Susan Mokelke, JD

President

"The Foundation for Shamanic Studies has had enormous impact on our world, helping to connect people all over the world with powerful sources of compassion and wisdom. The core shamanic teachings originated, researched, and developed by Michael Harner are primary and timeless. By learning these practical and remarkably effective methods, people are able to make direct contact with the helping spirits of another reality and bring back knowledge and healing to our troubled planet. When we travel this road, we come to know, as a matter of experience not of faith, of the fundamental unity of all things—an understanding that lies at the heart of an enlightened society."

"With the support of FSS faculty, students, donors, and other friends of shamanism, as president I am committed to helping to build a vital and sustainable future for the Foundation—in service to our mission to teach, study, and preserve shamanic knowledge for the welfare of our earth and its inhabitants."

— Susan Mokelke

Susan has worked with non-profit educational organizations since 1978: teaching, designing courses and materials, making educational presentations, fundraising, coordinating volunteer activities, writing, working with websites, and producing videos. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. She has been learning and practicing shamanism and shamanic healing since 1996.

In addition to her role as president, Susan is an FSS Faculty member. She has trained extensively in the Two Week Shamanic Healing Intensive program and the Three-Year Program of Advanced Initiations in Shamanism and Shamanic Healing, and has taught the Pacific Northwest Three Year program for several years. Her numerous writings on shamanism include "Ethical Considerations in Shamanic Healing" and "Shamanism and Personal Transformation." She also developed, based in Michael Harner's Core Shamanism, the Online Shamanic Knowledge Series™ and the Online Shamanic Healing Training Program™. She is the editor of the FSS scholarly journal Shamanism Annual and maintains an active shamanic healing practice.

Susan has had a lifelong interest in creativity and the creative process. She has composed two CDs of healing songs - Teachings from the Spirits (originally produced by FSS) and Be A Light - and has written a fantasy novel, Roseheart.

Susan Mokelke has superb credentials as an outstanding shamanic healer and teacher. She is an inspiring, compassionate, and knowledgeable workshop leader. Anyone who studies with her can be sure of receiving the most up-to-date and accurate results of my research, for she maintains the gold standard of core shamanism. I recommend her enthusiastically.

Michael Harner

Core Shamanism Explained by Susan Mokelke

Susan Mokelke, president of the FSS, was interviewed about shamanism by Eileen Nash for her online/TV program Restore Your Caring Soul. This is a good resource for those who would like an introduction to contemporary shamanism.

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Student Feedback

"Thank you Susan for the living example of creativity, integrity, power, humor, joy and impeccability that you demonstrated during the Three Year Program. There is something you do in your understated and yet remarkably insightful manner that touches my heart deeply."

Pete Hatherell, Three Year Program student

"Susan is a wonderful presenter. Her compassion, depth of knowledge, self-effacement, and her great sense of humor helped even the room so that there was no student/teacher barrier. She was a wise person presenting new knowledge to willing people. It was beautifully done."

Brian Erwin

"Susan is such a grounded, clear, honoring teacher and it is inspirational to witness her obvious comfort with, depth, and commitment to the spirit world and this work. Far from acting "the guru", Susan frequently redirects our questions back to us, encouraging us to seek the answer from our own Spirit Helpers. This approach further demonstrates her respect for the process and has helped me build confidence and familiarity with my own relationship with the spirit world."

Christobel Macdonald, Three-Year Program student

"Susan is filled with stories, grace, encouragement, authenticity, humor, and a strong sense of ethics. She demonstrates a vast knowledge and experience without any judging."

"Susan is amazing and an incredible soul."

"Susan is clear, accomplished, approachable and marvelous, simply marvelous."

"Very respectful of questions and sharing, etc. Very decent, fair, kind. So easy to understand. I so appreciate the simplicity and clarity."

"Susan Mokelke is an excellent teacher. She is clear, well-organized, extremely knowledgeable. I would take any sort of class she ever felt like offering."