Founder of Shamanic Trekker
John Whitehorse
John Whitehorse is a shamanic practitioner based in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Denver, Colorado, offering private energy healing sessions, immersive retreats, and training rooted in the traditions of the High Andes.
A Path That Was Lived - Not Planned
Before stepping onto the shamanic path, John lived a very different life.
Raised in the Midwest, he built a successful career as a commercial banker within corporate America. From the outside, he had achieved the markers of success - but internally, something deeper was calling.
A series of life-altering experiences began to shift his path.
In 1995, John underwent a medical procedure that resulted in a near-death experience during cardioversion, an electric jolt to stop and restart the heart - an event he later came to understand, through his work with the shamans of Peru, as one of the signs recognized in their tradition. In the Andes, such encounters - where an individual is struck by lightning and their heart stops and returns - are often seen as initiatory moments, marking an individual as someone who may be called to walk a different path as a shaman.
Years later, John experienced a sudden, and extended, loss of vision due to a retinal detachment. Through both medical intervention and his deepening spiritual work, his sight was restored. Within the Andean tradition, this kind of experience is sometimes understood as the path of the "blind seer" - a symbolic initiation into developing inner vision, intuition, and perception beyond the physical senses.
His first journey to Peru in 2012, where he camped on the sacred mountain of Ausangate and met the Q'ero shamans he continues to work with today, marked a profound turning point.
What once felt like isolated events began to reveal themselves as part of a larger unfolding. The shamans shared with him that these events were a foretelling of a sacred destiny in his life.
What began as curiosity became a calling.
The Work of Being a Shaman
John works with private clients and small groups, offering shamanic energy medicine sessions grounded in direct teachings from the Peruvian shamans and adapted for modern life.
His work may include:
- Soul retrieval
- Energy clearing and balancing
- Bands of protection
- Blessing ceremonies
- Mesa-based healing practices
Each session is designed to support the release of what is held in the body and energy field, restoring balance, clarity, and a deeper sense of connection.
Stewardship of a Living Tradition
John's work is not only about individual healing - it is rooted in a deep commitment to honor, preserve, and respectfully carry forward the shamanic traditions of the Andes.
Through years of direct relationship with the Q'ero shamans, particularly Don Augustin, John has been entrusted with teachings from a living lineage - one that is rapidly disappearing as the modern world expands.
Don Augustin, who speaks only Quechuan, recognized John early in their connection. He shared that he had been shown in a vision as a child that John would one day come into his life, and that together they would help carry these teachings forward.
Despite language differences, they have built a profound relationship grounded in trust, respect, and shared purpose.
John approaches this work with humility and responsibility - committed not only to helping others heal, but to supporting the preservation of these traditions in a way that honors their origin and integrity.
Founder · Shamanic Practitioner
He was trained through the Four Winds Society (2012–2014) and certified in their Light Body School, followed by advanced training completed in 2015. While this provided a strong foundation, John's core training comes directly from the indigenous Q'ero shamans of Peru, where he received direct transmissions and initiations into the 13 Rites of Karpay within the Quechuan lineage, including teachings from shaman Don Augustin.
He is a Pampa Mesayoq (mesa carrier), the highest attainment within the living Q'ero shamans, working within a living lineage of energy medicine passed down through generations.
The Name Whitehorse
John Schwab received the name Whitehorse in ceremony as part of his initiations into the shamanic path.
This was not a name he chose, but one that was given through tradition and guidance from the shamans he trained with. He carries it with deep respect for the lineage it comes from and does not use it to represent a cultural identity beyond what was entrusted to him.
Within a short time of receiving the name, he was unexpectedly gifted a white horse - an experience he considers a meaningful confirmation of his path and connection to the work.
Work with John Whitehorse in Person or Virtually
John now splits his time between Santa Fe and Denver, offering:
- Private healing sessions (in-person and virtual)
- Personal retreats and immersive healing experiences
- Shamanic training and mentorship
Why I Chose This Path
Healing wasn't something I planned to do—it became a calling.
My search for answers eventually led me to the Q'ero shamans of Peru, where I discovered a tradition that viewed healing not as fixing what is broken, but as remembering our natural state of balance and harmony.
For many years I've continued to study directly with the shamans through ceremony, initiation, and relationship with the lineage. Every client I meet reminds me why this work matters. It is an honor to witness people rediscover hope, peace, and a deeper connection to themselves.
Healing Begins With Feeling Safe
People often ask what makes John's work different.
The answer is simple.
John creates a calm, grounded space where people feel seen, heard, and safe. His approach is gentle, compassionate, and free from judgment. Rather than focusing on fear or forcing someone to relive painful experiences, he works with the wisdom of the body, the energy field, and the ancient traditions of the Q'ero lineage to help people reconnect with their natural capacity to heal.
Clients often describe John as kind, direct, and deeply present. He doesn't overcomplicate the process. He simply meets people where they are and walks beside them as they begin finding their way back to themselves.
My Promise to You
A Personal Message from John,
If we work together, my promise is simple.
I will meet you with kindness, honesty, and compassion.
I will never use fear to influence your decisions or encourage dependence.
I will respect your pace, honor your unique journey, and hold space for your healing with integrity and care.
Healing is not about becoming someone else.
It is about returning to who you have always been.
Begin Here
His upcoming book, The Shaman Next Door, will be released in Fall 2026.
Together with his wife, Kristen White, he has developed a training curriculum informed directly by the shamans of Peru. This path is open and available to anyone who is a sincere seeker.