Constance Graud's "Shamanic Classes" for Nurses

[educatedindian]

It's been blocked for now.

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http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_5675374?nclick_check=1

Shamanic classes for nurses? Not yet
Sensitivity, scam or sacrilege? Advocates and critics have suggested a
shamanism diploma may be any of these, leading a Twin Cities college to
delay the program.

BY PAUL TOSTO
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 04/15/2007 10:33:39 PM CDT

A local college hoped to be the first in the nation to offer a diploma in shamanic studies - where students would "learn and practice core knowledge and skills in shamanism."

Officials at Minneapolis Community and Technical College said the courses,
co-designed and taught by a shaman, would bridge "shamanism and bio-medicine in modern health-care settings" and could appeal especially to
nurses. School leaders said repeatedly they wouldn't be training students
to be shamans.

On Thursday, however, after months of planning, the school postponed
plans for the diploma after American Indians raised concerns about what,
exactly, would be taught.

Despite having taken the idea off the table for the fall, the college
expects to retool the shamanic studies concept. It's clear, though,
that it will need to walk through a minefield of religious, social and medical
issues.

Critics call the plan nothing more than specious medical training
dressed up as cultural studies.

"This is no more valid than a degree in astrology," said Dr. Stephen Barrett, a retired psychiatrist who operates the Web site  Quackwatch.org. "Do you want to be known as the school that gives diplomas in astrology?"

At some point, the school's leadership also may need to answer a  version of
the eternal parental lament: What are you going to do with a degree in
shamanic studies?

It's not clear how much it would help nurses or other medical professionals
to spend the year and a half it would take to earn the diploma. The Minnesota Board of Nursing doesn't mandate specific classes but does allow for coursework promoting culturally competent care.

The degree's supporters are answering skeptics, including believers in spiritual healing as well as traditional doctors.

"This is not a program to convince people that shamanism is equal to or superior to any form of healing," said Constance Grauds, who helped design
the original diploma plan and is listed as one of two teachers. "This is a
program of awareness."

A graduate of the University of Minnesota pharmacy school, Grauds is described in her biography as a natural-medicine specialist and "healer tothe healers" who teaches at the college as well as at the University of Minnesota's Center for Spiritual Healing.

She spent more than a decade in Peru as a shamanic apprentice and
describes herself as a shaman who works "to unite the science of the Western
world with the spirit of the indigenous world to create health and wellness
for people and the planet."

Grauds said the ideal diploma candidate would be a nurse who deals with
physically and emotionally ill people from many cultures. Such a person,
she said, would benefit from "the knowledge there are such things as indigenous healers ... that could be called upon if (family members) so requested."

She acknowledged critics' skepticism. "My goodness, if I were on the  other side of this ... I'd be asking the very same questions," she said. She noted, however, that other types of nontraditional healing, such as acupuncture, also faced criticism early on and now are accepted. Grauds said she can teach shamanic studies objectively. "Shamans have day jobs, too," she said.

The classes, some of which already are taught at the college, would focus
on "core shamanism" and include sections called "Introduction to Energy
Medicine," "Integration of Shamanism and Science" and "Applied Shamanism in
the Community."

Concerned they might be seen as training shamans, college officials removed the word "practice" from their original proposal. But critics aren't mollified.

Asked to review the shamanic studies documents, Barrett concluded, "They're going to be teaching nonsense." Of the "Introduction to Energy Medicine"
course title, Barrett said, "Energy medicine is a fraud. If they're not going to teach that energy medicine is a delusion, (the class) is a fraud."

The proposal talks about respecting all people and traditions, he said, but "there are a lot of people that don't respect the idea that supernatural
forces can be used to alter health outcomes."

Todd Seavey, an editor at the American Council on Science and Health,
said most people "tend to think all this stuff is harmless as long as it's
kept pleasingly vague, but it's worth asking what price we quietly pay in
the form of people who don't seek proper medical care because they think
shamanic rituals, or psychics, or quartz crystals, or what have you, can cure their ills."

The council runs healthfacts andfears.com, which casts a skeptical eye
on many medical claims.

In the end, the diploma effort was put on hold last week because of the
concerns of someone who ultimately backs the program.

"It's a worthwhile effort," said Charles Blacklance, coordinator of American Indian projects for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which includes MCTC.

On Thursday, he shared concerns he'd heard from American Indians, worrying
the program would seek to train people in sacred ways. There also were
objections to the idea of profiting from various cultures' sacred teachings. Blacklance said he was pleased with the college's decision, which will open the door for more input from American Indians.

"It's very honorable to want to make sure that students graduating from
their program understand not just American Indian people but indigenous
people from around the world," he said.

Whatever emerges, said Jane Foote, dean of health sciences at the
college, the program will sink or swim based on enrollment.

