WAKAN is a spiritually based, non-profit organization & shamanic studies community dedicated to the sacredness of life.

The word "Wakan" means "sacred" in the Lakotah language and "heart of the sky" in the Mayan language. The guidance to start Wakan came through Dr. Tom Pinkson on Christmas Eve, 1983. Since then, a community has grown together through seasonal retreats, pilgrimages to places of power, vision quests, sweat-lodges, workshops, shamanic practice groups, educational publications from Wakan Press, Drumming-Prayer Circles, and ceremonies honoring life passages (birth, coming of age, marriage, elderhood, and death). Wakan also publishes the quarterly journal "Sacred Reflections," makes small grants through its foundation to people and programs addressing social justice issues, contributes to a number of causes in support of Native American and Indigenous Peoples, and works with the Attitudinal Healing Connection in Oakland to promote the healing of racism.

Wakan offers programs, retreats and services to help people remember what is sacred to their highest awareness, and to incorporate this into all aspects of daily life. We help people find their Heart Path and walk on it in a healing way that honors the rich diversity of life, offering love, compassion, kindness, empowerment, creativity and celebration in support of one another and all our relations.