I believe that anyone who is a shifter is indeed shamanic. A Shaman is someone with extrodianary abilities that can manipulate and change the very fabric that is about us. You don't always have too be of Native American heritage Too be a shaman. Those who practice Voodoo are shamans (its hoodoo that is the bad mojo) and Celtic Paganism has its own branch of Faerie / Warrior shamanism. The Shaman has too be of one mind with all that is life about her, he or she has perfect balance with the earth, her animals, her elements and her energies. Shamans also belief that Animals have more too them than what most people think. Animals have spirits and too each of those spirits are ascribed different aspects and abilities.

Raven teaches you too listen and see, Black Panther helps you too watch carefully, too wait and watch and too move carefully and quietly. Wolf helps you too find the joy in everything life brings you. owl if listened too closely allows you too find peace in perfect silence of the night. These are some of the animals I work/ed with. A friend also tells me one of my totems is a Chicken. *grin* But I have yet too see what chicken tells me.

Too Hold an animal spirit within you is a blessed thing indeed. Too my knowledge is has been said a "werewolf is not a man who looks like a wolf, a werewolf is a wolf who looks like a man." I have yet too see a werewolf before my eyes, but I do believe I have met one and though I did not see him, I heard him, but thats a story for a later date. Lets just say I don't go into the wood after darkness falls anymore.

Back too what I was saying about Shamanism and Shapeshifting. They do go hand in hand. Shamans are healers of the old ways, and they use animal magick and wisdom too help them, which one is older in time, I am not sure for they are all considered kin.

If a Psi/Psy Vampyre can master the abilities and respects of being a shaman, he or she can learn too shapeshift on all levels. I know when I begin astrally and mentally shifting for spells or ritual, i began too retain physical attributes of the animals I had shifted into the spirits of. I now have footing of a Panther, keen hearing and eye of the raven plus a attribute i call "birds eye view" when I can in a moment's notice, glance from up in the sky down at the ground even if I am standing physically on the grund below me! I see me there too, but I also see the outcropping of the land I am on. From wolf I learnt how too hear even better than before, and the sense of smell is stronger. Owl is still in the process of teaching me the things I need too know however.

The Shapeshifting of The Sidhe:

As I mentioned before (and even if I did not) Shapeshifting is done by sidhe in a kind of different way. This is where we kind of change the fabrics about our bodies (veil, bend time, cloak ourselves in glamoury) too benefit ourselves or something in the area. We could be shifting energy into a hole in the Veil, or we could be using Glamoury too make ourselves highly noticeable, or highly unnoticeable, or we may be using it too push you away from us completely. We use Glamoury when we feel threathened or we need or want too make an impression. This Shift feels like a person who is trying too rip their way thru a very thick piece of plastic, and sounds similar. The Plastic never breaks or anything, but the energy for the shift too become real does. Glamoury wears off in a few hours, when the energy too sustain it is depleted or the one who is amping the glam "drops it away" suddenly. When glamoury is cleared, the air seems to be of better quality and not so clogged, making people feel more at ease, not so disoriented, and able too breathe more comfortablely.

I would say for Sidhe this is a Physical Plus Spiritual Shifting. "I Think Therefore I am" Sort of deal, or perhaps, "I Think Therefore I Can".

The Mental Shifting is done for spells and rituals in which you must focus on an inanimate or perhaps elemental object and shift your "conscience" body into it. This is also known as "scrying" and can be very peaceful if done correctly. I recommend starting with a small candle that has not yet been burned. Trim the wick so your candle flame won't be too big. Light it, breathe deeply in and out as you focus deep into the pinpoint inside the flame. As the flame dances, you feel it dancing with you, and you dancing with it, as it is still, you feel the warmth about you. Inside the candle flame, when you have blended with it throughly you will be able too think as you always do yet your body will be still, in perfect relaxed peace, in one attunement. Blinking will not break the trance you have going on with the candle. You may have trouble coming back too your reality after you have done this. I recommend doing this before bed so you can enjoy a perfect sleep after scrying with your candle.

Physical Shifting:

Though we have talked about sidhe that can physically shift, we have not talked about the Native americans who can shift physically. I have never seen this happened, But I have friends who claim they have shifted, or have seen people shift before their eyes, and they aren't crazy, and do not take too many crazy drugs! (J/k) It would be there stories too tell so If I can I will have them reconnect the time they saw so and so change. I know of a few shifters in the community who say they can elementally or physically shapeshift, and while I have not actually seen these people do their thing, I do know they were not saying it too be said for there are things about my friends that I could sense too be the truth.

Vampyres and Sidhe have the same kinds of Auras, while Weres and shifters have an aura that believe it or not reminds one of how one feels when one is surrounded by the wild, such as pine trees and snow, deserts, canyons and wild water rapids. It's like you can hear nature's wild heartbeat thrumming in their souls and blood. I like feeling this feeling. It makes me feel appreciative of what man has seemed too have forgot.

Elemental shifting:
Oh yes, one brief one that I forgot. The elemental shapeshifters. They are very old souls, being in existance before the dragons even, and are of a metaphysical existance. I have not met too many too understand them fully but what I do understand is that they can shapeshift into elements. First there was raw emotions, and then the elements came into being, they blending with the raw energy of the emotions, and gave birth too the elemental shapeshifters, they begat the dragons, and The Celestials (oracles - angels and some say daemons), the celestials and the dragons begat the Fa'eri (sidhe) and the sidhe came here too earth too be the very first 4 faerie races of Ireland. These beings however, the elementals, seem to be prejudice of all otherkin and seem too keep too only themselves. However, this has just been my experience with them.