This instructional guide has been developed and intended be utilized as a supplemental to the CD, “Hearth of the Dancing Drum, Drumming and Songs for the Shamanic Journey.” However, these instructions on how to journey can be used either with an alternative music source or in silence for those who have had more practice.
For those of you who have purchased a CD, or are considering to do so, we congratulate and thank you on your recent purchase and consideration of adding of the CD, “Hearth of the Dancing Drum, Drumming and Songs for the Shamanic Journey,” into your healing practices.
The intentions of this, “HEALING TOOL,” primarily is to help you easily go into altered states of consciousness with a system developed by ancient Shamans of how to journey.
Your experience begins by being guided into your journeys through the initial song, “We Are Alive,” and ending your journey sessions back with a reprise, then flowing into, “We Walk in Beauty,” affirming the gift of life that we have been graced with and the sacredness that embodies our existence upon this planet. Through this system I am about to give you, you will be able to access the mystery teachings, to connect with guides and develop a rich inner landscape where healing and transformation will happen. Through this practice, you will be able to develop a deeper understanding of your place in life; past, present and future. Your explorations, experiences and possibilities will be endless and expansive.
Michael Harner, the founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, who has pioneered the introduction of Shamanism to contemporary life, is quoted saying, “What’s really important about shamanism is that there is another reality that you can personally discover…we are not alone.”
I am going to give you information, and a simple step by step instructional, from beginning to ending on how to journey. My instructions will guide and help you to connect with a power animal which will be a source of protection and power for you as you go forward. Power animals may come and go depending upon what is needed for you at any given time. Some may stay with you for life, and you might have multiple power animals as well as guides or, “helping spirits.” I suggest listening to this audio instruction once all the way through before your journey actually begins. And then replay this audio and journey after that initial preview.
First, get the CD set up and have it ready to press play. Choose a 10 minute track, longer if you choose; it can be straight drumming or a track with the added Native American flute, it’s your choice. Have your chosen track on pause. It’s best to be close to the play button, so you can spend the least amount of effort possible to turn on the sound. After you have been given the initial instructions by me, I will initiate you into a journey to connect with a power animal who is awaiting your introduction. This formula can be repeated for any question you have thereafter, or any mystery you desire to uncover in your future journeys.
Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed at all. Either lay or sit in a comfortable position. If you feel you might doze off, put yourself in a position which will help you to stay alert, and feel free to reposition yourself at any time, at any point during the session. Use pillows and a blanket to create comfort. Place an eye pillow or tie a scarf around your head to cover your eyes to create darkness, limiting your external stimulus, bringing you fully within. Have a pen and journal close by to document your experiences. This is typically done at the end of the session, but, you can also write during your session if you feel it to be important.
Pick a place in nature where you have physically been. Choose a place that feels special to you, one that you will want to return to over and over again. Once you choose this place, you will always use it to return to. This is the place that you will begin to ask for guidance from your helping spirits, your portal. Go into your journeys by holding consciously, an intention of what you are going there for; what you need help and assistance for. After you are totally relaxed and in position, once the drumming begins, you will breathe and open your hearts.
There are 3 realms that you can go to; Upper, Middle and Lower worlds. The Upper or Celestial Realm is the domain of gods, goddesses, angels and evolved teachers.
The Middle World is the spirit counterpart of the material realm and the inner region that is most like outer reality. The realm “where there is nothing but the spirits of all things.”4 In this parallel world, exist the spirits that are the essence of everything in the material world. The Middle World is so truly parallel to the world in which we live that we can journey across it and visit all the places, people, and things we know in ordinary reality. Spirit journeys in the middle world provide a means of travel and communication without cars, planes, or telephones. It is a means of exploring territory to find the location of healing herbs or game, or to establish communication links over great distances.
The Lower World is the realm of animal spirits, spirit guides, and the dead; the place to which human spirits travel upon physical death. This Lower World is not Hell as defined by the agricultural religious traditions such as Christianity. It is the place of tests and challenges, but also the realm of power where guardian animals or helping spirits are acquired. A spirit journey to the Lower World is generally undertaken to seek the help and guidance of an animal spirit, to recover lost power, or to find and return a sick person’s wandering spirit.
