DR. TOM PINKSON
Shamanic Mentor. Ceremonial Leader. Spiritual Medicine Teacher
With the death of his father when he was just three years old, Tom was set on path of quest, seeking answers to life’s greatest questions in the ancient ways of our indigenous ancestors. From his pioneering work at UC Berkeley in the field of psychedelics to his current work as a shamanic mentor, ceremonial leader, and spiritual medicine teacher, Dr. Tom Pinkson is an authentic and inspired voice in the work of honoring Earth and Restoring the Sacred Web of Life. For over half a century, Tom has traveled the globe studying indigenous shamanic wisdom ways, including work with Native American medicine men and women and completion of an 11-year apprenticeship with Guadalupe de la Cruz, a renowned Huichol mara’ akame (shaman), whose life was devoted to maintaining the ways passed down to her by her ancestors. A gifted teacher, healer, singer, artist, and pilgrimage leader, Guadalupe reached out to Tom to seek his collaboration as a bridge builder between indigenous wisdom and what she called, “the people of the North” because “the sun was coming closer to the earth, nature is alive” and we need to “remember the ancient ways of walking with respect and gratitude in order to restore balance in the world.”
Through the teachings Tom was given, his work is anchored around inspiring a New Vision of Living, one of sacred reciprocity. With B.A., M.S. and Ph.D degrees, as well as studies from the Amazon to the Yukon, from Polynesia to South East Asia, throughout the United States and Europe, Tom’s work blends western psychology, contemporary and ancient wellness practices, brain science and quantum physics, to help people wake up and remember to live from the truth of who and what we are: that we are love and love is for giving.
Tom is also the author of books including The Shamanic Wisdom of the Huichol: Medicine Teachings for Modern TImes, Do They Celebrate Christmas in Heaven?, Fruitful Aging: Finding the Gold in the Golden Years, and The Starlight Song Storybook.
Tom lives in northern California with his wife of 54 years, Andrea, and near to his children and grandsons.
A Bridge Builder Between Worlds
At UC Berkeley, Tom was a pioneer in the responsible ceremonial usage of psychedelics for health and healing
Tom has led vision quests and created rites of passage ceremonies for hundreds of individuals around the world including CEOs, lovers, moms, dads, teachers, authors, television personalities, and more.
Based on his Vision Quest mentoring with Rolling Thunder, Tom developed a successful wilderness treatment program for heroin addicts in the early 70’s
Tom was a founding member of the Center for Attitudinal Healing, with Dr. Jerry Jampolsky, teaching children and adults facing life-threatening illness to reduce fear and increase love. Helped start the first at-home Hospice program in the United States
READ Tom’s books
BE INSPIRED at Tom’s monthly weekly Live Love Now gatherings !
“You are way more than you think you are.
You have access to the infinite creative wisdom power of the universe.
You have the ability to realize your highest potentials.”