The Foundation for Shamanic Studies

What The Foundation for Shamanic Studies does

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies is a non-profit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Mill Valley, California. It was established by Michael Harner, who is recorded as Founder and Vice President, and it operates through the website shamanism.org. The organization offers shamanic training and courses designed to impart shamanic knowledge to its participants, positioning itself within a niche educational category that blends traditional shamanic practice with structured Western instructional formats.

The Foundation's core product is its curriculum of shamanic courses, which are delivered presumably to adult learners seeking training in shamanic methods. No detailed course catalog, pricing tiers, instructor roster, or program structure was available in the source material; the website content was inaccessible beyond a loading/verification page. The organization operates as a private non-profit (no IPO, no public ticker), with a staff size in the 11-50 range per available firmographic data, consistent with a small specialized educational institution sustained by course fees, donations, and program-based revenue rather than venture or institutional funding.

No technology stack, proprietary platforms, digital products, AI capabilities, partnerships, M&A activity, funding rounds, or regulatory actions were disclosed in the available data. Consequently, the investment-relevant intelligence on this organization is limited to its foundational identity, its founder-led governance structure, and its long operating history in a highly specialized educational niche.

Name

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies

Website

https://shamanism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies is a Mill Valley, California-based non-profit founded in 1979 by Michael Harner that offers shamanic training courses to individuals seeking structured education in shamanic knowledge and practice.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Spiritual Education Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Shamanic training programs
• Shamanic education courses
• Core shamanism workshops
• Spiritual development training
• Nonprofit educational services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mill Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies is a non-profit organization that offers shamanic training programs and courses to impart shamanic knowledge. Founded in 1979 and based in Mill Valley, California, the foundation delivers educational experiences rooted in core shamanic principles to individual learners seeking to study and practice shamanism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shamanic Training Courses Structured educational courses designed to teach core shamanic knowledge, methods, and practices to individual adult learners worldwide.
• Shamanic Workshops Workshop-format instructional sessions that deliver experiential shamanic training to enrolled students.

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Emerging players

• Landmark Worldwide: For-profit personal-development and transformation training company delivering courses in self-improvement and leadership — comparable in adult transformational learning model, though structured as a commercial rather than non-profit entity.

Direct peers

• Findhorn Foundation: Spiritual non-profit foundation offering experiential education programs in spiritual practice and personal transformation — comparable in foundation structure, alternative-spiritual focus, and global training model.
• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: Non-profit adult education center offering workshops and trainings across wellness, mindfulness, and spiritual traditions — comparable as a non-profit delivering alternative-spiritual and personal-development programming to adult learners.
• Association for Research and Enlightenment (Edgar Cayce Center): Non-profit organization offering educational programs, conferences, and resources in metaphysical and spiritual topics — comparable as a foundation-led alternative-spiritual education provider.
• Esalen Institute: Non-profit educational retreat center offering transformative workshops, courses, and seminars focused on humanistic and alternative-spiritual development — directly comparable in non-profit model, niche spiritual curriculum, and Mill Valley-area origin.
• Rudolf Steiner Foundation: Non-profit foundation rooted in anthroposophical/spiritual tradition offering educational programs and philanthropic services — comparable in foundation structure and spiritually-rooted educational mission.
• Theosophical Society: International non-profit organization dedicated to esoteric philosophy, spiritual education, and study groups — comparable as a long-established non-profit delivering alternative-spiritual teaching and community programming.
• Naropa University: Accredited university founded on contemplative and Buddhist-influenced education principles — comparable in mission-driven delivery of contemplative/spiritual education to adult learners.

Regional players

• Hollyhock: Canadian non-profit learning center offering workshops on personal growth, spirituality, and wellness — comparable in programming category and non-profit education model, though geographically focused on Canada.

Broad incumbents

• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Large non-profit yoga and holistic health education center offering workshops, retreats, and professional training — comparable as a non-profit spiritual/wellness education provider, though operating at significantly broader scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Foundation for Shamanic Studies