266 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
TRY IT YOURSELF: YOUR OWN SHAMANIC JOURNEY
■ Find a private, secure place where you will not be disturbed.
■ Assume a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. You may want to cover
your eyes to block out room light.
■ Set the intent of your journey—if you want to go to the upper or lower world with
the intent to meet your guardian spirit or your power animal.
■ Tu rn on a drumming tape. Let your body relax, and let it sink down into Mother
Earth. Take a few deep, slow breaths. Let the drum beat become part of you; feel it
resonate through your body.
■ In your mind, bring yourself to a place in nature that is special for you, one that
holds personal meaning. It might be a tree you climbed as a child, the lake you
swam in on summer vacations, the place you now walk your dog. Imagine that
place and go there in your mind. Feel the energy of that place.
■ If you are going to the lower world, find a place you can enter the earth such as a
hollowed out tree stump, an animal den, a cave, or whatever you want to imagine.
When you enter the earth, you will be in a long cave. Take your time and follow it.
Eventually it will open up into the lower world. Walk around and enjoy the beauty
of the lower world. Explore. Soon you will come in contact with power animals.
Introduce yourself. Dialogue with the animal, and ask what information the animal
has for you.
■ If you are going to the upper world, find a way to get up into the sky. You may
climb a mountain or a tall beanstalk, use a hot air balloon, or even shape-shift into
the form of an eagle and fly up. Eventually, you will come to the interface between
the middle world and the upper world. Find a way through this interface, which is
something like a membrane. The upper world is an ethereal, light, crystalline place.
Explore. Soon you will meet your guardian spirit. Introduce yourself. Dialogue with
the spirit, and ask what information the spirit has for you.
■ Eventually, the journey has to end. It can end when you decide to end it, when no
more information remains to be gained, or when the drum beat changes, signaling
an end. Return home by the same path you took to get there.
■ Allow the information to sink into your consciousness. It is best if you write the
information down in a notebook, in a concrete form you will remember. The
shamanic journey is much like a dream—it will leave you quickly. Writing it down is
a method to keep the information you gained during the journey.