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THE POD We visit local Shamanic Healer, Suzanne Wass in an unassuming garage in Bentley and discover that there is more to the place than meets the eye... How did The Pod come about? It was originally just an old garage, until I was on a Shamanic Week and journeyed on ideas to help me move forward. I owned it but it was full of house stuff from when my house flooded. How did you get into the shamanic work? I have a friend in North Yorkshire who told me about a girl running a course. I was busy that weekend, but she added me on Facebook and a few weeks later I noticed she was running a Shamanic Weekend in Northumberland in 2013, and that’s when I went. But I’d had a drumming session the year before with Barbara Meikle-John Free, the Scottish Seer. I have been a Reiki Master for about ten years and trained mediumistically with Spiritualist Church and Simon Goodfellow, along with a few others. I was also a body worker and masseuse for about ten years. For people who might not understand what it is, what is shamanic work about? It’s traditional healing methods for modern life. A shaman would say that we need Western medicine but also help to spiritually reconnect with a broken or missing soul part. I’m trained in the lineage of Sandra Ingermam. So your work can help people to feel at peace with modern life? Yes. We have more stress in a week than our grandparents had in a year. It’s the world’s biggest modern killer. What would someone get from a visit to The Pod? It’s a safe space to work through any issues or blocks that people may be struggling with - emotional, physical, mental or spiritual - asking for guidance and advice from spiritual helpers. I also do house and land clearances too. You’ve got lots of amazing artifacts in The Pod. What’s your most sacred? The guru shelf, as the energy from those who I have been trained by and apprenticed by - Peggy Dylan, Stephen Mulhearn, Don Alberto Shaman from
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Photography: Warren Draper ©2015
Amazon basin, Richard Aguero from Peru, Bhola Banstola from Nepal, Woody Gruber from Nebraska, Keeper of the Lakota-Sioux Fire - all these special people who have given their lives to spiritual service. What advice would you give to anyone who was unhappy and curious about visiting? What could they expect? A consultation to discuss what the person is comfortable with. There would be an individual programme and this may involve a variety of techniques that could include shamanic journeying, soul or power retrieval, breath work, massage or card readings. It would depend on what the individual needs at that time.
What would you say to non-believers who think shamanic and spiritual work is a loads of old tosh? Everyone has a right to their own belief system, but sometimes we all get to a point where nothing else has helped and we need a gentle, non-invasive and relaxing few hours. In a safe peaceful confidential space, you can express all those emotions or ideas and allow them to be released in a natural way. At the very least, it’s an experience. And that’s all life really is - an adventure. So experience the sacred rituals from the High Himalayas, or sacred texts from my guru in India, or the truly connected Sioux Nation sending you their medicine. There is nothing to be lost. End