Secrets of Shamanism

90 SECRETS OF SHAMANISM

legs in a slow-motion ballet. Oddly, Ron was not moving

slowly, however. He suddenly had plenty of time to run

toward the ball. Unbelievably, taking a flying leap, he in-

tercepted it with his gritty, outstretched hands. Still the

players moved like molasses as he began to run through

the openings between them. As he crossed the goal line,

Ron already knew the game was won. Ron did not tell

anybody what he had experienced out there. He already

had a reputation for reading those metaphysical books.

They would just think he was crazy. But he was glad it

happened.

A second way that shamans manipulate time is by speed-
ing it up so that a long time goes by very quickly. Shamans
can sit still for long periods of time and experience that time
as if it had gone by in a twinkling. Yogic shamans of India
put themselves into suspended animation for long periods,
sometimes asking others to bury them in the ground for the
duration to demonstrate their powers. When their followers
dig them up after days or weeks they emerge smiling and
very much alive. There are countless shamanic stories related
to this theme of time suspension. Here is one with a surprise
ending.

Masapa cinched up his satchel containing his few rit-

ual items, hoisted it over his shoulder, and waved to the

villagers. He was headed up the mountain to commune

with his guardian spirits. The villagers were used to his

comings and goings. As their shaman, he seemed to

need the time alone to gather his power and seek the

knowledge that made him such a good healer and seer.

When Masapa had climbed high enough to look back at

the tops of the clouds hiding the now distant village, he

sat down to rest. Suddenly, he was confronted by a large

grey coyote. The coyote grinned at him and said, "Say,

Masapa, you are out of breath. Why don't you have a

drink?" Masapa replied, Ml do not have any water with me.

I cannot take a drink." Coyote said, "Well, you are not

very well prepared to spend the time you will need up

here to leam everything you want to know." Masapa

countered, "But I came up here only to spend the day."

With that the coyote laughed at him long and hard. "I

think you'd better come with me," he said, wiping away

his tears. Masapa followed him into the bushes. Suddenly

they were in a beautiful land where many animals danced

and played on the plain below. He went down among