Secrets of Shamanism

24 SECRETS OF SHAMANISM

In order for Andrea to get up and dance the animal, she

had to begin the process of surrender, which was greatly

aided there by laughter and tears. Only then could she allow

the helper, in this case an animal spirit, to come in.

The Nuts and Bolts of Visioning

Shamanic visioning adds another dimension to visualiza-
tion, the process of seeing or forming a mental image: that of
incorporating nature and using all the senses. Because the
spirit of all of nature is the source of true power, therein lies
the key to successful visioning. And since nature and natural
beings are three-dimensional, shamans re-create their images
in a three-dimensional way by using sound, feel, smell, and
taste, as well as sight. For example, if you were to re-create
an image of an apple in your mind you would "see" it, feel it
in your hands, smell it, take a bite and taste it, and hear the
crunch as you chewed the bite.
The other aspect to remember about shamanic visioning is
how important it is to re-create your images using natural
phenomena as much as possible. If you are imagining your-
self relaxing into a soft surface, have that surface be soft
spring grass, a bed of cushiony leaves, or perhaps the fur of
an animal you like rather than a nylon carpet or a piece of
vinyl upholstered furniture. Likewise if you are re-creating
the feel or hard piece of ground rather than concrete or plas-
tic. Shamanically speaking, natural objects have more power
than synthetic materials.
The same idea pertains to all the senses. Making a vision
real for yourself should include sound, smell, and perhaps
taste as well. Sound is more difficult because in most urban
communities what we hear and can mentally reproduce are
sounds of the city: cars, the hum of freeways, trains, cash
registers, telephones, etc. But even in urban areas, if you
really listen you can also hear natural sounds: the wind blow-
ing through trees, birds chirping, water running (even if it's
in your kitchen sink). And no doubt you can remember the
sound of the surf at the seashore, or the rush of a rainstorm
on a trip to the mountains. All of these powerful sounds
from nature, if incorporated into your visioning process, help
you create the three-dimensional image vital to successful
shamanic advising.

The sense of smell is the most powerful sense of all. Mem-
ories of childhood smells, Grandma's baking, for example,
trigger unprecedented emotional responses in people. There-
fore adding the sense of smell makes a mental image very