The Warrior in the Heart Foundation
The Warrior In The Heart Foundation is an organisation for those interested in the ancient spiritual practice of Shamanism, based in London and South West England.
Set up by Shamanic practitioners Howard and Elsa Malpas, the foundation aims to provide a range of training courses and ongoing support for people following the Shamanic path.
Through its website the organisation runs a variety of Shamanic workshops and training courses, both residential and non-residential, catering for beginners to more experienced Shamanic practitioners.
It also includes details of Shamanic journeying circles set up by foundation graduates and regular updates on events in the worldwide Shamanic community.
Founder biographies
Howard and Elsa Malpas have studied and practiced Shamanism since 1983. Paralysed by polio at 11, Elsa had a ‘near death’ experience and spent three years in a wheelchair unable to walk. Gradually, she managed to walk and overcome many other obstacles.
Howard Malpas was born in China but first became interested in Shamanism at the age of nine when he was sent to school in Ireland. The school was organised by his first Shamanic teacher.
Howard and Elsa have worked within the National Health Service since 1992 using acupuncture, shiatsu and deep relaxation techniques, focusing in particular on addiction and mental health issues.
The pair have been facilitating Warrior in the Heart courses since 1994.
They are both UK directors of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners (SSP) and organise the annual conference which takes place at Gaunts House in Wimborne, Dorset.
Elsa is also a director of The Isle of Avalon Foundation, Glastonbury - an educational not for profit company dedicated to promoting spiritual growth.
The history of Shamanism
The Shamanic tradition is one of the oldest spiritual practices which can be traced back at least 50,000 years. The word ‘Shaman’ comes from the Tungist tribe in Siberia and translates as ‘one who sees in the dark’ or ‘healer’. Although developed by many separate cultures – in Australia, Siberia, Europe, Africa and the Americas – a core practice exists which is common to all these traditions. In ancient cultures the Shaman would journey to non-ordinary reality to seek guidance for the tribe.
Practice
The core practice is the ‘journey’ where a person enters a deep meditative state, usually to a drum beat or rattle, and ‘travels’ to non-ordinary realities.
The Lower World is usually a very verdant Garden of Eden type of place, where a person can meet their Power Animal allies and find guidance and practical help.
The Upper World is a place to meet spirit guides and wise elders who often appear in human form, while the Middle World is the parallel non-ordinary reality to our earthly world.
The ability of the Shaman to bring back accurate information to its people was essential as the information received often meant either life or death in a tribe, if not given correctly.
Shamans were also the magic man/woman or the healer, driving out what were often seen as evil spirits, and journeying to retrieve lost soul parts, now known universally as soul retrieval.