Jose ATID LEIIA STEVENS 197OPENING RITUAL FOR JOURNEYING OR
OTHER SHAMANIC PROCESS
Using a rattle, stand in the center of the room facing east.
Pivoting around clockwise, describe a circle with the rattle
while shaking it. If you are in a large group, you can walk
clockwise all the way around the group, shaking the rattle
over each person's head.
Stand in the center of the room and, again facing east,
invoke the power and spirit of the east. Shake your rattle
above the head for the upper world. Then, at position level
with the chest for the middle world; then below the chest
around the waist for the lower world. You can say something
very simple like, "Spirit of the East, season of spring and
place of sunrise, please bring your inspiration and creativity
to our gathering. Thank you for your illumination."
Moving clockwise, face south, rattle, and say something
like, "Spirit of the South, season of summer and place of
productivity, growth, and harvest, please bring your energy
and productivity to our gathering. Thank you for your
warmth."
Moving clockwise, face west, rattle, and say something
like, "Spirit of the West, season of fall, and place of prepara-
tion, please bring your powers of introspection to our gather-
ing. Thank you for your insight."
Moving clockwise, face north, rattle, and say something
like, "Spirit of the North, season of winter, and place of puri-
fication, please bring your powers of renewal to our gather-
ing. Thank you for your patience."
If you wish, you can include the Sky above and the Earth
below as the fifth and sixth directions.
If you are in a group, it is often effective to ask for volun-
teers to stand in the position of each direction. The volun-
teers should choose the direction that means the most to
them at this time. For example, someone may be feeling in-
spired, a feeling related to the east; a person might feel
sunny and productive which is related to the south; another
person may feel introspective and this would correspond with
the west; yet another person may feel they are in a place of
renewal, a state related to the north. Each stands facing into
the middle of the circle from the direction that they have
selected. They each can speak a few words from the heart
about that direction.