| The Shamanic Journey is an ancient global practice | | | | the Middle World we can visit desired locations, check |
| that has helped many individuals and communities to | | | | in on people and situations, and learn more about our |
| survive and thrive. This practice is related to, but | | | | world in a whole body, sensory way that is more |
| different from, meditation, and its purpose is as | | | | efficient than intellectual study. We are least familiar |
| important today as its was in the past. It is a healing | | | | with the Lower World. It is a very grounded earthly |
| and discovery tool with specific steps that are quite | | | | realm inhabited by teachers, power animals and other |
| simple to learn, and it is mastered with practice over | | | | spirit allies who embody and share energy that can |
| time. There are no special skills needed to journey, it | | | | assist us with our earthly lives. |
| is available to anyone interested in learning this way. | | | | The benefits that can be gained through practice, |
| During a journey, a part of one's consciousness | | | | mastery and regular use of the shamanic journey |
| separates from the physical body and is free to | | | | include:physical, mental & spiritual |
| explore non-ordinary reality. | | | | invigorationincreased immune functionaccess to |
| As a journey concludes the part of consciousness | | | | personal direction & guidanceincreased inspiration |
| that separated from the body to travel, gather | | | | and creativitystrengthened will forces & |
| information, and undergo healing experiences returns | | | | encouragementimproved mind body awareness |
| to the body, bringing the energy, memory and | | | | Sandra Ingerman, a licensed marriage and family |
| teachings of the journey with it. Non-ordinary reality | | | | therapist and former educational director of the |
| is not usually accessed in our normal waking state | | | | Foundation for Shamanic Studies writes "I journey a |
| because many of us have been trained and educated | | | | lot when I am writing or working on a creative |
| to consider interaction with these dimensions as | | | | project. My helping spirits are a continuing source of |
| simple figments of our imagination and to ignore | | | | inspiration to me while I write. I recommend that you |
| them. Many of us have also been religiously taught | | | | try journeying when you are working on a specific |
| that we are not to go there and that is only the | | | | project to ask for a helping spirit who is willing to |
| privilege of a selected few who have earned the | | | | support you with your project." |
| right to do so. | | | | Teacher and Shamanic practitioner Sally Joyce writes |
| Non-ordinary reality consists of three dimensions that | | | | "When I journey I am accessing a lot more of myself |
| are distinct from our waking consciousness, or what | | | | to see, experience and remember the true way of |
| is known as ordinary reality, and these are termed | | | | things. It releases me from limiting beliefs and learned |
| the Upper World, the Middle World and the Lower | | | | concepts so that I can truly get my thinking out of |
| World. We tend to be most intellectually familiar with | | | | the box. I see images, hear sounds and experience |
| the Upper World as it is also known as heaven or the | | | | feelings in non-ordinary reality that I never sense in |
| place of the Divine. It is an ethereal place where | | | | ordinary reality. When I return from my journeys I |
| angelic spirit allies, spirit teachers, and ancestors who | | | | find myself inspired with new ideas for paintings or |
| can assist us with spiritual aspects of our lives us | | | | solutions to recent challenges." Today Shamanic |
| reside. | | | | Techniques are is used in corporate settings, healing |
| The Middle World is a parallel universe co-existing with | | | | environments, hospice settings and many other |
| our waking consciousness, but our experiences there | | | | places and spaces. |
| are not limited by space and time. While Journeying in | | | | |