored to your design ideas. I can also undertake a shamanic journey to ask spirit what design/s or symbol/s would be beneficial for you. They come with a choice of strap arrangements.
Drum cases range from 12” to 18” cases. (If a larger case is required, please contact me by email.) Plain drum cases are £70 – £90 and the more elaborate ones start from £150.
Drumsticks
I also design and make drumsticks with colourful knitted tops in various designs. I can make bespoke drumsticks on request as long as the design isn’t too complex to fit the small top of the stick. The stick part is made of lightweight, strong bamboo and the top is made from wool. There are various designs and patterns from:- owl, wolf, deer, lion, horse, snake, tree, flower, runic script, astrology symbols, yin yang, sacred geometry and symbols.
A basic drumstick is £15 and the bespoke drumsticks start at £20.
Shamanic Bells
They are made from the same 100% wool felt that the cases are made from. The bells are metal, typically brass. I started using them in my healing sessions and my clients loved the sound. They can be decorated individually, be in a chosen colour scheme or as they come.
Small bells are £15 and the larger ones £20
Shamanic Accessories
I have 20 years experience with textiles and can make any sacred accessory you require from tool bags/pouches, rattle bags, sky curtains, clothing, headwear, amulets etc. These can be made from any material you desire and also to your specific design or requirements.
Price dependant on size, design and decoration.
Sylvan Shamanic Healing
Shamans have been called to this work for thousands of years and it is only in the last 50 years that we have begun to look more closely and understand our ancestor’s beliefs and how they existed. They lived in harmony with the Earth, took care of themselves, each other and the creatures and plants they relied upon. In this age of personal, social and environmental crises, shamanism provides a 2 way spiritual dialogue through the shamanic journey, offering personal insights, healing and connections with your true-self, nature and the planet itself (eco-shamanism)
The fundamental difference between other forms of alternative healing and shamanism is the shamanic journey. The shaman or shamanic practitioner enters into an altered state of consciousness with specific intention to access the spirit realm for information, guidance and healing.
When you contact me for healing or guidance, you are entering into a contract with the ancestors. You must be ready to receive the information from them to begin your healing journey. I will always undertake a diagnostic journey for a new client, to ask for information about the healing they need or an answer to their question. As this implies, any healing is spirit led; I make myself a conduit through which spirit can work.
The Shamanic Journey Practice
The shamanic journey is sometimes likened to a dreamlike state, where we access other realms, drawing upon the ‘all compassionate’ wisdom and healing of our ancestors. Before each journey, there must be an intention. This can take the form of a question, a request for healing or the intention to experience something.
Clients regularly come with questions and ask me to journey for them. This is part of my role as a practitioner. This can be done in person or remotely using a telephone or video call. At the session, we will discuss and formulate your question so that you receive the best result from the journey. I will then journey for you, speaking the journey aloud. I will send you a recording of the journey via email and any other relevant information not obvious in the recording. I will not interpret the journey for you, as it is your personal journey to interpret; Spirit is talking directly to you. The information you receive may be instantly understandable or take time to unfold.
I charge £50 for a journey session.
Shamanic Journeying Training
The shamanic journey is such a gift. It is a wonderful way to connect, receive healing and answers to your questions. Everyone can journey and I offer either a day course here at my home in the Forest of Dean or a 5 session course (one session a week for 5 weeks) to show you how to navigate your way through the spirit worlds, learn how to formulate the best questions and to meet your personal Allies. This will help and empower you through life’s wonderful journey.
Each session is £75 or £200 for the whole day.
Healing Methods within Core Shamanism
There are various healing methods and these core methods are employed by shamans the world over. In shamanism, all illness and disease is believed to be spirit based and therefore can be treated/healed with the help of a shaman or shamanic practitioner.
The following are some of the causes of disease and will be explained below:-
1. Soul Loss (Power Loss)
2. Spiritual or Disease Object Intrusions
3. Spirit Possession or Over-shadowing
4. Sorcery
Soul Loss or Power Loss
In shamanism, it is believed that the soul consists of many parts. Our soul parts or essences are what animate us and have existed from the beginning of our consciousness. These can break away at the time of a trauma and leave the body, sometimes catapulted out so far that they need to be returned by a healer.
We experience soul loss on a daily basis but often the only feeling is disorientation or mild dissociation, with the soul part returning of it’s own accord. When shamans were the main healers within the tribe, a person suffering illness would only wait up to 3 days before seeing a shaman to be healed. As shamans are no longer the first point of contact when someone becomes ill, most people in the Western world are suffering power loss and are therefore vulnerable to disease.
Typically someone suffering from soul loss or power loss, has lost their power animal and/or a soul part or essence through trauma. Soul loss is also a mechanism for us to leave our bodies when we experience pain or life threatening situations.
