The Beginner's Guide To Shamanic Journeying

Shamanic
Journeying A Beginner's Guide
Sandra Ingerman
Author of Soul Retrieval and How to Heal Toxic Thoughts
Sandra Ingerman
shamanic
journeying
A Beginner's Guide
SOUNDS TRUE
Sounds True, Inc., Boulder, CO 80306
© 2004, 2008 Sandra Ingerman
Cover photo and drum by Terry Keepers, Shamanic Arts Studio,

shamanicartsstudio.com
SOUNDS TRUE is a trademark of Sounds True, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book or CD may be used or
reproduced in any manner without written permission from the
author and publisher.
First Published 2004

Printed in Canada
ISBN 978-1-59179-943-6
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12
Audio learning programs by Sandra Ingerman from Sounds True:

The Beginner's Guide to Shamanic Journeying
The Soul Retrieval Journey
Miracles for the Earth
Contents
Introduction J
Chapter O n e 7
Shamanism: The Path of Direct Revelation
C h a p t e r Two 13
The Three Worlds
Chapter Three 19
Power Animals and Teachers
C h a p t e r Four 33
Preparing to Journey
C h a p t e r Five 45
Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying
C h a p t e r Six 63
Undertaking Your First Shamanic Journey
C h a p t e r Seven 69
Divination and Healing Journeys
C h a p t e r Eight 77
Additional Journeys
C h a p t e r Nine 83
Integrating Your Journey Practice with Your Community
Resources 87
About the A u t h o r 88
Introduction
W h e n many of us think of the word "shaman," it

1 M b brings to m i n d a spiritual healer steeped in secret
r V knowledge a n d mysterious powers. So how did an
o r d i n a r y girl from Brooklyn get involved in shamanism
back in the 1980s?
In 1980, I was a t t e n d i n g the California Institute of
Integral Studies, w h e r e I was getting my master's d e g r e e
in counseling psychology. For financial reasons, I h a d to
work sixty h o u r s a w e e k — a n d I was taking twelve credits a
q u a r t e r — s o I was always looking for easy credits. O n e day I
was in the office at school, a n d a f r i e n d walked in a n d told
me that a m a n was flying out from C o n n e c t i c u t to teach
a weekend workshop on s o m e t h i n g called shamanism. He
did n o t know what the workshop involved, b u t he told me
that I could get two easy credits by taking it. I immediately
Introduction 1
signed up—without even looking at what the required
reading was. T h e workshop began on Halloween of 1980.
T h e man Hying in f r o m C o n n e c t i c u t t u r n e d o u t to be
Dr. Michael H a r n e r , anthropologist a n d a u t h o r of The Way
of the Shaman, who is known for having revived the tradi-
tion of s h a m a n i c journeying in m o d e r n Western culture.
While researching his book, Dr. H a r n e r m a d e a critical dis-
covery that b e c a m e the basis of his widespread teaching in
the West. H e f o u n d that the s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y is a practice
c o m m o n to all s h a m a n s a n d cultures t h r o u g h o u t history,
regardless of their geography or cultural differences.
D u r i n g a shamanic j o u r n e y , the s h a m a n goes into an
altered state of consciousness to journey outside of time
a n d space into what Carlos Castenada called n o n - o r d i n a r y
reality—or what I think of as a parallel universe. Typically,
the s h a m a n listens to some f o r m of rhythmic percussion,
which carries the soul into n o n - o r d i n a r y reality. In these
journeys, t h e shaman retrieves i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m h e l p i n g
spirits who m a k e themselves available in n o n - o r d i n a r y real-
ity for healing help a n d to provide information for patients,
family, a n d their community.
D u r i n g the weekend workshop, I l e a r n e d that the prac-
tice of shamanic j o u r n e y i n g can be used by a n y o n e today
in o r d e r to get answers to personal questions, to learn dif-
ferent healing m e t h o d s , to help others in the community,
a n d to work o n world a n d global issues. As soon as I met
my helping spirit d u r i n g my first j o u r n e y , I realized that
this practice would not only h e l p m e face the challenges
in my life, b u t would also f u r t h e r my personal growth a n d
2 Shamanic. Journeying
evolution. Since then, in c o n c e r t with my b a c k g r o u n d in
psychotherapy, my goal has b e e n to find the best way to
apply a n d share this powerful, ancient t e c h n i q u e .
T h e practice of shamanic j o u r n e y i n g is a way f o r us to feel
personally e m p o w e r e d in o u r lives. It provides us with a way
to have direct revelation a n d is a simple a p p r o a c h for access-
ing spiritual guidance. I t is a way to get us out of o u r heads
as well as to e x p a n d o u r awareness and consciousness.
When we begin to learn that we have the ability to
problem solve for ourselves, it raises o u r self-esteem in a
g r o u n d e d way. Going to m e e t o u r h e l p i n g spirits makes
us feel valued a n d c o n n e c t e d to the spirit thai lives in all
things. We feel loved by the power of the universe, a n d we
never feel alone again.
In working with the helping spirits, we learn the t r u e
definition of power. T r u e power is being able to use o u r
energy to create transformation lor ourselves, others, a n d
the planet.
Shamanic journeying is a joyful path to regaining the
knowledge of how to b r i n g o u r lives back into a place of
h a r m o n y a n d balance. It helps us to wake u p to o u r full
creative potential. As we d o this, o u r lives c h a n g e in a way
that brings g o o d health a n d well-being to ourselves a n d
others. I have watched people who have been depressed
wake u p to t h e joy of life. P e o p l e have started d a n c i n g a n d
singing a f t e r a lifetime of repressing their creative spark. I
have watched p e o p l e build their lives back u p after suffer-
ing debilitating illness a n d personal loss. I have watched
p e o p l e get their "voice" back. We just n e e d to have the
Introduction 3
desire and an o p e n h e a r t to d o this work. Everyone can
j o u r n e y a n d o p e n to the new d i m e n s i o n s of life that the
spirits are waiting to show us.
It is i m p o r t a n t to u n d e r s t a n d that I will n o t be training
you to b e c o m e a s h a m a n . Traditionally, it is not typical for
s o m e o n e to volunteer for the role of s h a m a n or to self-
identify as a s h a m a n . Rather, s o m e o n e is chosen by "the
spirits" to b e c o m e a shaman a n d to act in the service of
his or h e r community, in shamanic cultures, it is actually
considered bad luck to call yourself a s h a m a n , because this
is seen as bragging, a n d the shamanic view a b o u t power is
that if you brag a b o u t having it, you will lose it. Instead,
your c o m m u n i t y recognizes you as a s h a m a n based o n the
successful results that you achieve for the benefit of your
clients a n d the g r e a t e r community.
In Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner's Guide, you will learn
o n e of the most f u n d a m e n t a l t e c h n i q u e s used by s h a m a n s
worldwide to c o n n e c t with spiritual helpers, to access per-
sonal spiritual g u i d a n c e a n d healing, to help o t h e r s a n d
the planet, a n d to r e c o n n e c t with n a t u r e a n d its cycles a n d
rhythms: the shamanic journey. This practice is designed
to give you direct access to your own spiritual g u i d a n c e .
I believe that the times we live in call for each of us to
develop tools for resolving o u r own problems, tools that
e n a b l e us to b e c o m e m o r e e m p o w e r e d a n d resourceful.
Many of you will use this m e t h o d for your own personal
healing, growth, a n d evolution. After extensive practice,
some of you will be g u i d e d to begin using this work to help
o t h e r s in your c o m m u n i t y a n d in your work to help the
planet. This p r o g r a m is designed to provide you with an
i n t r o d u c t i o n to the t e c h n i q u e of j o u r n e y i n g in such a way
that your own destiny with it can unfold. T h e accompany-
ing CD contains three d r u m m i n g sessions to h e l p you get
started with your j o u r n e y practice. O n c e you have com-
pleted r e a d i n g Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner's Guide, you
will be ready to use the CD as an a c c o m p a n i m e n t to your
j o u r n e y s into n o n - o r d i n a r y reality.
Introduction 5
Shamanism: T h e Path of
Direct Revelation
S
h a m a n i s m is the earliest spiritual practice known to
h u m a n k i n d , dating back tens of t h o u s a n d s of years.
Although the word "shaman" is a Siberian word for
a spiritual healer, shamanism has also b e e n practiced in
parts of Asia, E u r o p e , Africa, Australia, G r e e n l a n d , a n d
native N o r t h a n d South America t h r o u g h o u t history. T h e
fact that the practice has survived a n d thrived f o r tens of
t h o u s a n d s of years speaks to the potency of the work.
O n e of the beautiful aspects of the s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y
is the principle of direct revelation. T h e practice of sha-
m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g helps us to part the veils between the
seen a n d u n s e e n worlds a n d access i n f o r m a t i o n a n d ener-
gies that can h e l p awaken us a n d restore us to wholeness. A
s h a m a n is a m a n or woman who interacts directly with spir-
its to address the spiritual aspects of illness, p e r f o r m soul
Shamanism: The Path of Direct Rnjetatiun 1

retrievals, divine i n f o r m a t i o n , help the spirits of deceased
people cross over, a n d p e r f o r m a variety of c e r e m o n i e s
for the community. S h a m a n s have taken on many roles in
tribal communities. They have acted as healers, doctors,
priests, psychotherapists, mystics, a n d storytellers.
Traditionally, the practice of shamanism has focused on
practical results achieved by the s h a m a n . In a traditional
s h a m a n i c culture, t h e r e was either a single individual or a
few p e o p l e in the c o m m u n i t y acting in the role of s h a m a n .
T h e s h a m a n would be consulted by h u n t e r s a n d gatherers
in the tribe to identity food sources. If the shaman were
u n a b l e to accurately divine the location of f o o d , the tribe
would n o t survive. S h a m a n s were also e x p e c t e d to p e r f o r m
healings for m e m b e r s of the community. O n c e again, the
survival of the tribe was largely d e p e n d e n t on the s h a m a n ' s
spiritual abilities.
Shamanism teaches us that everything that exists is alive
a n d has a spirit, a n d that we are joined with the earth a n d
all of life via o u r spiritual i n t e r c o n n e c t e d n e s s . Just as quan-
tum physics describes a field of energy that c o n n e c t s all
of life, s h a m a n s also speak of a web of life that c o n n e c t s
everything. In m o d e r n culture, many of us feel a d e e p
longing to e x p e r i e n c e o u r unity with this web of life a n d to
heal o u r sense of isolation. When we travel to n o n - o r d i n a r y
reality in o u r shamanic journeys, we learn how to c o m m u -
nicate with the spirit of the trees, plants, animals, insects,
birds, fish, reptiles, a n d rocks, as well as the spirit of the
e l e m e n t s of earth, air, water, a n d fire. We directly experi-
e n c e the web of life.
As we are a part of n a t u r e , we have a d e e p n e e d to
r e c o n n e c t with nature's cycles and rhythms. Imagine how
exhausting it would be to walk against the flow of a river
every day of your life. In truth, we have disconnected f r o m
the cycles a n d rhythms of the m o o n and the seasons, a n d
often we clo walk against the flow of the river of life. I believe
this is partly the cause of such ailments as chronic fatigue,
depression, a n d a host of o t h e r illnesses, both psychological
a n d physical, that are so c o m m o n today. T h e h e l p i n g spirits
have a great deal to teach us about restoring balance a n d
h a r m o n y into o u r lives by r e c o n n e c t i n g with nature's cycles
a n d by living in unity with the natural world.
Within the practice of shamanism, there are a variety of
c e r e m o n i e s p e r f o r m e d for h o n o r i n g a n d working with the
cycles of n a t u r e a n d the cycles in o u r own lives, as well as
for r e a d i n g o m e n s a n d i n t e r p r e t i n g dreams—all of which
provide insight, healing, a n d e m p o w e r m e n t . Shamanism
can also teach us the value of having a regular spiritual
practice a n d die value of being in service to others, which
brings a g e n u i n e sense of m e a n i n g a n d p u r p o s e to o u r
lives. Finally, shamanism enables us to access powerful
forces to help us create the world we want to live in—for
ourselves a n d for others.
S h a m a n s heal emotional a n d physical illness by working
with the spiritual aspect of illness. T h e traditional role of
the shaman has b e e n to p e r f o r m ceremonies. After tens
of t h o u s a n d s of years, traditional s h a m a n s are still part
of c o m m u n i t y life a n d practice in Siberia, Asia, Australia,
Africa, a n d N o r t h a n d South America. T h e t e c h n i q u e of
Shamanism: The- Path nf Direct Revelation 9

s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g that you will learn in this book is just
o n e of the c e r e m o n i e s s h a m a n s use to establish c o m m u n i -
cation with the spirit world.
T h e r e are t h r e e c o m m o n causes of illness in the s h a m a n ' s
view. First, a person may have lost his or h e r power, caus-
ing depression, c h r o n i c illness, or a series of misfortunes.
In this case, the shaman j o u r n e y s to restore that p e r s o n ' s
lost power. O r a person may have lost p a r t of his or h e r
soul or essence, causing soul loss, which sometimes occurs
d u r i n g an e m o t i o n a l or physical trauma, such as accidents,
surgery, abuse, the t r a u m a of war, being in a natural disas-
ter, or o t h e r traumatic circumstances. This soul loss results
in dissociation, post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression,
illness, i m m u n e deficiency problems, addictions, u n e n d i n g
grief, or coma. It is the role of the shaman to track down
the parts that have fled a n d been lost d u e to t r a u m a by
p e r f o r m i n g a soul retrieval ceremony. T h e third cause of
illness f r o m a s h a m a n ' s perspective would be any spiritual
blockages or negative energies that a client has taken on
d u e to the loss of his or h e r power or soul. These spiritual
blockages also cause illness, usually in a localized area of
the body. It is the role of the s h a m a n to extract a n d remove
these h a r m f u l energies f r o m the body.
O t h e r c e r e m o n i e s p e r f o r m e d by s h a m a n s include wel-
c o m i n g children into the world, p e r f o r m i n g marriages, a n d
h e l p i n g people at the time of death transition f r o m body
to spirit. S h a m a n s also work to e n c o u r a g e the growth of
crops, h e l p p e o p l e to i n t e r p r e t dreams, a n d advise p e o p l e
who are e x p e r i e n c i n g trouble. Shamans a r e in charge of
initiation c e r e m o n i e s c o n d u c t e d a r o u n d transitions f r o m
o n e phase of life into another, such as initiating children
into a d u l t h o o d . S h a m a n s tell stories about the m e a n i n g
of life a n d show us how the spirits can h e l p us find o u r
way when we feel lost in o u r life circumstances. They can
remove spells or dark energies, a n d read the t e n o r of the
community, picking u p d i s h a r m o n y and imbalance. They
create c e r e m o n i e s to m o u r n the loss of a m e m b e r of the
community. S h a m a n s also read signs a n d o m e n s to choose
auspicious times to u n d e r t a k e activities such as h u n t i n g
a n d celebrations.
S h a m a n s u n d e r s t a n d the cycles of n a t u r e — t h e cycles of
the seasons a n d moons, a n d how the stars move across the
sky. They r e a d the signs that c o m e with these changes a n d
movements. They c o m m u n i c a t e with the weather spirits
a n d maintain h a r m o n y a n d balance in their communities.
Typically, there would be m o r e than o n e shaman in a
community. Different s h a m a n s would be known for their
spiritual areas of expertise. For instance, some s h a m a n s
would be known for their great successes in particular
healing c e r e m o n i e s such as soul retrievals, while o t h e r s are
known f o r their divination abilities.
Over time, the practice of shamanism has a d a p t e d in
response to d i f f e r e n t cultural n e e d s a n d the c h a n g i n g
n e e d s of the times. Currently, there is a dramatic revival
of shamanism in the West, with a wide range of people
integrating shamanic practices into their lives, including
students, housewives, teachers, psychotherapists, lawyers,
nurses, doctors, politicians, a n d scientists. I believe that
Shamanism: The Path of Direct Revelation 11

