Seeing the World in the Dark – An Interview with Amanda Staab
When she was in labor, psychic medium and shamanic practitioner Amanda Staab was expecting to hold her oldest daughter. Reawakening to her connection with the universe was a bonus.
Amanda Staab
Amanda had been open to her connection as a child, but she learned it was not something to be talked about and shared freely, at least not in a western culture. “In fact, I made the mistake of sharing something with a classmate of mine only for it to be turned into a joke that followed me for years,” she said. “Out of shame and embarrassment, I worked hard to quiet that part of myself and focus only on what society would accept as possible or logical.”
After the magical experience of giving birth, Amanda decided to accept her connection and even try to develop it. She met with Native American medicine people when she was covering their story as a journalist and realized that everything they shared with her made sense beyond her logic. She heard her heart saying, “This is what I have been trying to tell you.”
“I knew I had a choice,” said Amanda. “I could continue living by only my logical mind and go through the motions of what this western culture defines as a successful life, or I could take the lifeboat and get to what I was really supposed to be living – and still be successful by my own standards. I chose the latter.”
Then, she made her decision and found her teachers as well as a community of people who integrated shamanism into their lives. She studied different types of shamanism as well as Native American medicine and started offering shamanic healing services to clients.
Her sessions begin with an initial consultation. “I prefer that clients don’t share too many details with me at that point,” she said, “because if they do, those details can sometimes distract me while I’m trying to focus on the journey. After the journey, we have another consultation during which I share the details of what I saw and they share the details of their situation, and together, we interpret what it all could mean.”
Her favorite meditation music is shamanic drumming with Native American flute. The percussion helps her get into a trance state – when the brain relaxes into theta waves in between being awake and asleep – so that she can journey to see her clients’ obstacles and address them.
Amanda described the word “shaman” as “one who sees in the dark” or just “one who sees” and said shamanism is like a lens through which to see life and the world.
“Shamanism is an ancient, universal spiritual practice adapted by many different people and cultures all over the world. It’s based on harmony with nature and all its beings and an acknowledgement that we are all connected. It also recognizes that we are more than our physical bodies. We are body, mind and spirit, and ailments of the spirit can affect our peace, balance and health.”
She explained how that overlaps with Native American thought. “Some Native Americans believe that when we are in the process of coming into the physical world, when we are being created in our mother’s womb and birthed, there are energies that volunteer and commit to supporting us our entire lives, helping us survive and thrive and realize our life’s purpose,” she said. “Additional energies also can join in to support us as we move through different parts of our lives. Shamanism is mostly concerned with energy and the spirit and therefore, interprets people by their energy and spirit, not so much their physical body. Our physical body is simply a temporary vessel.”
Amanda earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Spanish (double major) at Susquehanna University and her Master’s degree in Journalism at Columbia University. She is the founder and president of Folkwise Communications and TrueHeart Healing. She said she essentially writes stories for businesses and magazines, in addition to offering shamanic consultations and workshops. Amanda said she loves interviewing people, asking them questions that reveal foreshadowing in their lives and connect their present to their past. She said it reminds her that we are not aimlessly wandering but constructing our meaning. Amanda also is deeply involved in community events that foster self-expression and creativity. She initiated the annual writing contest for middle school students in Essex County, New Jersey.
I asked her what she would recommend for people who have a desire to connect to their insight, she said, “Create quiet time for yourself. You do not have to meditate or journey. Just sit, preferably in the early morning hours, either outside or with your window open and listen.” When I was listening to her soft and powerful voice, I wanted to sit quietly and share the magical space she created without the notion of time.
What is your thought on shamanism? Have you experienced reawakening to your connection like Amanda?
You can connect with Amanda at 
