The shamanic journey towards self-knowledge

Shaman means “he who knows” or “he who sees”, because he has the ability to enter into realities that are not appreciated with the naked eye and thanks to this knowledge, he can communicate with divinities, teachers and ancestors, heal or divine the future.

The traditional shaman achieves his visionary power through a long apprenticeship at the hands of another shaman, which includes fasting, retreats, rituals and, in some cases, the consumption of plants or mushrooms that induce altered states of consciousness. The goal, therefore, is to achieve that peculiar state of mind that allows shamans to fly or become powerful animals.

The shaman practices the art of daydreaming

It may seem extraordinary to us, but it is something that we have all done in dreams. The key to the shamanic journey is practice the art of daydreaming and turn it into constant learning. The anthropologist and writer Carlos Castaneda described dreaming as a state beyond the dream where authentic explorations are carried out on other planes or dimensions of consciousness and reality.

This state of consciousness is related to the so-called “lucid dreaming”, during which the sleeping person is able to control the content of the dream.

There are autosuggestion exercises to induce lucid dreaming. Many practitioners use it simply to have a good time flying and fulfilling fantasies that are only possible in dreams. Some athletes use it to improve their technique, since what they practice while asleep is later reflected on the track. But lucid dreaming can also be used to develop emotionally and spiritually. The psychologist Paul Tholey has used it for patients to dialogue with characters and situations that appear in dreams in order to overcome psychological conflicts or symptoms such as anxiety.

Dreaming is an art that allows one to delve into other planes of reality

Another way to reach a non-ordinary state of consciousness is the holotropic Therapy, developed by the psychiatrists Stanislaf Grof and Christina Grof, which is claimed as an update of the shamanic experience.

It combines breathing exercises, evocative music and sounds, mandala drawings and body work to provoke a state of consciousness in which important events in one’s life can be relived, interact with archetypes of the personal and collective unconscious or experience a sense of cosmic unity.

These visions reproduce the situations that occur during the birth process, which mark the constitution and structure of our psyche throughout life, and which correspond to the experiences of shamans:

cosmic unit. It is associated with the union with the mother during the first weeks of gestation, which offers security and permanent satisfaction of all needs. She feels peace and communion with all things.Danger. At the beginning of labor, anguish is experienced. We can see ourselves dragged by whirlwinds of water or face presences that cause us fear.Hell. In an advanced phase of labor the feeling of entrapment intensifies. The visions reflect terrible dead-end scenarios and a sense of absurdity.Death and rebirth. The advance of the fetus through the birth canal corresponds to titanic struggles and unpleasant experiences. Shamans describe dismemberment performed by monsters or ferocious animals. Then, at birth, relaxation occurs, you can see a powerful white or golden light and a feeling of reconciliation with the world.

All these experiences place the protagonist of the trip before unusual realities. They are not strange review of past lives, incarnate into an animal or meet non-human beings. These phenomena “reveal connections between the individual and the cosmos that are currently incomprehensible,” say Stanislav and Christina Grof.

Explorations through the three worlds

The anthropologist Michael Harner is probably the author who has most promoted the recovery of shamanism with his books. the path of the shaman and The cave and the cosmos, both published by the Kairós publishing house. In his works he describes the different regions of non-ordinary reality and the methods to explore them.

Harner explains in his works that we live in the “in-between world”, that we can perceive both in an ordinary and non-ordinary way. Furthermore, in non-ordinary reality there is the “upper world” (where divinities and teachers meet) and the “lower world” (where one can find their power animal).

How to practice the shamanic journey

It is possible to enter the shamanic journey through consultation with a transpersonal psychologist or lucid dreaming, but many people choose to do so with the guidance of an expert guide and with the accompaniment of the rhythm of the drums.

To favor entry into the modified state of consciousness, it is advisable to follow a light diet or fasting and refrain from consuming any exciting substance, for at least 24 hours before. When you feel ready, find a quiet place and start with a meditation, yoga, or tai chi practice to calm the mind and direct attention to the body. You can count on an image or object to focus on and that serve as gateways to the non-ordinary world. It can be a mandala, a candle, a Buddha or a mental image. It is useful come with a question about a problem that worries you or a specific piece of information that you want to find out. When you feel ready, start drumming or listen to a recording (eg this one: bit.ly/drums33). The rhythm should be fast and steady, four to seven beats per second. As you follow the sounds, focus on the question with eyes closed. Allow yourself to receive images, sounds, smells and feelings. If you notice that you are not moving forward, use your imagination: recreates, for example, the figure of a wise man. The essential thing is to have the intention to penetrate non-ordinary reality.

The practice of the shamanic journey is shaping an inner world where answers are found

From here, what happens is something very personal. It is common for our mind to “land” in a natural “scenery,” such as a beach or a forest. Stay open to the unexpected, you do not want to control everything that is going to happen. Notice anything that appears, such as animals or people. Ask them if they can offer you protection, power and support. If you feel the answer is yes, ask them the question.

A guided shamanic journey usually lasts ten to twenty minutes, although there are no rules or limits. At the end of the session, the rhythm of the drums picks up speed, one thanks the help to the characters that have appeared and prepares to return to the ordinary state of consciousness.

Open your eyes and try to remember the details of the trip. You can write what you have experienced or draw pictures. Then, in the following hours and days, pay attention to synchronicities, dreams and feelings. Little by little, with practice, the inner world takes shape and the trips become more and more meaningful and helpful.