o n e of the main reasons for this revival is that p e o p l e want
to be able to access their own spiritual guidance. We want
to stop giving away o u r power to socially acceptable author-
ity figures. We know that we are the only o n e s who truly
have the power to c h a n g e o u r own lives.
The Three Worlds
A
ccording to the s h a m a n i c view, there is an invisible
reality beyond the physical world that is accessible
t h r o u g h shamanic j o u r n e y i n g . In Celtic shamanism,
this u n s e e n reality is known as the " O t h e r World." In the
Australian aboriginal tradition, the u n s e e n world is known
as the "Dreamtime." Many shamanic traditions believe that
u n s e e n reality is divided into t h r e e separate worlds: the
Lower World, the U p p e r World, a n d the Middle World.
Each world has distinct qualities, including particular gate-
ways or entryways a n d a recognizable landscape. In this
i n t r o d u c t i o n , I would like to p r e s e n t e a c h of these t h r e e
worlds, i n c l u d i n g their distinct gateways a n d d i f f e r e n c e s
in l a n d s c a p e .
T h e Lower World is sometimes known by the term
"Underworld," although for some people that term can have
The Three Worlds 13

a negative connotation. T h e landscape in the Lower World
tends to he earthy, filled with mountains, deserts, dense jun-
gles, a n d forests. When I teach journeying, I r e c o m m e n d
that people begin by j o u r n e y i n g to the Lower World.
To j o u r n e y to the Lower World, you begin by visualizing
a location in n a t u r e that you have visited in o r d i n a r y real-
ity a n d have a clear m e m o r y of, a n d you use that spot to
travel down into the earth. Traditional ways of e n t e r i n g the
Lower World include climbing down the roots of a tree,
traveling down the c e n t e r of a volcano, t h r o u g h a hole in
the g r o u n d , into an e n t r a n c e of a cave, o r t h r o u g h a body
of water, such as a lake, stream, river, or waterf all. Any way
that you can see yourself in a specific location in n a t u r e
using a natural o p e n i n g to travel into the earth is fine. If
you d o n o t have a clear picture of a natural o p e n i n g , you
can see yourself traveling down into the earth o n an eleva-
tor or in a subway if that is easier for you.
People o f t e n e x p e r i e n c e a transitional phase o n c e they
have e n t e r e d their o p e n i n g that a p p e a r s as a t u n n e l lead-
ing t h e m into the Lower World. A literary e x a m p l e of that
transition can be f o u n d in the story of Alice in Wonderland,
where Alice descends into a n o t h e r realm t h r o u g h a magi-
cal tunnel. Eventually, you c o m e out into the light, a n d the
landscape of your s u r r o u n d i n g s b e c o m e s clear. This is the
Lower World.
In contrast, many p e o p l e e x p e r i e n c e the U p p e r World
as very ethereal. T h e light t e n d s to be bright, a l t h o u g h the
s p e c t r u m of colors can include everything f r o m soft pas-
tels to c o m p l e t e darkness. T h e landscapes in the U p p e r
World can be quite varied, a n d you might find yourself in
a crystal city o r simply in the clouds. When you are in the
U p p e r World, it is c o m m o n to feel as if you are standing
on s o m e t h i n g , a l t h o u g h you can n o l o n g e r feel the e a r t h
b e n e a t h your feet.
To j o u r n e y to the U p p e r World, you want to begin by
seeing yourself at a particular location in n a t u r e that will
help you travel upward. Some s h a m a n s use the T r e e of Life,
climbing u p the b r a n c h e s into the U p p e r World. O t h e r
traditional ways of traveling into the U p p e r World are
climbing u p a r o p e or ladder, j u m p i n g f r o m the lop of a
m o u n t a i n , rising u p o n a t o r n a d o or a whirlwind, climbing
over a rainbow, going u p the smoke of a lire or t h r o u g h a
chimney, or finding a bird to take you. Today, s o m e p e o p l e
travel to the U p p e r World on a hot-air balloon, o t h e r s just
float u p to it, a n d o t h e r s ask their power animal or guard-
ian spirit to carry t h e m up. Any way you can get to the
U p p e r World is fine.
T h e r e will be a transition you pass t h r o u g h that will indi-
cate you have e n t e r e d the U p p e r World. For some people
it is a cloud layer or a layer of fog. This will be a transition,
not a barrier, like in the story of "Jack a n d the Beanstalk,"
where he climbs u p the beanstalk a n d has to go t h r o u g h a
cloud layer b e f o r e e n t e r i n g a new world. Similarly, in The
Wizard of Oz, Dorothy travels to a n o t h e r world o n a tor-
n a d o , which is a c o m m o n e x p e r i e n c e in shamanism. In
fact, there are many c h i l d r e n ' s stories that speak of travel-
ing to n o n - o r d i n a r y reality that are consistent with actual
practices in traditional shamanism.
The Three Worlds 15

When you have passed t h r o u g h this transition, you will
arrive at the first level of the U p p e r World. If you are still
seeing planets a n d stars as you j o u r n e y upward, you have
not yet reached the U p p e r World. Again, you will know
that you are in the U p p e r World because of the sensation
of having passed t h r o u g h a p e r m e a b l e threshold of some
kind, after which the landscape will c h a n g e .
Although many shamanic traditions view the Lower a n d
U p p e r Worlds as c o n t a i n i n g a definite n u m b e r of levels,
many of us have f o u n d that there is an unlimited n u m b e r
of levels, because the universe itself is unlimited. Each level
will have s o m e t h i n g special to teach you, a n d it is u p to you
to explore t h e m .
T h e Middle World is the spiritual dimension of o u r
physical world. Middle World j o u r n e y i n g is a m e t h o d for
c o m m u n i c a t i n g with the spirits that live in all things pres-
ent in physical reality. S h a m a n s classically j o u r n e y to the
Middle World to find lost a n d stolen objects, to c o m m u n e
with nature, or to d o long-distance healing work. Another
great journey to take in the Middle World is a j o u r n e y to the
m o o n to ask a b o u t the m o o n ' s different cycles a n d phases
a n d how they affect your feelings a n d behavior. In this way,
you can learn how to make changes in your life that are in
a l i g n m e n t with your natural cycles, giving you an increased
sense of well-being. You can also speak to the sun, the stars,
a n d the elements in nature, each of which has m u c h to
teach us about how to restore balance in o u r lives.
W h e n you j o u r n e y in the Middle World, you are in pres-
ent time, traveling t h r o u g h o u r physical landscape. Simply
see yourself walking o u t your f r o n t d o o r a n d stepping into
your g a r d e n , or traveling t h r o u g h space very quickly to
look f o r s o m e t h i n g you have lost or to reach a m o r e dis-
tant destination. You might lake a Middle World journey
to m e e t with the plants, trees, and rocks where you live, to
learn m o r e a b o u t t h e m a n d c o m e into balance with t h e m .
G e o r g e Washington Carver was a very respected botanist
who said he gained knowledge a b o u t cultivating plants
f r o m walking t h r o u g h the forest a n d talking to t h e m .
S h a m a n s have always talked to the animals a n d the plants
within a n d outside their journeys to learn about n a t u r e ,
cycles, rhythms, a n d the e n v i r o n m e n t in which they live.
However, d o not rely exclusively on your j o u r n e y s in the
Middle World to c o n n e c t with n a t u r e . You also want to
spend time o u t d o o r s c o m m u n i n g with nature, a n d hope-
fully your journeys will inspire you to d o so.
T h e Middle World can be a little complicated to work
with, as t h e r e are many different types of spirits who live
there. S o m e of the spirits who live there are deceased souls
who have s u f f e r e d traumatic d e a t h s a n d have n o t success-
fully crossed over to the o t h e r side. Some of these spirits
may n o t even know that they are dead. To assist them,
you would n e e d to receive f u r t h e r training than what this
p r o g r a m can provide. In fact, there is a whole area of sha-
m a n i c training called p s y c h o p o m p work, which includes
m e t h o d s for h e l p i n g souls c o m p l e t e their crossing-over
process. However, il is fine to j o u r n e y to speak to the spirit
of a tree, a plant, a river, or the wind, or to m e e t the fairies,
devas, a n d elves that live in the Middle World.
The Three Worlds 17

During your j o u r n e y s , you can choose to travel to the
Lower World, the U p p e r World, or the Middle World. You
can choose to e n g a g e in conversation with the spirits that
you e n c o u n t e r , or you can simply move o n . It is i m p o r t a n t
to u n d e r s t a n d as you u n d e r t a k e shamanic j o u r n e y i n g that
you have c o m p l e t e control of w h e r e you go a n d w h o m
you talk to. Part of the exploration a n d w o n d e r of non-
o r d i n a r y reality is to discover the qualities that go with the
different territories—including a variety of landscapes—
a n d what spirits live there. O u r h e l p i n g spirits have the
ability to travel between the worlds a n d can accompany us
on o u r journeys for transportation a n d s u p p o r t , regardless
of where we j o u r n e y .
Finally, there are n o set rules a b o u t what people should
e x p e r i e n c e when they j o u r n e y to each world, although
I will describe some c o m m o n experiences to help you
u n d e r s t a n d the d i f f e r e n c e s between the worlds. However,
it is vital that you trust your own e x p e r i e n c e — r a t h e r than
trying to replicate s o m e o n e else's—and that you r e m e m -
ber that each person's e x p e r i e n c e is equally valid.
Power Animals and
Teachers
A
s your shamanic journey practice deepens, you will
find yourself meeting many different helping spirits.
T h e r e are two main types of helping spirits that sha-
mans consult and work with in their journeys: power animals,
also known as guardian spirits, and teachers in h u m a n form.
Power animals and teachers are f o u n d in both the Lower and
U p p e r Worlds.
Typically, you will have o n e or two m a i n power animals,
g u a r d i a n spirits, or t e a c h e r s w h o will work with you o n
an o n g o i n g basis on the c o r e issues in your life. In addi-
tion, s o m e power animals a n d t e a c h e r s will share specific
lessons a n d skills with you a n d t h e n move o n , with new
h e l p i n g spirits a p p e a r i n g to take t h e i r place. With time,
you will learn to trust your h e l p i n g spirits—both your pri-
m a r y o n e s a n d your t e m p o r a r y o n e s — a n d rely o n t h e m
Power A nimals ami Teachers 1 9

f o r h e l p a n d g u i d a n c e . T h e y will a c c o m p a n y you on your
journeys t h r o u g h o u t life.
Power Animals and Guardian Spirits

In shamanic cultures, it is believed that when we are b o r n ,
the spirit of at least o n e animal volunteers itself to protect
a n d g u i d e us t h r o u g h o u t o u r life—this is o u r power animal.
When a person is consciously aware of his or h e r power
animal, it is possible to c o m m u n i c a t e with it directly a n d
ask t h e m for help a n d g u i d a n c e within a s h a m a n i c j o u r -
ney. W h e n a person is n o t conscious of his or her power
animal, they are still receiving invisible s u p p o r t , although
they may n o t be aware of it. S o m e people r e p o r t having
whole teams of animals a r o u n d t h e m , b u t it is m o r e com-
m o n for s o m e o n e to have o n e or two main power animals,
with o t h e r h e l p i n g animal spirits b e i n g m o r e peripheral.
Your power animal represents the entire species of the
animal that is protecting a n d h e l p i n g you. For example,
you d o not have the spirit of a specific eagle, kangaroo, or
squirrel protecting you. Rather, you have the protection of
the spirit of the e n t i r e species of eagle, kangaroo, or squir-
rel. It is very c o m m o n to have a mythological creature as a
power animal, such as Pegasus or a u n i c o r n . You can also
have an extinct animal volunteering itself as your power
animal, since the spirit of an animal species is eternal.
T h e r e f o r e , it is n o t u n u s u a l for s o m e o n e to have a type of
dinosaur, such as stegosaurus, as his or h e r power animal.
Today there are many books a b o u t the spiritual symbol-
ism of different animals. Since shamanism is based on direct
2 0 Shamanic. Journeying
revelation, it is best not to rely on s o m e o n e else's interpreta-
tion of the animals that you e n c o u n t e r on your journeys. If
you d o n o t recognize the species of animal that you e n c o u n -
ter, either by their a p p e a r a n c e or their behaviors, you can
refer to a resource book about animals in o r d e r to identify
the animal. However, consulting a book on the symbology
of a particular animal spirit will n o t help you discover the
u n i q u e spiritual qualities the animal is offering to you. To
uncover that i n f o r m a t i o n , it is best ask the animal directly
what gifts, qualities, a n d s u p p o r t it is bringing to you.
In my workshops, I often h e a r s t u d e n t s r e p o r t that o n a
j o u r n e y an e l e p h a n t v o l u n t e e r e d itself to t h e m as a power
animal. W h e n asked what he had to teach t h e m , many stu-
d e n t s have told me that the e l e p h a n t replied, "I am trying
to teach you to lighten u p . " However, you will not find that
the e l e p h a n t represents a message to "lighten u p " in any
symbology book!
I personally received a very powerful teaching about this
in the late 1980s, when I was d o i n g quite a bit of traveling
a n d teaching. O f t e n , p e o p l e who a t t e n d my workshops a n d
lectures bring a gift f o r me. However, t h e r e was a particular
period of time when I received a strong message t h r o u g h a
series of gifts that I did not, at first, u n d e r s t a n d . To begin
with, I arrived at a workshop a n d received two gifts that
r e p r e s e n t e d owl—an owl f e a t h e r a n d an owl fetish. Fetishes
c o m e f r o m the Zuni tribe a n d are little carved statues
imbued with the power of a particular animal.
I thought that it was strange to receive two gifts that
belonged to owl, as 1 had never talked about owl being a

helping spirit for me. But that was just the beginning! For
the next m o n t h , gifts that represented owl kept appearing.
T h e barrage of owl gifts culminated with a h a n d m a d e owl
mask, which o n e of my students had m a d e for me. T h e r e was
obviously a message in this, but I did not know what it was.
I journeyed to my main g u a r d i a n spirit w h o m I have
been working with since 1980. I asked him why so many
people were giving m e gifts associated with owl a n d why
owl was c o m i n g into my life. H e r e s p o n d e d that owl n o t
only sees in the dark but also has a particular type of radar
that 1 would soon n e e d . T h e n the j o u r n e y abruptly e n d e d .
As journeys are outside of time, the word "soon" can be far
in the distant f u t u r e , so I did n o t believe that the r e a s o n
for owl c o m i n g into my life was going to be revealed in the
very n e a r f u t u r e .
A couple of weeks later 1 was teaching a workshop in St.
Louis. The workshop e n d e d Sunday evening, a n d 1 had
clients who would be c o m i n g for sessions with me early
Monday m o r n i n g in Santa Fe, so I had to take a late flight
h o m e . At o n e point d u r i n g the flight, all the lights went
o u t in the cabin of the plane, a n d the crew began walking
u p a n d down the aisles carrying flashlights. I assumed they
were trying to let the passengers sleep.
Shortly thereafter, the pilot m a d e an a n n o u n c e m e n t say-
ing that h e bet we were all w o n d e r i n g what was h a p p e n i n g .
Actually, I had n o t been t h i n k i n g a b o u t it at all, but now I
was suddenly very alert. H e said that o u r plane h a d an elec-
trical short circuit a n d that we h a d n o lights—either inside
the cabin or on the outside of the plane. In addition, we
were a b o u t to fly t h r o u g h a lightning storm, a n d we h a d n o
r a d a r to help g u i d e us t h r o u g h .
I immediately t h o u g h t back to all of the owl-related gifts
I h a d b e e n receiving, a n d t h e answer I had b e e n given in
my journey a few weeks b e f o r e when my h e l p i n g spirit said
that owl had a particular type of r a d a r that I was going
to n e e d soon. Thankfully, t h e p l a n e l a n d e d safely without
any p r o b l e m s a n d I am certain that owl's p r e s e n c e was
p a r t of t h e reason that we arrived safely that night. It was a
p r o f o u n d teaching a b o u t how the universe was taking care
of me by anticipating the h e l p 1 would n e e d a n d providing
it for me.
Now, if I had consulted o n e of the p o p u l a r symbology
books a n d looked u p the spiritual significance of owl, I
probably would have f o u n d s o m e t h i n g a b o u t transforma-
t i o n — b u t I certainly would n o t have gotten anything a b o u t
radar, or that I was going to n e e d this specific gift f r o m owl
in the not-too-distant f u t u r e . What 1 l e a r n e d is that when
we d o n o t go back into o u r own j o u r n e y s to find the mean-
ing of o u r power animals a n d their messages, we o f t e n
miss the u n i q u e lessons they are o f f e r i n g us. T h e r e f o r e , it
is i m p o r t a n t not to look to o t h e r s to interpret t h e spiri-
tual lessons associated with your power animals—that is
between you a n d your power animal. Also, what they have
to o f f e r you may not be consistent with your preconceived
n o t i o n s a b o u t their particular abilities a n d skills.
It is also i m p o r t a n t to be aware of your ideas a b o u t the
a m o u n t of power that d i f f e r e n t animals hold. I have watched
p e o p l e in workshops get upset because they have squirrel

