Shamans in Italy

When I moved to Italy back in November of 2004, my friend Arcangela accompanied me to a place where she went to do yoga. I'd been advised to do yoga by many people and I was finally ready to give it a try. Over the past year and a half, I've been going to my yoga center for many different activities besides yoga.

Living in Florence :: Shamans in Italy

Yesterday, a group of us met in Piazza Ferrucci at 9AM and drove to a Swedish woman's house in Tuscany near Grassina. We were all there to attend a seminario (seminar) with a sciamana siberiana (Siberian shaman), Nadia Stepanova. She was born in Buryatia and spoke to us through her Russian translator, Natasha. The picture above is from the terrace of the woman's house.

One of the other attendees I had met at my palestra (gym) when I lived here back in 1997. It was funny to see someone whom I had known from my previous life in Florence. Her sister is a sciamana peruviana (Peruvian shaman) and was also present.

In March, another sciamano named Tony Samara came for an evening meditation and discussion at the yoga center. He spoke English and was translated by another member of the yoga center. Last September, I attended another seminario hosted by a sciamano messicano (Mexican shaman) whose name was Don Chapo.

We spent the morning with Nadia doing a rito (ritual) and then ate lunch together in the sunshine outside. I became friendly with a girl named Paola who drove me to and from the Tuscan villa. I'm hoping that we will meet up again. She doesn't go to the yoga center except for these meetings with the sciamani.

I had never thought that coming to Italy would allow me to meet so many sciamani who pass through Florence to do seminars. Just one more perk that Florence has provided me with.

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