The 9 Pillars for Finding the Path of the Heart: The Way to Happiness, Meaning, and Shamanic Magic

What if there were a path to a more genuine and whole life? A path that balances body, mind, and soul, and that helps us live with integrity, love, and clarity in everything we do. It exists. I call it the Path of the Heart.

Living from the heart is something other than romance and idealism. It is a concrete way of building character, inner balance, and spiritual strength, and it rests on nine pillars: from gratitude and self-regulation to understanding the soul’s calling and nature’s rhythms.

The path of darkness and the path of light

The more emotional states of suffering we carry, the darker we experience life. These inner shadows grow out of the ego’s secondary emotions: fear, intolerance, anger, hatred, jealousy, frustration, greed, anxiety, fear of competition, and constant worry. When such emotions rule us, we easily fall into patterns where we treat both ourselves and others badly. Communication breaks down, and conflicts at home and at work can quickly escalate into something loud, harsh, and disrespectful.

I know these states all too well. Before I hit the wall in 2003, I was a master at living in them. I held grudges against people who had hurt me or others. I was constantly afraid of not having enough: time, money, status, and security. And no matter how much material security I gathered around me, I felt a deep, piercing emptiness inside. As if life lacked a core, meaning, and direction.

The more emotional states of suffering we are filled with, the darker we experience life.

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Right from the start of my shamanic journey, my teacher kept repeating one thing: To live a good life, you must learn to heal the causes of your emotions of suffering.

Not only the symptoms. Not only the way they show themselves on the surface.

But the causes themselves: the deep, imprinted patterns in the subconscious that run on autopilot without our noticing.

Because the truth is simple and merciless: These emotional states of suffering are not something we choose.

They are the result of everything that has left its imprint on us: the experiences of childhood, parents and caregivers, society’s expectations, religious dogmas about sin and shame, the ideals of our culture, and fear-based norms.

And as long as these patterns are allowed to dominate, we go through life with a feeling of lack, no matter how much we achieve.

To find the way to the light, to the heart, and to a meaningful life, we must learn two things:

1. How to free ourselves from the emotional states of suffering that hold us down
2. How to fill ourselves with rich emotional states that lift us up and give us meaning

Rich emotional states are what the heart and soul long for. They are driven by the heart’s primary emotions: happiness, passion, love, courage, empathy, integrity, gratitude, care, and compassion.

When we live in such states, we treat both ourselves and others well, naturally, intuitively, and without effort.

In the state of the heart, we know instinctively what is right to do. Challenges between people become easier to handle. Conflicts can be resolved without aggression, with respect, warmth, and clarity.

When you meet your partner in a rich emotional state, even difficult conversations become easier. What could have turned into a conflict instead becomes an opportunity to grow closer to each other.

The path of light is the only path to a fulfilled life

We can only feel alive, whole, and in balance when we live in rich emotional states.

This is where the light is.

This is where meaning is.

This is where healing happens.

And this is where shamanic work opens up fully, because a heart filled with light is a heart that can heal, see, and create magic.

To find the path of light and of the heart, we must learn how to set ourselves free from these emotional states of suffering, and how to fill ourselves with rich emotional states.

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The art of following the Path of the Heart

Following the Path of the Heart is something quite different from being nice, polite, or “positive.” It is an entirely different orientation in life: a way of being in the world that places the qualities of the heart above the ego’s need for control, achievement, and outside recognition.

For many of us, myself included, this was never taught at home. My mother taught me that the most important things in life were to earn enough money, build a solid career, and be capable, productive, and functional. Meaning, closeness, joy, calm, and presence, all that the heart longed for, were seen as luxuries and not as necessities.

It was the perfect recipe for an efficient, dutiful, and goal-driven achiever.

And at the same time a recipe for a breakdown. So it came as no surprise that I collapsed in 2003.

Breaking such patterns, deeply imprinted through childhood, culture, and society, is not easy. Good intentions are not enough. It takes wholehearted effort and a willingness to face sides of yourself you may never have dared to look at before.

