Written by: Andrea Fechner, The Alpine Witch
After the birth of my son in 2010, I was lost, exhausted, and confused. Undiagnosed post-partem left me struggling and looking for help. That’s how I ultimately discovered Shamanism.
Now I realize that cultural appropriation is a hot button these days so all I’ll say is this: I have studied with Teachers from North America, South America, Siberia, Iceland, Greenland, England, Scotland, and beyond. Their shamanic techniques are remarkably similar considering that it all began thousands of years ago before the continents could communicate with each other. I’d say Spirit definitely played an important part in that! So I try to focus less on what “label” I’ve been assigned and more about what I do.
So, what do I do? It’s hard to break it down into one paragraph but I’ll try: I work with Nature Spirits, Allies, Animals, Ancestors, Supernaturals, and more. I go into a trance-like state and communicate with them about what’s ailing my client. We consult with one another and then I come back and perform any number of Ceremonies to help my client on their healing journey.
“Soul Retrievals” bring back lost soul essences that chipped away during times of trauma and loss. “Extractions” remove any energy that doesn’t belong to the client that is weighing them down. “Cord Cuttings” remove toxic ties between you and another person so that you can move forward in a good way. “Compassionate Depossession” gently removes any ‘hitchhikers’ that may have attached to you out of confusion or fear.
Then I do trance work called “Seiðr”. When I started to look at my own Germanic/Austrian background, I found the practices of Seiðr and “Trolldómr”. These are the spiritual practices of Northern Europe and Scandinavia. During Seiðr, I go into a trance-like state and channel messages from Spirit. Depending on the client, the message can be simply delivered or the client can do a type of “question and answer” with Spirit about things that are on their mind.
Trolldómr is part of my current studies and would fall under the umbrella of “folk magick”. It utilizes simple techniques with every day items to aid the client in their healing journey. It also incorporates medicine bags called “Trollpasse” which I find are similar to the South American “Mesas”. I can create a personalized bundle for you if you see me out of my office.
At this point, I should probably note that I recently changed my business name to “The Alpine Witch”. I chose this name when I began to work more closely with my direct ancestors (my Nana from Austria was a Witch and I communicate with her when I do my trance work). For those of you who aren’t aware, all forms of Witchcraft and Paganism are actually born out of Shamanism! So it is all closely connected.
For anyone interested in my services, I work in-person, online, or via distance. My office is located in the holistic shop “Valixya” in Sudbury, Ontario. I use the Zoom platform to work online with those who want to interact with me directly. And for those who are a little more shy, I can actually do this work for you on my own and then send you the results via email.
My phone number, email, and links to all of my socials can be found on my website at www.thealpinewitch.com
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or would like to book an appointment.