Change is an inevitable part of life—right?
However, it often feels overwhelming and disorienting just when you accept it.
In The Shaman Wears Lipstick, Nikki Hainstock offers profound insights into this change when she decided to become a shaman.
Shamans are people who have been trained to master living energy. They have learned to work with the energy systems of the Earth, the Elements, the skies, the ancestors, the animals, and the people. They also understand scientifically that everything is made up of molecules with atomic vibrations. The foundation of any ethical shamanic practice is the idea of the Right Relationships—with our bodies, our families, other people, food, our past, our future, and ultimately “God.”
Nikki was brought to shamanic work by witnessing a close friend undertake a medicine wheel after her life had been struck by tragedy. Even though she had explored a wide range of healing techniques, including psychiatry, counselling, depth psychology, dream analysis, EMDR, aromatherapy, reflexology, reiki, addiction therapy, regression therapy, and hypnotherapy, she had seen shamanism in all of these forms of healing. Nikki felt dramatic and tangible shifts in life through the tools and practices from the Medicine Wheel—which changed her perception of everything and she felt she had received a road map to living in joy.
One of Nikki’s most compelling metaphors is the serpent. Just as a snake sheds its skin to grow, her shamanic principles suggest we must release outdated roles, beliefs, and emotional patterns to evolve. While this process can be painful as it often involves confronting fears and vulnerabilities, however, as Nikki explains, it’s a necessary step toward living authentically.
For instance, Nikki shares a story about a client struggling with feelings of unworthiness. Through a shamanic technique called Soul Retrieval, Nikki guided the client to reclaim lost aspects of their spirit, helping them release the limiting beliefs that had held them back for years. The result was a renewed sense of self-worth and purpose.
The Medicine Wheel also provides a structured framework for navigating change. Each direction of the wheel represents a growth stage. From acknowledging what no longer serves us to embrace new possibilities—this process can help practitioners find clarity and balance amid life’s transitions.
Nikki’s teachings highlight that change is not something to fear but an opportunity to step into our true selves. Through practices like Affinity Removals and Assemblage Point Shifts, she provides us with practical tools to release old patterns and embrace new ways of being.
In the end, shamanic practices can be a key to unlocking your purpose and living your authentic and most sacred self. By reconnecting with your inner wisdom and aligning with the energies that surround you, you can accept change as a natural and necessary part of life. As Nikki writes, “The future oak tree is pulling itself out of the acorn,” it reminds us to trust the process, knowing that growth is already within us, waiting to be realised.
Read The Shaman Wears Lipstick for more insight and information. Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DN34XDM5.
For Private Shamanic Healings, Soul Retrievals, Surrogate Sessions, Couples Shamanic Healing, Family Constellation Work, Affinity Removals, Assemblage Point Shifts, Wakka’s, International/Local Retreats, Medicine Wheels, Workshops, and yoga teacher training programs, please visit: https://www.spiritwalkretreats.com/.