Going within,
Going below:
a shamanic journey
to the lower world
For this journey you will need:
A dark and private space
A place to lie down comfortably on your back
A blindfold (try a bandanna)
A drummer/rattler or journey audio
A clock for your drummer/rattler
A notebook or pen
Time for a basic journey: 15 to 30 minutes
Beginner Journeying Kits are available through
FSS.
or
Click here
to download 15 minute
shamanic drumming audio
with call back
by caroline "crow" abreu
(.wav format)
On your first journey, your objective will be simply to locate
and enter the Lower World and look around a bit.
On subsequent journeys, you can explore more and proceed
to taking a journey for retrieving power or to ask questions.
Good luck!
Lie on your back with your blindfold on
and your notebook and pen at your side.
Start your audio,
or have your assistant drum/rattle for you.
Designate a time (15 minutes is a good parameter).*
While taking slow, deep breaths,
connect with the rhythm of the
percussion,
visualize where you are,
and allow your spirit to move away
from that space
and outdoors, to locate an entrance
you can use
to go down into the earth.
This portal is very individual to
you;
don't worry about size,
your spirit can fit anywhere!
Your entrance may be as
prosaic as an animal burrow or
a hollow tree,
a spring or a cave. It might
also be something
more unusual, such as a subway
entrance
or a fallout shelter.
Whatever you choose, if it works
for you, fine.
If you have problems with claustrophobia,
remember that you can be as large
or as small
as you want to be,
so it is not necessary to struggle
with your tunnel.
Be observant of your tunnel,
but bear in mind that it is simply
the portal,
the hall between "here" and "there".
Keep your focus on reaching the
Lower World.
You will reach a place where you
will enter
the Lower World. This may
be just the end of your
tunnel; it might be a door,
a window, a curtain, or some other
opening.
When you pass through it, pause
for a moment
and take a good look around to
see where you are
entering the Lower World.
No matter how far you
journey into the Lower World, you
can return to your
entrance with a thought.
The Lower World landscape will differ
for every
journeyer at this point, though
many people enter at a
similar place and find similar
things there.
Look around and see what the lay
of the land is...
do you see hills, mountains, valleys,
water, desert, etc.?
Try to find a representation of
the four elements
(earth, air, water and fire).
From your perspective, examine
the four directions
(east, south, west and north).
Don't forget to look up and down!
Experiment with your abilities here;
in general,
you are fairly safe here since
your spirit is not
limited by normal "reality".
You can swim, fly, run like the
wind,
even change your physical shape.
Because you are in spirit you have
many advantages.
Fear is really your only enemy
in the Lower World.
If you see any beings, plant, animal
or mineral,
note that for later journeys, when
you may choose
to interact with them.
Bear in mind, that they may be
fellow journeyers,
people who live in spirit, or animal
spirits.
You can try being a rock, animal
or plant yourself.
Interaction with other spirits may
be
physical, verbal, intuitive or
symbolic.
Your questions should be as simple
as possible
and your responses honest and straightforward.
When you hear your "callback", return
to where you
entered the Lower World and go
back through your
tunnel, then back to your body.
Take slow deep breaths to reassimilate,
stretch, and sit up.
Write down as much as you can recall
about your
journey to the Lower World.
I hope you have wonderful success
with
your first basic journey
and every subsequent one, as well.
Journeywork can be a useful tool
for facilitating
healing for yourself and others.
If you have any questions or comments,
feel free to email Crow.
Mitakuye Oyasin... We Are All Related!