as a power animal instead of s o m e t h i n g they think of as
m o r e mighty a n d powerful, like b e a r or eagle. However, in
n o n - o r d i n a r y reality, o n e species of animal d o e s not have
m o r e power than another. All power animals have e x t r e m e
power, a n d they each have u n i q u e a n d often u n e x p e c t e d
lessons to teach us. A mouse has as m u c h power as a lion,
b u t they each have s o m e t h i n g very d i f f e r e n t to teach us.
Trees a n d beings like elves a n d fairies can also be help-
ing spirits. Since the spirits of trees a n d beings like elves are
n o t animals, we call t h e m guardian spirits instead. Plants
are not usually considered guardian spirits, but are used by
s h a m a n s a r o u n d the world for their healing properties.
In shamanic cultures, community life was very important.
T h e process of individuation that we see as so important in
o u r culture today was not important in indigenous cultures,
as each individual n e e d e d to contribute to the community
to ensure its survival. In some cultures, people belonged to
certain clans where a power animal volunteered help to the
entire g r o u p or community of people. Likewise, during my
j o u r n e y s for others, I have f o u n d that couples, families, and
even organizations a n d businesses often have a power ani-
mal supporting t h e m in non-ordinary reality.
Occasionally, I have f o u n d in j o u r n e y s that some mam-
mals may d e m o n s t r a t e t h r e a t e n i n g behavior in o r d e r to
show you how m u c h power they have. It is n o t unusual to
e n c o u n t e r a b e a r as a power animal that stands u p in a
t h r e a t e n i n g fashion in o r d e r to express its power. If that
occurs, I would suggest that you ask the bear what it has to
teach you a b o u t strength a n d power.
There is o n e source of confusion regarding the
a p p e a r a n c e of animals in j o u r n e y s that I would like to
address—animals that carry venom a n d normally sting,
poison, or bite h u m a n s . Insects such as ants, bees, a n d spi-
ders can be power animals, although if you perceive t h e m
swarming in o n e area of a body ihey may be p o i n t i n g to an
illness. For instance, when a s h a m a n goes into an altered
state of consciousness a n d looks into the body of his or
h e r client, h e or she might sec a reptile showing its fangs,
or a localized swarm of ants. Similarly, snakes, lizards, a n d
d r a g o n s can be power animals, but if they display their
fangs or hiss at you, this may be a sign of illness. T h e r e are
exceptions when the bite of an animal is m e a n t to trans-
mit power. For example, when I first met the white cobra,
which is o n e of my helping spirits, she bit me on the neck;
this was h e r way of sharing h e r power a n d transmitting
h e r healing energies to me. I have met o t h e r e x p e r i e n c e d
j o u r n e y e r s who have h a d the same e x p e r i e n c e with cobra.
T h e i m p o r t a n t distinction to make is that the animal that
has a p p e a r e d to you is showing itself as a t r u e helper. For
example, some people have a big friendly spider as a power
animal. However, this is quite d i f f e r e n t f r o m seeing thou-
sands of spiders swarming in s o m e o n e ' s liver.
In s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g , your intention lets the spirits
know what you are asking to be shown. W h e n embark-
ing on a j o u r n e y w h e r e your intention is to m e e t a power
animal o r g u a r d i a n spirit, that is what you will be shown;
not swarms of insects. When the s h a m a n j o u r n e y s with the
i n t e n t i o n to be shown the spiritual identity of an illness,

sometimes insects or fanged reptiles will appear, alerting
the s h a m a n to the location of illness in a client's body.
O n e final thing to bear in mind is diat you d o not want to
brag about die identity of your power animal. As I said earlier,
in shamanism when we brag about our power, we lose it.
Teachers in Human Form

T h e o t h e r types of helping spirits shamans typically work
with are called teachers in h u m a n form. In a traditional sha-
manic society, these would be gods and goddesses of that
culture, as well as ancestral spirits. Nowadays, people also
meet a variety of o t h e r teachers, including religious figures
such as Jesus, Mary, or Buddha. Some people meet inspira-
tional historical figures such as Einstein or Hildegard von
Bingen. Many people r e p o r t having a deceased relative, such
as a g r a n d m o t h e r or grandfather, as a teacher. O t h e r s work
with gods a n d goddesses, such as Isis, Osiris, a n d Hermes.
It is i m p o r t a n t to remain o p e n about the many f o r m s of
teachers who present themselves to you. For example, you
might find a y o u n g child presenting herself as a teacher for
you. O r when you are j o u r n e y i n g about an issue, you might
find a m i r r o r being presented to you, m e a n i n g tfiat you are
to be your own teacher c o n c e r n i n g a particular matter.
I have had the same main guardian spirit since 1980, but
I have f o u n d o t h e r helping spirits who s u p p o r t m e with
d i f f e r e n t issues in my life for a while a n d t h e n move on.
T h e r e are also power animals a r o u n d m e who h e l p me a n d
provide me with general s u p p o r t , b u t with w h o m I d o n o t
c o m m u n i c a t e on a regular basis. I also have had d i f f e r e n t
teachers who have a p p e a r e d in h u m a n f o r m , although my
m a i n teacher is lsis, w h o m I first met in 1986 while I was on
a vision quest.
My g u a r d i a n spirit is the o n e who does s h a m a n i c healing
d u r i n g my j o u r n e y s f o r others. H e also helps me answer
questions in my personal life. Isis answers questions f o r m e
personally, a n d she also helps m e w h e n I write my books,
when I a m teaching workshops, a n d while I am lecturing
at c o n f e r e n c e s .
As with power animals, teachers are a source of healing
a n d wisdom in o u r lives. For instance, Nancy, o n e of my
students, had a very p r o f o u n d healing t h r o u g h o n g o i n g
work with her teacher. She had e x p e r i e n c e d abuse as a
child a n d s u f f e r e d f r o m depression, for which she was tak-
ing m e d i c a t i o n . When she began j o u r n e y i n g , she met h e r
teacher, who was King James fV of Scotland. Since Nancy
was a schoolteacher, she decided to d o some research to
learn a b o u t the life of King James. She f o u n d many books
a b o u t his life, a n d t h r o u g h h e r research she discovered
that King J a m e s h a d b e e n abused as a child by his father.
She l e a r n e d that h e had healed himself a n d overcome his
early traumas, a n d she realized she could also be healed.
T h r o u g h reading his story a n d j o u r n e y i n g to him, Nancy
finally put her past b e h i n d h e r a n d has been depression-
f r e e a n d off of antidepressants Tor years.
A n o t h e r student, Isabel, was p l a n n i n g to lake a vacation
with h e r h u s b a n d in Hawaii. She j o u r n e y e d to her teacher
a n d asked if there was anything she n e e d e d to know b e f o r e
going on h e r trip. H e r teacher told h e r lo bring rope.

Isabel was understandably surprised by this response, as she
was n o t p l a n n i n g to backpack or go m o u n t a i n climbing in
Hawaii. She told her h u s b a n d a n d some f r i e n d s a b o u t the
advice she h a d gotten on h e r j o u r n e y , a n d they j u s t laughed,
b u t she decided to bring r o p e anyway, a n d she put some in
her daypack. While in Hawaii, Isabel went for a hike on a
p o p u l a r trail with her h u s b a n d in an area where t h e r e h a d
b e e n a lot of rain, which had caused several mudslides. At
o n e point on the trail they slipped a n d b e c a m e t r a p p e d ,
a n d Isabel used the r o p e to climb to safety.
Similar to the way owl came into my life b e f o r e I n e e d e d
owl's help, h e r e is an example of how a helping spirit gave
advice to protect s o m e o n e f r o m a f u t u r e event. T h e s e
experiences show us that we are loved a n d taken care of by
o u r helping spirits.
Relating to Your Helping Spirits

Power animals, guardian spirits, and teachers are known as
helping spirits. Sometimes your helping spirits will show diem-
selves to you as ured or sick. It is important to remember diat
they are spirits—they do not get tired or sick. They might be
role-playing your physical or emotional state. They also might
be testing you to see if you will offer assistance or love to them.
It is a show of loyalty and commitment to be nurturing toward
(hem in light of all that they give you.
Power animals a n d guardian spirits d o n o t b e c o m e jeal-
ous of each other. Sometimes in a journey you m i g h t see two
of your power animals fighting. It is i m p o r t a n t to r e m e m -
b e r that they are spirits a n d w h e n they show themselves in
a j o u r n e y as fighting with each other, they are most likely
role-playing s o m e t h i n g going on in your life that you n e e d
to look at. Ask t h e m what they are trying to c o m m u n i c a t e
t h r o u g h their behavior so that you can receive the lesson
that they are i n t e n d i n g for you.
It is i m p o r t a n t to find a power animal or g u a r d i a n spirit
you can trust who can be your guide t h r o u g h your adven-
tures in n o n - o r d i n a r y reality a n d who can answer questions
f o r you. If you see or feel a spirit a n d you are not sure it is a
h e l p e r to you, you s h o u l d avoid it, j u s t like you would move
a r o u n d a reptile or insect you did n o t want to interact with
while hiking in the woods. J o u r n e y i n g is very safe, a n d it is
i m p o r t a n t to learn that you always have full control over
where you travel a n d with which spirits you interact.
Classically, s h a m a n s would m e r g e with their power ani-
mals a n d teachers t h r o u g h ritual song a n d dance. It is
c o n s i d e r e d a g e n e r o u s o f f e r i n g to invite o u r h e l p i n g spirits
to move t h r o u g h o u r bodies, as they are disincarnate a n d
unable to e x p e r i e n c e the pleasure of physical reality them-
selves. This practice is a way f o r s h a m a n s to c o n n e c t with
the power of their h e l p i n g spirits a n d to h o n o r t h e m by
allowing t h e m to "dance t h r o u g h " their bodies.
I r e c o m m e n d that you explore how best to h o n o r your
helping spirits in your own way. In so doing, you will find
that they stay with you f o r a longer time t h a n if you were
to ignore their p r e s e n c e a n d their attempts to help you in
your spiritual life. O n e way to h o n o r your h e l p i n g spirits
is to write a p o e m a b o u t t h e m or draw a picture of t h e m .
Sometimes w h e n I j o u r n e y in n o n - o r d i n a r y reality, I bring
Pouter Animals and leat hers 29

my helping spirits a picnic basket a n d feed t h e m . During
o n e of these journeys, my intention is simply to give thanks,
and I d o n o t ask t h e m any questions or ask for their help.
This is my way of saying "thank you" for all of the help that
they have given m e d u r i n g my twenty years of j o u r n e y i n g .
T h e r e is n o cross-cultural a g r e e m e n t o n the appropri-
ateness of sharing the identity of your h e l p i n g spirits with
others. In some cultures, everyone in the community
knows the identity of the protecting spirits of each person.
However, I would suggest you j o u r n e y to your h e l p i n g spir-
its a n d ask t h e m personally what they feel is best. I find
some of my helping spirits say it is okay to share their iden-
tity with the public, a n d I write a b o u t t h e m a n d talk a b o u t
t h e m in my lectures, but my main power animal has told
m e it is best to keep his identity to myself. O n the o t h e r
h a n d , it is sometimes beneficial to share the identity of your
helping spirits in o r d e r to explain your spiritual practice to
others, but I r e c o m m e n d that you ask for permission first.
Power animals and teachers live in both the Lower a n d
U p p e r Worlds. You can d o exploratory j o u r n e y s as part of
your shamanic practice to meet different power animals and
teachers in different levels of the Lower a n d U p p e r Worlds.
Power animals a n d teachers can travel between all the worlds
a n d can accompany you on your shamanic journeys wher-
ever you go. You can also call t h e m into the Middle World
when you feel you n e e d their protection or help.
For example, let us say you are feeling nervous about
going into a difficult meeting. With a clear intention, call
to your power animals and teachers and ask t h e m to be with
you d u r i n g die m e e t i n g to help guide you and diminish your
anxiety. Or, if you are about to drive on the freeway a n d you
are feeling nervous, you can call to your helping spirits a n d
ask f o r their protection to help you get h o m e safely.
I use this t e c h n i q u e a great deal in my day-to-day life.
For example, I am a very n e r v o u s flier—and I s p e n d a lot
of time traveling o n airplanes. When I get o n the plane, I
d o a particular silent meditation to help me feel m o r e at
ease. I silently ask that all of my power animals, teachers,
a n d h e l p i n g spirits j o i n me on the airplane to e n s u r e a safe
a n d s m o o t h flight all the way to my destination. I also ask
that the crew a n d o t h e r passengers' power animals, teach-
ers, a n d h e l p i n g spirits c o m e f o r w a r d in o r d e r to create
a safe a n d smooth flight for everyone. From a shamanic
perspective, everything is alive and has a spirit—so 1 also
call u p o n the airplane's power animals a n d h e l p i n g spirits
to be present to e n s u r e a safe flight.
O u r relationship with o u r helping spirits also provides us
with protection f r o m the c o m m o n p h e n o m e n o n of burn-
out. Energetically, when you c o m e into close contact with
o t h e r people, you can "pick u p " their feelings a n d thoughts.
You may even have s o m e o n e "tugging" on your energy
because they are in n e e d of s u p p o r t or help. Shamanism
gives us ways to b e fully present with s o m e o n e without tak-
ing on their suffering o n an energetic level—which can
lead to b u r n o u t as well as illness. In this situation, a clas-
sic shamanic practice is to silently ask your power animal
or teacher to fill you u p with power a n d s t r e n g t h e n your
b o u n d a r i e s b e f o r e you m e e t with s o m e o n e who is in need.
f'ouier Animals and 'leathers 31

