Lawrence I. Messerman, Ph.D. 

Traditional Shamanic Healing

for Modern people

DEEP ROOTS OF THE WIXÁRIKA TRADITION TO HELP INDIVIDUALS & GROUPS FLOURISH

AS A MARA’AKAME OR HEALER AND RITUAL LEADER IN THE WIXÁRIKA TRADITION, LAWRENCE IS PART OF AN ANCESTRAL PATH THAT HAS EXISTED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

The Value of Tradition
To Support Healing

The Wixárika (or Huichol as they are more widely known) people still follow the original instructions about how to live joyfully in relationship with the living world.

Their wisdom comes from following in the footsteps of their ancestors in honoring the Divine through regular cycles of pilgrimage and other rituals. With this solid foundation, the mara’akame can support deep healing for those in need.

Getting to the ‘Root’ of The Problem:

The Wixárika, like many older traditions, see most ‘dis-ease’ originating at the spiritual level. Oftentimes, the mind itself is getting in the way of the body’s natural capacity for healing. The task of the mara’ákame is to see what is behind the symptoms and to clean away or help release anything that causes the basic imbalance behind any symptoms. Healing can also involve ritual and, almost always, includes changing one´s life. This work can produce profound improvement at spiritual, psychological, and physical levels. For clients, the result can be new levels of health, joy, and meaning.

This work can produce profound improvement at the spiritual, psychological, and physical levels. For clients, the result can be a whole new level of well-being!

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Benefitting from the Wisdom of Elders:

Being part of a tradition means learning from and being accountable to elders. Elders are those who have been walking the path longer and who demonstrate their wisdom and willingness to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of others. Lawrence’s elders include Tsaurirrika (elder shamans) Eliot Cowan (1946 – 2022), David C. Wiley, Don José Sandoval, and Don Efrén González Carrillo. In addition, Lawrence receives guidance from a traditional Council of Elders, or Kawitero, under the auspices of Grupo Tatewari. They ensure that Lawrence is in good standing with the tradition, including following a strict code of ethics.

Tending Fire:

In many traditions, Fire is associated with heart and transformation. While the mind works in concepts and can lead us to feel separate from the world, the heart is where we experience our connection to each other, the ancestors, and the vast, mysterious tapestry of creation. Tending fire refers to the ancient spiritual practice–sitting by a sacred fire–that helps us balance the creative gift of the mind with the deeper knowing of the heart. When heart and mind work together in a good way, then we feel vibrant and ready to take on new challenges to benefit ourselves, our families, and our communities.

Who is a good candidate for Wixárika Healing?

Someone with a degree of openness. Believing in the medicine is NOT necessary, but one who has grave reservations about alternative healing is not likely to benefit.

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TRADITIONAL HEALING

in a GROUP SETTING:

Initiated Firekeepers for Sacred Fire offers monthly community fires.

In addition to his role as a mara’akame, Lawrence and his wife, Jessica De la O are initiated Firekeepers under the auspices of the international organization, Sacred Fire. Along with their colleague Sherry Boatright, they hold monthly community fires in Carrollton, GA, USA.

Sitting around a sacred fire is the world’s oldest form of medicine and ritual since our early ancestors began gathering around the fire at least 800,000 years ago. Around the fire, they shared the sacred stories that gave life meaning and helped them to maintain their deep connection to each other and the world around them. Today, this ancient practice can once again be experienced as a source of healing and wisdom.

Offerings to the fire are made to the fire in the Wixárika tradition

Once the fire is consecrated, the Firekeeper facilitates a space we may share what is important in their lives. One of the great gifts of Fire is transformation: Just as it did for our ancestors, Fire can ‘burn away’ the burdens and difficulties and leave us feeling lighter with a sense of greater possibility for our lives. People from all spiritual backgrounds are welcome!

Interested in attending community fires in Carrollton, Georgia?

INDIVIDUAL HEALING IS AN IMPORTANT STEP. EVENTUALLY, THOUGH, OUR WELL-BEING DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH OF OUR CONNECTIONS. ATTENDING A SACRED FIRE IS A TIME-TESTED WAY OF DEEPENING OUR CONNECTION TO OTHERS AND THE WORLD AROUND US.

Role of Fire in Huichol Healing

In the Wixárika tradition, Fire is seen as the First Shaman and the one who speaks to us through our hearts. Known as Tatewarí (Our Grandfather Fire), He connects us to the world. With the help of Tatewarí, the mara’akame can connect more deeply with clients and determine what they need.

Tatewarí also helps the mara’akame to connect to the wisdom of the tradition and the sacred sites who offer their particular gifts of healing.

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Lawrence I. Messerman Ph.D.

Lawrence is an initiated healer and ritual leader in the Wixárika tradition and offers individual shamanic healing sessions as well as collective transformation through regular fire gatherings.

Lawrence also shares his wisdom and insight through teaching fires, online counseling sessions, and (soon) online classes.

Healing sessions
  • Wixárika Traditional Shamanic Healing.
  • Deeply transformational experiences in-person.
  • In the presence of Fire.
Monthly SACRED Fires
  • A safe space to be seen & witness others.
  • Creating movement & opportunity where there is difficulty or stagnation.
  • Experience a more joyful connection to others & the world.
Online Counseling
  • Individualized guidance to help you thrive.
  • Long distance.
  • Follow-up to make sure you are on track.
Online Classes (TBA)
  • Opportunities for group learning & growth.
  • A perspective & practices that support healing.
  • Connecting to heart & living wisely.