We often need help with this. A teacher, therapist, or mentor can make all the difference, simply because it is hard to be objective about your own behavior, especially when you begin to approach the ego’s fear. And it is exactly that fear that lies beneath all our emotional states of suffering.

Following the Path of the Heart is therefore an art. But it is also the key to a life that feels genuine, wholehearted, and deeply meaningful.

The 9 Pillars for Finding the Path of the Heart

To truly live the Path of the Heart and to experience the deep change this path can bring, good intentions are not enough. We need practice. Dedication. And the will to develop in several areas at once.

The nine pillars below are the foundation for genuine personal and spiritual development. These areas are not only meant to be understood. They are meant to be practiced, put to use, and lived out in everyday life. If you do that, the Path of the Heart opens up in an entirely new way, and the changes can be both far-reaching and life-changing.

1. Become a master of gratitude. Cultivating a grateful heart opens the door to joy, presence, and deep contentment, regardless of outer circumstances.

2. Become a master of forgiving yourself and others. Forgiveness frees energy, dissolves old ties, and gives the heart a chance to breathe again.

3. Become a master of physical, emotional, and spiritual self-regulation. When you learn to calm your nervous system, balance your emotions, and open up spiritually, you create an inner foundation of safety and strength.

4. Become a master of building a healthy value system and a strong personal character. A solid inner compass makes it easier to stand firm in life’s challenges and to make choices that are in line with your essence.

5. Become a master of seeing the glass as half full. The ability to see possibilities rather than limitations changes your attitude, your actions, and your quality of life.

6. Become a master of healing your Almighty Syndrome. Letting go of the need to control everything and everyone gives the soul room to express wisdom and clarity.

7. Become a master of healing perfectionism. When you let go of the chains of perfectionism, you open up to flow, creativity, and true joy of life.

8. Become a master of understanding and living out nature’s healing rhythms. When you live in step with nature’s cycles, body, mind, and soul find their balance more easily.

9. Become a master of understanding and living out your soul’s desires and life mission. The deepest freedom comes when you live in harmony with your soul’s calling: your innermost, authentic vision and mission.

In the podcast The Journey to Self-Realization, Amina and I explore the Path of the Heart in depth in episodes 1–12.

Below is a short introduction to each pillar, and to how the pillars can begin to change your life from the inside out.

1. Become a master of gratitude

Gratitude is one of the simplest and most effective ways to fill your life with rich, nourishing emotional states. Yet I rarely meet people who have truly mastered the art, who consciously let their heart fill with warmth, joy, and love through gratitude in everyday life. All too often we take the good things in life for granted, as if they will always be there.

But gratitude is not reserved for Zen monks or spiritual masters who have meditated for decades. Anyone can learn it. Five minutes a day can be enough to train the heart to activate primary emotions such as joy, passion, and love whenever you choose.

When you practice gratitude regularly, it also becomes much easier to see the glass as half full (see pillar 5), even when you are going through heavy or demanding situations in life.

A simple five-minute exercise to become a master of gratitude

Step 1: make your gratitude list

Write a list of at least 10 things, people, moments, or experiences in your life that you are deeply grateful for.

Feel free to use pictures that symbolize them.

I also recommend that you buy a small notebook and give it a name such as:

• “My Gratitude Journal” or
• “My Rich Emotional States”

This is where you can write down your experiences after each exercise.

Step 2: daily practice (5 minutes)

a) Find a place where you can sit in silence and be undisturbed.

b) Breathe calmly in and out into your lower belly 3–5 times while you turn your attention toward your heart.

c) Choose an item from your gratitude list. Picture the situation as clearly as you can, almost as if you were there again.

d) Go deeper into the details of the memory: the sounds, the feelings, the smells, the atmosphere. Let the feelings come. Feel the warmth, joy, love, and gratitude, everything that belongs to that moment.

e) When your heart is filled with these primary emotions, move on to the next item on the list and repeat the process.

f) After about five minutes, finish with a couple of deep breaths and stretch your body a little.

g) Write a few lines in your journal about what you experienced.