In this way, you are n o t o p e n to the invisible e x c h a n g e that
occurs on an energetic level, where s o m e o n e else's mate-
rial is transferred o n t o you. You can also use this m e t h o d
b e f o r e walking into a crowded r o o m or street in o r d e r to
r e m a i n energetically intact.
This t e c h n i q u e of calling your h e l p i n g spirits into the
Middle World is n o t the same as b e g i n n i n g to j o u r n e y in
the middle of your day—or when you are e n g a g e d in your
o r d i n a r y life. T h e r e are times when it is a p p r o p r i a t e to
j o u r n e y a n d times when it is not. In fact, traditional sha-
m a n s p e r f o r m c e r e m o n i e s a n d rituals b e f o r e j o u r n e y i n g
a n d are very deliberate about when they choose to j o u r n e y
into n o n - o r d i n a r y reality to contact their h e l p i n g spirits.
People who c a n n o t follow the discipline of deliberately
e n t e r i n g a n d leaving n o n - o r d i n a r y reality are n o longer
practicing shamanism—they are e n t e r i n g the world of psy-
chosis. People who are psychotic d o not know what world
they are in. In contrast, a s h a m a n ' s j o u r n e y is always delib-
erate, purposeful, a n d intentional.
You will find as you begin to practice j o u r n e y i n g on a
regular basis that the h e l p i n g spirits you work with can
provide you with all kinds of assistance. Of course you
must take responsibility for the choices you make in your
life. Your h e l p i n g spirits will n o t d o everything for you.
However, you will find that they can truly s u p p o r t you as
you c o n t i n u e moving forward on your soul's path.
Preparing to Journey
T
raditionally, s h a m a n s created c e r e m o n y a n d ritual
a r o u n d their j o u r n e y s . They only journeyed with
intentionality a n d p u r p o s e . They took time to pre-
pare themselves by singing a n d d a n c i n g in o r d e r to clear
their m i n d s so they could b e c o m e "a hollow b o n e " — a t r u e
i n s t r u m e n t for the power of the universe.
W h e n you are ready to u n d e r t a k e your first j o u r n e y ,
m a k e sure you have a clear intention a n d p u r p o s e for
your journey. Even if you just want to explore the Lower
World, Middle World, or U p p e r World, make sure that
you are clear that this is your p u r p o s e . If you have a ques-
tion in mind, r e p e a t the question several times. If you
just lie down a n d listen to the d r u m m i n g without setting
an i n t e n t i o n , it is possible that you might have a power-
ful journey, a l t h o u g h many p e o p l e r e p o r t that when they
i'reparing to Journey 33
journey without an intention their j o u r n e y s are fuzzy a n d
disjointed. T h e key to all spiritual practice—whether it is
shamanic j o u r n e y i n g or meditation—is concentration. It is
important to learn how to concentrate d u r i n g your j o u r n e y s
and not to get distracted by m i n d chatter or the c o n c e r n s of
ordinary life.
It is i m p o r t a n t f o r you to d e t e r m i n e when the best time
of day is for you to j o u r n e y . You will n e e d to e x p e r i m e n t to
f i n d the times of day w h e n you can c o n c e n t r a t e the best—
when you are fresh a n d your mind is clear, n o t when your
m i n d is cluttered with a lot of details. Many people r e p o r t
that the best time for t h e m to j o u r n e y is in the m o r n i n g
b e f o r e they engage in their lives. Late af t e r n o o n is n o t usu-
ally a g o o d time to journey. People often complain that
their j o u r n e y s are f r a g m e n t e d a n d confusing d u r i n g this
time of day. Some people p r e f e r to journey right b e f o r e
they go to bed at night. I can j o u r n e y at any time of the day
f o r a client, b u t when I j o u r n e y for myself, I tend to have
the clearest j o u r n e y s in the m o r n i n g b e f o r e I get pulled
out of that quiet after-sleep space into my daily life.
T h e r e is n o o n e cross-cultural belief a b o u t what kind
of diet best s u p p o r t s shamanic j o u r n e y i n g . It is t r u e that
in many cultures s h a m a n s a d h e r e to a special diet before
they d o certain c e r e m o n i e s a n d healing work. You really
have to explore what works for you in terms of foods that
increase or diminish your ability to focus. Generally, I find
that alcohol i n t e r f e r e s with m a i n t a i n i n g concentration
a n d staying alert in j o u r n e y s . Also, if you eat a heavy meal
b e f o r e you j o u r n e y , your body will be f o c u s e d o n digestion
a n d it might be difficult for you to c o n c e n t r a t e a n d stay
alert. S o m e p e o p l e find that caffeine can help their con-
centration on a j o u r n e y , although my e x p e r i e n c e has been
that a little caffeine may help create clear j o u r n e y s , but too
m u c h caffeine can "close the curtains" between you a n d
n o n - o r d i n a r y reality.
I suggest that you find a comfortable, quiet place for your
j o u r n e y where you will not be i n t e r r u p t e d . Disconnecting
your p h o n e is a useful precaution to take. You can j o u r n e y
lying down or sitting up. R e m e m b e r that you will have a
clearer j o u r n e y if you are alert, so you might not want to
get too c o m f o r t a b l e or you might just fall asleep.
O n c e you have established your spot, you may want to
d a n c e , sing, chant, or d o some m o v e m e n t exercises to get
the oxygen moving t h r o u g h your system. This will also
o p e n your h e a r t and h e l p you feel a sense of unity with
all of life. Movement, dancing, chanting, a n d singing help
to break down the egoistic barriers that can prevent us
f r o m having a clear j o u r n e y . In addition, t h e spirits com-
municate with us t h r o u g h o u r hearts, and we "see" in o u r
j o u r n e y s t h r o u g h o u r hearts. So taking the time to b r e a t h e
into your heart to allow it to o p e n m o r e fully is beneficial.
I teach people who have a h a r d time c o n c e n t r a t i n g d u r i n g
their j o u r n e y s to focus on b r e a t h i n g deeply t h r o u g h their
hearts, a n d p e o p l e r e p o r t great successes f r o m a d d i n g this
to their practice. So if you lose your c o n c e n t r a t i o n while
you are journeying, or if you feel that you are n o t expe-
riencing anything, m a k e sure you are b r e a t h i n g t h r o u g h
your heart. Keep r e p e a t i n g the intention of the j o u r n e y
a n d what you are asking for until your focus r e t u r n s a n d
you are back o n track.
O n e of the many definitions of shaman is "one who sees
in the dark." It is a lot easier to j o u r n e y in total darkness.
Therefore, some people close die shades and curtains to
darken the room. You can also use a blindfold of some sort—
such as a bandana, scarf, or eye pillow—to keep the light out
of your eyes. Do whatever is most comfortable for you.
O n c e again, take some d e e p breaths b e f o r e you begin
a n d d u r i n g your j o u r n e y to facilitate a clear experience.
T h e n , b e f o r e you start the d r u m m i n g CD, clarify your
intention. Repeat it to yourself as many times as you n e e d
in o r d e r to be focused a n d clear a b o u t the p u r p o s e of your
j o u r n e y . Visualize your starting place in n a t u r e t h r o u g h
which you will leave to go to the Lower or U p p e r World.
If you are j o u r n e y i n g in the Middle World, visualize the
doorway t h r o u g h which you will leave.
R e m e m b e r t h a t you have c o m p l e t e c o n t r o l of w h e r e
you go, w h o m you talk to, a n d when you r e t u r n f r o m t h e
j o u r n e y . J o u r n e y i n g is n o t like a sleeping d r e a m w h e r e ,
unless you have studied lucid d r e a m i n g , you are not in
c o n t r o l of what is h a p p e n i n g to you. If you are having a
n i g h t m a r e , f o r instance, you are stuck in the n i g h t m a r e
w i t h o u t a way of e n d i n g it. This will never be t h e case dur-
ing a s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y .
D u r i n g a s h a m a n i c journey, you can c h o o s e to go to the
Lower World, the Middle World, or the U p p e r World. You
can choose to e n g a g e in conversation with a spirit or to
move on. You c a n n o t , however, choose what h e l p i n g spirit
volunteers itself to h e l p you, although you can hold the
i n t e n t i o n that you want to meet a particular helping spirit
that you have already met on a previous j o u r n e y . Allow
yourself to be surprised.
The Role of the Drum in Shamanic Journeying

Cross-culturally, most s h a m a n s use m o n o t o n o u s or rhyth-
mic d r u m m i n g to alter their state of consciousness when
they journey. T h e r e are also traditions that use rattles,
sticks, a n d bells. In Australia the shamans use didgeridoos
and click sticks. T h e Sami people of Lapland a n d Norway
use either d r u m s or m o n o t o n o u s chants called joiking. T h e
m o n o t o n o u s sounds g e n e r a t e d by these instruments p u t
the s h a m a n into an altered state of consciousness, allowing
him or her to successfully j o u r n e y into the invisible worlds.
Today there are scientific i n s t r u m e n t s that can mea-
sure brain activity d u r i n g altered states of consciousness.
When we are in an o r d i n a r y state of consciousness, o u r
brainwaves are in what scientists call a beta state. However,
when we listen to m o n o t o n o u s d r u m m i n g , scientists have
discovered that o u r brainwaves slow down. First they slow
down to the alpha state, which signals the b e g i n n i n g state
of meditation. T h e n o u r brainwaves slow down even m o r e
i n t o a theta state. This is t h e brainwave state in which we
d o o u r s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g — w h e r e we can e x p l o r e the
invisible worlds a n d have contact with o u r helping spirits.
It is possible to journey without a d r u m , a l t h o u g h by
making it a habit to listen to percussion o r o t h e r music that
helps you alter your state of consciousness, you will b e c o m e
m o r e focused a n d disciplined in your shamanic practice.
You may c o n t i n u e to receive s p o n t a n e o u s intuitive insights
t h r o u g h o u t the day, b u t it is i m p o r t a n t to create a r o u t i n e
within your shamanic practice. This ensures that your jour-
neys are clearly separate from the rest of your day.
Certain shamanic traditions include the use of psychotro-
pic plants (hallucinogens), or what some people today call
"vision plants." T h e r e are many psychotropic plants that are
native to the Amazon a n d o t h e r parts of South America that
shamans use to heal or to help them divine guidance for
their communities. T h e r e is also evidence that psychotropic
m u s h r o o m s a n d o t h e r plants are used cross-culturally for
these purposes. Of course, this is a controversial topic that
has long been d e b a t e d a m o n g anthropologists.
However, since s h a m a n s have also traditionally used
d r u m s , rattles, a n d o t h e r forms of percussion in their j o u r -
neys, I consider d r u m m i n g a n d rattling to be the most
effective, a p p r o p r i a t e , and easily adaptable accompani-
m e n t for o u r c u l t u r e today. As we c o n t i n u e to rely on the
practice of shamanism to help solve the p r o b l e m s of o u r
times, we must m a k e sure the m e t h o d s we use are appro-
priate a n d safe for p e o p l e today.
Although traditional shamans developed their own
d r u m m i n g rhythms to s u p p o r t their travels into non-ordi-
nary reality, Dr. Michael H a r n e r has f o u n d that using o n e
d r u m b e a t is the best way to teach b e g i n n e r s how to j o u r n e y .
T h e r e f o r e , the enclosed CD uses o n e m o n o t o n o u s rhythm.
During the first twelve-minute d r u m m i n g track, 1 begin
by d o i n g some whistling a n d rattling for a few minutes,
which will help p r e p a r e the space f o r you. Whistling a n d
rattling is a way to call in o u r h e l p i n g spirits. T h e r e are
also longer d r u m m i n g tracks that you can choose from: a
twenty-minute d o u b l e - d r u m m i n g track a n d a thirty-minute
single-drumming track. I r e c o m m e n d that you e x p e r i m e n t
with each track to see which a m o u n t of time feels the most
c o m f o r t a b l e for you.
Making a Drum or Rattle

It is easy to make a rattle using ordinary h o u s e h o l d materi-
als. If you take s o m e corn kernels or small stones a n d place
t h e m in a container, they make a great rattle. You want
to work with materials whose s o u n d s are pleasing to you
a n d not harsh to your ears. I like the s o u n d of corn ker-
nels, a n d many of my rattles at h o m e are filled with corn.
However, in a pinch, I will use a bottle of Advil or a bottle
of vitamins, whose s o u n d is just as effective for support-
ing my j o u r n e y . You can also go o u t into n a t u r e a n d find
things with which to make your rattle or d r u m — i n fact,
anything can be m a d e sacred with intention.
II you d o d e c i d e to buy a d r u m o r rattle, you want to
look for a s o u n d that is pleasing to you a n d s u p p o r t s you in
going into an altered state of consciousness. Some people
like a low t o n e a n d s o m e people like a h i g h e r tone. All
d r u m s a n d rattles s o u n d different, so be sure to try t h e m
o u t b e f o r e buying t h e m .
Climate changes can dramatically affect the s o u n d of a
d r u m that is m a d e f r o m animal skin. For instance, humidity
will make the d r u m skin loose, a n d you will not get a clear
Pn•pnring to Journey 39
s o u n d . Traditionally, s h a m a n s used a ceremonial fire to
dry the d r u m when the skin would be too loose to p r o d u c e
a g o o d sound. A m o d e r n solution is to use a hair dryer to
dry the d r u m skin. If your climate is hot a n d dry a n d the
skin tightens, the s o u n d will be very high pitched. In this
case, finding some way to humidify the skin is i m p o r t a n t .
T h e d r u m I used f o r the d r u m m i n g on the enclosed
CD is a Rcmo d r u m , which is m a d e o u t of FiberSkin. This
type of material stays consistent in any climate. Since R e m o
d r u m s are n o t m a d e of animal skins, they are also suitable
for p e o p l e who have philosophical reasons for not want-
ing an animal-skin d r u m . Although my d r u m is m a d e out
of a synthetic material, it still has a strong spirit that truly
c o m e s alive when I am d r u m m i n g .
I r e c o m m e n d that you e x p e r i m e n t with d i f f e r e n t rhythms
a n d d i f f e r e n t speeds of d r u m m i n g or rattling to see what
facilitates the strongest j o u r n e y for you. For instance, s o m e
p e o p l e find that they need a slower beat, or else they feel
as if they are r u s h i n g in their journeys. If you find a rhythm
or speed that s u p p o r t s you b e t t e r than the d r u m m i n g I
have provided, you can record your own d r u m m i n g to use
while you j o u r n e y . I also suggest that you e x p e r i m e n t with
the d i f f e r e n c e s between listening to the d r u m m i n g CD
using speakers or h e a d p h o n e s . Sometimes p e o p l e r e p o r t
that o n e or the o t h e r helps t h e m d r o p into their bodies
a n d focus m o r e effectively.
T h e d r u m m i n g can be quite relaxing, a n d you might
find yourself drifting into sleep if you start the j o u r n e y
when you are too tired to c o n c e n t r a t e . If you d o fall asleep
40 Sim inn n ic Jou rneying

while you are j o u r n e y i n g , t h e r e is n o d a n g e r involved—in
fact, you will only wake u p feeling r e f r e s h e d !
Returning from Your Journey

You d o n o t want to be "shocked" out of your j o u r n e y .
However, the fact is that o u r s u r r o u n d i n g s a r e o f t e n
noisy, a n d we have to learn how to work with that. 1 have
t r a i n e d myself n o t to be distracted by the s o u n d s that
o c c u r a r o u n d me when I j o u r n e y . In fact, I c h o o s e to go
d e e p e r into my journey w h e n e v e r I h e a r a noise so that I
d o n o t e x p e r i e n c e the noise as an obstacle. If I d o b e c o m e
s h o c k e d o u t of a j o u r n e y a n d feel d i s o r i e n t e d , I focus my
a t t e n t i o n on the d r u m m i n g a n d r e t u r n to w h e r e 1 was in
the journey.
R e t u r n i n g f r o m a j o u r n e y has to d o with p u r e will, inten-
tion, a n d choice. You can always take a n o t h e r j o u r n e y at
a n o t h e r time if you did not finish getting all the informa-
tion you n e e d e d or if you want to visit a n o t h e r realm in
n o n - o r d i n a r y reality.
D u r i n g the d r u m m i n g , I will n o t be speaking to you at
any point. However, t h e r e will be a c h a n g e in the d r u m b e a t
that will be your signal that it is time to r e t u r n . If you want
to r e t u r n b e f o r e the r e t u r n signal, simply say "thank you"
a n d "goodbye" to whomever you are in dialogue with a n d
retrace your steps back. See or e x p e r i e n c e yourself return-
ing via the same route, j u m p i n g off point, or entryway that
you initially used to e n t e r n o n - o r d i n a r y reality. C o m e back
into the r o o m w h e r e you are lying down or silling a n d take
off your h e a d p h o n e s or turn off the d r u m m i n g CD. You
i'reparing toJourney 41
d o not have to wait f o r the signal to r e t u r n ; however, many
p e o p l e like having the r e t u r n beat played o u t for them.
T h e signal to r e t u r n begins with f o u r sets of seven short
beats. Again, say "thank you" a n d "goodbye" to w h o m e v e r
you are talking to. Even if you are not with a h e l p i n g spirit,
say "thank you" a n d "goodbye." T h e reason f o r this is that
"goodbye" signals to your psyche that s o m e t h i n g has e n d e d .
Saying "goodbye" will help you feel m o r e g r o u n d e d when
you r e t u r n f r o m your j o u r n e y . R e m e m b e r that a s h a m a n
journeys into n o n - o r d i n a r y reality a n d back into o r d i n a r y
reality with c o n c e n t r a t i o n a n d discipline.
After the c h a n g e in d r u m b e a t of f o u r sets of seven short
beats, you will h e a r a rapid d r u m b e a t f o r a b o u t a m i n u t e .
D u r i n g this rapid d r u m b e a t , retrace your steps back to
your starting place a n d into the r o o m where you are lying
or sitting. You will t h e n h e a r a second series of seven short
beats, indicating that your j o u r n e y is over. Take off your
eye cover if you were using o n e , o p e n your eyes, a n d t u r n
off t h e CD.
After quietly reflecting on your journey, you might wish
to take notes a b o u t your experience. T h e most i m p o r t a n t
advice I can give to you is to be patient with the process
a n d be compassionate toward yourself. I have never met a
person who could not journey. However, I have met many
p e o p l e who tried j o u r n e y i n g many times b e f o r e they felt
that s o m e t h i n g was h a p p e n i n g . I suggest that you keep u p
the practice—relax, keep b r e a t h i n g into your heart, o p e n
all of your senses beyond just your visual awareness, set an
intention, a n d in time, you will be journeying.
Unfortunately, we live in a c u l t u r e based on i m m e d i a t e
gratification. However, s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g is a lifelong
spiritual practice that has n o d e s t i n a t i o n — t h e r e is n o
place w h e r e you s h o u l d be a f t e r only a few j o u r n e y s , or
even a f t e r a lifetime of j o u r n e y i n g . O n c e I had the o p p o r -
tunity to m e e t an Ulcchi s h a m a n f r o m Siberia w h e n h e
c a m e to the U n i t e d Stales to work with a g r o u p of stu-
dents. H e was in his nineties when I met him, a n d he h a d
b e g u n j o u r n e y i n g at the age of seventeen. H e still called
himself "a baby" in the work. This is a p e r f e c t e x a m p l e of
a g e n u i n e s h a m a n ' s attitude toward the work of s h a m a n i c
journeying that we have b e g u n .
O n e final warning: Please d o n o t listen to the d r u m m i n g
on the enclosed CD while you are driving!
C o m m o n Questions about
S ham an i c J o u r n e y i ng
Will I experience my journeys with all of my senses?

