The Shamanic Journey

     Shamanism is an individualistic paradigm. The used techniques throughout the whole world have a common set of core shamanistic techniques (Harner invented the term "Core Shamanism"). Each culture emphasizes different aspects of these techniques, according to their needs and their surroundings.

The Instruments

     Shamans often use instruments to induce shamanic trance states. The choosing of the instrument determines roughly the kind of journey to be undertaken. (Especially in western shamanic circles literally a drumming-obsession can sometimes be found ...) Didjeridoos, drums, rattles, singing bowls, click sticks and the noises encountered in the nature can be used easily for journeying. It is common knowledge that certain entheogenic substances are used, too. Here I am describing only the acoustic instruments, well knowing about the spirits of the plants but not including them here. The reason of using musical instruments to induce trance state lies in the physiology of the human awareness and brain functions. A monotonous drumming beat or rattling changes the brainwave patterns to dreamlike patterns in the alpha regions. A drumming frequency of 80 - 120 (correct me, if I am wrong) has been used with success. The sounds of the instrument is blending out disturbing noises, too. If you have been sitting in front of a drum, you know what I mean. Another important factor is the intention of the musician. His/her intention is being carried by the playing of the instrument and should not be underestimated. A returning signal at the end of the session is signaling the end of the journey, and if it is used regularly it programs the subconsciousness to return to the signal. I myself use the rhythmic drumming to induce a trance state in the client. More on this subject in The shamanic Seance. If you are interested in various technics of inducing trance state, refer to the section of my page, dealing with various techniques known to me.

The shamanic world is being divided into three parts: Lower, Upper and Middle world. Even christianity knows this division, however with an ethical subtone. Many cultures use the tree as a connection between these three worlds. In celtogermanic context this tree was identified with the Ash Yggdrasil (The horrible horse). Climbing such a tree is a test of power and courage. This is being practiced in some central european regions untill nowadays. The maypole is creamed with oil to offer an extra-thrill to the climber. In shamanic cultures the shaman climbs the tree to symbolize in reality his ability to journey through the three worlds. During the formal initiation ceremony the new shaman climbs up this tree in nepalesian shamanism.

The Journey Itself

     It is a kind of mental- or astral journey. It cannot be compared with the total bilocation of the OOBE, but uses the same energetic body. It is important to have a goal for the journey. Formulate it in a sentence of will before you start to journey. As a beginner never journey without a theme. The sentence should be absolutely clear to you. It is a difference between "I will seek my poweranimal" and "I will find my poweranimal", to mention an example. Seek yourself a nice place in the nature and memorize its appearance and some details. At the beginning of your journey you start at this place. Imagine it as good as possible. The more vivid you manage to imagine this place, the better will be your journey. Try to smell the air, feel the grass, the stones, hear the birds singing and the breeze in the trees. Walk around in this place and try to find a way up or down. There are no limits to your inventive mind. Ladders, rainbows, lifts, stairs, trees, tunnels, holes, roots, waterfalls, seas are just a view meanings of reaching the upper world or the lower world (purely navigational terminology, no morality). Listen to your feelings, whether you want to go down below or up in the skies. Allow an exit to appear in your visionary journey. Pass it and you enter the shamanic upper world or the shamanic lower world (depends on your choosing of direction). At the end of your journey return to your starting place. Never forget this step and don´t be in a hurry when returning. Your soul is On Tour and it is always better to reintegrate your soul completely after the journey ends (If you wonder how this works: It is the same as you started at your place, just the opposite way around!)

The celtogermanic way of crossing the border

     Imagine yourself standing in the room where you are sitting comfortable or lying. Dense fog rises and completely fills out the room until you cannot see anything except the gray or white fog. Eventually the fog clears up again and you are standing in the other world. Obviously there is no distinction between upper or lower world. At the end of your journey you simply rise the fog again and step out in your room again. The method of rising proofed to be easier to use for beginners.

The Poweranimal (Tiergeist)

     The first journey should be done to find the tiergeist (or Poweranimal). This tiergeist is your guide and friend in the spirits world. Thus your first sentence of will should sound like this: "I want to find my poweranimal". Usually your tiergeist is eager to meet you during your journey. If it does not appear, call it or try to find it. The tiergeist can be recognized easily. It behaves different than its normal life counterparts and is friendly towards you. After establishing the first contact, use the rest of the time to play with it before the returning signal is beaten. The tiergeist can take you to any location in your spirit world and to other spirits for special tasks. It is possible to have more than one tiergeist. The animals have special talents, according to their nature. Prehistoric, extincted and mythic creatures can be poweranimals, too. However these are rather seldom.