How to succeed

What requires the most focus at the beginning is steps c and d.

Many people need time to call up the feelings, but gradually you will activate them faster and more naturally. It is not a race. What matters most is that you feel, not that you do it quickly. It can take anything from a few days to several weeks of daily practice before you experience the primary emotions fully.

The most common mistake is to just make the list and read through it. That does little good. The intellect alone cannot call forth the primary emotions that create change.

That is why I warmly recommend that you do the whole exercise as described. If you do this daily, you can eventually activate gratitude, and with it rich emotional states, within a few seconds in everyday life.

Mastery comes with practice. And gratitude makes life richer.

2. Become a master of forgiving yourself and others

The inability to forgive is perhaps one of the most destructive forces in human life. It lies behind countless conflicts, broken friendships, partnerships that collapse, and families that drift apart. And it robs us of the joy of life every single day. If we had learned true forgiveness back in elementary school, both our own lives and the world around us would probably look completely different.

When we cannot forgive, we carry the burdens ourselves.

We get irritated.

We hold grudges.

We keep chewing on what happened.

We let the wounds rule our thoughts and our feelings, sometimes for our whole lives.

But the question is: is it really worth giving other people power over our inner peace, our health, and our happiness in life?

Forgiveness is one of the most liberating skills a human being can learn on the way to health, joy, inner harmony, and a meaningful life.

But does that mean you should accept or condone everything that has been done to you?

Of course not.

To forgive does not mean that what happened was right. It does not mean that you have to let someone back into your life. It does not mean that you have to agree, forget, or play it down.

Forgiveness means one thing:

That you take your power back. That you let go of the ties that bind you to the past. That you set yourself free.

Forgiveness is a fundamental pillar of the Path of the Heart: a path where we gradually let go of and heal what weighs us down. That makes room for more love, clarity, strength, and inner calm.

In the article “Learn the 7 Pillars of True Forgiveness: Free Yourself Through Forgiveness,” I describe in detail why absolutely everything can be forgiven, and how you can do it without condoning the wrong that was done. There you will also find the important difference between forgiving and condoning.

Forgiveness is not for the other person. It is for you. It is the key to your freedom.

My advice is to become an expert in forgiveness.

One of the most important things a human being can learn on the way to good health, joy of life, and meaning is the ability to forgive themselves and others completely, because that is what sets us free.

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3. Become a master of physical, emotional, and spiritual self-regulation

We regulate ourselves all the time, without thinking about it.

When the water in the shower gets too hot or too cold, we adjust the temperature. When we have eaten too much, we move less. When we train too hard, the body forces us to rest. Life is full of small and large adjustments that help us back into balance.

Self-regulation is the art of doing this consciously, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is a fundamental part of the Path of the Heart.

Physical self-regulation

Our body is a masterpiece.

A living, intelligent organism that works every single day to keep us in balance, even when we push it, stress it, or forget to listen to it. It fine-tunes temperature, hormones, immune response, digestion, and energy levels without our having to lift a finger. This is called homeostasis: the body’s ability to find its way back to its natural equilibrium.

But the body cannot do everything on its own. It needs our support, our good choices, and our care.

A few important factors help the autonomic nervous system, the body’s “inner conductor,” stay in balance:

• Enough rest and conscious breathing. Deep, calm breathing and breaks during the day give the nervous system room to settle.
• Quality sleep, 7–8 hours a night. Sleep is the body’s own repair phase. Without it, healing and regeneration come to a halt.
• Daily physical activity. Just 20 minutes of brisk walking can make an enormous difference to your stress level, your energy balance, and your emotional life.
• Daily forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku). Silence and presence in nature are among the most effective methods we have for regulating the nervous system. Forest bathing reduces stress, lowers cortisol, strengthens the immune system, and balances both body and mind. You can read more about this in the article “Forest Bathing: Nature’s Medicine Against Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout.”
• Avoid foods that can cause inflammation or stress in the immune system. For many people, that means gluten, cow’s milk, soy, FODMAP foods, or other intolerances.
• A stabilizing diet. Fewer fast-acting carbohydrates, more healthy fats, and a balanced amount of protein give the body good nourishment and a steady energy level.

