Shaman's Path - 

Heroic Journeys Into the Heart of Life.  

It has been said that to fully live your essential nature and purpose is a heroic journey and may well be the only thing that, ultimately, really matters (Joseph Campbell, mythologist). That's because this journey of transformation into the heart of life most powerfully promotes wholeness, wellness and the renewal of our communities and Earth.

Once regarded as the role of the traditional medicine person or shaman, today more and more individuals are experiencing this 'shaman's path' calling to live what most deeply matters for a better life, our beautiful planet and world. We provide expertise, guidance and support to empower your heroic path into whole, purposeful and conscious living. Welcome to Earth Institute. 

"If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track, which has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living." (Joseph Campbell)   

New life flows from a natural place called Soulfulness. Its wellspring is a warmly cared for natural Self. Your natural Self is your complete soul life, your whole experience from shadow to light. It's all you're in touch with, or could be... your solitude and connections with others, the earth and even the cosmos. All of nature is a magical part of this Self, just as we are meant to be a sacred part of nature. Your naturally aware Self knows the joy and challenge of this interplay! There is a call to grow as one people and planet, one great potential! Awakening as your natural Self, you retrieve what you lost and release the limits that no longer belong. Here is the natural adventure ... the heroic journey that re-enchants life, rekindles love and re-awakens our presence to the wonder of each moment.  

The heart-path of your natural Self is an adventure into new realities. The Institute brings real expertise to this journey. We are experienced educators and facilitators. We work as guides into your new personal, relationship, shamanic and spiritual realities. Our nature-based and soul-centered programs reconnect you with your sacred nature. Live more consciously with embodied trust, truth, love and joy! This way is close to the heart, and the soul of the earth. We live and value what we teach... that nature and Self can be your finest teacher, best provider, clearest guide, deepest fulfilment, and the wellspring for what you deeply seek. Close to world heritage lands, our retreat is watched over by the iconic Mount Warning (Northern Rivers, NSW). Special events, groups, courses, sessions and retreats are provided from here and across Australia. 

The testimonials at our approach show that with our programs you can... *Experience authentic shamanic-spiritual roots to address your needs in alignment with your soul, indigenous wisdom and 'the Dreaming'. *Cultivate your own unique 'ways of knowing' to create new possibilities, perspectives and experiences that are directly rewarding and real for you. *Focus on the four central patterns (archetypes) of human development to empower lasting positive change. *Relate with life as a natural adventure of Self-discovery where ancient ways and modern approaches meet in your heart, soul and connections with others. Discover how to live, relate and even work more naturally and fully from your own being, your own spirit. 

"A new world is taking birth. This world already exists and in a sense, its energies are precipitating out into form. People throughout the world are beginning to attune to this energy, because in their higher consciousness they are already a part of that world. They are citizens of it, though they may not know it consciously." (David Spangler)  

See What's On for current events and retreats. To read more on our retreats, courses, life at work programs or sessions, click these here, read and click on the details below, go to the tabs at the top or contact us.

Retreats, Groups & Other Events

These connect you with the mystery and wonder of the earth, your natural Self and soul life. You can organise Your Own Retreat with us as an individual, couple, or group at our Northern Rivers retreat or anywhere in Australia! Our Vision Quest is a special nature-based rite of passage experience for those prepared to listen deeply in solitude. The Awakening Retreats are group gatherings held here each change of season where you can be with others. Our Ways of Knowing Retreat is for organisations who want their students or employees to be trained in key skills we teach. See What's On for current retreats, groups and other events.

Courses for Your Whole Self, Life & Future

We provide an amazing learning journey called Natural Mystic: Your Heroic Journey Into the Heart of Life. This five phase program is creative rather than academic, and is available online with personal mentoring in person or by phone. Completion of the first three phases provides a Certificate of Soulful Living. On completion of all five phases an Advanced Certificate of Shamanic Self-Discovery is awarded. This is part of the Diploma of Soul-Centered Mentoring.  

Living Soul: The Call (our first phase of Natural Mystic, one module) is a personal discovery path in becoming more soulful - most naturally alive, living with Self-care, Self-worth and Self-love in your truth, joy and integrity. Shadow to Light: The Quest (phase two, two modules) is a heroic quest into and back from 'the fruitful darkness' of the less conscious and less lived aspects (shadow) of Self. You return with inner treasure by relating with the inner hero / heroine, warrior, shaman, lover (four core patterns or archetypes). In Sacred Nature: The Threshold (phase three, two modules) you create threshold places, actions and experiences for soulful connection in your new world. At thresholds you become more aware of 'the dreaming' - a meeting place of body, soul, nature and spirit where your sacred nature is more fully lived. (This completes the Certificate of Soulful Living).

In Shaman's Path: The Crossing (phase four of Natural Mystic, three modules) the shaman is an artisan, magician or priestess of energy and non-ordinary states of consciousness. Shaman's Path explores and helps enable you to experience some ways of being this natural mystic. As a threshold crossing it can lead to an 'acquisition of soul power' activating the shamanic archetype within your Self.  Pulse of Creation: The Return (phase five, two modules), explores your soul's ecstatic retrieval into living your bliss with greater access to the 'life force' pulse of creation! This embodying of Spirit also integrates the archetype of World Server - living as a 'builder of the dawn' and 'rainbow bridge' in the new consciousness. (This completes the Advanced Certificate of Shamanic Self-Discovery).

In the Diploma of Soul-Centered Mentoring these five phases (i.e. ten modules as Certificate & Advanced Certificate) are followed by course work (3 modules), an individual learning program (3 modules) and a practicum with mentoring (4 modules).

"As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us..The land is truly the larger body that contains us..our second skin." (Valerie Andrews) 

Career Development & Corporate Life At Work Programs

Your naturally aware Self is central to fulfilment, effectiveness and quality of life with work. Our Life at Work programs are for individuals, groups and organisations who want an improved quality of life within and beyond their workplace. Quality of work life and career / business success increase (and may become redefined) as people become aware of how they are in their Self at work. Fulfilment and effectiveness at work is meaningfully linked to a person's sense of Self and their Career & Life Purpose. These programs build successful outcomes through conscious choices and congruent behaviour. Individuals and organisations achieve this through our Work-Life Training and the mentoring and coaching of our Work-Life Sessions.

Personal Guidance, Awareness Sessions & Mentoring

Our awareness sessions help you to access guidance from within by providing high quality soul centered practices with professional mentoring. When held in person the sessions may include Shamanic Journeying, Soul Retrieval, Sandplay, Dreamwork, Alchemy of Change or other practices to empower Self-discovery, inner worth and conscious choices. These draw on an integration of our knowledge and past training - see The Institute. Phone sessions are available.

The Living Earth Community, Us & You 

As part of the growing social movement pro-active for human rights and quality of life on Earth we challenge actions and inaction by governments and corporations that harm or threaten this. As members the Earth Charter Initiative (see about us) our work reflects care for the sovereignty of the whole Earth Community, including indigenous people. We are in solidarity with the eldership of all those who stand for a quality, socially and environmentally just, sustainable future. As members of the Lock the Gate Alliance and Northern Rivers Guardians we, along with the Greens, call on the federal government to establish a national inquiry and complete moratorium on coal seam gas exploration and mining activities harmful to the earth, water quality, food security, people and communities. To take part in these or other actions see Earth Community Action.  

"Every country and people has an angel, just as the earth has a soul." (Carl Jung)