I was with a group of people, and we were going to go on a Shamanic Journey. I’d actually already tried to go on one years before, when I’d read portions of Michael Harner’s book, The Way of the Shaman (which I heartily recommend!) At the time, I hadn’t had too much luck with it. Not from anything Michael Harner said or didn’t say in his book, but just because I’m a slow learner (remember, I’d only read portions of the book). I’ve come to recognize that as time goes by, I seem to learn things in my own time.
I already knew drumming was the vehicle of movement, so I wasn’t surprised when a guy sat near where the speaker stood and beat rhythmically on a drum. It was one of those large tub-like drums that a person sits and holds steady between their legs. The journey we went on lasted about 15 minutes, which is probably all you’d want it to last if you were to go on one on your own. I’d purchased a Shamanic drumming tape, which has slow drumming on one side and fast drumming on the other. I actually can’t really remember how the drumming was with our group. I do remember it taking me away, though. As a vehicle for moving into a meditative state, I declare drumming to be way up there. It is definately a vigorous ride into the land of Spirit.
What follows is a YouTube video from Michael Harner's YouTube channel, which includes 15 minutes of drumming. Enjoy:
I personally had some reservations about the effectiveness of this particular exercise. I tend to be uncomfortable in large groups, and I am especially not comfortable moving into meditative states with others, much less by myself. But I was willing to give it a try.
The group leader provided us with our direction. And, as the
drumming proceeded, each person closed their eyes and went on their own
journeys. Afterward, we spoke of our experiences. The directions for a Shamanic
Journey are very nearly the same as those you use when you want to meet your spirit guide.
I suppose you need to have a reason for going on a Shamanic
Journey in the first place. A general reason is that you intend to meet with
your guide or with a Shaman with the intention of asking them a question about
something that has been on your mind. Or, perhaps you would like to ask for some bit of advice.
But you go in with a question in mind.
I’m getting some help from the guides now and am not as adept as
I’d like to be walking and chewing gum at the same time here, so since this is
a joint effort anyway, I’ll just hand off to them and channel for a bit.
Welcome. We are pleased to be here. My name is Erasmus. I am your Shaman, if
you will for the afternoon. Pauline, your Lady Skye Fyre, has not spoken with
me afore this, so I am as new to her as I am to you. We speak of Shamanic
Journey. This is a tradition of reaching into the knowledge of the past, of the
people who inhabit the past as teachers, as sorcerers, as mentors, and asking
for their help with a problem you might be having. The same results might be
obtained with prayer. Pray your prayer and wait for an answer. Also, called
Focusing as a technique used by psychotherapists now, with your own body as the
Shaman involved. In any case, knowledge is universal and available to all.
- You trust you will be speaking to a guide either known to you or to one whom you trust implicitly to have your own best interests at heart.
- You have a question at hand and have mulled over this issue
for a while prior to beginning the journey, much as you do when you seek
answers from the dream state. Go over your question prior to going to
sleep so that you don’t “forget” it when the time is right.
- You already have some experience with meditation and do not become overly alarmed when things “appear” to you during the course of your meditations. I cannot recommend a specific period of time for experience, only that you do not get too excited.
Begin the journey by first
listening to the sound of a drum rhythmically beating near you. Let the sound
wash you away. When you feel you are ready, begin the journey by picturing
yourself walking on a path. The path can be dirt, gravel, paved, or a simple
trail. It does not matter. It matters only that you are walking on your path.
The goal is to move toward a cave that is set high upon a hill in the distance.
You move toward this cave. You might encounter obstacles that
delay your journey. Use your initiative in getting past them. Blast them. Move
them. Walk around them. Climb over them. Whatever. Move past any obstacles in
your path.
Once you arrive at the cave,
go inside. Look around (if you need a light, please produce one –
magically, eh? Just reach in your pocket for a flashlight or a lantern from
behind an outcropping of rock.) What you are looking for is a hole in the
floor or in the wall of the cave. You are going to dive into this hole much
like little Alice did and slide down and down and down until you arrive. Once
you have stopped your descent, you will be joined by either
a person, a thing, or an animal. Or, all three.
It does not matter really what your current belief system is. What matters is
that you have embarked on a journey into the collective unconscious of the
universe, where reality is not quite what you are
accustomed to. You are seeking answers to questions in areas thought afore this
to be accessible by only those who have trained or apprenticed themselves for
many years. It is possible to come away from such an encounter with what might
be termed the wrong impressions, or a conclusion based upon information
misinterpreted. This is very like drawing the death card in a tarot reading.
