Shamanista

Animism | Shamanism | Spirit Journeys | Healing

Journeying to the Spirit World

Journeying to the spirit world to do spiritual work is what defines a shaman. Those who do not journey to the spirit world may be mystics, holy people, medicine people, healers of many kinds, but they are not shamans.

Shamans know that the spirit world is real. They journey there to do their work, and they get results.

What Is Shamanic Journeying?

Despite what you may have heard, shamanic journeying is not a form of meditation. Journeying is a deep trance state in which the shaman is convinced that his or her soul is actually travelling to the spirit world and interacting with spirits.

Scientists have monitored the brain functioning of journeying shamans with EEG machines and found them to be in theta, the deepest level of consciousness. By comparison, the brain waves of experienced meditators were found to be in alpha state.

Why Do Shamans Journey?

When there's a problem in the community, a shaman journeys to the spirit world to find out how to fix it. If a person, animal or important object is lost, the shaman may journey to find it.

Animists and shamanists believe that many illnesses and injuries are caused by loss of pieces of the soul in the spirit world. Such loss may be cause by accident, by a great fright, or by spirits themselves for various reasons.

Illness can also be sent by sorceror or another shaman, or simply by the ill-wishing of enemies. Sometimes an illness is caused by a spirit intruding into the body, or by a spirit clinging to a person's soul, draining the life from it.

Once the shaman has located the lost item, the lost soul, or the remedy for the illness or other problem in the spirit world, he or she usually takes action to fix it. That action may take place in the spirit world, or it may require a medicine, a ceremony, or other action in ordinary reality.

Acting on the information obtained during the journey, the shaman does whatever is necessary to solve the problem. Often the shaman enlists the help of community members, or the extended family of a person who is ill or injured, to do whatever the spirits require.

More coming soon!

Making Journeying as Safe as Possible

Because of the deep trance state used for spiritworld journeys, an indigenous shaman generally has a helper to guard his/her body while the soul is in the spirit world.

Because of the shaman's vulnerability while in trance, and because all metaphysical activity attracts spirits of all kinds, shamans protect themselves and those around them by journeying within a ceremony, however simple, including cleansing, protection, prayer, and asking for and giving thanks for help from teachers and guides.

In most cultures, journeying to the spirit world is considered dangerous. Shamans must do it as part of their role in the community, but the do everything they can to make sure it done as safely as possible.

When you journey, especially in a group, you should do the same. If you are leading a group who are journeying, especially if some of them are just learning, you are responsible for their safety.

After journeying, be sure you are fully grounded again. For information on Grounding, see the section in Shielding and Protection.

More coming soon!

Learning to Journey

The easiest way to learn to journey is in a ceremony with a good leader and a group of people who already know how. The shared energy will help guide you into the spirit world, and you will feel safer and more relaxed.

Caution: If the teacher or leader, the group as a whole, or particular members in the group make you uncomfortable, politely leave before the journeying starts. Energy is real and can make you sick.

A good workshop, led by an experienced teacher of shamanic journeying, is generally the safest way to learn. However, some people are able to learn to journey on their own. Remember to take precautions such as cleansing and protection for yourself, whether you are about to journey with a group or about to journey alone at home.

More coming soon!

Advice on Journeying

The most important advice on journeying is this:

Always have a purpose for journeying. The spirits do not allow joy-riding. When you're starting out, the purpose can be to learn. Once you have learned to journey, do so only when there is valid reason, to help another person or to heal yourself so that you can be of service to others.

Journey only in a protected environment. Make sure you will not be interrupted. Make sure your body will be safe. Do not, for example journey alone in a public park or in a wilderness.

Do not journey when you are very ill or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It's just not safe. Even mood-altering prescription drugs keep you from being in control of what spirits you interact with. Better safe than sorry. If you need healing, get someone else to heal you. It doesn't have to be shamanic healing to work.

Journey only within a ceremony. Cleanse your own energy and that of the space around you. Put protection around yourself and the space where you will be journeying.

State your intent clearly and firmly. Pure intent is part of your protection in the spirit world.

Ask humbly for help. Ask for the blessing and protection of the benevolent spirits. Ask your guides, especially your spirit animals, to help and protect you on your journey.

Express your gratitude when the journey is finished, whether or not you believe it was "a success." Thank the spirits who guided and taught you. Thank the guides who helped and protected you. Thank any humans who participated with you in the ceremony.

After the ceremony, make sure you are fully grounded. For information, see the section on Grounding in Shielding and Protection.

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