Matt Toussaint

Matt has been studying and practicing shamanism since 2008.  He is passionate about sharing the tremendous capacity for change, personal evolution and spiritual growth that shamanism offers. Fully established in and continuing to expand his practice, he is currently living in Peru full-time to study the Amazonian traditions of plant spirit medicine.

Matt's shamanic path began after a sudden spiritual awakening at the age of 17. Until this time he did not consider himself a spiritual or religious person. Late on a September evening in the fated year of 2001, this all changed. Matt underwent what he now relates to as a period of initiation -- rapid and intense spiritual experiences that forever transformed his psychological and emotional connection to and understanding of reality. The most profound change for him was permanent contact with Spirit. In a few short days, he went from a pretty typical modern youth without any inclinations for the unseen world to someone who was seeing little else.

For the next several years he embarked on a quest to unearth the meaning of these experiences. He explored a variety of traditions and philosophies, each providing new insights and guidance but none of which offered a holistic explanation for what was happening. Attracted to the variety of human culture, he began studying anthropology while attending university. Here he was introduced to shamanism and encountered descriptive accounts of shamanic initiations and experiences reminiscent of his own. He began to investigate and experiment, reading and exploring whatever he could find in the shamanic literature.  He focused the remainder of his college studies on shamanism, receiving a BA in Anthropology with an emphasis on shamanic developments in Western culture.

​In the winter of 2007, he had a vision that instructed him to go to Peru to participate in a series of shamanic ceremonies.  The following May he went to the Peruvian Amazon, and during the first ceremony a group of spirits showed him that he would formalize his shamanic training here, under the guidance of the master shaman leading the ceremony. After returning to the Amazon several times over the next few years, Matt was formally accepted to study with Maestros Hamilton Souther and Don Alberto Torres Davila. In late 2014, Matt moved to Peru full-time to continue his training.

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Prior to moving to Peru, Matt has served as a Master Guide with Modern Shamanism, a wilderness ceremonial leader, led a series of live-streamed shamanic ceremonies and classes, co-authored a course on shamanism, and maintained a private practice in the Los Angeles, CA area. Matt also developed a music project called Shamanix that is based on his shamanic journey. He continues to work with clients long-distance, providing remote sessions, shamanic classes and counseling services.

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Shamanic Training, Education and Experience

BA in Cultural Anthropology from SUNY Albany (2009)
- Studies focused on indigenous and modern spirituality
- Conducted original research for an independent study on shamanism in Western culture

Shamanic Training in the Peruvian Amazon (November 2014 - Present)
- Over 300 traditional shamanic ceremonies
- Completed 24 shamanic plant medicine diets

Master Guide with Modern Shamanism (Oct 2011 - Present)
- Completed Master Guide training in July 2012

Shamanic Apprenticeship (2012 - Present)
- Studying and training under the guidance of Master Shamans in Peru and the US

Private Practice in the Los Angeles area (Jan 2013 - April 2014)
- Featured practitioner at several healing centers, private and group sessions, classes

Modern Shamanism Live-Streamed Online Ceremonies (May 2014 - Nov 2014)
- Led a weekly series of online ceremonies and courses
- Based in the Modern Shamanism discipline

Vision Quest in the Green Mountains of Vermont (Sep 2010)
- Guided by shaman and teacher Emory Forest at Spirit Hollow

Vision Fast Guide Training with the School of Lost Borders (Oct 2012, 2013)
- Two-week guide training completed in October 2012
- Assistant Guide for the October 2013 two-week training
- A number of self-guided vision quests and ceremonial time spent in nature

Wilderness First Aid Training (Nov 2013)
- Completed certification course with REI / NOLS

Basic Tracking Class (June 2012)
- Completed through the nature and wilderness school Earth Skills

Modern Shamanism Meetup Group Organizer (Nov 2011 - May 2015)
- Guiding regular shamanic circles, events and workshops

Member of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners (2013-2015)
- Organization dedicated to the re-emergence of shamanic practices

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