Shamanism is is a complex of practices, beliefs, values and behaviors that enable the practitioner to elect a shift from ordinary consciousness into a trance state with a specific goal in mind, such as healing, obtaining information, power, vision, divination, contacting the spirit of the deceased, soul retrieval or guidance for right action. Shamanic work is done with the aid of a helping ally of some sorts that the shaman has befriended. They work together as a cooperative team, with the ally being an intermediary between different levels of reality and the shaman, an engineer of altering states of consciousness. .
Shamans throughout the world and throughout time, recognize that the universe is alive, conscious, and filled with spiritual power. Shamans know how to access this web of power and work it skillfully and effectively to address their, and their community's needs. Shamanism is the intentional effort to develop ongoing relationships with personal helping spirits by journeying into realms where the spirits dwell. Shamanism is a way of perceiving the nature of the universe in a way that incorporates the normally invisible world of spirit. Shamans have different terms and phrases for the non ordinary reality, but most of them clearly imply that it is the realm where the spirits of the land and the animals, deceased ancestors, the gods and goddesses and other spiritual entities dwell. .
Shamans employ methods for altering consciousness so that they can send their spirits or souls (consciousness) into the non ordinary reality of the spirits who become their friends, guides, guardians, instructors, and allies. These helping spirits might be the spirits of nature, animals, plants, the elements, ancestors, gods, goddesses, or teachers from various religious traditions. The act of sending one's consciousness into the spirit world is called the shamanic journey, and it allows the journeyed to view life and life's problems from a detached, spiritual perspective, not easily achieved in a state of ordinary consciousness.