Typical symptoms include:- (Chronic means persistent here)
Chronic misfortune
Chronic suicidal tendencies
Chronic illness
Chronic depression or flatness
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Dissociation
Addictions
Ongoing bereavement after the death of a loved one.
The healing methods for soul loss or power loss are:-
Power Animal Retrieval
Soul Retrieval & Lost Limb Retrieval (Parts of our bodies can also experience trauma and subsequent soul loss. This usually happens through accidents or operations).
Power Animal Retrieval
This is very beautiful healing work and occurs straight after an energetic medicine healing (explained below). Shamans believe that we are born with a spirit animal who walks with us through our lives. These guardian spirits increase our physical energy, help us resist disease and negative intrusions, acting like a forcefield around us. They are fundamental to our health and well-being.
Once I have retrieved your guardian animal spirit, a beautiful relationship will develop, a strengthening of personal power and reconnection with any gifts, strengths or talents that have been lost. This is one step on the road to becoming power-full, which leaves no room for spiritual intrusions to enter into the body.
Soul Retrieval
Through the shamanic journey, I will retrieve and return the lost soul part/s or essence/s. Often the client is well aware of the trauma which occurred in order for them to lose these particular soul parts. These parts return with the gifts, strengths and talents which were once a part of you. The result of the healing is a greater sense of wholeness, feeling more grounded and self assured.
At the end of the healing, a sacred prescription is given and you will be encouraged to complete this work in order to help root the returned part/s back to you. This is guided by Spirit and unique to each client.
Extraction or Energy Medicine technique
Today, many people live with soul loss or power loss, usually as a result of losing their Power Animal in childhood. This creates a vacuum and leads to spiritual intrusions entering the body. Spiritual intrusions can result from close proximity to rage, anger, violence, rancour and depression. They are made up of negative energy which behaves like missiles when they are verbally or physically projected and can enter the body of vulnerable people. This can also happen by not emoting or sitting on our emotions.
This negative energy causes blockages within the body, resulting in illness and disease, be it physical or mental and can be removed safely and effectively. I will then bring a Power Animal to you (see above).
Sorcery
Many years ago, sorcery was a common practice whereby a curse was attached to someone, usually to gain power or inflict suffering. Some curses were placed and kept alive so that the curse was passed down through a family line and can have repercussions to this day.
With the help of my allies, I will observe as they unravel the curse and send healing backwards and forwards along the ancestral line. In my experience, most people are suffering from the effect of a curse, whether it was placed hundreds of years ago or more recently.
Self-cursing is also very common and we can help remedy the consequences this creates on the individual.
Psychopomp Work
Psychopomp means ‘Conductor of Souls’ from the Greek word ‘psȳchopompós’. It has also come to mean ‘a person who conducts spirits or souls to the other world’.
Part of the role of the shaman was to be at an individual’s birth, throughout their life and at their death. They would assist people to move smoothly through to the afterlife or spirit realms. Today, many people who pass on, do not move through to the spirit world for a number of reasons.
These can be:-
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- Attachment to people, places and things.
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- Holding onto a soul part/s or someone holding their soul part/s.
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- Fear of what’s beyond (guilt, hell etc)
- Death occurs suddenly and they are unaware of their own death.
This results in many spirits or suffering beings finding themselves trapped here with us in the ‘here and now’ or ordinary reality.
Whilst protected by my guides, I help these suffering beings to cross the threshold of their own volition. I have undertaken journeys for clients who have had an inkling that a recently deceased loved one is still here with us, typically at their home, near to loved ones. I can assist these souls in moving to the afterlife. Similarly, I have guided clients on journeys to visit recently, departed friends and family who they hadn’t managed to see before their death. This has given them immeasurable comfort and a closure of sorts, that they would otherwise have missed.
I have also helped clients who are coming to the end of their life, to journey to the realms of spirit, to visit loved ones and/or experience the ‘Afterlife’ for themselves. This has proven to be incredibly comforting for them, lessening fears and anxieties about what they may experience at the end.
Over-Shadowing or Spirit Possession
These suffering beings who wander about in the ‘here & now’ after death, will eventually begin to lose vitality and will therefore seek this from the living they walk amongst. They can over-shadow a living person to feel alive once more, albeit partially. Some suffering beings have been here with us for hundreds of years, moving from one host to another. Typically we are unaware of the over-shadowing, as it is very low level. Over-Shadowing is very common and some of the people I’ve helped have had multiple possessions and even known their possessing spirit.