When one or more of these factors are ignored over time, the body gradually loses its ability to regulate itself. It has a harder time repairing, healing, and balancing itself. This can lead to fatigue, stress, imbalances, and in the worst case illness.

Physical self-regulation means taking responsibility for exactly this: giving the body what it needs to be the strong, wise, and tireless ally it really is.

The more you cooperate with your body, the better it cooperates with you.

Emotional self-regulation

When stress takes over, or we end up in emotional imbalance, when we become angry, frustrated, discouraged, afraid, worried, or low, we slide automatically into what we call emotional states of suffering. These are states that drain us of energy, close the heart, and make life heavier than it needs to be.

The good news is that emotional balance is a skill. It can be trained, just like a muscle.

Emotional self-regulation does not mean suppressing your feelings or pretending that everything is fine. It means learning how to help yourself back into balance when you notice that you are about to lose your footing.

There are many simple and effective methods for this. Two of the most important are:

• Interrupt handling. A conscious technique in which you stop the carousel of thoughts before it escalates.
• Deep breathing. One of the most effective ways to calm the nervous system, and a method that can bring you back into balance within a few seconds.

These and several other techniques are described in detail in the articles “This Could Be Your Most Important Decision: Learn How to Live a Happy and Meaningful Life in Your Current Situation” and “Are You Struggling with Perfectionism? Learn Why You’ll Never Achieve It, and How to Avoid the Chase,” and in my book Beyond Positive Psychology: A Journey from Burnout to Enlightenment.

When you learn to regulate yourself emotionally, you become more balanced and freer. You gain an inner stability that makes it easier to meet life with clarity, warmth, and strength.

Spiritual self-regulation

The third and deepest form of self-regulation is about the heart: the connection between our human experience and the essence of the soul. The heart is the bridge between the physical and the existential, and it is through the heart that the soul gets to express itself in everyday life.

The more we let ourselves be motivated by the heart’s primary emotions, joy, passion, love, courage, empathy, care, and compassion, the closer we come to who we really are. These emotions are not random. They are the language of the soul. When they are given room, life begins to feel more genuine and more true.

Spiritual self-regulation is therefore about:

• noticing what drives us
• adjusting course when the ego’s fear, stress, or old patterns take up too much room
• consciously choosing to act from the heart, even when it is demanding

It takes training: a daily practice where we stop, check in with ourselves, and ask:

What does my heart want to express right now? What is the motivation behind my thoughts, words, and actions? Is it driven by fear, or by love?

When the motivation behind our life is rooted in the qualities of the heart, a deep change takes place. It becomes easier to be present. Conflicts become easier to resolve. Meaning becomes easier to find. And gradually we begin to live in step with the soul, and not only with the thoughts, demands, and expectations around us.

Spiritual self-regulation is the art of steering your life from the heart.

When the heart leads, the soul follows, and life falls more and more into place.

4. Become a master of building a healthy value system and a strong personal character

Developing a healthy value system and a strong personal character is one of the most meaningful projects we can devote our lives to. It affects everything: how we meet challenges, how we treat others, what choices we make, and which way our heart is allowed to lead us.

A solid value system works as an inner guiding principle. It helps us stand firm when life gets stormy, and it gives us the courage to act in line with what really matters, even when it is difficult.

When we build character, we also build integrity: the alignment between who you are, how you think, and how you act. It is the quiet, inner strength that enables us to live a life that is genuine and authentic, both for ourselves and for the people around us.

Ignoring this side of life, on the other hand, can have serious consequences. Without a clear value system, it is easy to lose direction, fall into old patterns, or be ruled by outside pressure and the ego’s fear. Then the Path of the Heart becomes much harder to follow.

For a more thorough introduction to how you build a solid personal character, I recommend the article “What Can Norwegian Business Leaders Learn from a Shaman? Here’s How to Build a Strong Personal Character.”

