Tom Hornyak is a former software engineer turned Seeker, with a diverse background in spiritual studies including Reiki, Hypnotherapy, Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism, Tarot, and runes. Embracing the awakening of many to their true divine nature, he offers remote services primarily via phone calls, Zoom, and email. Shaman Tom specializes in various forms of spiritual healing for people and animals, shamanic animal communication, energy clearing of places and buildings, compassionate entity removal (compassion de-possession), curse unraveling, and Reiki for both individuals and animals. MysticMag finds out more.
You have a diverse background, from software engineering to Reiki, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism, Tarot, and the runes. How did this journey of exploration into various spiritual practices and healing modalities come about, and how have these different disciplines informed your approach to helping others?
My journey into exploring various spiritual practices and healing modalities began back in high school, if not even earlier. I’ve always been intrigued by what lies beyond our perception of normal reality. The very first book I delved into on this subject was Herald Sherman’s “How to Make ESP Work for You.” I also read Edgar Cayce’s books. And joined NICAP, a UFO investigations organization at the time. My interest in these topics never waned.
In the mid-1990s, I attended a weekend seminar led by Sandra Ingerman on shamanism, which piqued my curiosity. However, it wasn’t until around 2000 or 2001 that I decided to take action. I began my journey by studying Reiki, primarily to help animals, as I am an animal lover with cats and dogs. This was the starting point for my path, and it opened my mind to further exploration. From that point on, I continued to delve into various other healing modalities and practices. That’s how it all began.
Could you elaborate on the concept of “Compassion De-possession” and “Curse Unraveling” in the context of your spiritual healing services?
I was referred to Betsy Bergstrom (spirit-wise.com) through my shamanic teacher, Judy Ramsey (judyramsey.net). Betsy specializes in compassionate de-possession, curse unraveling, and Nordic shamanism, Her explanation of it is that some entities become disembodied for various reasons. They may have passed away, arrived from other realms, or entered our world for different purposes. These entities often end up trapped in a body, not possessing it in a malevolent way, but sometimes merely “sleeping” within it, unaware of their presence. However, this can affect the host in various ways, and I’ve personally witnessed cases where individuals had entities bound to their bodies by past enemies. In such instances, I’ve worked to free these entities. Sometimes, well-intentioned ancestors or beings move into a body to watch over someone, even though they should continue on their own journey. Compassionate de-possession addresses these situations.
Betsy also offers Curse Unraveling, a technique for removing curses. These curses can be directed at a person, a family line, or be ancestral in nature. I’ve encountered curses placed on land and other similar scenarios. Curse Unraveling involves breaking the effects of these curses, allowing individuals and their families to move forward without the negative influence. In one instance, a person’s ancestors, who were also healers, had made an agreement to halt their healing pursuits due to persecution. This agreement was negatively affecting the individual’s ability to heal, so Curse Unraveling was instrumental in resolving this issue. It’s a powerful method to address various forms of curses.
Could you explain how shamanic healing addresses the spiritual aspect of illness or injury and its connection to the physical body and mind? What role do compassionate spirits play in the healing process?
From a shamanic perspective, there are three primary causes of illness. First, there are intrusions, which involve the presence of energy that doesn’t belong within a person. These can be energies that are no longer useful for the individual. Second, there’s the loss of power, often occurring when a person gives away their power, frequently by saying “yes” when they should say “no” or when their power is taken through experiences like abuse or situations leading to PTSD. The third cause is soul retrieval, which happens when a person has separated a part of their soul to keep it safe, often in response to a traumatic event, even a small thing,like a young child being yelled at, can cause soul loss.
In shamanic healing, the shamanic, or as I prefer to call them, “shamanic practitioners,” since I’m not in a shamanic society, conducts the healing. They act as intermediaries between the spiritual realm and the physical world. The practitioner works with their spiritual helpers to remove intrusions and assists in power retrieval, which may involve retrieving a power animal for the person. They also work on soul retrieval, journeying into the spiritual realm to find and return the missing part of the person’s soul. While these processes occur in what’s known as the spiritual or non-ordinary reality, there’s a belief in shamanic practice that healing in the spiritual realm can have a profound impact on physical reality. Essentially, the belief is that one must heal spiritually before they can heal physically.
The term “psychopomp” is intriguing, as it refers to guiding the souls of the deceased. Can you explain how shamanic practitioners serve as psycho-pomps and help the disoriented or stuck souls find their way to the other side?
In shamanic practice, a psychopomp plays a crucial role in guiding spirits to their next destination. While it’s often discussed in terms of people, my primary interest lies in helping animals. When animals pass away, they may linger in the spirit realm for a while, sometimes because they want to ensure that everything is okay. However, they can get stuck or be unwilling to move on. A psychopomp is a compassionate intermediary who uses various spirits, such as Saint Michael the Archangel or other guides, to assist these spirits in crossing over to their next destination, often symbolized as “crossing the Rainbow Bridge.”
I prefer working with animals because they are generally more straightforward to deal with than people. Animals, especially cats, are naturally attuned to the spirit world. While humans may invest a lot of time and resources to explore astral travel or other spiritual practices, animals slip into the spirit realm effortlessly each time they sleep. They are very open to these experiences, making them easier to work with. Although I have helped people as well, my preference is working with animals, especially because of my deep love for them.
A shaman, or shamanic practitioner, works with the spirit guides, spirit animals, and other spiritual entities. They play a crucial role in the diagnostic process, revealing what they perceive and guiding the practitioner. The shamanic practitioner acts as a conduit, working through their spirit guides, rather than directly performing the spiritual work. So, it’s the spirit guides who provide insight and assistance in the process.
Shamanic healing appears to be deeply transformative and empowering. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in experiencing shamanic healing for themselves or their animals, and what can they expect during and after a session?
For those interested in shamanic healing, I would recommend going to my website, where there’s an article on shamanic healing written by my mentor, Judy Ramsey, and I have her permission to use it. Shamanic healing sessions typically last anywhere from one to two hours. During the session, individuals should expect to be fully present or in a relaxed state. While I won’t provide a step-by-step description of what will happen during the ceremony, I will explain the general process and what my spirit guides are doing or recommending.
It’s important to understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for shamanic healing. The specifics of the session depend on the individual and what the spirit guides perceive in that person. There may or may not be a soul retrieval, the removal of intrusions, or the retrieval of power animals; it all depends on the guidance of the spirit guides.
What’s more important is the post-healing phase. After the session, individuals often undergo a significant transformation. If someone opts for an in-person healing session, I recommend they bring someone to drive them home because they’ll likely feel quite drained afterward. Over the next three months, they’ll experience a gradual transformation. I may offer some simple spiritual practices or activities to support this transformation, but it ultimately depends on the person’s willingness, commitment, and where they are in their personal journey. It’s essential to respect their free will and individual destiny. I like to compare shamanic healing to setting a broken bone – the shamanic practitioner provides guidance, but the true healing comes from how the individual internalizes and applies that guidance to themselves.
If you would like to find out more about Shaman Tom, visit https://shamantom.com/
