Unlock the Power of Buffalo Spirit Medicine: An Immersive Shamanic Cacao Ceremony Journey
There is something deeply ancient about working with Buffalo medicine. Long before I ever held my Buffalo drum — the one I named Hyoka — I felt the steady, powerful energy of this being moving through my ceremonies. Hyoka is a Lakota word for a tribal member who uses laughter and humour to reveal truth. That name chose itself. Buffalo medicine has that quality: it is both grounding and playful, both fierce and tender.
In this ceremony, I guide you into a shamanic journey with Mama Cacao, holding space for us both. Working with the gongs to quiet the chattering mind, we descend together into the lower realm to meet the spirit of Buffalo — and to receive whatever teachings are ready for you. Whether you are drawn to the themes of abundance, unity, or simply want to sit with this magnificent animal spirit and listen, there is medicine here for you.
Buffalo and bison carry the same archetypal energy, so if you are rooted in Northern European traditions, calling in bison is equally powerful and equally welcome. This ceremony works at any time of year — the teachings of abundance and unity are not seasonal; they are eternal.
The Core Teachings of Buffalo Medicine
Before we journey, I always share the teachings that Buffalo brings so you can hold them as an intention. These are not obscure or esoteric — they are profoundly practical.
The first is abundance. Buffalo medicine invites us to recognise that we live in a world of plenty — but that we have a tendency to see what we lack rather than what we already have. This is not a naive positivity. It is a very conscious reorientation. The Native American people who worked with Buffalo used every single part of the animal — hides, bones, hooves — nothing was wasted. That is what mindful gratitude looks like. It is not just saying thank you; it is demonstrating it through how we use what we have been given.
The second teaching is unity. Buffaloes live in herds. They remind us how to live peacefully with one another, to support each other, and to come together. I feel this deeply in my drum circles — the moment when the rhythm connects everyone in the room, and for a few minutes, there is no separation. Buffalo medicine carries that same energy of collective healing. There is still so much war and pain on this planet, and Buffalo asks us to remember: we are all one.
The third is peace — with others, and with yourself. Buffalo also invites us to release the burdens we carry for other people. Sometimes we pick up other people’s problems and make them our own. This journey is an opportunity to lay some of that down.
Hyoka: The Buffalo Drum and the Gift of Sacred Laughter
Hyoka, my Buffalo drum, is made from buffalo skin. The name comes from the Lakota tradition and describes a sacred role: the Hyoka is a tribal member who can act as a holy fool, who makes people see truth through laughter. I love this. On a spiritual path, it is easy to become very serious — to turn every shadow into a crisis, every healing into a project. Hyoka reminds me to be more playful about my own shadow. To laugh at myself a little. To see the absurdity as well as the depth.
In this ceremony, Hyoka rests on the altar and holds the Buffalo energy with us. Even if you cannot see the drum, know that it is there, quietly offering its medicine of lightness and truth.
White Buffalo Calf Woman and the Legend of Peace
There is a legend I carry into this ceremony. Over a thousand years ago, a being known as White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared to the Lakota people. She came to teach them about peace, unity, and living in harmony with nature. She is one of the most sacred figures in Lakota cosmology, and she is a reminder that Buffalo is not simply an animal spirit — it is a teacher of how to be human.
When we call in the spirit of Buffalo on our journey today, she may appear to you. She may come as a single buffalo, or as a herd, or in human form. Let whatever comes, come. There are no wrong answers in a shamanic journey.
How the Shamanic Journey Works: Lower Realm and the Gongs
For those new to journeying with me, here is what to expect. We work with the gongs because they are extraordinarily effective at quieting the left-brain — that chattering, analytical monkey mind. When the gongs are playing, the monkey mind has something to listen to, and the right brain — our creative, shamanic, imaginative brain — comes forward. This is where we connect.
Mama Cacao supports this process beautifully. She gently raises oxytocin levels and helps balance serotonin and dopamine, supporting a sense of safety and openness. She is not a psychedelic — she simply removes the noise so you can hear more clearly.
The journey itself moves through several stages: a body relaxation from head to toe, activation of the third eye, an expansion out into nature, and then a descent into the lower realm through a portal that you find intuitively — a rabbit hole, a doorway in a tree, the mouth of a cave, a dive beneath water. In the lower realm, we call for Buffalo. You may meet Buffalo immediately or encounter other spirit guides along the way — all of that is valid.
You can speak with Buffalo aloud, or simply in your mind. Ask them what is important to them, what lessons they have for you personally, and what they want humanity to understand right now. Then listen, and let the journey unfold.
After the Journey: Integration and Reflection
When I guide you back — up through the portal, across the landscapes, back through your crown chakra and fully into your body, take a moment before you open your eyes. Let the images and feelings settle. Remember them the way you try to hold onto a dream just after waking.
Then reach for your journal. Write down what you experienced without trying to interpret it immediately. Was there a particular image that felt significant? A message you received? A feeling in your body when Buffalo was near? The themes of abundance, unity, and peace are the overarching medicines of this journey — notice how they showed up for you specifically.
If you find yourself wanting to go deeper with this kind of work, I offer one-to-one shamanic healing sessions and run the Shaman’s Way programme for those called to walk a more sustained path. The door is always open.
How to Prepare for Your Buffalo Spirit Journey
Prepare your ceremonial cacao — around 20–25g of pure ceremonial-grade cacao in hot water with a little sweetener if you prefer. You can also join without cacao; the journey works beautifully on its own.
Create a comfortable space where you will not be disturbed for the duration of the video — lying down or sitting supported, with dim lighting if possible.
Have headphones ready if you can — the gong sound work is richer and more immersive when listened to this way.
Set an intention before you begin. It could be as simple as “I am open to the medicine of Buffalo,” or more specific around abundance, releasing burdens, or finding harmony with someone in your life.
Have your journal and a pen nearby for writing down impressions immediately after the journey closes.
If you are in the Northern European tradition and wish to work with bison energy rather than buffalo, that is equally welcome — the medicine is the same.
Continue Your Journey with Plant Spirit Medicine
If this ceremony resonated with you, here are some ways to go deeper:
Explore live and recorded cacao ceremonies with Sorrell — cacao and journeywork are available throughout the year.
Book a personal shamanic healing session to work one-to-one with Buffalo medicine or any other aspect of your path.
Join The Shaman’s Way — Sorrell’s immersive programme for those called to walk a sustained path of shamanic practice.
Download your free ceremonial cacao recipe book and begin working with Mama Cacao at home.
Browse all free resources including guided journeys, meditations, and teachings.
