When there, the shaman communicates with demons and spirits. Though in a state of trance, the shaman is still conscious. This enables him to bargain with the spirits that are responsible for the patient's illness. Successful bargaining results in cure. Shamanism, in different forms, has existed throughout time and across the world.
Shamanic practices vary by tribe and country, but the basic ideas remain the same.
Shamanism is still practiced in Native American tribes where the shamans serve as healers or medicine men. Perhaps the best-known shamanic program in the U.S. is that of the Huichol Indians in California. The Dance of the Deer Foundation is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. It was founded to support the Huichol shamanic tradition. It sponsors seminars and pilgrimages throughout the world to emphasize the importance of shamanic practices of health, healing, and ceremonial events for personal well-being and for the continued survival of the environment.