You will find as you begin your j o u r n e y s that o n e o r two of
your senses will be stronger in non-ordinary reality. S o m e
people are m o r e clairvoyant, m e a n i n g that they see scenes,
pictures, a n d symbols in their j o u r n e y s . O t h e r s a r e m o r e
clairaudient, m e a n i n g that they h e a r messages f r o m their
helping spirits in the f o r m of words or voices. O t h e r s are
m o r e clairsentient—they feel the information in t h e i r bod-
ies. And many p e o p l e are s o m e c o m b i n a t i o n of the above.
In my case, I am mostly clairaudient, a n d I largely rely on
I lie telepathic messages that 1 receive f r o m my h e l p i n g spir-
its. I also see, feel, smell, a n d taste in my journeys, a l t h o u g h
these sensations are less p r o n o u n c e d .
In s h a m a n i c literature, you will often find t h e term
"shamanic seeing." S h a m a n s see with their hearts a n d not
Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 45

t h r o u g h their eyes. Likewise, the spirits m a k e contact with
us t h r o u g h o u r hearts, not o u r minds. However, d u e to the
sheer volume of movies, TV, a n d c o m p u t e r s in o u r culture,
we have b e c o m e very visually focused. As a result, o n e of
my greatest challenges when T teach j o u r n e y i n g is to get
people to stop expecting to see their j o u r n e y s as if they
were watching s o m e t h i n g on TV or at the movies. I m a g i n e
never h e a r i n g voices, music, or the s o u n d s of nature.
Imagine never smelling fragrances, tasting your f o o d , or
having the ability to touch a n d feel others. Life b e c o m e s
very rich when all of o u r senses are e n g a g e d , a n d the same
is true in o u r s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y s . Unfortunately, people in
my workshops sometimes d o not think they are j o u r n e y i n g
unless they are having a visual e x p e r i e n c e . So I work hard
to e n c o u r a g e t h e m to awaken all of their senses when they
are in n o n - o r d i n a r y reality.
My e x p e r i e n c e is that the sense that is strongest for
many people in o r d i n a r y reality is the weakest in n o n -
o r d i n a r y reality. For example, I find that many artists d o
n o t visualize their journeys—instead, they get most of their
i n f o r m a t i o n t h r o u g h feeling or hearing. Although this
may be d i f f e r e n t f r o m what they expected, the gift is that
the sense that is less developed in o r d i n a r y reality suddenly
has an o p p o r t u n i t y to b e c o m e enlivened a n d s t r e n g t h e n e d
through journeying.
Part of t h e challenge when you begin to j o u r n e y is to
discover which senses are your strongest in non-ordinary
reality a n d to trust your e x p e r i e n c e of your journeys—even
if they contradict y o u r expectations. O n c e you have b e e n
journeying for a while, you will find that you will see, hear,
feel, taste, a n d smell in your j o u r n e y s just like you d o in
your o r d i n a r y life. In addition, your intuitive abilities in
o r d i n a r y reality b e c o m e h e i g h t e n e d because your senses
are so e n g a g e d (and t h e r e f o r e , b e c o m e m o r e h o n e d ) in
the course of j o u r n e y i n g . In o t h e r words, you will develop
your own u n i q u e language in journeying that may not be
how you e x p e r i e n c e o r d i n a r y reality, although the benefits
of it will spill over into your regular life.
T h e r e are also d i f f e r e n t styles of j o u r n e y i n g . S o m e peo-
ple e x p e r i e n c e themselves as m e e t i n g with or walking with
their h e l p i n g spirits on a j o u r n e y . S o m e people e x p e r i e n c e
themselves as being outside of the j o u r n e y a n d watching
themselves within it, as if it were a movie. And some people
e x p e r i e n c e themselves m e r g e d with their power animal o r
teacher, moving t h r o u g h the j o u r n e y in a m e r g e d state,
r a t h e r than being separate. This is a powerful way oi b e i n g
on a j o u r n e y , as we have joined with the power of the uni-
verse when we m e r g e with o u r power animal, g u a r d i a n
spirit, or teacher. This is also a very healing e x p e r i e n c e .
Most of us find that we flip back a n d f o r t h between differ-
e n t styles of interaction, d e p e n d i n g on the n a t u r e of the
j o u r n e y a n d o u r level of experience.
It is also i m p o r t a n t to r e m e m b e r that everything that
h a p p e n s in a j o u r n e y is part of the answer to your ques-
tion. You want to be aware of your s u r r o u n d i n g s — w h e t h e r
you see, hear, feel, smell, o r taste t h e m . Many p e o p l e only
focus on the answers that their power animals a n d teachers
give t h e m , b u t the weather in your j o u r n e y can also be part

of an answer to your question. Even w h e r e the sun is in
the sky a n d w h e t h e r it is night or day can be a part of the
answer to your question.
How do our helping spirits communicate with us?

T h e r e are different ways in which the spirits c o m m u n i c a t e
information to us in o u r shamanic journeys. O n e way is
t h r o u g h telepathic messages. You might see or feel your-
self with your power animal, guardian spirit, or teacher,
a n d you might hear a message, although you d o n o t see
their lips moving. O r the spirits might show you symbols
as a response to your question. O r they might take you
somewhere to witness a scene that somehow answers your
question. But the most c o m m o n way in which the helping
spirits c o m m u n i c a t e with us is t h r o u g h m e t a p h o r , which is
a teaching m e t h o d c o m m o n to all spiritual traditions.
An example of this is in the Aramaic l a n g u a g e — t h e
language of Jesus—which was highly m e t a p h o r i c a l a n d
poetic. W h e n the Bible was translated f r o m Aramaic into
Greek a n d t h e n into English, the m e t a p h o r s were trans-
lated literally, often c h a n g i n g the m e a n i n g of the words.
O n e e x a m p l e is that t h e r e is n o word in the Aramaic lan-
guage for either "good" or "evil." T h e most c o m p a r a b l e
words in Aramaic were "ripe" a n d "unripe," r e f e r r i n g to
how everything is p a r t of an o n g o i n g , organic process.
But when the Bible was translated into Greek a n d then
English, the words chosen to r e p r e s e n t "ripe" a n d "unripe"
were "good" a n d "evil." This mistranslation alone shaped
the evolution of Judeo-Christian c u l t u r e such that h u m a n
n a t u r e b e c a m e perceived as s o m e t h i n g separate f r o m the
natural cycles of readiness a n d unreadiness.
When an answer is given literally, t h e r e is only o n e road
to walk down. But when the spirits c o m m u n i c a t e using
m e t a p h o r , there are many possible levels of teaching a n d
m e a n i n g . I feel that the spirits are trying to inspire us to
e x p a n d o u r p e r c e p t i o n s of ourselves a n d o u r situations by
o f f e r i n g g u i d a n c e in this way. In addition, m e t a p h o r s a n d
poetry weave t o g e t h e r many layers, which teaches us how
everything is i n t e r c o n n e c t e d .
Years ago I had a powerful e x p e r i e n c e in a j o u r n e y
that taught m e the i m p o r t a n c e of m e t a p h o r i c language. I
had j o u r n e y e d to my power animal a n d asked him what
I n e e d e d in my life. H e told m e I should g a r d e n m o r e . I
t h o u g h t his answer was a bit strange, because I was trav-
eling a lot at the time a n d I also lived on land that was
n o t very fertile. But I spent a few m o n t h s that s u m m e r in
between my travels g a r d e n i n g w h e n I could.
At the e n d of the s u m m e r , I s u d d e n l y realized that I
h a d b e e n mistaken to i n t e r p r e t his answer literally. It
finally d a w n e d on m e that h e m e a n t for m e to relate to
t h e i m a g e of a g a r d e n as a m e t a p h o r , a n d to look at how
I was n u r t u r i n g the g a r d e n of my life a n d body. H e was
also asking m e to c o n s i d e r how I was t e a c h i n g a n d work-
ing with clients. Was I p l a n t i n g seeds of love, h o p e , a n d
inspiration in my lectures a n d classes? O r was 1 p l a n t i n g
seeds of fear? H e was asking m e to view all of my words as
seeds, a n d to c o n s i d e r what kinds of plants w e r e growing
o u t of my words.

T h e next time I j o u r n e y e d to him, h e said that h e was
w o n d e r i n g how long it would take for me to u n d e r s t a n d
the t r u e m e a n i n g of his g u i d a n c e . O n the o t h e r h a n d ,
he observed that my real-life g a r d e n i n g was g o o d for
me—so it was not a c o m p l e t e waste of time! However, h e
explained that in t h e original journey, he was trying to
o f f e r a b r o a d e r picture of my life t h a n the postage-stamp-
sized g a r d e n outside of my house. H e was trying to show
m e that many p e o p l e are filled with fear a n d despair,
which u n d e r s c o r e s the i m p o r t a n c e of telling stories that
inspire love a n d h o p e f u l n e s s . Traditionally, s h a m a n s were
the psychologists of their c o m m u n i t i e s — t h e y knew the
stories that would heal their clients. My power animal was
asking m e to make sure that I was telling healing stories to
everyone I met in my classes, my practice, a n d my life—
which was a valuable lesson.
My e x p e r i e n c e has been that o u r helping spirits are
always trying to get us to e x p a n d a n d grow. They are always
trying to inspire us to make positive changes a n d to live
full a n d m e a n i n g f u l lives. They are always trying to wake
us u p f r o m being disconnected f r o m n a t u r e and the invis-
ible worlds, since so many of us are stuck in the limiting
beliefs of o r d i n a r y reality. O n e t e c h n i q u e that they use is
m e t a p h o r , which makes us stretch in the process of inter-
pretation. M e t a p h o r s make us break o u t of the tiny boxes
we put ourselves into with literal i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s a n d ask us
to see the bigger picture of o u r lives. 1 would still be out in
my garden toiling away if 1 had not reflected m o r e deeply
on my g u i d a n c e .
How should I language the questions that I ask my
helping spirits?
My e x p e r i e n c e has b e e n that t h e r e are two key factors to a
successful journey: g e n e r a t i n g a s t r o n g intention a n d ask-
ing the right questions. T h e best kinds of questions to ask
begin with the words who, what, where, or how.
W h e n you first begin to j o u r n e y , it is best to ask o n e
question p e r journey. Be sure that y o u r question d o e s not
have an " a n d " or an "or" in it, which would m a k e it two
q u e s t i o n s in o n e . You see, if y o u r h e l p i n g spirits give you
symbolic answers, you will not know what q u e s t i o n they
are answering. You m i g h t t h i n k your h e l p i n g spirit has fin-
ished answering the first p a r t a n d g o n e on to t h e s e c o n d ,
when it might actually b e giving you m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n in
r e s p o n s e to your first q u e s t i o n . Until you b e c o m e accus-
t o m e d to your s h a r e d l a n g u a g e with y o u r h e l p i n g spirits,
it is best to ask o n e q u e s t i o n p e r j o u r n e y . You can always
journey again at a n o t h e r time to ask a n o t h e r q u e s t i o n .
As you gain m o r e e x p e r i e n c e , you might find that you
can ask m o r e t h a n o n e question p e r journey. At this point,
I am very c o m f o r t a b l e with t h e f o r m of c o m m u n i c a t i o n
that my helping spirits use, which enables m e to carry on
long conversations with t h e m . However, it will take time
a n d practice for you to reach that level.
When you are asking f o r help a b o u t an i m p o r t a n t deci-
sion, it is best to ask questions that will result in the most
i n f o r m a t i o n possible. A simple yes or n o answer will not
help you think t h r o u g h a difficult decision. Likewise
a "should 1" o r "should 1 n o t " question is n o t ideal. For

instance, it is very c o m m o n for people to ask their h e l p i n g
spirits w h e t h e r they should m a r r y s o m e o n e . If you p r e s e n t
that question in "should I" f o r m , your power animal might
answer, "Yes," giving the impression that the marriage will
be a h a p p y o n e . Later, if you have a painful marriage that
does n o t succeed, you will w o n d e r why you were g u i d e d to
e n t e r into it. However, your helping spirits may have viewed
the marriage as an o p p o r t u n i t y to learn important—albeit
painful—lessons. It is i m p o r t a n t to u n d e r s t a n d that while
o u r h e l p i n g spirits will protect us f r o m h a r m , they will
not protect us f r o m the hard lessons that we sometimes
n e e d to learn in this lifetime. O n the o t h e r h a n d , if you
had asked, "What will 1 learn or e x p e r i e n c e if I m a r r y this
person?" your power animal might have replied, "You will
learn a b o u t betrayal." T h a t response would have provided
you with a m u c h clearer u n d e r s t a n d i n g of what would
u n f o l d in your m a r r i a g e — a n d w h e t h e r or not you wanted
to choose that path.
During o n e of my m o r e m e m o r a b l e j o u r n e y s , I e n c o u n -
tered my teacher Isis who asked, "Do you know what your
problem is?" I was very surprised by such an a b r u p t ques-
tion a n d replied, "No. What is my p r o b l e m ? " She replied,
"You just d o not see life as an adventure."
So I told h e r that I had some pretty serious concerns that
might be getting in the way of m e feeling adventurous about
life. I shared a list of concerns with her, including the fear
that I might e n d u p as a homeless person in New York City.
Growing u p in New York, this has always been an underlying
worry of mine that my friends love to tease me about.
She looked at m e a n d then t u r n e d away. T h e n she looked
back at me a n d stared straight into my eyes and said, "What
an amazing adventure that would be!"
If you think a b o u t it, it would be an adventure, but
maybe n o t o n e that I would voluntarily choose. However,
her view was typical of the view of spirits in n o n - o r d i n a r y
reality—they see h u m a n life as a beautiful a d v e n t u r e filled
with o p p o r t u n i t i e s to learn a n d grow that can be f o u n d in
even the most u n e x p e c t e d circumstances.
"Why" questions are sometimes fine, although they may
not always be answered directly. For example, if you ask a
question such as "Why did my loved o n e have to die in that
accident?" you may not receive a clear answer. Some things
belong to the mystery of life and either cannot be answered
or may not be appropriate for you to understand. This cer-
tainly does not mean you cannot ask "why" questions. It is
simply important to understand that there are sometimes
limitations to the answers you will receive to those questions.
It is also very difficult to get accurate answers for "when"
questions. R e m e m b e r that you are traveling outside of time;
time takes on a different a n d o f t e n mysterious m e a n i n g in
non-orclinary reality. This is why p r o p h e c i e s are o f t e n inac-
curate or unclear a r o u n d timing, which can also b e t r u e
of the answers you get to questions about when s o m e t h i n g
will h a p p e n .
How do I interpret my journeys?

