The Medicine Path Apprenticeship

The Medicine Path Apprenticeship is offered with deep respect for the traditions that have shaped my own path. This will be a two year journey dedicated to diving into the wisdom teachings and ceremonies from ancient lineages of Classical Chinese Medicine known as Five Element Healing, and Shamanic Healing Methods. The Apprenticeship will form a sacred circle where we will collectively learn, explore and experience what it means to walk in the world through intention, integrity, dedication and devotion.

The Shape of the Apprenticeship

This apprenticeship unfolds over two years within a steady rhythm of gatherings and practice. We will gather every two weeks on Thursday evenings to study the foundations of Classical Chinese Medicine together from 6:30PM to 8:30PM PST, beginning April 23, 2026. These bi-weekly sessions are held online and will continue throughout the two years, with a pause during August and over the winter holidays.

Four times each year we will gather in person with the cycles of the seasons for four consecutive days from Thursday through Sunday at Rising Earth Collective in Summerland, British Columbia. These seasonal intensives will be a combination of classroom and ceremony, developing the nature of our gifts and bringing them into practice.

For some this experience will offer a modality of healing to create a clinical practice, or add to your current practice in the natural healing arts. How the medicines are applied depends on the individual, their gifts and current modalities, we will curate this together throughout the course of the two years. For others this may be a journey of self development, study in relationship to the natural world, her rhythms, cycles, and to those that call her home.

The overall structure and timing will remain consistent, though the expression of the work may shift slightly as the gifts of those within the circle begin to reveal themselves. In this way, the journey is both held and responsive.

The circle is limited to six participants in order to preserve the intimacy and integrity of the journey together.

Year One

Foundations

The first year is devoted to the foundations of the Five Elements within Classical Chinese Medicine and their corresponding meridians. We explore this through oral and written teachings, and learning directly through the elements and meridians through the use of shamanic journeying.

Introduction to the Seven Sacred Directions will be brought in throughout the cycles of the seasons. Through the Shamanic Journey, each apprentice will build and weave their own relationship with the directions, and will create their own Medicine Wheel to be used as a divination throughout the two year journey. The way the wheel is lived and used will be unique to each person.

Shamanic Healing Methods of Intrusive Energy Removal and Soul Retrieval, are introduced in the first year.

Ceremonies will vary in their expression in year one with the focus on building connection, awareness and relationship to the unseen. This will be in the form of fire ceremonies, land ceremonies, pipe ceremonies, mountain ceremonies and sweat lodges.

Year One is a time of developing awareness, strengthening relationship, and learning to walk with the medicine in a steady and devoted way.

Year Two

Integration

The second year focuses on the fundamentals of approach and application within Five Element Healing and Shamanic Healing Methods. Classroom time will be focused on the technical aspects of Classical Chinese medicine, the relationship between meridians, the expression through the body, mind and spirit, natural laws, patient assessments, and clinical application.

We begin to integrate and weave Shamanic Healing work as part of a Five Element practice or within other modalities that are already being expressed.

Ceremony continues throughout the second year to deepen our connection to the Medicine Wheel and the elements as a way of life, moving beyond intellectual understanding. This invites us to live as ceremony, instead of only participating in ceremony.

My Elder and teacher, Jaki Daniels, will join us at various points throughout the two years to offer her wisdom teachings.

Who This Is For

This apprenticiship may support those who feel called to deepen their relationship with the medicines of Classical Chinese Medicine and Shamanic Healing Methods. For some, it will offer a modality of healing that may form the foundation of a clinical practice or be woven into the work already being expressed within the natural healing arts.

For others, this journey may be one of personal developemnt and devoted study in relationship with the natural world, her rythms and cycles and to those that call her home.

What is most important is a sincere willingness to commit to the two year process and to walk with steadiness, integrity, and openness.

If you feel drawn to this work, please reach out by email and we will begin with a conversation.

essentialbalancehealing@gmail.com

In Person Intensives

Seasonal Gatherings

Four times a year we gather in person, meeting with the cycles of the seasons. A combination of classroom and ceremony, supporting the development of each apprentice's gifts and bringing them into practice.

Being together in person allows the medicine to be experienced directly and strengthens the relationships to that have been forming throughout the year.

2026 Dates

April 9 to 12

July 16 to 19

October 15 to 18

2027 Dates

January 14 to 17

Spring, summer, and fall 2027 dates will be confirmed in Autumn 2026.

Investment

The investment for the two year apprenticeship is $15,500 CAD.

A deposit of $500 CAD is required upon confirmation of registration.

Payments can be made in instalments, annually, bi annually, quarterly or monthly over the course of the two years. If needed, extended arrangements can be discussed.