In a profound meditation session, a whisper from the depths spoke the word ‘Shamanism’ to Kostas, accompanied by streams of pure golden light—an undeniable message from the Source. Taking this as a calling, Kostas enrolled in the Four Winds, founded by Dr. Alberto Villoldo, embarking on the path of modern shamanism.
The intense training at the Four Winds allowed Kostas to confront and illuminate his shadows, transforming them into wellsprings of wisdom and power. This journey led his soul to discover its true path, meaning, and purpose. Equipped with newfound insights, Kostas emerged as a Shamanic Practitioner, ready to serve others.
However, the corporate world’s allure, with its comfortable salary and tempting perks, posed a challenge. In the midst of this conflict, Kostas faced a pivotal decision. A shamanic session filled his heart with courage and love, signaling that the time for change had arrived. Within a few months, he transitioned from the corporate realm to a life dedicated to service and healing.
Now a Certified Shamanic Healer and Practitioner, Kostas stands ready to guide others in inviting love, peace, and beauty into their lives.
Learn more about Kostas in this MysticMag interview.
Being trained and certified by the Four Winds is notable. Can you share insights into the specific teachings and practices you gained from this training that shape your approach as a Shamanic Practitioner?
My approach as a Shamanic practitioner has been shaped by both ancient Shamanic teachings and healing practices. Soul retrieval, one of the most advanced shamanic techniques that offers deep healing and transformation, has made me understand that despite the profound trauma one can experience, a part of the soul remains in grace and awaits recovery and integration with oneself and the soul. This realization has made me see every single person as a whole being, no matter how fragmented they currently are or have been. I can perceive the wholeness and the beauty while there is only chaos in one’s body, mind, and soul. Some of≠ the shamanic teachings that have influenced my healing approach are the beliefs that humans can turn their wounds into sources of power and compassion, and become fearless and one with spirit. Transcending limiting beliefs and opinions about right and wrong, refraining from writing stories about our pain, immersing ourselves in the flow of the universe, actively practicing non-violence, perceiving loveliness in the midst of ugliness, and trusting synchronicity are key aspects of transforming trauma into serenity, strength, love, and compassion.
The term “Shamanic Practitioner” encompasses a wide range of practices. How do you define your role, and what aspects of shamanism do you incorporate into your sessions?
My role as a Shamanic Practitioner is to create and hold a sacred space where profound healing can unfold—a space where individuals feel secure, accepted, supported, loved, cared for, and free to share their stories, acknowledge their shadows, and bring light to them. Within this sacred space, another pivotal aspect of my role is to be fully present and anchored to the infinite present moment. This presence, combined with the guidance of my spirit guides and archetypes, empowers me to support and guide individuals toward profound healing and transformation. My sessions incorporate a range of shamanic techniques, including illumination, extraction, soul retrieval, power retrieval, spiritual attachment removal, cord cutting, and ancestral healing. These healing tools directly address the energy field surrounding our physical body, which holds all the patterns of our existence. The pain and trauma, whether from current or past lifetimes, our toxic connections with people, our core identities, negative feelings, and everything that defines us as a self, are imprinted in our energy field. The shamanic practices I incorporate in my sessions aim to cleanse all these toxic imprints and create harmony, enabling individuals to address mental disorders and health issues. Additionally, when needed, I employ Despachos and fire ceremonies; these are ritualistic offerings that serve to establish a connection with the Spirit, restore balance, express gratitude, and set intentions for healing and transformation.
The Four Winds’ training often involves a connection with nature and the elements. How does the natural world play a role in your shamanic practice, and are there specific rituals or ceremonies that you find particularly impactful?
The natural world plays a crucial role in my shamanic practice as it is a source of wisdom, energy, and interconnectedness. I connect with the earth and the sky daily as part of my morning routine to ground myself and express gratitude to my spirit. Shamanic rituals, such as Despachos, Fire ceremonies, and moonlight ceremonies, are often conducted in natural settings like forests, mountains, or rivers. Nature heals; even a 10-minute walk to a small park nearby is sufficient to balance our energy field, relieve stress, and feel present again. Earthing, which has been extensively researched for the last few years, has also been used by shamans for millennia. I very often suggest the people I work with, go for a walk in nature barefoot or touch a tree after our healing session. It is a trivial but very effective post-session homework that helps them expedite the healing process.
Can you share a memorable experience or case where your shamanic practice facilitated significant healing or transformation for an individual, highlighting the effectiveness of the techniques you learned from the Four Winds?
A middle-aged lady approached me about 6 months ago, suffering from chronic insomnia. As she mentioned in a brief phone call before our session, she had not slept at night for the last 3 years and was only getting 1-2 hours of sleep during the day. At the beginning of our session, she reported that some spiritual attachments were attacking her at night, and that was the main reason she couldn’t sleep. She was very scared and cautious in the way she described her symptoms to avoid thinking that she was crazy. In my healing practice, I always focus on one topic at a time to avoid confusion and have optimum results. Indeed, several attachments had penetrated her energy field, as she was spiritually open. With the extraction process, we removed the entities and balanced her energy field. After two sessions, she reported that she had managed to sleep like a baby at night, but, now the attachments were visiting her during the day causing her tremors and kind of paralysis on the right part of her body. We had another session, and with the help of rituals and my spirit guides, we managed to understand that the spiritual attachments she was currently reporting were some fragmented parts of herself seeking healing and integration. Through shamanic journey and soul retrieval techniques learned from the Four Winds, I guided her to first acknowledge these unhealed parts of herself and then integrate them into her life. The journey of this lady was tough and required a lot of courage and inner strength, but thanks to shamanic practices, she managed to address her issues quickly and effectively. She is now sleeping like a baby at night and enjoying the beauty of life in the daytime.
How do you address cultural sensitivity and ethical considerations in your role as a Shamanic Practitioner, especially when drawing from teachings rooted in specific indigenous traditions?
I address these types of concerns and considerations, by keeping in mind, while working with people, that trauma is a story living with us; regardless of its origin, root cause, term/name, culture, ethical background, and belief system. Some people seek healing because they have been cursed, some others because they have been attacked by spiritual attachments, and some others because they want to break a toxic and problematic soul contract or tie. In my healing approach, all these are stories living with the heart and the soul of these people and they are seeking relief from pain and trauma. My objective is to listen carefully to their stories and bring deep healing without interpreting the story itself or the terms and words they are using to describe the story. I believe this is one of the added values of my healing practice; as one of my clients says, “Most spiritual people talk more than they do, Kostas is the opposite of that.”.
Being trained and certified suggests a commitment to ongoing learning. How do you continue to deepen your knowledge and refine your skills as a shamanic practitioner, and how does this ongoing education benefit your clients?
Being a shamanic practitioner is an ongoing journey toward deepening my shamanic knowledge, doing my inner work, and refining my skills. I continually engage in my inner healing work to identify my shadows and bring light to them. My mentor says that a good shamanic practitioner is the one who has healed themselves first. This saying has always been a compass for me. Very often, I attend shamanic trainings and workshops conducted by reputable shamans and teachers of shamanic wisdom, to expand my knowledge, gain new skills, and deepen my connection with my spirit guides. I also participate in some groups with fellow shamans where we exchange our knowledge and wisdom about shamanic techniques, rituals, and ceremonies. All these aspects of ongoing learning provide me with the skills and knowledge to support the healing journey of my clients effectively and efficiently.
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