Secrets of Shamanism

Jose ATID LEIIA STEVENS 167

to absorb as much information as possible. Judith's ten-

dency was to open her sixth tunnel up too wide and for

too long a time, eventually giving her the physical reac-

tions. She learned to monitor the opening, relieving her of

her headaches.

Opening the sixth tunnel too wide in an attempt to see

and clarify a confusing situation can cause sensation in the

brow area resembling a headache. Headaches and eye ten-

sion are common malfunctions of the sixth tunnel and can be

remedied by shamanic visioning.

The color associated with the sixth tunnel is indigo and

the energy from it forms one of the outer layers of the spirit

body.

THE SEVENTH TUNNEL or POWER

The seventh tunnel of power is located at the top of the
head and some shamans consider this to be the opening
through which the spirit enters the physical body at birth and
leaves it at death, Tlie Hopis call this opening kopavi, mean-
ing "the open door." For many shamans, this seventh open-
ing is the passage through which their own spirit body (as
well as their power animals) continually passes in and out of
the physical body as they gather power and knowledge.
When shamans return to their bodies down through this
open door, they bring knowledge, wisdom, and all the en-
ergy that is then available for dispersal throughout all the
tunnels.
As we mentioned in Chapter 2, both religious art and
shamanic art depict the seventh opening as a halo or aureole
from which rays of light stream out. Tlie cross-cultural cus-
tom of bowing had its origins in the shamanic technique of
blowing knowledge, energy, power, healing, or lost guardian
spirits through this hole.

Every two years Andrew traveled to Northern India to

visit his guru. Each time he said farewell to Guru Mataji,

the guru called to him and held their heads together

crown-to-crown. And each time Andrew was speechless

for several hours afterward. In the days following the fare-

well, Andrew would discover that he knew more than he

ever thought possible. He saw the world through the eyes

of his guru, Mataji, and he was ecstatic. At the same time,

however, he felt ungrounded for a long period of time.

Eventually Andrew learned to close down his wide open