Although some messages are obvious a n d direct, j o u r -
neys are o f t e n filled with symbols that can be difficult to

d e c i p h e r . Since shamanism is a system of direct revelation,
n o o n e can i n t e r p r e t your journeys except for you.
If you are stuck on the m e a n i n g of a symbol or meta-
phor, h e r e are some suggestions. Try asking m o r e questions
a b o u t what o c c u r r e d d u r i n g the journey to see if any new
information arises. For example, "How did the presence
of the sun pertain to my question?" or "How did the land-
scape that I perceived relate to my question?" Work with
each of the clear e l e m e n t s that were present in your jour-
ney to uncover how they provide additional i n f o r m a t i o n
in response to your question. A n o t h e r useful t e c h n i q u e is
to write in your journal or talk aloud in a stream of con-
sciousness until your psyche reveals the answer. O f t e n ,
the process of reflecting on the i n f o r m a t i o n given to you
brings a b o u t clarity. I also r e c o m m e n d that when you feel
stuck, j o u r n e y to your helping spirits to give you the infor-
mation you n e e d in a n o t h e r f o r m that might be easier for
you to u n d e r s t a n d .
Am I making up my journeys?
T h e most c o m m o n challenge that people new to the prac-
tice of shamanic j o u r n e y i n g face is the fear that they are
making u p their journeys—that it is all h a p p e n i n g in their
imaginations a n d is t h e r e f o r e irrelevant.
Most of you r e a d i n g this book have been raised in a
society where you were taught that invisible realms d o
not exist. You were taught that only what you can see,
feel, hear, taste, a n d smell is real, a n d t h e rest exists solely
in your imagination. After all these years of basing your
perception of reality on what is tangible, to hear s o m e o n e
tell you that you can travel to n o n - o r d i n a r y reality a n d ask
invisible spirit beings f o r advice a n d g u i d a n c e is c o n f u s i n g
at best. This question comes u p f o r almost everybody when
they first begin the practice of s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g .
As children, many of us took great c o m f o r t in o u r ability
to c o m m u n i c a t e with loving a n d caring beings in invisible
worlds. However, as we grew u p and b e c a m e socialized into
believing solely in physical reality, o u r relationship with the
invisible world dissolved.
However, many of us yearn to rediscover the invis-
ible worlds a n d o u r i n t e r c o n n e c t e d n e s s with all seen a n d
u n s e e n beings. O n a p r o f o u n d level, we all know there is
m o r e to life than material possessions, what society tells us
is true, or what we e x p e r i e n c e with o u r five senses.
Several years ago I was teaching an i n t r o d u c t o r y work-
s h o p in j o u r n e y i n g where the question of the imagination
was very p r o n o u n c e d . Over a n d over again people asked
me in d i f f e r e n t ways, "Am I making u p my j o u r n e y ? " During
a break, a Brazilian woman came u p to me to tell me how
surprised she was that so many p e o p l e were plagued by this
question. She had grown u p in a culture where there is a
strong belief in spirits, a n d for her t h e r e was n o question
as to w h e t h e r spirits were "real." However, my parents cer-
tainly did not talk about power animals and h e l p i n g spirits
at the d i n n e r table when I was growing u p — n o r did most
of the p a r e n t s of the workshop participants!
My e x p e r i e n c e has shown m e that the best way to evalu-
ate the validity of your s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y s in on the basis of

your results. If you keep u p the practice of shamanic j o u r -
neying, you will begin to see useful a n d beneficial results
arising f r o m the g u i d a n c e you receive. Remember, shaman-
ism has traditionally b e e n a results-oriented system, a n d it
is i m p o r t a n t for you to evaluate your results on an o n g o i n g
basis. T h e i m p o r t a n t question to ask yourself is, "Do I get
i n f o r m a t i o n that makes a positive d i f f e r e n c e in my life?"
W h e n you begin to see significant results, your m i n d
will begin to quiet down, a n d eventually you will find that
you are n o longer distracted by the question of w h e t h e r or
not it is all h a p p e n i n g in your imagination. However, if you
try to battle your m i n d or beliefs while you are j o u r n e y -
ing, you will s p e n d m u c h of your journey time in internal
dialogue a n d be too distracted to receive any clear infor-
mation. What I d o when my analytical m i n d i n t e r f e r e s
when I am j o u r n e y i n g is to simply agree with what it has to
say, a n d t h e n c o n t i n u e on my j o u r n e y . And what I recom-
m e n d to you is that you give journeying an o p p o r t u n i t y to
reveal its benefits to you over time, which will satisfy your
discerning mind.
People in o u r culture often forget to "lighten u p " when
d o i n g spiritual practice. We tend to take everything too seri-
ously, putting too m u c h pressure o n ourselves. Traditional
s h a m a n s a n d healers are always laughing. Being overly seri-
ous in o u r j o u r n e y s a n d lives disconnects us f r o m o u r own
creative potential. Learn to laugh at yourself a n d have f u n
with your practice. You will find as you j o u r n e y over time
that your h e l p i n g spirits have quite a sense of h u m o r a n d
are always trying to get you to lighten up.
W h e n I first started j o u r n e y i n g , my power animal would
find h u m o r o u s settings to teach m e a b o u t asking appro-
priate questions. 1 r e m e m b e r in o n e journey 1 went to the
Lower World to m e e t him. When I showed u p in the p i n e
forest where he lives, he was dressed in a fancy waiter's
u n i f o r m , wearing spotless white gloves. H e showed m e to
a small r o u n d table that was decorated with a crisp white
tablecloth a n d a small vase of flowers. H e pulled out a chair
for m e and h a n d e d me a m e n u . I o p e n e d the m e n u a n d
was surprised to see what was inside. T h e r e were two col-
u m n s containing different questions. My power animal
a n n o u n c e d that the question I was i n t e n d i n g to ask was the
wrong o n e . I had n o t even told him what my question was,
so obviously he was t u n e d into my intention b e f o r e I even
spoke it. H e then explained that the questions on the m e n u
were a p p r o p r i a t e questions to ask, a n d that I could choose
o n e question from column A and o n e f r o m column B to ask
him d u r i n g my j o u r n e y . I think this is a w o n d e r f u l example
of how the spirits can teach us t h r o u g h h u m o r a n d playful-
ness, which helps keeps the practice m o r e lighthearted.
What challenges might I encounter in my journey

practice?
Many p e o p l e get caught u p in the question, "Am I jour-
neying correctly?" R e m e m b e r , t h e r e is n o right way to
journey—whatever you e x p e r i e n c e is correct for you. It
is i m p o r t a n t to learn to h o n o r a n d validate your u n i q u e
experiences. This may take some time a n d patience, but
the rewards are great.

A n o t h e r c o m m o n challenge is the n e e d to see a journey
visually—rather than by using o u r o t h e r senses. T h e way to
work with this is to consciously o p e n all of your senses in
n o n - o r d i n a r y reality. If you are not seeing anything visually,
simply notice what you are hearing, feeling, smelling, or
tasting, a n d relax into receiving information in a new way.
I m e n t i o n e d earlier how people in o u r culture t e n d to
i n t e r p r e t everything that h a p p e n s in a j o u r n e y literally.
This can c h a n g e the e n t i r e m e a n i n g of the j o u r n e y . Look
for the m e t a p h o r s . E x p a n d your awareness to i n c l u d e the
big picture your h e l p i n g spirits are trying to show you.
O n e of the biggest complaints s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y e r s have
is that they c a n n o t slop their m i n d chatter while they are
j o u r n e y i n g . O f t e n when we take time o u t for d o i n g spiritual
work, o u r m i n d challenges us with endless distractions. You
might e n d u p thinking a b o u t what you are going to wear to
work, or what you are going to eat, or m a k i n g mental lists
of all the things you should be d o i n g instead.
Repeating the intention of the j o u r n e y over and over
again will put you back into t h e j o u r n e y and refocus your
m i n d . I also suggest that you find times of the day to
j o u r n e y when your m i n d is quiet, r a t h e r than filled with
distractions. Again, I suggest that you try d o i n g s o m e danc-
ing or singing before you j o u r n e y to quiet your m i n d a n d
put you in t h e right heart-space for j o u r n e y i n g .
A n o t h e r way of stilling the mind is to engage in a physi-
cal activity—such as d a n c i n g o r singing your journeys while
they are taking place. Personally, I like to rattle f o r myself
a n d sing my j o u r n e y s out loud. In o r d e r to bypass the
chatter of my mind, I simply d r u m for myself, which seems
to take me d e e p e r into my journeys. In traditional shamanic
cultures, the shaman often p e r f o r m s his or her journey for
the community by dancing, singing, or reciting aloud every-
thing that occurs. T h e shaman will n a r r a t e where the g r o u p
is traveling, what spirits they are meeting, what messages
are being c o m m u n i c a t e d , a n d what healing work is being
d o n e . You might also try free m o v e m e n t or d a n c e while you
are j o u r n e y i n g , rather than lying down or sitting still, if that
helps you focus on your journey.
When should I journey?

It is best to journey when you have a clear question or when
you n e e d help. Wlien people first start to journey, they often
b e c o m e very excited a b o u t the practice a n d want to j o u r n e y
constantly. However, I would caution that you do not want
to create a practice based on asking n u m e r o u s questions,
taking notes, but not actually applying any of the guidance
in your life. In o t h e r words, you d o not want to collect spiri-
tual information a n d not integrate any of it into your life.
How often you should j o u r n e y will b e c o m e clear over
t i m e — a n d may be cyclical. You will sometimes find that
you n e e d m o r e time between j o u r n e y s to integrate the
i n f o r m a t i o n , whereas at o t h e r times you will integrate the
information m o r e quickly a n d be ready f o r your next jour-
ney almost immediately.
W h e n it comes to a particular e m o t i o n a l or physical issue,
you may n e e d to j o u r n e y several times b e f o r e you notice a
c h a n g e . A n d if you are not getting positive results a r o u n d

the issue, you may n e e d to seek outside help. Sometimes
when you are too emotionally attached to the o u t c o m e of
an issue, you may not be able to move yourself o u t of the
way sufficiently to access clear spiritual guidance. T h e same
holds true if you are in an emotional state a b o u t a loved
o n e or family m e m b e r . In these cases, you would n e e d to
find s o m e o n e you trust who can j o u r n e y on your behalf.
I journey a lot when I am writing or working on a cre-
ative project. My helping spirits are a continuing source of
inspiration to me while I write. I r e c o m m e n d that you try
journeying when you are working on a specific project to
ask for a helping spirit who is willing to support you with
your project.
It is also i m p o r t a n t to be aware that you will go t h r o u g h
many cycles with your j o u r n e y practice. T h e r e might be
weeks a n d m o n t h s when your j o u r n e y s are strong a n d
clear. And t h e n you might hit a cycle when you a t t e m p t a
journey a n d you d o not perceive any sensory i n f o r m a t i o n
at all. This is n o r m a l — a n d it can last for several weeks or
m o n t h s . We are all a part of nature, a n d these are natural
cycles that we are subject to. In o u r culture we always want
to be "on." We n o longer h o n o r the incredible gestation
cycle that is necessary for the regeneration that brings new
life. Plants d o n o t flower 365 days a year. In this same way,
sometimes we are in a d e e p process of g e r m i n a t i o n a n d
gestation. D u r i n g these times typically we can still j o u r n e y
f o r others, but for ourselves the curtains might close for a
while. If this h a p p e n s , it is i m p o r t a n t n o t to get f r u s t r a t e d
or feel that your h e l p i n g spirits have deserted you. They
60 Sliti ma n icjourneying
are still h e l p i n g you in invisible ways. Keep j o u r n e y i n g a n d
checking in f r o m time to time. Eventually your j o u r n e y s
will r e s u m e a n d b e c o m e strong a n d clear o n c e again.
How do I know when I should go to the Lower World

or the Upper World?
I find that when people learn to journey, they are often more
attracted to o n e world than the others. Some people have
an easier time j o u r n e y i n g to the Lower World and find it
h a r d e r to get into the U p p e r World. Some people have the
opposite experience. Many people are comfortable journey-
ing in both worlds. This often changes over time, d e p e n d i n g
o n what you are working on. Your style of j o u r n e y i n g will
evolve, a n d the worlds that you feel most comfortable with
will change. It is important to stay flexible.
With experience, you will find that your power animals and
teachers specialize in different areas. You will learn which
helping spirits to ask in regards to different kinds of questions
and help. In my own practice, my power animal is usually avail-
able for my clients and for me, although my teachers tend to
offer the best information related to my writing and broader
global issues. Many shamanic practitioners work with their
teachers in human form when working with clients. T h r o u g h
journeying on a regular basis, you begin to identify which
power animal or teacher to go to for certain types of ques-
tions or issues. You will find that d i f f e r e n t helping spirits
have d i f f e r e n t specialties. Even w h e n your h e l p i n g spirits
have d e m o n s t r a t e d specialties, it is fine to j o u r n e y to dif-
ferent spirits to ask their o p i n i o n s o n the same issue—they

will often have d i f f e r e n t a n d valuable perspectives to share
with you.
R e m e m b e r that your power animals a n d teachers may
c h a n g e over time. They may stay with you for years, o r you
may find that new h e l p i n g spirits present themselves to you
when you ask for d i f f e r e n t types of help.
During your journeys, you can move between the worlds
as much as you like. If you are journeying to the Lower
World, a n d you want to be in the U p p e r Wrorld, simply make
your way up. Similarly, you can travel from the U p p e r World
down into the Lower World if you wish. Your power animals
a n d teachers can travel in between all three worlds, so there
is n o limit to where you can go and whom you can meet.
Look for the surprise e l e m e n t in your journeys. You will
o f t e n find spirits volunteering to help you whose identities
will surprise you. You will get answers a n d help in ways that
are u n e x p e c t e d . T h e e l e m e n t of surprise in my j o u r n e y s is
largely what has kept me so engaged in my shamanic prac-
tice for the last twenty years.
T h i n k of your s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g practice as a work
in progress. It will d e e p e n a n d grow in p r o p o r t i o n to
how m u c h time you devote to it. T h e key is c o n t i n u i n g to
practice a n d developing a trusting relationship with your
helping spirits. This will h a p p e n naturally with time.
Allow your journeys to be fluid and organic. Explore differ-
ent levels in both directions. Be open to meeting new helping
spirits who can be of assistance to you. Be an adventurer!
Take in the love, wisdom, and healing that your helping spir-
its a n d the universe are longing to share with you.
Undertaking Your First
Shamanic Journey
I
n this c h a p t e r I will s u m m a r i z e t h r e e j o u r n e y s . I
suggest you try t h e m o n e by o n e to begin your j o u r -
neying practice.
Journeying to the Lower World

Your first j o u r n e y will be to Lhe Lower World to m e e t a n d
develop a relationship with your power animal.
Begin by seeing yourself in a location in nature that you have
visited in ordinary reality where there is a natural opening into
the earth. This can be a u e e trunk with d e e p roots into the
earth, the center of a volcano, a hole in the ground, an open-
ing in a cave, or through a body of water such as a lake, stream,
river, or waterfall. As 1 mentioned before, if it works best for
you to see yourself traveling down on an elevator or through
an u n d e r g r o u n d subway tunnel, that is also fine.
Undertaking Your First Shamanic Journey 63

See yourself e n t e r i n g into the o p e n i n g , where you will
find yourself in a transitional space of some kind—generally
a tunnel. Follow the t u n n e l until you reach the light, a n d
when you c o m e out into the Lower World, notice the land-
scape a r o u n d you a n d see if t h e r e is an animal close by.
If an animal is there, ask it, "Are you my power animal?"
Asking a simple yes or n o question will give you i m m e d i a t e
insight into how your power animal wants to c o m m u n i c a t e
with you. Your power animal may r e s p o n d telepathically,
or it may lead you s o m e w h e r e or show you s o m e t h i n g that
holds a message for you. If this is your power animal, begin
building a relationship with him or h e r by asking a ques-
tion or asking for a t o u r of that level of the Lower World.
For example, you could begin by asking what teaching that
particular animal brings you that will be of benefit to you.
Or, if the animal is n o t your power animal, c o n t i n u e on
your j o u r n e y until you locate the animal that is.
Try to stay in the j o u r n e y with your power animal until
you h e a r the d r u m calling you back. Or, if you wish to
c o m e back b e f o r e the r e t u r n beat, retrace your steps back
to the r o o m where you are lying or sitting, o p e n your eyes,
a n d slop t h e CD.
If your experience differs f r o m my directions in any way,
follow your experience a n d disregard my directions. For
instance, some p e o p l e find that they bypass the t u n n e l a n d
just arrive in the Lower World. O r you might meet a teacher
instead of a power animal in the Lower World. Do not
restrict your journeys by trying to c o n f o r m to my directions.
They are simply i n t e n d e d to provide a general guideline for
you as you begin this practice. Allow yourself to move with
your u n i q u e e x p e r i e n c e while it is h a p p e n i n g .
To visit d e e p e r levels of the Lower World, look for new
o p e n i n g s in the earth that will take you to f u r t h e r depths.
T h e r e are many levels f a r t h e r down in the Lower World a n d
f a r t h e r u p in the U p p e r World. Just like when you began,
you can keep traveling down by finding new e n t r a n c e s in
the e a r t h a n d d e s c e n d i n g f r o m o n e level to the next.
Journeying to the Middle World

