Paul Sivert on Shamanic Journeying…
The Shamanic journey is the most important prevalent technique of the Shaman. In fact, one of the definitions of Shaman is the ability to journey. Basically, a shamanic journey is a willful shift of consciousness to another dimension or world.
The following is a description of a journey I took while attending a workshop. The journey is to a spiritual teacher, going into the upper world.
My power animals and I jump up from our tree into the upper world. I feel myself in the upper world as my spirit self, the Star Warrior. I wander around looking and feeling for some teacher or experience. What I see is a reflection of myself as a warrior in a feathered costume. A hummingbird is flying around me singing a sweet song and I hear the word ‘peace’. The wind of the upper world roars through me confirming my power and I see myself covered in feathers that dance with the wind. There is a sense of completion for I have seen pieces of this costume but this is the first time I have been completely dressed in my spiritual garments. The power of the experience surges through me.
The message begins to come: to make my spiritual garments because I will need them for my work. Then a spiritual teacher appears but only in feelings. The teacher works on my throat (because of the messages that are coming), my belly, and my right leg. I thank my spiritual teacher and return to the pavilion.
This journey was filled with rich colors and images until the teacher came. Then I was aware of physical movements in my body. I was accepting of the healing the teacher gave me and experienced a surge in strength when I returned from the journey.