Shamanic Tools Guide – Essential Tools for Shamanic Practice

Shamanic Tools Guide – Essential Tools for Shamanic Practice

Shamanism is one of the oldest spiritual traditions in the world, found in cultures across every continent. At its heart, shamanism is a practice of working with the spirit world — through altered states of consciousness, ceremony, and relationship with nature — to bring healing, guidance, and balance to individuals and communities.

Shamanic practitioners use a range of sacred tools to support their work. These tools are not merely objects — they are living allies, each with its own spirit and purpose. This guide introduces the most important shamanic tools and how they are used.

The Shamanic Drum

The shamanic drum is the most fundamental tool in shamanic practice across virtually every tradition. Often called the “horse” of the shaman, the drum carries the practitioner into non-ordinary reality during shamanic journeying. Its steady, rhythmic beat — typically between 4 and 7 beats per second — induces a theta brainwave state, the same state experienced in deep meditation and the hypnagogic state just before sleep.

How it is used: The shaman beats the drum in a steady rhythm to enter a trance state and journey to the lower, middle, or upper worlds to retrieve information, power animals, or healing for themselves or others.

Choosing a drum: Frame drums are the most traditional form. Consider the size (larger drums produce deeper tones), the skin (deer, elk, and buffalo are traditional), and whether the drum is synthetic or natural skin. See our blog: What is a Shaman Drum? Considerations for Choosing the Right One.
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The Rattle

The rattle is the second most important shamanic tool. Like the drum, it is used to shift consciousness and call in helping spirits. Rattles are used to cleanse and clear energy, to call in the directions and elements, and to accompany drumming during ceremony. They are also used to diagnose and treat energetic imbalances in healing work.

Types of rattles: Gourd rattles, seed rattles, rawhide rattles, and ceremonial rattles from specific traditions (such as Andean chungana rattles). Each has a different sound and energy.
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Feathers & Fans

Feathers are used in shamanic practice for smudging, energy clearing, and as a symbol of connection to the spirit world and the element of air. A feather fan is used to direct the smoke of sage, palo santo, or copal during cleansing ceremonies, and to sweep stagnant energy from the body and aura.

How it is used: Hold the feather or fan in one hand and use it to waft smoke from a smudge stick over the body, space, or sacred objects. Work from the feet upward, sweeping energy away from the body.
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The Mesa – The Shaman’s Altar Bundle

In the Andean tradition, the Mesa (meaning “table” in Spanish) is the shaman’s personal altar bundle — a collection of sacred objects, or khuyas, wrapped in a cloth called a mesa cloth. Each object in the Mesa has been received through ceremony, vision, or gift, and carries specific healing energy and spiritual power.

The Mesa is the shaman’s most personal and sacred tool — it is built over years of practice and ceremony, and is unique to each practitioner. It is used in healing sessions, ceremony, and as a focal point for prayer and intention.

Mesa cloths: Traditional Andean mesa cloths are woven textiles, often featuring geometric patterns and sacred symbols. They are used to wrap and carry the Mesa bundle.
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Shamanic Spirit Water (Agua de Florida)

Florida Water (Agua de Florida) is a sacred cologne used extensively in shamanic and spiritual practice across South America and beyond. It is used for cleansing, protection, and as an offering. In Andean shamanism, it is sprayed from the mouth over a person or space to clear energy, or used to anoint the hands before ceremony.

How it is used: Spray or sprinkle around yourself or your space to cleanse energy. Apply to the hands before healing work. Use as an offering in ceremony.
Shop Florida Water → | Read: Florida Water: Uses, Meaning and Rituals

Copal & Sacred Incense

Copal is a sacred tree resin used for thousands of years in Mesoamerican and Andean shamanic traditions. When burned on charcoal, it produces a rich, purifying smoke that clears negative energy, calls in helping spirits, and creates a sacred atmosphere for ceremony. Palo Santo and white sage are also widely used in shamanic practice for similar purposes.

Shop Copal & Sacred Incense → | Read our Smudging Guide →

Crystals & Power Stones

Crystals and stones have been used as shamanic tools across every tradition. In Andean shamanism, khuyas (sacred stones) are the primary objects of the Mesa. Crystals are used to hold and transmit healing energy, to protect the practitioner, and as offerings in ceremony.

Shop Crystals → | Read our Crystal Guide →

Singing Bowls & Sound Tools

Sound is a fundamental tool in shamanic healing. Singing bowls, rattles, drums, and bells are all used to shift energy, clear space, and induce altered states of consciousness. See our Sound Healing at Home guide and Singing Bowl Size Guide for more.

Caring for Your Shamanic Tools

  • Cleanse new tools with smoke (sage, palo santo, or copal) before first use
  • Introduce yourself to each tool and set a clear intention for your work together
  • Store tools wrapped in natural cloth, away from direct sunlight
  • Cleanse tools regularly, especially after intense healing work
  • Treat your tools with reverence — they are sacred allies, not objects

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