To begin the journey: With your eyes closed, gaze into your third eye, the space between your brows. Feel your body lighten as you lay there breathing. Trust that you are always taken care of and loved, and that there are beings that love you fully with their hearts. Watch your body as a witness to your self laying or sitting where you are. With your breath, take your light body out through a real physical portal, be it a window, a door, a crack in the wall…any way that there is an actual out from where you are. You are now traveling to your portal, your place in nature. As you journey to get there, notice everything, including all the subtleties, using all your senses. Noticing what mode of transport you are taking; flying, walking, swimming, running, gliding, whatever it is, notice it, feel it. Notice dark or light, time of day, weather, what the sky looks like, the landscape or terrain. Be sensitive to all your senses. Using your imagination combined with your inner knowing and senses in the present moment, letting go of all self judgment, keeping your heart and mind open to endless possibilities, that really anything is possible, vast and endless. Take each moment on your journey, as a fresh new moment where anything is possible. Believe that what you need will be taken care of. Be open to receiving what your helping spirits have for you with no pre judgment or expectations. What you learn, and the answers that you will receive may be different than you might expect. Surrender, relax and let them guide you. You can ask questions and carry on conversations with any of the helping spirits and power animals while you are in this altered state of consciousness.
As you go along into this journey, with your inner vision, and knowing, notice any images either subtle or obvious. Turn on all your senses, taste, touch, smell, hearing and visionary, including your peripheral vision from all sides. Some people are more visual, some are more auditory, and some are both. Keep it in the present moment, keeping judgment at bay, initiate with your imagination especially if you are having trouble. Any subtle feelings or images, follow them, listen and trust that there is something for you to follow. Trust your inner knowing, and ask in that moment if that is something for you to pay attention to. You will know.
It is important to always have your power animal with you as you go into your journey, and have them with you if you need power during a journey. Again, it is usual to have more than one power animal, but for the purpose of simplicity, you will begin by asking to get to know just one initially. As you develop this practice, you will most likely discover multiple power animals as well as helping spirits who are here for you, and will come and go at different points for varying reasons. And for now, until you become more adept at journeying, I will have you try keeping your travels just to the Lower World.
When you start to prepare for your journey, hold the intention of what it is that you want to accomplish during that journey. Always begin from your place in nature. Once you arrive at your place in nature, ask for a helping spirit to come forward to help you with your query. It is very important to specify, “Helping spirit.” You want to be specific and only let in those who are helpful. Ask the helping spirit to introduce you to your power animal. Watch who shows up and where they take you. You may have a feeling of needing to follow a guide either in human like form or animal form. Show up; keep asking and dialoging, and pay attention, being fully present in each moment. Let them guide you on foot, down rabbit holes, up trees, or in flight. Ask questions along the way and listen to and trust your inner knowing.
At the end of your journey, you will return back the exact way you came to where you are now. As soon as you hear the Call Back, when the drumming changes pace to a fast rapid beat, thank your helping spirits for their generosity and time. Return back with your power animal to your place in nature. Thank your power animal for their help, companionship and time. Continue on towards home, towards reintegrating back into your resting self. Take a few minutes to breathe and come back. Once you are fully back, you may choose to write in your journal about your experiences.
So, once again, here are the steps:
Get a pen and paper, write down these steps:
The intention for this journey is to discover a power animal.
Let your imagination and senses guide you.
Get comfortable.
Turn the CD on.
As soon as you hear the drumming, go to your place in nature.
Ask for Helping Spirit for guidance to take you to a power animal.
Meet and converse with that power animal. You can ask it anything you feel moved to.
Return and retrace your steps as soon as the drum beat changes.
When you feel you are fully present in your body, open your eyes, sit up and write your experiences in your journal.
I encourage you to develop this journey practice and incorporate it into your daily life. Find a Shamanic community near you and go to the journey and healing circles. Seek out a Shamanic healer in your area to learn or receive a healing. Or simply empower yourself with this practice as I have instructed you here. You can always contact any of the Shamanic healers who are part of this project, with further inquiries. We at Hearth of the Dancing Drum, bless you in your efforts to co-create positive change through this ancient method of connection and re-membering!