Before you begin your j o u r n e y to the Middle World, make
sure you have a clear intention a n d p u r p o s e for your
j o u r n e y . W h e n you j o u r n e y in the Middle World, you are
traveling within the landscape of your physical reality,
a l t h o u g h your e x p e r i e n c e may be quite different from
when you simply walk o u t your f r o n t d o o r . First, you will be
e n c o u n t e r i n g the invisible spirits of the beings that share
your e n v i r o n m e n t , such as the spirits of land, rocks, ani-
mals, trees, a n d plants. Second, you will be able to travel
very quickly t h r o u g h space, r a t h e r than b e i n g limited by
your physical body.
For a j o u r n e y in the Middle World, see yourself walking
out your f r o n t d o o r a n d traveling t h r o u g h physical reality
to locate a lost object or perhaps to visit a place with which
you would like to c o m m u n e . You can learn a great deal by
c o m m u n i c a t i n g with the spirits of nature in a Middle World
journey, as well as the elements of water, air, earth, a n d fire.
You can also j o u r n e y to the sun, the stars, a n d the o t h e r
planets in o u r solar system, each of which has m u c h to
Undertaking Your First Shamanic Journey 65

teach you about how to restore balance a n d live in align-
m e n t with your natural cycles. In the Middle World, we also
have access to the fairies, devas, a n d elves, who are collec-
tively known as the spirit people. T h e r e are also g u a r d i a n s
of the forest that you can meet. In sum, i m p o r t a n t j o u r n e y s
to the Middle World are those that e n a b l e us to discover
the spirits of the invisible beings who are a r o u n d us all the
time, but w h o m we may not perceive in o r d i n a r y reality.
When you h e a r the r e t u r n beat, retrace your steps back
into the r o o m where you are lying or sitting, o p e n your
eyes, a n d t u r n off the CD. Or, if you wish to c o n c l u d e your
j o u r n e y b e f o r e you h e a r the r e t u r n beat, simply retrace
your steps back into the r o o m where you are j o u r n e y i n g ,
o p e n your eyes, a n d turn off the CD.
Journeying to the Upper World

Your first j o u r n e y to the U p p e r World will be for the pur-
pose of m e e t i n g a teacher in h u m a n f o r m .
With that intention in m i n d , begin by seeing yourself
at a particular location in n a t u r e that will help you travel
upward. For example, you can see yourself climbing u p
a tree, rope, or ladder, j u m p i n g f r o m the top of a m o u n -
tain, rising u p o n a t o r n a d o or a whirlwind, climbing over
a rainbow, going u p with the smoke of a fire or t h r o u g h a
chimney, or finding a bird to take you up. You may also ask
your power animal to carry you up. Any way that you can
get to the U p p e r World is fine.
You will pass t h r o u g h a transition—such as a cloud o r
a layer of f o g — t h a t will indicate t h a t you have e n t e r e d
(it) Shamanic /oumtying

the U p p e r World. W h e n you have passed t h r o u g h the
transition, you will arrive in the first level of the U p p e r
World. If you are still seeing planets a n d stars as you j o u r -
ney u p w a r d , you have n o t yet r e a c h e d the U p p e r World.
Again, you will know that you are in the U p p e r World
because of the sensation of having passed t h r o u g h a per-
m e a b l e t h r e s h o l d of s o m e kind, a f t e r which the l a n d s c a p e
will c h a n g e .
Notice if there is a teacher waiting t h e r e to greet you.
If so, ask, "Are you my teacher?" If you get an affirma-
tive answer or gesture, ask your teacher a question that is
i m p o r t a n t to you, such as f o r healing help for an emotional
or physical issue. You can also ask your teacher to show you
a r o u n d the U p p e r World. If your teacher is not waiting for
you at the first level, k e e p searching t h r o u g h the d i f f e r e n t
levels of the U p p e r World until you find s o m e o n e who says
that he or she is your teacher.
You can also keep traveling to higher levels by look-
ing a r o u n d f o r a m e a n s of going higher u p — n o t i c e what
a p p e a r s to you as a m e a n s of transportation. As with your
power animal, the initial conversation with your teacher
will reveal how he or she c o m m u n i c a t e s with you a n d what
gifts h e o r she brings to you.
When you h e a r the r e t u r n beat, retrace your steps back
into the r o o m you are j o u r n e y i n g in, o p e n your eyes, a n d
t u r n off the CD. Or, if you wish to c o n c l u d e your journey
b e f o r e you h e a r t h e r e t u r n beat, simply retrace your steps
back into t h e r o o m where you are lying down or sitting,
o p e n your eyes, a n d t u r n off the CD.
Undertaking YourFirstShamanic Journey 67

Please note: Power animals a n d teachers in h u m a n f o r m
live in both the Lower a n d U p p e r Worlds. After you have
c o m p l e t e d your first j o u r n e y s , you can reverse the process.
You can find a teacher in h u m a n f o r m in the Lower World
or go to m e e t a power animal in the U p p e r World.
Divination and
Healing Journeys
Divination Journeys
O n e of the traditional roles of a s h a m a n was to divine infor-
mation for individuals a n d the c o m m u n i t y at large. S o m e
s h a m a n i c practitioners still divine information for clients
a n d the c o m m u n i t i e s they live in, a l t h o u g h many d o n o t
feel called to journey on behalf of others. Instead, they
use shamanic j o u r n e y i n g to access g u i d a n c e a b o u t their
own issues. Your helping spirits are a w o n d e r f u l resource
when it comes to answering questions pertaining to your
relationships, health issues, o r work issues. You can also
ask for information that can h e l p you grow a n d evolve in
a b r o a d e r sense. For instance, you can ask a question like,
"What d o I n e e d to focus on in my life right now?"
Here are some o t h e r e x a m p l e s of questions to inspire
divination journeys:
Divination and Healing Journeys 69

• How can I heal my body?
• How can I heal my relationship?
• Show m e my new life (if you are g o i n g t h r o u g h a
transition).
• How can I p r e p a r e for...?
• What can I d o to resolve the tension in my family a n d
work e n v i r o n m e n t ?
• How can I be of h e l p to a loved one, a friend, an animal,
or the land I live on? (Choose only o n e at a time.)
• WTiere should I look for a house?
• Please h e l p me find a new j o b .
• What will I learn if I make this choice?
• WTiat is the root cause of my fear? (Or you can choose
a n o t h e r life issue.)
T o divine i n f o r m a t i o n in a j o u r n e y , begin with a clear ques-

tion that you would like to ask o n e of your helping spirits.
Decide which of your h e l p i n g spirits you would like to have
answer your question, a n d j o u r n e y to the place where you
normally m e e t him or her. Of course, you can ask your
question to m o r e than o n e of your h e l p i n g spirits. Simply
find t h e m in their usual places in non-ordinary reality a n d
ask as many of t h e m as you wish to answer your question.
This is what is known as a divination j o u r n e y .
In the past, I have had terrible luck buying used cars,
a n d I was always visiting a m e c h a n i c . When I l e a r n e d how
to journey, I would go to my power animal a n d ask him for
a diagnosis of the mechanical p r o b l e m before going to the
m e c h a n i c . My m e c h a n i c knew I h a d n o knowledge of cars.
At the time I could not even put gas in the car without
help. T h e first time I showed u p telling my m e c h a n i c what
I t h o u g h t was wrong, he just laughed at me. W h e n I picked
u p my car after h e had fixed it, h e said with a m a z e m e n t ,
"You were right!"
This c o n t i n u e d over time. Each time I b r o u g h t my car
in, 1 p r e s e n t e d a diagnosis, a n d each time my diagnosis was
correct. Finally my m e c h a n i c asked ine what I was d o i n g
to find out the p r o b l e m s with my car. 1 was shy a b o u t actu-
ally saying I took a shamanic journey a n d that my power
animal would slide u n d e r the car on a trolley to p e r f o r m
diagnostic tests. 1 finally did break down and tell him that
I practiced shamanic j o u r n e y i n g a n d my power animal
provided me with the i n f o r m a t i o n 1 n e e d e d . After that,
whenever I b r o u g h t my car in, my m e c h a n i c would first
always ask me what my power animal had told m e a b o u t
the p r o b l e m .
B a r b a r a h a d a f r i e n d who m a d e a clear decision to leave
h e r h u s b a n d . H e r f r i e n d asked B a r b a r a to j o u r n e y o n t h e
question, "Where s h o u l d I go a f t e r 1 leave my h u s b a n d ? "
Barbara saw h e r in an area surprisingly close to w h e r e
she presently lived, so she asked s o m e o n e else to j o u r n e y
on the same q u e s t i o n . T h e s e c o n d p r a c t i t i o n e r received
the same r e s p o n s e as B a r b a r a had, so Barbara asked h e r
f r i e n d to r e c o n s i d e r h e r decision to leave h e r h u s b a n d .
H e r f r i e n d chose to work things t h r o u g h with h e r hus-
b a n d , a n d they now have a healthy relationship.
After a great deal of e x p e r i e n c e with journeying,
some p e o p l e choose to use shamanic journeys to access

i n f o r m a t i o n for friends, clients, and their communities.
However, b e f o r e making yourself available in this way, you
must be certain that you are getting good results f r o m your
own shamanic j o u r n e y s . Remember, if s h a m a n s were n o t
able to successfully divine f o o d sources f o r their c o m m u n i -
ties or provide healing for their fellow tribes-people, their
c o m m u n i t y would n o t survive. T h e practice of shamanism
has always b e e n based on practical a n d accurate results.
If you have reached a level where you would like to jour-
ney to ask for guidance on behalf of your friends, family, or
community members, please consider the following ethical
issues. First, it is vital that you have permission to j o u r n e y for
s o m e o n e else. We live in a culture that encourages us to try
to help people w h e t h e r they want it or not. Instead, 1 believe
that we n e e d to respect each other's choices—how each of
us individually learns, heals, a n d grows. People d o not heal
or grow until they are ready for it. It does not work to push
healing o n t o others. Information is a f o r m of healing, so
please wait until s o m e o n e asks for your help before inter-
fering in his or h e r life. In o r d e r for a successful healing to
take place, the person must be ready to receive healing.
In addition, if you are having a problem with s o m e o n e
at work or s o m e o n e you are in relationship with, it is n o t
a p p r o p r i a t e to j o u r n e y a n d ask, "What is this person's prob-
lem?" This would be looking into s o m e o n e ' s life without
permission—a form of non-ordinary spying. Instead, I would
u n d e r t a k e a j o u r n e y and ask the question, "How can I heal
this relationship? What behavior or perceptual c h a n g e d o
I n e e d to make in o r d e r to heal this situation? What is the
lesson lor me to learn?" T h e key to a successful journey is
to keep the focus on yourself, rather than looking at what is
h a p p e n i n g for s o m e o n e else—unless they have asked you.
T h e r e is an exception to this rule that is i m p o r t a n t to
clarify. W h e n I was a practicing psychotherapist seeing cli-
ents, 1 would occasionally use s h a m a n i c j o u r n e y i n g to assist
my diagnosis. For example, if 1 felt that the client a n d 1
were d a n c i n g a r o u n d the core issues without being able
to identify t h e m a n d m a k e progress, I would ask my power
animal to identify the underlying issues. In this situation,
my clients were c o m i n g to see me to receive my h e l p — a n d
they e x p e c t e d m e to use all of the tools in my toolbox in
o r d e r to best h e l p t h e m . T h e r e f o r e , within the context of
the helping professions, I believe that it is ethical to use
journeying as a diagnostic tool. However, analyzing some-
o n e in n o n - o r d i n a r y reality when they have not asked for
your help is n o t considered a p p r o p r i a t e .
Finally, you also d o not want to ask the helping spirits to
send healing—in any f o r m — t o s o m e o n e who has n o t asked
for it. O n c e again, it is i m p o r t a n t to maintain a p p r o p r i a t e
b o u n d a r i e s a n d d e c o r u m a r o u n d your shamanic practice.
Healing Journeys
In traditional s h a m a n i c cultures, the shaman addressed
the spiritual dimension of illness by intervening in non-
ordinary reality on behalf of his or her clients. In those
instances, the client did n o t j o u r n e y f o r himself or herself.
However, since many of us now have access to o u r own
h e l p i n g spirits using shamanic journeying, it is worthwhile

to ask your power animal or teacher to p e r f o r m a healing
on you when you n e e d it. T h e healing could take any n u m -
ber of forms, d e p e n d i n g on the n a t u r e of the issue a n d the
way your h e l p i n g spirit works.
To d o a healing journey, begin with a clear idea of the
issue or ailment that is in n e e d of healing. Decide which of
your helping spirits you would like to ask to receive a heal-
ing f r o m a n d j o u r n e y to where you normally m e e t t h e m in
non-ordinary reality. You may find that whomever you ask
will not provide the healing themselves, b u t may take you
to a n o t h e r helping spirit who is m o r e skilled in this way.
For instance, Larry was having stomach problems. H e
could not digest his f o o d a n d was in great pain. He went to
doctors who could n o t find the source of his p r o b l e m . H e
j o u r n e y e d to his teacher, who was his great-grandfather,
a n d asked f o r help. His t e a c h e r asked him to lie down on
the floor of his house. At first Larry felt like he was float-
ing, a n d t h e n h e was f l o o d e d with u n c o n d i t i o n a l love a n d
light a n d felt a peace that h e h a d never felt b e f o r e . W h e n
he r e t u r n e d f r o m his journey, he felt pain-free for the first
time in m o n t h s . H e took a series of j o u r n e y s to discover
how he could maintain his health on a long-term basis.
Since then he has followed directions a n d advice given
to him by his g r e a t - g r a n d f a t h e r a n d c o n t i n u e s to live a
healthy life.
Since shamanism works with the spiritual aspect of ill-
ness, it can also be c o m b i n e d with traditional medical a n d
psychological treatment. In many i n d i g e n o u s cultures, sha-
mans a n d physicians work t o g e t h e r to provide t r e a t m e n t .
C o n n i e was d i a g n o s e d with breast cancer. She c h o s e
to have a l u m p e c t o m y a n d r a d i a t i o n , as advised by h e r
d o c t o r s . C o m b i n e d with h e r traditional medical treat-
ment, she j o u r n e y e d to h u m m i n g b i r d a n d asked f o r
help. She c o m b i n e d h e r s h a m a n i c work with d r e a m w o r k .
H u m m i n g b i r d i n s t r u c t e d C o n n i e to m a k e breast casts
a n d p a i n t t h e m with h e a l i n g images. A n d t h e n within a
week she was given a g r a n t to teach w o r k s h o p s o n this
h e a l i n g m e t h o d to w o m e n who have b e e n d i a g n o s e d with
breast cancer.
Dale worked in a m a n u f a c t u r i n g p l a n t where he could
n o t get along with a n o t h e r worker. H e j o u r n e y e d a n d asked
his power animal what h e could do. H e was told to get two
stones a n d paint t h e m two d i f f e r e n t colors a n d keep t h e m
in his pocket. H e did this a n d without any o t h e r interven-
tion the p r o b l e m s with his coworker cleared u p in a very
short time. This is an e x a m p l e of how a mysterious ritual
that c a n n o t b e analyzed with o u r rational m i n d s can create
c h a n g e a n d healing.
A d i s m e m b e r m e n t in a j o u r n e y is a classic m e a n s of spir-
itual healing. An animal like a bear or eagle, or a force of
n a t u r e such as wind, takes your body apart down to the
b o n e . What is ill is taken out, a n d you are rebuilt again
with healthy body parts. It is very c o m m o n to receive a dis-
m e m b e r m e n t when asking for a healing. Although it might
s o u n d g r u e s o m e , people report a t r e m e n d o u s a m o u n t of
peace a n d love d u r i n g the e x p e r i e n c e .
For instance, Susan's heart was h u r t i n g over the loss of a
family member, a n d so she j o u r n e y e d to h e r power animal.