I can safely remove these suffering beings by engaging with them, helping them to leave their host and move on. It can be a very emotional experience both for myself, the client and the suffering being. Afterwards, the results I’ve witnessed have been profound. Clients typically feel lighter, more energetic, many of the symptoms they first presented with disappear, preferences and tastes change and negative voices have less hold on them. Addictions have also been known to lessen or even disappear.
This work cannot be done remotely. With this healing there are a number of exercises to do afterwards to return vitality and wellbeing back to the client. There is also a need to cleanse the body and the home.
I charge £60 per hour for this healing.
Eco-Mapping
Tribal people to this day rely on Nature for their inspiration, information and healing. This relationship has gone on uninterrupted for thousands of years. Eco-Mapping is a form of Eco-Shamanism, a new consciousness that is gaining a huge following as the climate crisis intensifies. Many people are yearning for connection with Nature again and the “more than human world” surrounding them.
Eco-Mapping is a beautiful journey into the Middle World. We take our concerns and questions outdoors, using all of our senses and immersing ourselves into the wonders of Nature, we wait and see what is shown to us, the information and clues to help us see our way forward.
Eco-Mapping can be a morning or afternoon session or a whole day depending on your questions and how long you wish the experience to last.
I charge £50 per hour for this.
Burial and Rebirth Ritual
The shaman knows that his “true mother’” is the Earth, who knows him like no other and sees him as Her child. The shaman knows Mother Nature as the “Visible Face of Spirit” and seeks to be in communion without interruption.
From shamanic cultures as diverse as Australia, Africa, North America, Mexico and the Celtic lands, to the Mystery Traditions of Egypt and Greece, the Death and Rebirth Ritual has perennially played a key role in self discovery and growth. To undertake this ceremony requires dedication, teamwork, the discipline of humour and sheer guts. If you’ve ever felt powerless to move forward due to being held back by your life story, then this ritual will propel you forward, allowing you to release your past in a profoundly sensitive way.
As with many ceremonial rites of passage, there is a deal of work to do in order to show commitment to your healing journey and ultimately reap the rewards.There is the practical side of digging your grave to consider, which is part and parcel of the ritual. This can take a whole day, possibly longer depending on your level of fitness. We can also tailor make the grave if necessary, with shallow graves being an option, but, a huge part of this ceremony is to challenge yourself. The ritual occurs at night and is a blessed experience of being one with the Earth and telling her the tale of your life’s journey so far. It is an incredibly liberating ceremony. Once the sun rises, you are reborn anew, as a lighter, truer being, unfettered and free.
Testimony from Alison Ajadi after her Burial and Rebirth
“ I really had to step up and face my fears, not easy, but with Jules there to hold my hand and gently guide me forward, I have reached a point where I now want to dance with life, sing and jump in puddles.”
This ritual occurs over a whole day and night and costs £250
Integration
Most modern forms of healing come without the need for change. Shamanic healing always invokes change and this is vital for continued physical and spiritual health and growth. Once a client has experienced a healing, there is a time of integration in which the client assimilates the change which the healing brings. This time is vital.
During the process, you will find that old, unhelpful ways of behaving begin to fade as new patterns of behaviour evolve as a result of learning more about who you are. There are various forms of healing and ritual that I can bring to the table when helping to facilitate your personal revolution.
The fee for this is dependant on each individual’s need and will be agreed upon by the client and myself before any work begins.
Testimonials
My experience with Sylvan Shamanics was entirely transformative. The experience equipped me with the confidence I needed to make some very hard life choices. I even managed to communicate with a deceased sister which brought me much happiness. I can’t recommend this enough…
Beautiful experience in an incredible location with a truly gifted healer.
Xenia
Jules has the ability to bring me specific teachings from animals who actually live near me. How did she know there were otters nearby? And that the next day I would meet a man who told me where the otters play?
Likewise she brought me the eagle owl, which I had to look up; it is the great horned owl we know well in the northwest US. I had been hearing owls around my cabin, and after the reading there were more and more of them, like they were coming closer. We had conversations.
Jules does not preach or judge. She offers what she gets and it’s up to me to use the offering.
Carol Johnsen
I have had my very numerous bumps felt by this woman and I can heartily recommend anybody to book themselves a session. I feel sure you will find it illuminating.
Steve Whittard
Jules was very welcoming. The messages she gave, helped me to prepare for some deep healing with my ancestors.
Anonymous
This was the day of my first ever Shamanic treatment. The ‘Little Palace’ had been prepared, the spirits welcomed before I arrived. How could I help but relax and open myself to this new experience that has taught me to ‘journey’; thus opening doors to a new language, offering sensitive direction, guidance and understanding.
Sybil Edwards
If you’d like to contact Sylvan Shamanics to ask any questions or to find out more, then use the email box below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Julia