"We just believe that it needs to come forward," Foote said.

Paul Tosto covers higher education. He can be reached at
ptosto@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-2119.

[educatedindian]

I can't believe that university seriously considered hiring her. Basically she lets anyone call themselves a healer whose spent a few sessions with her. She's also pretty much selling ceremony at these apprenticeships.

http://www.spiritedmedicine.com/aboutconnie.shtml

Connie is an initiated healer and spiritual mentor who has changed the lives of many by helping them to heal in body, mind, and spirit; and to spirit their life and their life’s work with meaning and purpose. As Director for The Spirited Medicine Alliance, a nonprofit with global outreach, Connie works to unite the science of the Western World with the spirit of the indigenous world to create health and wellness for people and the planet.
   
Shamana of the Amazon tradition…integrating body/mind/spirit

Spiritual mentor...purpose and passion in life's desires

Healer to the healers...deep personal and professional healing

Scheduling

Offices in:
Minneapolis, MN (phone 612-216-1747)
San Rafael, CA (phone 415-479-1512)

Call for private personal appointment (telephone consultations also available).

Fees (cash, check Visa/Mastercard accepted)

In-office appointment:
First appointment: 1-1/2hrs, $135
Subsequent appointments: 1hr, $95

Ongoing Spiritual Mentoring

Four months for the price of three...call to arrange personal schedule.

About Connie Grauds
 
Constance Grauds, R.Ph., is president of the Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists; Adjunct Faculty, University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality and Healing; Instructor, Minneapolis Community and Technical College; and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of California at San Francisco. Grauds is also director of The Center for Spirited Medicine, and director of nonprofit efforts for The Spirited Medicine Alliance dedicated to preserving the rainforest's medicinal plants and indigenous healing practices. Having completed nearly a decade of shamanic apprenticeship with don Antonio Montero Pisco in the jungles of the Amazon, she has been appointed to carry on the teachings and healings of his ancient Cocama shamanic lineage. Grauds teaches and lectures internationally on natural and spirited medicines, and offers spirited medicine healing workshops in Peru, Hawaii, Europe, and the United States.

Study Amazonian jungle shamanism with pharmacist and shamana Connie Grauds. Levels offered to deepen your shamanic skills are:
Level 1:
Introductory... Spirited Plant Medicine Experiential (more info)
Learn to tap into the world of living energies. Drum journey to the plants to retrieve their spirited medicine.
   
Level 2:
Initiation...Amazonian Shamanic Rituals (more info)
Become initiated in the sacred ícaros, magical healing songs.
Experience the limpias, shamanic healing herbal baths.

Level 3:
Healer...Spirited Herbalism (more info)
Learn shamanic aspects of plants to heal the body/mind/spirit.
Professional, scientific, healthcare aspects of medicinal plants.

Level 4:
Apprenticeship...Power Transmission (more info)
Learn the ancient healing secrets of the jungle shaman.
Receive the transmission of spiritual powers.
 
Study Amazonian jungle shamanism with pharmacist and shamana Connie Grauds. Levels offered to deepen your shamanic skills are:
Level 1:
Introductory... Spirited Plant Medicine Experiential (more info)
Learn to tap into the world of living energies. Drum journey to the plants to retrieve their spirited medicine.
   
Level 2:
Initiation...Amazonian Shamanic Rituals (more info)
Become initiated in the sacred ícaros, magical healing songs.
Experience the limpias, shamanic healing herbal baths.

Level 3:
Healer...Spirited Herbalism (more info)
Learn shamanic aspects of plants to heal the body/mind/spirit.
Professional, scientific, healthcare aspects of medicinal plants.

Level 4:
Apprenticeship...Power Transmission (more info)
Learn the ancient healing secrets of the jungle shaman.
Receive the transmission of spiritual powers.

Level 1—Introduction to Shamanism

(1) Amazon slide presentation:
Jungle Medicine… from Medicine to Magic

Date/Location: Check Calendar of Events for upcoming dates.
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
Registration: Registration: Su at 612-659-6500 (MCTC)
Or online at: http://www.minneapolis.edu/cect/courseSchedule/index.cfm
(select: Spring 2007)
(select: Holistic Healthcare)

This Amazon slide presentation is a prerequisite for the One-Day Outdoor Workshop.

(2) Spirited Plant Medicine Experiential
One-Day Outdoor Workshop

Prerequisite: Amazon slide presentation, #1 above.
Date/Location: Check Calendar of Events for upcoming dates.
Time: 10AM-4PM
Registration: Registration: Su at 612-659-6500 (MCTC)
Or online at: http://www.minneapolis.edu/cect/courseSchedule/index.cfm
(select: Spring 2007)
(select: Holistic Healthcare)

Experience the world of the shaman. This intensive outdoor experiential workshop teaches the healing use of the plants that grow all around us from a shamanic plant spirit medicine perspective, just as the Amazonian rainforest shamans have done for millennia. Learn to harness the powers of spirited plant medicines to heal themselves or others. Experience the sacred shamanic icaros (healing plant songs), and learn the healing limpias (ritual plant baths).

