Sacred Goddess – How to Shamanic Journey
Posted by Goddess Leonie on April 22nd, 2009. Filed under: Sacred Goddess.
Dancing woman in the desert
Photo taken by moi in the dunes near Uluru,
of the magical Ellen Hawkfeather.
Hola gorgeous Goddesses!
Yesterday I spent the morning curled up in our bathtub. Not in the usual way, no. I got a big furry blanket, filled the tub with it, and had a blanket bath. I read and listened to meditation cds and cried.
And then something a little different happened: I felt like I needed to go on a shamanic journey.
What is Shamanic Journeying?
Shamanic Journeying is a simple, ancient practice of meditation and finding answers. It can feel like a light trance – one that you are totally conscious in. It feels more powerful than just a normal meditation because it is a Journey – you feel yourself move into it, and back, and often get lessons or visions during it. It is a way you can connect with your highest self and your guides. It’s earthy & born from ancient traditions, and often uses drumming to aid the journey.
I’ve done journeys before – but usually with groups of people, led by a shaman. This time I needed to do it on my own. I found some drumming music, wrapped myself warmly, lay in the bathtub and let the music take me where I needed to go.
I was already in a bit of a trance state already as I’d been meditating for about thirty minutes before, so it felt easy to slip down the hole of consciousness, and follow the drumbeats.
My Shamanic Journeying experience
I found myself walking in a meadow for a moment, and then was quickly transported to a fire. There by the fire was an ancient man and woman – I called them Grandmother and Grandfather. They cupped my head in their hands, and wiped away my tears, and whispered to me all I needed to know. They reassured me, and held me in their wise elder embrace. Afterwards, I was given wonderful healings by the women in the tribe, and herbs gathered from a field. They asked me if I wished to know some of my guides, and when I said I did, they showed me some of my guides. I didn’t remember anything more from the journey until I came to, and realised I’d been journeying for about forty minutes.
It felt deeply replenishing in a very real way – when I find my mind worrying now, I remember the teachings of the elders from my journey, and I am comforted again.
How to take your own Shamanic Journey
I’m not an expert, but I am an information-sharer – so if you’re interested in taking your own shamanic journey, here’s some guidelines. Hurrah!
Safe Space
Give yourself some space to be quiet for a little while. I didn’t have any humans in the house while I did mine, but I did let Charlie the Healing Dog jump into the blanket bath with me, and lay on my legs while I journeyed. Because that’s just how we roll.
Journeying Position
Make sure you are all nice and warm. Either sit or lie down in a position that you can maintain for at least twenty minutes comfortably. The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner also recommends that for extra help to get journey tranced, keep your right arm by your side, fingers stretched and the whole arm relaxed, with your left arm bent and over your forehead so it shields your eyes. Go with what works for you though. It’s all good.
Music
Most shamanic journeys use drumming to go even deeper into trance. If you’re not at a drumming circle, you can use shamanic drumming CDs which have a specific pattern to them to assist in trance. Being the use-what-you-have-renegade I am, I didn’t want to get out of the bathtub to get one of my shamanic journeying CDs, and instead used some world music that had drumming and chanting in it. And it worked beautifully.
Intention
Set your intention of what you want out of the journey, even if it is just to experience a shamanic journey. My intention for my journey was to find solace, healing and answers to some of my big pains. And they came.
To begin your journey
When you begin your journey, imagine you are in a place in nature. You can either imagine yourself entering a cave or well to take you down into your earth, or see yourself walking on a journey through meadows.
Allow what comes
You may have strong visions. You may not. You might flip in and out of seeing your journey. You might not remember anything. It’s all good. It’s all perfectly needed.
Don’t over-question and over-think your visions too much. Allow them to come, and allow them to go. Just trust that what you need is coming to you, and may emerge as a feeling, or a soft knowing after the journey.
After the journey
Make sure you are feeling clear and back to normal consciousness once you’ve returned from your journey. To help with this, have a big glass of water, eat something small or stand outside on the earth with barefoot. Grounding is goooood!
If you’re called, you can also write about your journey afterwards, or just let it sit within you.
As always, your journey is perfect just as it is. There is no one right way, there are no shoulds – just doing what is true for you.
More resources for Shamanic Journeying:
If you want to explore shamanic journeying, you can check out a couple of books available, or have a search around to see if there’s any shamans or circles in your area that offer drumming and journeying. You might be surprised to know how many there are around! (As an example, I know of at least three in my town.)
Shamanic Spirit (book & CD) by Kenneth Meadows
Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide by Sandra Ingerman
I hope this mini-guide helps you, dear soul.
Trust your intuition to what it is you need.
May your journey always be beautiful,
_____
There’s a whole lot of ways to get inspired.
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April 22nd, 2009 at 10:04 pm
i love the concept of a blanket bath!
might have to give it a try myself
i’m not sure if Shamanic Journeying is for me.
although reading this did get me inspired to get some
incense and candles burning and just sit for a while (wrapped in a blanket). if only to try and relax.
thanks for sharing this.
xox
Silvia’s last blog post..Beautiful blues
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:42 am
As I was reading your post of your wonderful experience, I started asking myself, how could I do such thing, kept on reading and there was my answer! So, thank you very much, I´ll definitely give it a try, cause it sounds like something I could really use at this moment in my life. Let´s see what happens.
Blessings!
