ABOUT SHONAGH
My shamanic therapy work with clients is probing and revelatory and ultimately life-renovating. I am able to zero in on the origination point of the issue very quickly, which results in greater clarity and healing for my clients. In addition, I incorporate my extensive knowledge of nutrient-dense, traditional foods to address symptoms like depression, anxiety, poor sleep and other issues that are all too common in our modern world.
Just as the mystical wise woman once served her community with her gifts of wisdom and intuition, so too my work follows that model. In this way my clients achieve the "aha" far quicker than with conventional therapy, and with a much broader understanding of the underlying causes behind the issues. This results in greater access to happiness and harmony, which we are all seeking.
For those who are desiring a connection to the hidden worlds of the ancestors and other spirits, I offer a curriculum of sorts and my one-on-one retreats are a kind of condensed mystery school.
My work is informed by the teaching spirits and ancestors I have connected with over the years. Nature herself has initiated me and I induct my students into the rich mystery of nature and their own intrinsic nature through my course offerings, private sessions and retreats.
In addition, I assist those who work with visionary plant/fungus medicine to integrate the experience. Psychotropic plants and fungi are ancient teachers and they are a profound mystery. To say we have mastery over them is pure hubris, they deserve our humble reverence and respect. I assist my clients to make sense of their journey using my understanding of the language of symbol and metaphor, which brings further illumination to their experience.
A teacher of mine once said, “The good shamans have the giggle.” I bring irreverent humor to my work, which is essential, especially when we are exploring heavy emotional territory. I treat my students and clients with kindness and compassion and hold them in a safe and nurturing space so they can open and grow with assurance. I absolutely love this work and I am ever grateful for the opportunity to inspire others to step into their power.
Contact Shonagh.home@comcast.net
Books:
Psychedelic Mysteries of the Feminine: Creativity, Ecstasy, and Healing
I am honored to be a contributor to Psychedelic Mysteries of the Feminine. This book explores the transformative powers of feminine consciousness and altered states revealed by contributors from many paths - scholars, visionary artists, anthropologists, modern shamans, psychotherapists, and more. It explores the archetypal dimensions of the feminine principle and the ways in which entheogens offer open access to these ancient archetypes, including goddess consciousness and the dark feminine. Contributors examine the female roots of shamanism, including the role of women in the ancient rites of Dionysus, the Eleusinian Sacrament, and Norse witchcraft. Also discussed are psychedelic and embodied paths to ecstasy, such as trance dance and holotropic breathwork, as well as the similarities between giving birth and taking mind-altering drugs. This is a rich exploration into the power of plant medicines and the recasting of the medicine-woman archetype for the modern world.
Honeybee Wisdom: A Modern Melissa Speaks Honeybee Wisdom: A Modern Melissa Speaks is a spiraling journey that begins with the wisdom of the ancients, particularly the Mediterranean priestesshoods and their connection to the honeybee, followed by a candid look at the contributing factors that are causing the steep decline in bee populations. A message of hope is explored in the form of Biodynamic farming and gardening, along with Rudolf Steiner’s insightful esoteric understanding of the inner workings of the bees. Separate chapters are devoted to the many medicines from honey to venom, along with advice on the creation of a bee garden.
Love and Spirit Medicine Love and Spirit Medicine chronicles my life-changing mystical journey through the ending of my marriage and my explorations into the realms of the sacred mushroom. It details a year of monthly shamanic journeys under the tutelage of the mushroom spirits within the classroom of the forest. This is a woman’s telling – raw, vulnerable, and honest. It offers hard-won wisdom as I traverse a dark night of the soul and emerge whole and greatly resourced as a result of the multiple initiations I faced during that profound time of my life. This book is a love story that shares what can happen when an intrepid woman steps off the well-trodden path of convention and enters into the mystical realms of the ancient nature teachers.
Ix Chel Wisdom: 7 Teachings from the Mayan Sacred Feminine I was initiated into the mysteries of Ix Chel (pronounced eeshell), the Mayan Mother Goddess, through a shamanic ceremony in the Yucatan with my teacher, Miguel Angel Vergara. That initiation opened a door to subtle messages that I received when I tuned into the energy of Ix Chel. This book is a love letter to women, consisting of 7 rituals that are done to honor the goddess within. It is a treasure box of wisdom for women of all ages.