Participants will learn the technique of human-plant communication through the use of the ancient shamanic technique of drum journeying while outdoors in beautiful and powerful nature surroundings.

No previous experience of any kind is necessary, just an open mind and heart. Clinicians are welcome.

Participants must bring suitable layered outdoor clothing, sun/bug protection, plastic bags or mats for lying on the open ground, colored pencils/crayons, and drawing paper/notebook.

Recommended reading: Jungle Medicine by Connie Grauds, available only on Amazon.

This day-long program is a prerequisite for the full yearlong apprenticeship program. For details, read on.

Level 2—Initiation
 
Amazonian Shamanic Rituals
Dates: first class Tues Oct 24th, 2006 (the group will decide together when the other meetings will be held to accommodate everyone’s schedule). 2007 dates TBA.
Time: 7-9:30 PM
Where: Minneapolis, MN office
(St. Louis Park office, directions upon registration)
Fee: $75 each monthly meeting. Cash, check, Visa/MasterCard accepted.
Registration: online or 612-216-1747, The Center for Spirited Medicine.

Jungle shamans are also energetically attuned to the spiritual nature of plants. They use the plants’ spiritual energies in the form of healing herbal baths (limpias), and in the form of magical healing plant songs (ícaros). Jungle shamans are masters of the transference of these healing plant energies to their patients, as well.

Prerequisites for all attending any Initiation Level 2 workshop:

Attend both Introduction to Shamanism events.

Read Jungle Medicine by Connie Grauds, available only on Amazon.

Open to all with an open mind and heart. Clinicians and healers are welcome.

All who participate in Initiation Level 2 will receive a sacred limpia and ícaros healing.

Level 3—Healer
 
Spirited Herbalism

Dates: One night of the month x 3 months; (the ongoing group will decide together when the other meetings will be held to accommodate everyone’s schedule). Check Calendar of Events for upcoming dates.
Time: 7-9:30pm
Where: Minneapolis, MN office
(St. Louis Park office, directions upon registration)
Fee: $75 each monthly meeting. Cash, check, Visa/MasterCard accepted.
Registration: online or 612-216-1747, The Center for Spirited Medicine.

Jungle shamans are masters of the medicine of the plant kingdom. They have intimate knowledge of the plant medicines that grow in their area. They give these plants to their patients as medicines, much as we use plants as herbs and pharmaceuticals. Learn about modern Western herbalism, the researched and the folk uses of popular herbs. Learn shamanic aspects of plants to heal the body/mind/spirit.

Prerequisites for all attending any Healer Level 3 workshop:

Attend both Introduction to Shamanism events.

Read Jungle Medicine by Connie Grauds, available only on Amazon.

Open to all with an open mind and heart.

[educatedindian]

And then there's this. The Univ of MN is offering this "course" which doesn't look very different from the usual spiritual tourism exceptr that students get credit.

http://www.anmp.org/spiritedmed.htm
Notice the caption on the fourth photo down: A Bora princess.

While western medicine badly needs to learn from tribal traditions, spiritual tourism is not the way to do it.

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

In Saskatchewan, there is also interest in the integration of Traditional Healing practices and modern medicinal approaches.  It has been suggested, mostly by government, that medical personel should be trained in Traditional Aboriginal Health and Healing. 

Some of us do not think that just anyone can be trained in our ways, and have suggested that Aboriginal people, who are Gifted with Traditional Medicine Ways, be used in association with modern medical practitioners. 

Ric

[frederica]

There was a incorportation at one point in time of offering Nursing courses in what they called Holistic Medicine at the local University here.  The people that taught it were PhD Nurses, but in Education or Communicatiion. Mostly it was involved in pain management, relaxation therapy and the milder side. But they were allianced with an Nuage organization that taught other things, common to Nuage practice. It has been dropped as far as I know. It just didn' t work well with conventual medicine, here anyway. I agree with Ric, Mostly from what I've seen. Using the IHS as an example, the do incorporate the local elders, and Traditional practices from the Nation. I doubt if anything else would be very effective.  frederica

[Scott Brainard]

Schools around here are known for some far-out course offerings, but by the same token the schools seem to teach and discuss real Native issues openly as well.  I'd expect something like a "shamanics" 'course' (let alone a diploma program) to be thought through from a Native standpoint pretty thoroughly before going online at a college, even a progressive inner-city one like MCTC.  I too am amazed that the concept ever got this far.

--Scott