5. Become a master of seeing the glass as half full

Two people can be in exactly the same situation and still experience it completely differently. One sees what is happening through a dark filter that creates frustration, sorrow, or discouragement. The other manages to meet the same moment with a more open, constructive, and loving eye.

That is not naivety. It is a perspective.

The ability to see possibilities instead of limitations is one of the most life-changing skills you can develop. When we cultivate that ability, life opens up in an entirely new way: challenges become lessons, uphill stretches become strength, and what first seemed impossible becomes a way forward.

Some of the strongest examples are found among people who have survived the unthinkable. Eva Mozes Kor and Viktor Frankl, who were both subjected to the cruel torture of the Nazis, said that their inner attitude was crucial to their survival. In the midst of indescribable darkness, they chose to see that “the glass was half full.” That choice gave them strength, hope, and a kind of inner freedom that no one could take from them.

The interview with Eva Mozes Kor is in the article “Learn the 7 Pillars of True Forgiveness: Free Yourself Through Forgiveness.”

“The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

Viktor Frankl, psychiatrist

6. Become a master of healing your Almighty Syndrome

The Almighty Syndrome is about a common but very limiting human tendency: the belief that our own opinions are automatically the truth and that everyone who disagrees is wrong. It arises when we draw firm conclusions without really knowing what is real, and without being open to the possibility that reality may be far larger, richer, and more complex than our own perspective.

It may seem harmless on the surface, but the consequences are often serious.

Once we have decided that “this is how it is,” and the conclusion does not actually match reality, we lay a crooked foundation for everything else we think, feel, and decide within that same area. When the starting point is wrong, the thoughts, choices, and actions that spring from it turn out wrong as well, again and again.

This can create significant negative ripple effects in relationships, at work, in health, in self-image, and in the direction of one’s life.

Healing the Almighty Syndrome is therefore about something much bigger than opinions. It is about developing humility, wisdom, and an open mind. It means daring to say:

“I actually don’t know, but I am willing to learn.”

This attitude creates room for growth, love, real dialogue, and deeper insight. It makes us better equipped to follow the Path of the Heart and to see reality as it actually is, and not as we believe it to be.

For a deeper exploration of the topic, I recommend the article “The Almighty Syndrome: The Art of Accepting What We Don’t Know.”

7. Become a master of healing perfectionism

Perfectionism has become one of the great afflictions of our time: a silent epidemic that strikes people of all ages. Everywhere we meet the ideal that everything should be perfect: the body, the home, the career, the finances, the children, the relationships, and even our free time. Perfection has become a kind of modern currency, and many feel that their worth is measured by how polished the facade is and how quickly they climb upward in life.

But here lies the great paradox: perfectionism is an illusion.

A mirage that glitters on the horizon but vanishes the moment we try to grasp it. Because what does “perfect” really mean? Who defines it? And why do we believe that our worth depends on achieving something that can neither be measured nor found?

The chase for perfection eats away at the joy of life, creativity, spontaneity, and real connection. Instead, it creates stress, shame, pressure to perform, and a constant feeling of not being good enough.

Healing perfectionism does not mean giving up ambition or quality. It means freeing yourself from the destructive chase after something that can never be reached, and finding your way back to the heart, to joy, and to what is authentically human, which is fallible by nature.

When you lay down the burden of perfectionism, you open the door to something far greater:

Healing perfectionism does not mean giving up ambition or quality. It means freeing yourself from the destructive chase after something that can never be reached, and finding your way back to the heart, to joy, and to what is authentically human, which is fallible by nature.

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• inner calm
• true self-acceptance
• the freedom to be yourself
• and a deeper connection with life as it really is

If you want a more thorough and practical introduction to breaking the pattern of perfectionism, I recommend the article “Are You Struggling with Perfectionism? Learn Why You’ll Never Achieve It, and How to Avoid the Chase.”

“If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.”