Yvalu’s last blog post..Progresos
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:33 am
I have learned shamanic journeying in 2001 in a workshop organized bu the Foundation for Shamanic Studies (set up by Michael Harner) and so I use the exact same technique you do.
The day before I went to the workshop, I woke up at night to find a man standing in my room. A real bone and and flesh human being! I was totally shocked and paralyzed by fear. Then he materialized a red glowing ball which he threw in my direction onto the bed I was sleeping in.I could literally feel the impact. Next thing I know was that I opened my eyes and it was morning. The next day in the workshop our teacher taught us what you described above and told us that in our first journey we are likely to meet our spirit teachers who might send us energy…often in the form of a red glowing ball !!!
So for me shamanic journeying has changed my life. Since that day I know I am never alone and am always supported and loved!
Yemoonyah’s last blog post..25 Facebook Tips for Creative Entrepreneurs
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
Wow, what a beautiful post, Leonie.
And I just love that you had a blanket bath. I’m totally going to give that a try.
Leah – Creative Every Day’s last blog post..Be a Color Detective
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Goddess Silvia ~ I love that you trust your intuition and what you need so deeply
Goddess Leah ~ Blanket.baths.are.da.bomb babe!
Goddess Yemoonyah ~ That sounds completely magical, woman. That workshop sounds so perfect… and by Mr Harner himself too! I love hearing your story! Your words are just magnificent. And so very true… shamanic journeying can connect us with our guides and offer us so much support. Love love LOVE it!
Goddess Yvalu ~ Oh darling, I’m so glad the information was so helpful for you… and deepest of blessings on your journey honey
Goddess Leonie’s last blog post..Sacred Goddess – How to Shamanic Journey
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Thanks for this, Leonie! Both for sharing your own experience and for teaching us how we could go on our own shamanic journey.
I hope to give this a try soon!
Victoria Brouhard’s last blog post..Moving Ahead without All the Answers
April 24th, 2009 at 6:10 am
As a Priestess who has done her fair share of journeying – and had some humdingers of visions! – it looks like you’ve got the steps spot on. Ho! and may you have more excellent journeys!
Victoria SkyDancer’s last blog post..Working with the Stone People
April 24th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Thank you. This is exactly what I needed today. That third and most obvious push from the Universe that I NEED to do SOMETHING for me right now.
Thank you for sharing.
April 24th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
@Goddess Victoria B ~ Awww bless you woman… hope this is helpful sweetie
@Goddess Victoria SD ~ You’d know alllll about the shamanic journeying babe!!!
@Goddess KnittingJourneyman ~ You are so so welcome possum. So many blessings on your journey of giving you what you need.
Goddess Leonie’s last blog post..Sacred Goddess – How to Shamanic Journey
April 25th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Thank you, thank you Leonie for sharing this AND, so importantly, making it so accessible!
When kaleidoscope souls like you talk about these magical journeys and connecting with your goddess self, it’s easy for me to think, ‘that sounds so wonderful but it’s not something I could do – I don’t know how.’
But you unfold your experience for us and gently show us a way in, if we wish to take it.
So thank you goddess
Rebecca Leigh | Smart Fresh Writing for Business’s last blog post..What they don’t teach you at school: learning how to learn in business
April 27th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
wow – you’ve done it again, Leonie – Shamanism explained so well and easy to understand. I have practiced this for many years, and have studied with Sandra Ingerman.
You really do have a gift to be able to explain things so beautifully – thanks for sharing this life changing information.
Shamanic journeying is my core. . . .
it is the best way to access that alternative reality where Truth lives.
thanks again for your gentle wise and clear words.
-Em
Emily Townsend’s last blog post..
April 29th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Dearest Goddess Leonie,
I am so full of gratitude that you posted about this subject. I read it the day you posted it, and it sparked my intrigue, but mostly I filed it away. Today I woke up experiencing some very real and present hardships of spirit. I was gentle with myself, allowing myself to cry as I spoke the words to my heart I longed to hear from another. Then I felt the need to just lay, rest and be. Eventually I fell into a sleep, with dreams I do not remember. When I woke up this post came to me and I felt the need to read it again and find out what resources I had available to me in my town regarding journeying. Thank Goodness the Sandra Ingerman book was available at our local library, along with its accompanying drumming cd. I picked it up along with two others. I read Sandra’s book tonight, and plan to embark on my first journey tomorrow morning. I feel like this is such a blessed answer and I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing your heart with us all.
Xoxo,
Maggie Ann.
maggie ann.’s last blog post..The Sacred
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:01 pm
[...] * How to Shamanic Journey [...]
July 21st, 2009 at 3:13 am
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January 24th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Goddess Leonie,
What a gorgeously designed sight! What a positive and lovely place to hang out! (I just found you…) I can’t wait to explore the rest!
I really liked your description of journeying, especially as a way to welcome beginners to the wonderful world of shamanic journeying. Journeying is a big part of my life, and I think it is an amazing tool of self-discovery and helping others.
Thanks for this post!
Kara
March 28th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
This is so beautiful, I adore the idea of a blanket bath and I love the shamanic journeying
thank you for this reminder today! I think I need this lately.. hugs, Jenn
July 4th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
thank you for sharing Leonie, I just had my first journey yesterday, and brought up in scepticism of myself. I intuitively opened this googeled link ,and bingo I read the words I needed,and this gives me great joy ! thanks !