The death card does not commonly in today’s readings represent death but
instead a difficult change or rebirthing process which is to come.
When you meet your guides be polite, for you are not dreaming and
are indeed in the presence of a teacher. Ask them your question and wait
patiently for an answer. The answer might be given to you in your own tongue, or it might be given to you in a written fashion, or even in a symbolic fashion. When you are finished, you can say thank you and know that when you open your eyes, you will return to your body and be refreshed. Bon Voyage.
Thank you. Pauline back again. For years, I’ve been going back and forth
between channeling what the guides want to talk about and then back to what I
want to talk about. I’ve actually never really hit upon a graceful way to say,
“I’m Baaack!!!”
My own Shamanic Journey was a bit different than what the guides
talked about above. My first one was extremely short since I was pretty
surprised by what happened. I never did go on a walk, but did an out-of-body experience (OBE) out of my front door, and from my porch went in search of a hole to dive into. The nearest
hole was at the corner across the street from where I live, in a drainage ditch.
How classy. Anyway, there I went and as soon as I’d dived into the hole I
jerked back to my consciousness and didn’t try it again for years.
The second journey was with the group of people I’d talked about
before. And, I really had my doubts as to what, if anything, was going to
happen. I needn’t have worried. Guides are there to help in whatever way you
will allow them to help…. So, there I am, eyes closed, drifting on the sounds
of the drum, trying to achieve a meditative state and from there on to my path.
Bingo, first deviation from the teacher’s instructions, and I find my guide
walking beside me. I said, “What are you doing here? I thought I was supposed
to meet you at the cave?” He said he just wanted to ensure that I was on the
right path and comfortable with it. He said he’d meet me at the cave in a
little bit. When he pointed, I saw where I was going. What can I say? I’ve got
a lousy sense of direction sometimes.
He disappeared from my side, and a few seconds later, I was up at the cave and went inside. Seth appeared beside me again and showed me where there was a large hole in the side of the cave. It was about 3 feet tall. I sat down on the floor of the cave with my legs hanging out into this hole. It was like a steep slide on the other side. I knew that I was supposed to whoosh down this slide. Did you ever have the problem as a kid that your legs would stick on the school slides? That used to happen to me. It’s what happened to me in the cave.
I sort of pushed off with my hands, slid about two feet, and skidded
to a stop. I did it twice, I think, and was despairing of ever getting to go on
a Shamanic Journey. Seth sat down behind me just as you’d have two kids go down
a slide together, and he helped me go down that danged slide. I got a bit of a
whooshing sensation. Not much. However, I experienced a slight sensation. Mind,
you’re talking to the willy of all psychic channels. I don’t even like windy
roads, especially when they are in the Alps. In any case, it wasn’t as long a slide down as I thought it would be.
We slid out into the most beautiful underground lake you’d ever hope to see.
The surface of the water was smooth as glass. I was so surprised. I faced Seth
and said, “I can even touch the bottom with my feet!” He reached out and with
his hand pushed my head under the surface of the water…Bingo, deep lake. I’m thrashing around underwater, thinking bad thoughts about my guide for having pushed me underwater, when he turns into an incredibly large sea tortoise. I
forget I’m mad at him as he swims under me. I grab hold of his shell, and he
starts towing me around underwater.
We reach the edge of the lake, where he turns back into his human self and stays beside me as we get out of the water. Before us is another cave. I can see a large opening into a beautiful valley. I can see green grass and blue sky. Silhouetted against this beautiful view was the tallest, handsomest Indian I’d ever hoped to see. He had a deer’s head with antlers on it. I think they call it a head dress. Beside him stood a fawn. I reached out toward the fawn and then asked him, “Can I touch it?”. He nodded.
When I
touched the baby, I was back in my body again. I had recently read Rosemary Altea’s book, “ The Eagle and the Rose,” and I believe her guide, Grey Eagle, was a part of my Shamanic Journey. I wasn’t too surprised by
that because I’ve had contact with lots of guides over the years. It was just
neat that he was with me, too. I never did formulate a question to ask, like you’re
supposed to do. I just wanted to go on the journey. I don’t think I could ever
hope to have a more special journey than that one.
A Note: I wrote this page a long time ago, back when I went by the name LadySkyeFyre.
Thank you for reading.
🌺 Pauline Evanosky 🌺
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