Leo Tolstoy

8. Become a master of understanding and living out nature’s healing rhythms

Nature holds an ancient treasury of wisdom: rhythms, cycles, and principles that show us the most natural way toward a healthier, happier, and more meaningful life. When we lift our gaze and study Indigenous peoples who have lived without Western dogmas, moralizing norms, and modern performance culture, we see a clear pattern:

Depression, anxiety, and chronic illness are rare. How can that be? The answer is as simple as it is clear:

They still live in harmony with nature’s rhythms.

In such cultures, life is built on a lasting balance:

• a natural alternation between activity and rest
• a pace that follows the seasons, slower in winter, more energetic in spring and summer
• strong bonds to the tribe, the family, and the community
• and a deep respect for nature as pantry, medicine, and teacher all at once

This stands in sharp contrast to our own world, where the natural rhythms have gradually been erased. Technology and artificial light make it possible to be “on” around the clock, and many live by goals and demands that are completely out of harmony with why we are really here.

When we lose touch with nature’s rhythms, we also lose touch with our own.

But when we find our way back, when we begin to listen to the seasons, the light, the darkness, the stillness, and everything nature has to say, something deeply healing happens. Good rhythms create good lives. And nature’s rhythms are the healthiest we can learn from.

For more inspiration and practical guidance, I recommend the articles “Forest Bathing: Nature’s Medicine Against Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout” and “The Art of Living According to Nature’s Healthy Rhythms.”

9. Become a master of understanding and living out your soul’s desires and life mission

Your soul did not come into this life by chance. It chose to step into the human experience to learn, grow, and experience things that do not exist in its original nature, where neither time, space, conflicts, limitations, suffering, nor the taste of a strawberry exists.

Here, in the body, in everyday life, in relationships, and in the choices we make, the soul gets the chance to explore the richness and depth of life in ways that would otherwise be impossible.

When the soul incarnates, it steps into a kind of straitjacket: the limitations of space, time, karma, body, and free will.

That is no mistake. It is the whole point.

It did not come here to collect money, titles, or status.

It came to learn.

To experience.

To grow in line with its life mission.

Modern society understands little of this. That is why we often see people who feel empty and restless, even though they have filled their lives with everything society says we should strive for.

When we do not live in harmony with the soul’s mission, we lose touch with our own inner meaning.

For more insight, I recommend the article “The Secrets Behind Death and Reincarnation: What Happens After Death?”

What the Path of the Heart really requires

Following the Path of the Heart does not mean “living in love” in a superficial or romanticized way, as it is often presented in alternative circles. It is deep, honest work aimed at change, in which you gradually free yourself from the ego’s fear, resistance, and old patterns, so that the soul can express itself more and more through your life.

If you commit yourself authentically to the path, your life can change in ways that are both deep and wonderful. I have experienced this myself, and I have seen the same thing happen with many students over the years.

You do not have to walk the path alone

Finding and living out the soul’s mission is one of life’s greatest projects, and one of the most demanding.

It is hard to do alone, because the ego’s fear often sets off strong mechanisms to prevent any kind of change.

That is why I warmly recommend that you find a trustworthy, competent mentor or spiritual teacher who can support you, mirror you, and help you through the process.

The path is not always easy, but the reward is enormous: clarity, meaning, inner peace, abundance, joy of life, joyfulness, direction, and a life that feels genuine all the way to the core.

Why the Path of the Heart is central for a shaman

For a shaman, the Path of the Heart is absolutely essential.

A shaman never works alone. All true shamanic practice is a collaboration between the human being and the beings of light: angels, power animals, spiritual helpers, and other forms of consciousness that resonate at the frequency of the heart. They are the ones who give the power behind the rituals, who carry us through the shamanic dreamworld, who open the doors to the Upper and Lower Worlds, who support healing and liberation, and who give access to rune forces, ritual magic, and mystical insight.

These beings of light will never collaborate with a shaman who is ruled by the ego’s darker qualities: fear, the need for control, the lust for power, or the wish to harm. They support only actions that are in line with their own nature.

