JOSE AIID LENA STEVENS 105transformed. Other shamans go through this experience sym-
bolically during a trance state or ecstatic journey. Typically,
during this symbolic death experience, they see their limbs
ripped off and their bodies chopped into tiny pieces. Some-
times their flesh is stripped from their bones and the bones
are dismantled and thrown in a heap.
In Tibetan Buddhism, similar meditations are used by ap-
prentice lamas to reduce the hold of the ego on the personal-
ity. Interestingly, Tibetan Buddhism is based on the much
earlier shamanic spiritual practices of the religion Bon. To
this day, many Tibetan Buddhist lamas practice shamanism
in their ministrations to the local people and use it to
strengthen their own spiritual practices.
Why, you may ask, do shamans focus on such morbid in-
ternal images and experiences? Shamans understand that be-
coming a shaman requires the death or destruction of one's
ordinary way of looking at the world. This is dramatically
symbolized by the near-death experience or by the images of
bodily destruction that shamans have historically endured.
It is not necessary to fall deathly ill or have an accident to
begin to adopt the shamanic perspective. But it is necessary
to become comfortable with the destruction of your old be-
liefs and ways of looking at the world.
Here is an advanced exercise, using the journey method,
in which you can experience this type of initiation symbolic-
ally. There are countless versions of this exercise and if you
wish, you will discover your own version that works for you.
If the exercise is too disturbing to you, you should not at-
tempt it. Wait until you can do it with a little more neutrality.
Drumming is helpful with this practice as it keeps you fo-
cused and moving through this challenging journey.Exercise #1: Symbolic Initiation
Relax, close your eyes and approach your cave entrance
or opening into the Earth. At the opening, meet your power
animal or other guardian spirit and tell them that you wish to
go to the underworld, to the place of symbolic initiation.
Follow your guardian's instructions explicitly. They may
refuse to take you, saying you are not to go there today, or
indicate that you are not ready. If this happens, stop, go no
farther and try it again another time. If you get the go-ahead,
proceed.
Allow your power animal or guardian to take you to the
underworld place of initiation. It could look like almost any-
thing, so avoid having preconceived ideas about it. Find your
place there and begin the initiation.