A brief history of the shamanic community of austin
Explore the rich history and transformative milestones of our community, dedicated to teaching and living shamanic practices.
Our Story
The history of the Shamanic Community of Austin began in 2003. Gerry Starnes, M.Ed. began to gather in his home monthly with a group of friends to study a form of spirituality referred to as shamanism. Originally, the group was formed to explore individuals’ experiences with a blindfolded ecstatic dance practice called Trance Dance. That quickly evolved into an experiential investigation of contemporary shamanic practices, including the shamanic journey.
The focus of these meetings was to offer a safe and supportive place for people to explore their own spirituality through personal experience of a variety of shamanic practices. Drumming, journeying, and dialog was central to the study.
The group outgrew the living room of the house they were using within a few months. As a result, the meetings moved to a larger dance studio where Trance Dance was held and continued to meet regularly, at least twice a month.
Gerry Starnes, M.Ed.
The Leadership Council Forms
The journey circles had grown to fill the studio by 2007. The group moved again into an even larger studio. There, the size of the circles could continue to expand, while still providing a safe container for the practice. A core of practitioners who attended regularly began to form, which in 2015 became the Leadership Council. This group of a dozen practitioners envisioned the direction of the community during a two-year visioning and planning process.
By 2016-2017, the community was offering journey circles and classes twice a week. The Community offers gatherings each quarter–usually around solstices and equinoxes–including ceremonies appropriate to the season, and camping retreats and outdoor events twice a year.
The Shamanic Community of Austin currently hosts the longest-running, continuous journey circles in the Austin area.