Michael Harner, PhD

Throughout a half century of anthropological fieldwork, cross-cultural studies, experimental research, and firsthand experience with Indigenous Peoples worldwide, Michael Harner meticulously identified the universal and common methods of shamanism. Harner then created a comprehensive shamanic methodology he named Core Shamanism, combining the fundamental practices of shamans around the globe into a coherent and functional system—a system which does not include the distinct cultural and ceremonial aspects of Indigenous Peoples. Modern, effective, safe, and accessible, Core Shamanism can be practiced ethically and respectfully without appropriating specific cultural practices from Indigenous Peoples.

Michael Harner began learning about shamanism in 1956-57 while studying with the Shuar tribe of the Ecuadorian Amazon, and he started practicing shamanism during his 1960-61 stay with the Conibo people of the Peruvian Amazon. Harner received his anthropology PhD in 1963 from the University of California, Berkeley. He subsequently returned to study with the Shuar in 1969 and 1973. Following his initial shamanic training in the Upper Amazon, Harner developed his personal practice of shamanism and shamanic healing in the United States. Harner also began to teach about the practical importance of the ancient shamanic knowledge and wisdom of the Indigenous Peoples of the world.

Harner taught anthropology at various institutions, including UC Berkeley, Columbia University, Yale University, and the Graduate Faculty of the New School in New York, where he was Chair of the Anthropology Department. He also served as Co-Chair of the anthropology section of the New York Academy of Sciences. As he wrote and lectured on shamanism, he was asked by many people to teach them shamanic methods. In response, he started giving training workshops in the early 1970’s to small groups of people. Interest in this training rapidly grew, and in 1979 he founded the Center for Shamanic Studies in Norwalk, Connecticut, to facilitate the training. in 1985, the Center for Shamanic Studies was integrated into a new non-profit organization, the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. He left academia in 1987 in order to devote himself full-time to shamanism, and in 1994, the headquarters of the FSS was moved to the San Francisco Bay Area of California.

In 2003, Harner received an honorary doctorate in recognition of his achievements in shamanic studies. In 2009, he was honored by California Pacific Medical Center's Institute for Health & Healing with the "Pioneers in Integrative Medicine Award." He also received special academic recognition through the presentation of sessions dedicated to him at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association in Philadelphia. Three organizations of the AAA joined together to recognize him for his "pioneering work" in shamanism "as an academic and advocate" and for his role during the last forty years in the "exponential growth in anthropological studies of the importance and significance" of shamanism.