When a shaman does not follow the Path of the Heart, there is in reality only one alternative: to use black magic.

This means manipulating your own life energy or that of others, often animals or plants, to achieve the results you want. It has nothing to do with the primordial shamanism I teach at the Yggdrasil Shamanic School, and it is in direct conflict with the principles of the heart. This kind of fear-based magic always leads to imbalance and negative consequences, both for the practitioner and for those around them. There is more about this in the article “Shamanic Magic: A Glimpse Behind the Mystical Veil of Magic.”

The Path of the Heart in practice

At the Yggdrasil Shamanic School, the Path of the Heart is both foundation and guiding principle. You cannot develop as a shaman without devoting yourself authentically to the qualities of the heart. It is by living these qualities out in your daily life, and not only by understanding them intellectually, that you gain access to greater power, insight, and a deeper collaboration with the beings of light.

One of the most effective ways to do this is the 9 Pillars for Finding the Path of the Heart. If you practice them actively in everyday life, in relationships, in communication, in decisions, and in the way you meet life, something fundamental happens:

• the ego stops ruling
• the soul steps forward
• and you become a channel for light, not for fear

The only true proof that someone walks the Path of the Heart is not what they say, but how they live:

• how they treat their partner, family, and children
• how they meet colleagues and friends
• how they talk about others
• and how they express themselves on social media

All of this reveals the intentions behind the actions.

Shamanic death: when the ego gives up the throne

In shamanism, this transition is called “shamanic death.”

It is the process in which the ego goes from being the soul’s ruler to becoming the soul’s adviser.

This is one of the most important milestones on the shaman’s path, and to a large degree it determines how far you can go, in power, in insight, and in inner freedom.

You cannot lead others into the light if you yourself stand in shadow.

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You can hear more about this in the podcast The Journey to Self-Realization, which I make together with Amina: episode 15, “Death Anxiety and the Fear of Death – When Everything Falls Apart and the Soul Demands Change: How to Come Back to Life,” episode 16, “Primal Anxiety, Fear-Driven Shamanism and the Nervous System – How to Find Your Way Back to Safety Within Yourself,” and episode 29, “Shamanic Death and the Dark Night of the Soul.”

For shamanic teachers, the Path of the Heart is even more important. You cannot lead others into the light if you yourself stand in shadow. A teacher who is ruled by the ego inevitably creates a culture of fear, jealousy, envy, drama, and gossip. That is why the Path of the Heart is not optional. It is a prerequisite.

The Path of the Heart as the backbone of all teaching

At the Yggdrasil Shamanic School, the Path of the Heart stands as an unshakable cornerstone.

Again and again I have seen that students who open themselves to this path experience deep changes, often within just a few weeks. Life becomes lighter, relationships warmer, insight deeper, and power stronger.

Because when the heart opens, the whole universe opens along with it.

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

Mark Twain

Do you want to go deeper? On my blog and in the podcast The Journey to Self-Realization, we explore the topics in this text in more depth.

If you want to walk the path yourself, it begins at the Yggdrasil Shamanic School with our free online course on primordial shamanism: Nature’s Path to Freedom and Self-Realization – Shamanism, Rituals, and Rune Magic – Twilight Between Two Worlds. No path could begin more simply. How far it reaches is up to you.

Free online course: Nature’s Path to Freedom and Self-Realization

Shamanism, Rituals, and Rune Magic – Twilight Between Two Worlds

Are you curious about what real shamanism actually is, behind the mystique, the ceremonies, and the preconceived notions? Then this free online course is for you!

In this introductory course, I share my personal journey from skeptic to deep insight into ancient shamanic principles, rituals, and rune magic. You will discover how these powerful techniques can give you:

• Inner freedom
• More meaning in life
• Deep healing and personal growth

Among other things, you will learn:

• What shamanism and primordial shamanism really are (and are not)
• Common misconceptions and challenges in shamanism
• How shamanic magic and runes work in practice
• Why our inner longing for growth is the key to a fulfilled life
• Methods for achieving years of inner development in just a few months