(^36) SECRETS OF SHAMANISM
Benefits of Journeying
The more you practice the shamanic journey, the better
you will get at it. Eventually you will be able to take a rapid
inner journey as you walk down a busy street on your way to
meet a friend with whom you've had an argument. You will
look like any ordinary person to others, but like all shamans
you will have a foot in two worlds: the ordinary physical
world around you and the inner spirit world of all knowledge
which you will learn about in detail over the next few
chapters. This does not guarantee a happy reunion with your
friend, but it does mean that you will approach your friend
fully in focus, with an active intuitive sense, knowing what
pitfalls your friendship faces.
One of the most positive results of developing your sha-
manic abilities is the discovery that the world of spirit is the
true source of all amusement. As we mentioned before, sha-
mans always include humor in their work; it allows for the
often amusing advice you might get during your journey. The
helpers you meet often tease you about your density or seri-
ousness. When you return you feel lighter, clearer, and more
objective about the issue you are dealing with.
Another benefit of the journey is that it helps you get a
different perspective on your situation. In the stress of the
corporate world, for example, a narrow focus on succeeding
at all costs may shut down creativity and visionary ability.
Obvious clues and signs indicating the probable boom or
bust of a deal are simply screened out. This is the proverbial
"forest for the trees" syndrome. The journey method always
expands the focus to include all necessary information—it
gives you a sense of the big picture. Journeying also encour-
ages you to see the importance of other factors besides the
immediate win.
Jon was so focused on cementing an upcoming con-
tract that he was about to be debilitatingly anxious about
a flight cancellation. The delay would cause him to be late
for his appointment with a new client. As he bided his
time in the airport he remembered that he could use the
shamanic journey to explore the larger context of his
delay. He found a comfortable seat in an out-of-the-way
waiting area, closed his eyes, and began to journey. He
was surprised by what was revealed to him.
After traveling through the tunnel, he came to a large
meeting room. His client, Mr. Cormick, appeared to him
as a lumbering friendly bear. He said, "Hi, Jon, you don't