which is a horse, for healing. Horse called on bear to per-
f o r m a d i s m e m b e r m e n t . Bear r i p p e d h e r apart a n d took
o u t her heart, a n d then p u t her back t o g e t h e r with a heart
that was healed. Susan felt great relief after this j o u r n e y .
D i s m e m b e r m e n t j o u r n e y s can also be u n d e r s t o o d as a per-
son being initiated into a spiritual path. Your body a n d ego,
which keep you separate f r o m the power of the universe,
is temporarily taken f r o m you, enabling you to r e m e m b e r
that you are not just a body, but a spiritual being c o n n e c t e d
to all of life. O n c e a person has a p r o f o u n d experience of
this unity, he or she often comes back f r o m it with healing
abilities or a d e e p e r ability to work spiritually.
If you u n d e r t a k e a healing j o u r n e y a n d feel that the heal-
ing you received was beneficial, you might wish to r e p e a t
the journey in o r d e r to d e e p e n the results. However, if the
healing did not feel effective, you may n e e d the h e l p of a
healer in o r d i n a r y reality who is n o t so personally attached
to the o u t c o m e .
A n o t h e r healing journey is to find a restful place in
the Lower World or U p p e r World where you can simply
de-stress f r o m your day. This type of j o u r n e y can be very
restorative. You can j o u r n e y with that simple intention a n d
r e t u r n feeling quite r e f r e s h e d .
T h e r e are m o r e advanced shamanic techniques for the
purposes of healing others that are beyond the scope of this
program. However, there are many workshops taught a r o u n d
the world for those who want to learn these shamanic heal-
ing techniques. Please consult the list of resources at the
e n d of this program to research those options.
Additional Journeys
I
have given you some ideas about journeys for divination
and for personal healing. I also encourage you to meet
with the spirits of animals, birds, plants, trees, rocks,
insects, fish, and reptiles with whom we share this great earth.
In teaching beginning workshops on shamanic journeying,
participants often report that they love the practice, but that
diey d o not know what kinds of questions or intentions to
journey on. What follows is a list of additional possible topics
you can explore in your shamanic journeys. Please feel free to
add to this list and create your own topics for journeying.
Journeys of Interpretation
• Ask for an i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of a d r e a m . You might
p h r a s e your question as "What d o 1 n e e d to know
a b o u t my d r e a m ? "
Additional Journeys 77
• Ask the question: "What is the message or m e a n i n g of a
symbol in my j o u r n e y that I d o n o t u n d e r s t a n d ? "
• Ask the question: "What is t h e m e a n i n g of the o m e n or
sign I received while I was taking a walk in nature?"
• Ask the question: "What is the lesson o r gift for me in
this difficult time?"
Journeys to Learn about Your History

• Ask to m e e t an ancestor.
• Ask to be shown the gifts a n d strengths of your ances-
tral line that you are carrying in this lifetime. O f t e n we
only focus o n what we did n o t get f r o m o u r families.
T h r o u g h the process of survival of the fittest, we are
carrying gifts t h r o u g h o u r family lines. Be sure to look
at the strengths of both your m o t h e r ' s a n d f a t h e r ' s
side of the family. This has been an especially healing
j o u r n e y for people who were a d o p t e d or d o n o t know
m u c h a b o u t their ancestral roots.
• Ask to be shown a creation myth or story so you can
learn how you a n d the world a r o u n d you were created.
• Ask to meet with the spirit of a deceased loved o n e in
the Lower or U p p e r World to resolve unfinished conver-
sations with them. This is a good way to complete your
feelings with s o m e o n e who has passed away.
Journeys to Help Restore Harmony and Balance

in Your Life after You Have Received Spiritual,
Psychological, or Medical Help
• Ask the question: "WTiat changes d o I n e e d to make in
my life in o r d e r to stay healthy over time or to s u p p o r t
my healing process?"
• Ask the question: "How can I use my creative energy to
create a positive p r e s e n t a n d f u t u r e f o r myself?"
• Ask the question: "What would bring m e a n i n g a n d pas-
sion back into my life?"
• Ask the question: "What are some simple practices I can
p e r f o r m t h r o u g h o u t the day to t r a n s f o r m the energy
a r o u n d my anger, fear, sadness, or frustration?"
• Ask the question: "What is a personal myth or life story
that n o l o n g e r serves me?"
Journeys to Connect with the Natural World

• J o u r n e y to m e e t with the natural world.
• J o u r n e y to a crystal or o t h e r object a n d learn how it
wants to be used.
• J o u r n e y to the spirit of the land or city where you live
to m e e t it a n d learn a b o u t its energy. You can j o u r n e y
to the spirit of the place w h e r e you live or a place you
wish to learn m o r e about.
• J o u r n e y to the m o o n to learn a b o u t the m o o n ' s cycles
a n d how they affect you.
• J o u r n e y to learn about how you are affected by differ-
e n t seasons.
• J o u r n e y to learn how you can schedule your life so you
are in sync with the cycles of n a t u r e .
• J o u r n e y to a body of water to learn a b o u t its power.
• J o u r n e y to the stars to learn m o r e a b o u t t h e m .
• J o u r n e y to t h e spirit of insects or r o d e n t s invading your
h o m e or g a r d e n a n d negotiate with t h e m .
• J o u r n e y to learn about the weather spirits.
• J o u r n e y to m e e t with t h e spirits of e a r t h , air, water,
a n d fire.
• J o u r n e y to learn a b o u t the power of the sun a n d how
its energy is necessary for all of life to thrive.
Journeys to Receive Instruction for Creating and

Performing Ceremonies
• Ask for a c e r e m o n y that you can p e r f o r m to release
a n d t r a n s f o r m fear, anger, or a block to your creativity.
• Ask for a c e r e m o n y that you can p e r f o r m to help you
manifest a d r e a m or desire.
• Ask for a c e r e m o n y that you can p e r f o r m to celebrate
a life transition such as puberty, m e n o p a u s e , marriage,
a move, or a c h a n g e in career.
• Ask for a c e r e m o n y that you can p e r f o r m for m o u r n -
ing or to say goodbye to a loved one.
• Ask for a ceremony that you can p e r f o r m to h o n o r some-
o n e in your family or s o m e o n e with whom you work.
• Ask for a c e r e m o n y that you can p e r f o r m to bring joy
or health into your life.
• Ask for a c e r e m o n y that you can p e r f o r m to h o n o r the
c h a n g e in seasons.
Journeys for Social Issues

• J o u r n e y to ask for help in resolving a conflict with a
loved o n e , friends, family, or coworkers.
• J o u r n e y to ask to m e e t with the power a n i m a l of the
business or organization w h e r e you are e m p l o y e d .
Ask t h e power a n i m a l how it can h e l p you to restore
b a l a n c e a n d h a r m o n y in the e n v i r o n m e n t in which
you work.
• J o u r n e y to ask for help with creative projects.
• J o u r n e y to ask to m e e t the power animal of your rela-
tionship or family.
• J o u r n e y to ask a b o u t the power of words a n d how the
vibration a n d intention c o m i n g from the words we
speak can create healing a n d peace.
• J o u r n e y to ask how you can help heal a social wound.
• J o u r n e y to find o u t how you can be of service a n d h e l p
heal e n v i r o n m e n t a l or global problems.
Journeys for Exploration

• J o u r n e y to explore and experience the landscape in
d i f f e r e n t levels in t h e Lower World a n d U p p e r World.
• J o u r n e y to meet different helping spirits in the different
levels of the Lower World or U p p e r World. Learn what
messages or information they have to share with you.
Integrating Your Journey Practice
with Your Community
J
o u r n e y g r o u p s have f o r m e d a r o u n d the world where
p e o p l e j o u r n e y together a n d then share their experi-
ences, giving people a strong sense of c o m m u n i t y a n d
the gift of b e i n g witnessed by o t h e r j o u r n e y e r s . In most
j o u r n e y groups, the m e m b e r s j o u r n e y on their own issues
a n d on questions for o n e another. When you ask o t h e r jour-
neyers to j o u r n e y on your behalf, you will o f t e n get helpful
a n d new i n f o r m a t i o n that you did not receive yourself.
Some g r o u p s j o u r n e y collectively o n a question, such as
a question a b o u t a global issue or some aspect of c u r r e n t
events. For example, how to address the climate changes
in their c o m m u n i t y or a social issue about which they are
c o n c e r n e d . Many g r o u p s will ask a b o u t how to h o n o r a
c h a n g e in season or the c u r r e n t phase of the m o o n , or to
create rituals t o g e t h e r as a community. Each m e m b e r of
Integrating Your Journey Practice with Your Community 83

the g r o u p will receive a u n i q u e piece of information that
can be woven t o g e t h e r to inspire a n d e d u c a t e the whole
g r o u p . T h e r e may also be similarities a n d synchronicities
a m o n g the answers given, which will u n d e r s c o r e s o m e t h i n g
of particular i m p o r t a n c e .
Many well-meaning j o u r n e y e r s report that it is hard to
commit to a once-a-week journey group. T h e feedback I
receive is that meeting twice a m o n t h works best a n d results
in the most consistent level of attendance. I have also noticed
that the groups that stay together the longest j o u r n e y for
each o t h e r as well as for community a n d global issues. These
groups evolve into true communities where individual issues
are addressed as well as issues that affect the entire group.
I would like to o f f e r o n e warning for those who choose
to j o u r n e y in a g r o u p . Please d o n o t c o m p a r e the informa-
tion you receive with the o t h e r g r o u p m e m b e r s . Sometimes
this p r o d u c e s a feeling of envy between g r o u p m e m b e r s
who wish their j o u r n e y s were m o r e like s o m e o n e else's. It
is critical to h o n o r your own u n i q u e style of j o u r n e y i n g — a s
well as each o t h e r ' s style—rather t h a n d e e m i n g o n e style
to be m o r e advanced than the others.
If you are new to j o u r n e y i n g , you may consider sharing
this p r o g r a m with some f r i e n d s as a way of creating a g r o u p
of j o u r n e y e r s in your community. T h e n you can j o u r n e y
on your own a n d p e r h a p s m e e t every two weeks to d o some
g r o u p j o u r n e y s together.
Shamanic journeying is an incredible tool to receive heal-
ing a n d g u i d a n c e in o u r lives. With the help of o u r spirits,
we can be guided to create a life filled with m e a n i n g , joy,
and passion. We begin to wake u p f r o m the spell we have
been u n d e r (hat says we are only what we seem to be in the
material world. We begin to engage in a d a n c e with life
a n d life's cycles. We learn to move f r o m a life of fear a n d
survival into o n e in which we begin to thrive.
You are e m b r a c e d by the love of the universe a n d the
helping spirits. O p e n your heart to the love, wisdom, a n d
healing they have to share. In doing this, you can not only
c h a n g e your own life, but the changes in consciousness we
can achieve t o g e t h e r t h r o u g h shamanic j o u r n e y i n g can
t r a n s f o r m the world as well.
Integrating Your Journey Practice with Your Community 85

For information on workshops taught by Sandra Ingerman, please
either write to:
Sandra Ingerman
P.O. Box 4757
Santa Fe, NM 87502
or visit Sandra's Website:

www.sandraingerinan.com.
For a list of local shamanic teachers and practitioners in your

area, visit www.shamanicteachers.com.
Resources 87
About the Author
Sandra Ingerman, MA, is the author of Soul Retrieval: Mending the

Fragmented Self, Welcome Home: Following Your Soul's Journey Home,
A Fall to Grace, Medicine for the Farth: How to Transform Personal
and Environmental Toxins, and How to Heal Toxic Thoughts: Simple
Tools for Personal Transformation. She has recorded a three-hour
lecture, The Soul RetrievalJourney, The Beginner's Guide to Shamanic
Journeying, and Miracles for the Earth with Sounds True.
Sandra teaches workshops internationally on shamanic jour-
neying, healing, and reversing environmental pollution using
spiritual methods. She is recognized for bridging ancient cross-
cultural healing methods to our modern culture, addressing the
needs of our times. Sandra is a licensed marriage and family
therapist and a professional mental health counselor.
88
About Sounds T r u e
Sounds True was founded in 1985 with a clear vision: to dissemi-

nate spiritual wisdom. Located in Boulder, Colorado, Sounds
True publishes teaching programs that are designed to educate,
uplift, and inspire. We work with many of the leading spiritual
teachers, thinkers, healers, and visionary artists of our time.
To receive a free catalog of tools and teachings for personal
and spiritual transformation, please visit www.soundstrue.com,
call toll-free 800-333-9185, or write to us at T h e Sounds True
Catalog. P.O. Box 8010, Boulder CO 80306.
SOUNDS TRUE
awakening wisdom
"Sandra I n g e r m a n skillfully teaches us how shamanic journeying can be
used for guidance, e m p o w e r m e n t , renewal, divination, and healing. This is
an exceptional resource and guidebook."
—Angeles Amen, Ph.D.. author of The Fourfold Way and Signs of Life
A Beginner's Guide to Shamanic Journeying
T
he shamanic journey is a practice common to all indigenous societies
throughout history. By listening to a drumbeat or other rhythmic
percussion, the shaman enters "noil-ordinary" reality—an altered state of
consciousness beyond lime and space—to access spiritual guidance and healing,
assist others and the planet, and reconnect with the cycles of nature. Shamanic
Journeying offers you an interactive learning experience to discover how to journey
just as traditional shamans have for centuries.
With the instruction in this book and the accompanying audio CD, internationally
respected teacher Sandra Ingerman illuminates:
• The original role of the shaman in indigenous cultures
• I low to meet and work with your "power animals" and other spirit teachers
• How to navigate the Lower World, Upper World, and Middle World—the
three divisions of unseen reality
• The keys to successful journeying in our modern culture
Sharing fascinating accounts of the powerful results of shamanic journeying and
answers lo the questions common to most beginners, ShamanicJourneying is an
accessible guide for exploring the visionary worlds of the shaman.
CD includes drumming for three journeys.
f Sandra Ingerman leacLs workshops 011 shamanism around the world. She
^ ^ 1 holds ail MA in counseling psychology from the California Institute of
Integral Studies. Sandra is a licensed marriage and family therapist and
^MÉhP professional mental-health counselor. She is the author ot the books Hmu
to ileal inxir Thoughts, Soul Retrieval,
1^ ^ ^ ^ as thc^iimcls I • I(M • Í] ^
Ihe Earth. For information about further study with Sandra I II | III •TMI
Ingerman, please visit www.shama11icvisions.com/i11ge1111an N Wljltdjl WtWiniP |JJJ
or www.sandraingerman.com. I^BWSSlSffffiMÉilBWÍ

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Shamanic

Journeying A Beginner's Guide

Cover photo and drum by Terry Keepers, Shamanic Arts Studio,

SOUNDS TRUE is a trademark of Sounds True, Inc.

First Published 2004

Audio learning programs by Sandra Ingerman from Sounds True:

W h e n many of us think of the word "shaman," it

Shamanism: The Path of Direct Rnjetatiun 1

Shamanism: The- Path nf Direct Revelation 9

Shamanism: The Path of Direct Revelation 11

The Three Worlds 13

The Three Worlds 15

The Three Worlds 17

Power A nimals ami Teachers 1 9

Power Animals and Guardian Spirits

Power A nimals ami Teachers 2 1

Power A nimals ami Teachers 2 3

Power A nimals ami Teachers 2 5

Teachers in Human Form

Power A nimals ami Teachers 2 7

Relating to Your Helping Spirits

Pouter Animals and leat hers 29

f'ouier Animals and 'leathers 31

The Role of the Drum in Shamanic Journeying

Making a Drum or Rattle

40 Sim inn n ic Jou rneying

Returning from Your Journey

Will I experience my journeys with all of my senses?

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 45

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 47

How do our helping spirits communicate with us?

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 49

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 51

How do I interpret my journeys?

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 53

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 55

What challenges might I encounter in my journey

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 57

When should I journey?

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 59

How do I know when I should go to the Lower World

Common Questions about Shamanic Journeying 61

Journeying to the Lower World

Undertaking Your First Shamanic Journey 63

Journeying to the Middle World

Undertaking Your First Shamanic Journey 65

Journeying to the Upper World

(it) Shamanic /oumtying

Undertaking YourFirstShamanic Journey 67

Divination and Healing Journeys 69

T o divine i n f o r m a t i o n in a j o u r n e y , begin with a clear ques-

Divination and Healing Journeys 71

Divination and Healing Journeys 73

Divination and Healing Journeys 75

Journeys to Learn about Your History

Journeys to Help Restore Harmony and Balance

Journeys to Connect with the Natural World

Journeys to Receive Instruction for Creating and

Journeys for Social Issues