The Magic of Shapeshifting

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One of the best ways to connect with power animals is through the art of shapeshifting. In the shaman’s world, animals are kin, an ancient belief reflected in mythology and in animism — the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings. It is a mental world where the seen and the unseen; the material and the spiritual merge. As their helping spirits, the shamans “might use animals, anything that grows,” says Osuitok Ipeelee, an esteemed Artic Inuit sculptor. “It was well known that the animals the shamans controlled had the ability to turn into humans. When a shaman was using his magic he had a real change of personality. When the animals entered into him he’d be chanting loudly; if a shaman was turning into a certain animal, he’d make that animal sound. Once he was filled inside, he’d begin to change; his face and his skin followed.”¹

Shapeshifting is more than just transforming into an animal as is often depicted in shamanic accounts and tales. It is the ability to shift your energies to adapt to the demands and changes of daily life. We all learn which activities, behaviors, and attitudes support or hinder our survival and growth. It is a natural and instinctual ability that we all share. The minimal development of this talent is the ability to mimic. We often mimic for the purpose of learning something or to blend in with our social or physical environment. It implies changing one’s pattern of appearance or behavior, rather than just using what you already have. Actors, for example, are known for their ability to take on the characteristics of another person or thing.