Learning Shamanism

As I have said before - shamanism is not just about taking journeys into non ordinary reality. We humans have to live in the material world that we are born into and for most of us in the "Western" world that is not a particularly painful experience. Although we, as a society, have distanced and alienated ourselves from the Natural World and have become reliant on technology - we can still live comfortable lives for the most part. Yes, we do have stress and there are huge issues around pollution, consumerism and human over population. And we have recently been subjected to "the politics of fear" fuelled by media hype and governmental dishonesty concerning the so called Covid-19 "pandemic". As you may have gathered already - I am a total sceptic when it comes to all this corona virus nonsense. The common cold is quite often caused by a "corona virus", which is why the government testing kits are useless - they show everybody who has had a cold in ...

As I write this on 27th June 2020 it has started raining. We have had an exceptionally hot spell for the UK, with temperatures around 30 degrees C - so I have been spending a lot of the time by the river enjoying some wild swimming and less time with the laptop. Here is a journey I did on October 2nd 2018 ( I am working through my recorded journeys in the order I did them). I set my intention to ask for a healing journey for my pet cat Kit who had a nasty skin complaint on his back. I set the drumming track and hollowed out to prepare, then met with Rabbit in the Middle World. I asked Rabbit if he would give Kit some healing and also if it was OK for me to tell other people that he was my Power Animal - he agreed to both. We went to my Axis Mundi and travelled down the tunnel which ended in a cave in the Lower World. We came out of the cave into a hot sandy, desert landscape. We walked towards some palm trees and saw that the trees were at the edge of a body of water like a sea or a la...

When you start doing shamanic journeys it can all be a bit overwhelming and you can get confused and forget what you are supposed to be doing. This happened to me when I journeyed to meet my " Power Animal " for the first time on October 1st 2018  (link to post). I did that journey early in the morning and later in the day I realised that I had forgotten to do the Power Animal Retrieval as described in Paul Francis book " The Shamanic Journey ". Here is my journal entry from later that same day:- I realised that I had forgotten to do the power animal retrieval on my last journey (earlier this morning). I had left Rabbit in a hurry when the drumming "call back" started. I lay down again and started the drumming track (short 12 minute track) and set off to my Axis Mundi dressed in my usual monks habit with my walking staff. I entered the tunnel and descended - it was the same as earlier, with crystals and flints in the walls near the exit. As I came out into...

As I started to get more interested in Shamanism, I began to feel the need to experience Shamanic healing from a recognised practitioner. So, I asked around for recommendations. I found a practitioner in Reading, Berkshire, not far from where I was living who was known as The Bearded Shaman   and I booked a healing session for October 4th 2018. The Bearded Shaman's name was Danny and yes, he did have a magnificent beard! He also struck me as very kind, gentle and sincere. He practised a form of shamanism derived from the Inca tradition of South America although he was not a tribal, indigenous person himself. The healing session lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes and was quite an experience ( I had no idea what to expect ). We talked about my "issues" for a little while then Danny had me lie down on my back on the floor with my eyes closed while he started to perform the healing. He used a rattle to induce his state of non ordinary reality and he journeyed to the "lower wor...

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz This is essential reading for anybody who has been captivated by the works of Carlos Castaneda. It is a practical modern training manual that allows you to begin to understand the Toltec way of knowledge. It would appear to be very simple, and it is - but - and it is a big BUT - the Toltec path to freedom is not an easy path. The Four Agreements are :- 1) Be Impeccable With Your Word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. 2) Don't Take Anything Personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering. 3) Don't Make Assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate with others...

This is a record of my 4th or 5th shamanic journey. It is the second journey that I recorded in my journal. My journeys these days are less formalised and I tend to know where I am going - but these were early days. All I had to guide me were the (very good) instructions in Paul Francis ' book "The Shamanic Journey". I shall write exactly what I wrote down in my journal after the journey. This was written originally on October 1st 2018 at 7 am. I started to play a 30 minute drumming track. I set my intention to find my Power Animal by asking the "Great Spirit" to help me find my Power Animal on this journey. I left my body dressed in my monks habit with a hood. I seem to always don this garb when journeying (Note :- I no longer do this. My attire changes according to the nature of the journey). I had with me a long staff with a piece of Moldavite embedded in the top. The Moldavite gave off a faint green glow. (Note :- I still wear a piece of Moldavite on a strin...