To follow up on our topic of a shamanic view of death and dying, we move on to the role of the shaman as a “Deathwalker” or “Psychopomp” (from the Greek word psychopompos, literally meaning the “guide of souls”).

As a shaman, we may be called to assist those who are making their spiritual transitions or those who have already left the physical body that need help completing their transition and returning to their spiritual home.

The shaman may wait with and comfort the soul of a person who is dying and guide them across at the moment of death. Or they can also be with a person who is dying, when they lose consciousness and communicate with them. This is the time when the person who is about to leave the dying body is mostly on the spiritual side but is still anchored to the body. The shaman can ask the soul where it wants to go, then show them where this place is, so they have an idea about which way to go after death. Continue reading →