Weather shamanism is one of those practices almost nobody talks about. Most people think of weather as something that happens to them, a forecast to check, a storm to prepare for physically. But in many traditions, weather is alive. Storm, wind, sky, rain, and atmospheric forces are spiritual presences that can be communicated with, related to, and offered to, just like any other spirit relationship.
Working with weather spirits is not about controlling the weather. That is an important distinction. The one common thread among people who do this work with any kind of integrity is that you do not manipulate the weather. Ever. What you do is build relationship. You communicate. You offer respect and reciprocity. You ask. You listen. And sometimes the spirits respond in ways you can feel.
My own path into weather work came through sacred tobacco. After years of weekly tobacco ceremony, I was given a message during a major hurricane in 2017: "You might just be a weather shaman." I did not go looking for this. It came through my practice, the way most of the deepest work does.
Living in Florida, where weather is dramatic and sometimes dangerous, I found myself called to use my spiritual practices to build relationship with the atmospheric forces around me. This involves multiple traditions working together. I use tobacco ceremony, candle work with my Andean medicine bundle, offerings of tobacco, cacao, and chamomile to the mountain spirits, and Nordic runes, particularly the rune connected to the wind. These are not separate practices happening in parallel. They weave together because the weather itself does not belong to any single tradition.
Weather work is physically taxing if you do not take precautions to protect your body from over-expenditure. It is also better done with other people. My sister Merissa joined me in this work, and together we have developed a practice that respects both the power of the spirits and the limitations of the human body.
In a recent weather ceremony, Merissa described feeling the elements shift and watching the candle flame change as the ceremony deepened. That is what this work looks like from the inside. It is not metaphorical. The spirits respond.
If you are someone who has always felt something alive in storms, who senses presence in the wind or feels called to relate to the natural world as more than scenery, weather spirit work may be one of your doors.
I discuss weather work in detail on the Now Moment Journey podcast, including Episode 24, "Weather Spirits and Sacred Tobacco: A Journey of Healing and Protection," where I walk through what it looks like to prepare spiritually for hurricane season. The podcast is available everywhere you listen.
Deeper practices, including guided weather ceremonies, are available through the Patreon at patreon.com/shamanicearthmedicine.
If you are new to my work, weather spirit relationship builds on the same foundation as all spirit relationship: showing up, listening, and being willing to receive. The best place to start is with your animal, plant, and stone spirit families. Take the free quiz to discover which spirit archetype is coming to you, and receive a free 15-minute guided shamanic journey