Here’s What People Have To Say About Lawrence:

As a Healer, Firekeeper, and Counselor.

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“At a recent teaching fire, Larry sat with the members of our circle and in a very short time got to the core of why we all wanted to be around the fire. No one needed to ask questions, as he had answered them for us in his beautiful stories and observations from his heart.
Looking out at the people, faces illuminated by the flames, I could feel a very gentle and even energy flowing from the fire to us all and back to Grandfather Fire.”
Don McVay
Santa Cruz, CA
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“Larry is such a skillful mediator. He helped resolve a heated issue between two people in my community, and I was privileged to be a part of the beautiful resolution that took place. There was healing for all of us who witnessed and took part in supporting this.

It was moving to watch how gently and artfully Larry guided us all to express our feelings and find a natural, heartfelt resolution.”
Maxima Kahn
GRASS VALLEY, CA
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“Larry is a true and trusted guide.

With compassion and humor, he listens deeply and provides valuable assistance on my path.

I highly recommend his medicine to others.”
Jennifer
GRASS VALLEY, CA

Join A Movement that Is Transforming the world!

Initiated Firekeepers, from the Sacred Fire Community, offer community fires each month in cities and towns just like yours all over the planet.

These fires help people reconnect to themselves, each other, and the natural world in order to live a life of relationships, awareness, and purpose—not only for themselves but for humanity. Through the shared experience of the influence of fire as a source of wisdom and transformation, people can achieve the balance they seek amid the challenges of today’s society.

This Medicine is
for you if…

  • You are willing to take responsibility for your well-being and growth.
  • You are open to guidance and the possibility of seeing your life in a completely new way.
  • Once you receive guidance, you have the dedication to put it into practice.
  • You accept a holistic approach to healing that views your whole life–including your past, current relationships, physical and emotional state, dreams, aspirations, etc.–as relevant.

This Medicine is NOT
for you if…

  • You are impatient and are looking for a ‘quick fix.’ Miracles can happen, but healing is most often a journey that can take time and multiple sessions.
  • You expect to be healed without active participation on your part.
  • You are unwilling to see your role in any mistakes or problems.
  • You are seeking my help mainly to satisfy someone else who thinks ‘you should.’
  • You lack the discipline and self-awareness to make needed changes in your life.

Living From Your Heart As A More Fulfilling Way Of Being

From a traditional perspective, the heart is not just an organ that circulates blood. It also represents a basic aspect of human nature that connects us to others, the world, and ultimately Divine. Heart is meant to guide us while the mind figures out the details. A life guided by heart is a life that embraces and benefits from transformation. The results include: 

  • Feeling more vibrant and alive.
  • Being more resilient when you have setbacks–which are a natural part of living.
  • Feeling more deeply connected to others and the natural world.
  • A life of constant learning and adventure.
  • Being a stronger resource for your family and community.

People’s lives are transformed

My goal is not to ‘fix’ people. With the help of Fire and the gifts of those sacred sites I have visited on pilgrimage as I follow in the footsteps of the ancestors, my aim is to offer deep, transformative healing.

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Frequently asked questions

Have a question? Here are some answers to some common ones. But feel free to contact me directly if you cannot find an answer to your question here.

For tens of thousands of years, various cultures all over the world have practiced shamanic healing. It is a form of spiritual healing that can also profoundly impact the body and mind. Traditional shamanic healing is rooted in ancestral wisdom that has persisted over many generations because, simply put, it works!

You should plan to meet around a consecrated fire–which becomes Sacred Fire—an important spiritual presence that supports deep healing (transformation) in the Wixárika tradition. Particularly in our first session, I will want to get to know you better and ask questions about your background and any challenges to your health. The Fire and my feathers (muvieris) will help me to ‘see’ to the root of those challenges and to know what needs to be removed so that I can live a flourishing life.

No form of healing is for everyone! Traditional healing is for those who have a degree of openness. You need not “understand” the medicine, but if you have a strong conviction that only modern allopathic medicine is legitimate, you should probably go consult a physician! If you do choose to see me as a client, I will do my utmost to support your healing with the gifts that I have been given by the gods and the tradition.

Clients often report feeling lighter and more positive after a treatment. While quick, dramatic improvements are possible, traditional healing is not a “magic pill.” The patterns that produce ‘dis-ease’ can be deep-seated and pervasive. For most people, healing is a journey that takes commitment and may require additional treatments as well as life-style changes to maintain your health and well-being.

Traditional shamanic healing works at a deep level that can have a profound impact on your life. If you are living out of balance, it will be disruptive. This can be particularly unsettling to the mind–which always wants to stay in control. People who have a history of severe mental illness (psychosis) may not be ideal candidates for my work, but in such cases, I may be able to make a helpful referral. Traditional healing can, however, be tremendously beneficial to the vast majority of us—including those who suffer from more common forms of mental illness like chronic anxiety and depression.

If you are currently working with a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other healthcare professional for your problem, you should always consult with them before seeking out any alternative modality–including traditional shamanic healing.

Lawrence’s affiliations include:

(Since a Mara’akame is never a ‘lone wolf!’)

Lawrence has been led on the path by Eliot Cowan and David Wiley, as well as Huichol elders Don José Sandoval and Don Efrén González Carrillo.

He is part of Grupo Tatewarí at Traditional Shamanic Healing and is a member of the Temple of Sacred Fire Healing. In addition, he serves as Speaker or chief spokesperson for Sacred Fire and has supported programs at the Blue Deer Center.