Difficulties during the shamanic journey

     You may experience certain problems in your first journeys. Some can´t move in the spirits world and they seem to be sticked to their starting position. Here the mere thinking of moving can help. Just imagine yourself moving around, and you will see it works. Another problem is the other end of the tunnel (or whatever you use). Strong expectations sometimes don´t allow to be creative about the spirits world appearance and reality. Perhaps the vision is not as vivid as expected or the lower or upper world doesn´t meet your expectations. You simply have to let yourself go and accept the things you encounter. If you don´t find an exit to the spirits world, simply let one appear in front of you. Now you may argue that this whole journey thing only happens in your mind and nowhere else, thus being fancied up and of no real value. This thinking is just typical for normal educated people. The power of your mind is much greater than you may even guess. A possible solution to this problem is that you accept your visions without judging them in any way. You will quickly learn of the powers of imagination and of the shamanic journey of yourself, especially if you are making collective journeys.

     Sometimes beginners cannot see anything during their first journeys. I simply guide them through the first minutes and let them make their own experiences thereafter. Some do hear or feel more things than they can see during the journey. No one states that you must see everything you encounter there in spirits world. Allow your other senses to join in and accept your own way of "seeing". During the journey you may flip between different pictures. Simply accept the fact, return to your last point and continue with your journey. I compare shamanic journeying with playing an instrument, which requires much practise to be mastered.

     Sometimes you get things from the spirits. If it is allowed to you, you can take them to your starting place. Don´t forget to thank the spirits! Beginners often forget their good manners when journeying. Politeness, distance and respect are good hints for benevolent spirits. If they don´t want to be treated this way, they let it be known to you fast. It is not forbidden to ask the spirits. Most beginners simply forget to ask the spirits about things. Misunderstandings are predictable then.

     A difficult thing is the judging of a journey afterwards. Journeys can ONLY be interpreted by YOURSELF, AND BY NO ONE ELSE! Experienced shamans can offer you hints from their own point of view, but no final interpretations. Sometimes answers are comprehended years later, so don´t be frustrated about one or another cryptic reply. The interpretation of the journey is not an easy task, and it may take years to master this skill. A possible danger of journeying is misinterpretation of the kind of self-delusion, which can lead to a inflationary ego problem. Handle this by staying in contact with other shamanic practitioners which have a different view on yourself. Join a drumming circle in your vicinity to learn from other practitioners. Unfortunately a controlling mythologic element is missing in the shamanic practise of our modern culture. On the other hand this lack of tradition is a great chance to create new myths and legends.

Hints for the Netherworlds

     After a time of practise you find certain rules or a kind of geography in your spiritsworld. This geography is unique to each spiritworld and offers much nourishment and places for your own mythological quests. In the course of many journeys the shamanist is able to draw a map of his Underworld on which the important localities are depicted. A whole world awaits to be explored!

A long time in the 20th century it was dangerous being a shaman in the soviet union. During the socialistic regime and the cultural revolution shamans were hunted down and killed because of their believes and their power and (political) influence they had over the siberian people. Even the possession of a drum or a shamans mirror (a typical metallic utility for shamanizing in siberia) was enough for a being executed or deportation into russian KZs. Shamans were thrown out of flying planes to urge them to demonstrate their flying abilities (taken literally the ecstatic flight of the soul). Thousands of shamans were killed and this traditional culture was nearly being viped out. However Some survived at remote locations and nowadays the people remember the old days and revive the shamanic traditions after the breakdown of the communistic regime. Today the rhythm of the drum and the shamans chantings are building a bridge between the normal reality and the shamanic reality again.

For some this may proof difficult because the spiritsworld are fluent in character, however for others it is possible to draw this kind of map. Locations like the Tree of Life, The Entrance to the Realm of the Dead Ones, The River of Time, of Fate, of the Souls, of Life and their spring, places where teachers or spezialists live, obvious landmarks important for orientation, mountains, seas etc. The spiritsworld is not an empty place. During my own journeys unexpected encounters are happening quite often: Animals, many kinds of spirits. Even cities may be found in the spiritsworld. Perhaps a guardian awaits you in front of the entrance of the Realm of the Dead Ones and demands a sacrifice or a tough fight. The spiritsworld is not a place of paradise but the source of our mythes. It may be interesting to explore whether underworlds below the first one exist (and how many), you know already. Where do you come when you fly up in the sky of your underworlds? In the upper world? Somewhere else). The grade of reality is improved when you start to explore your underworld like this and draw a map of it. An individual space for myths is being explored with own, personal tellings and maybe legends. Shamans are excellent storytellers! Of course all this can be used to explore the middle world, the upper worlds or any other world you can reach in your journeys, too.

© 1998 by Aufsteigender Adler
Byambandorj: © Sarangarel Udigan: The Buryat Homepage - Mongolian Shamanism Online
Arunta: from Boyer, Marie-France: Magie und Mythos der Bäume, Müchen 1997