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Walking the Shamans's Path


The passage below comes from the teachings shared during my first year of shamanic training from Edinburgh Shamanic Centre

It is through understanding and experiencing different realities that the shaman is able to move between worlds, bringing the gift of healing for self and his community. When we master moving between realms, allies and powers are identified to assist with the healing at hand, or simply with our daily life. Walking the Shaman's Path covers journeying into the spirit world to connect with our guides and power animals. Journeying for the self and journeying for a friend. Each shamanic journey is a powerful spiritual experience where we recover/discover and heal the fragmented parts of our soul. We allow our inner senses to perceive the worlds as vividly as possible.

The traditional shamanic view of reality is that there is this material world in which we learn through physical experience, in which our souls animate a physical body for a number of earthly years. Interpenetrating this physical universe are three 'spirit' worlds where our multidimensional selves exists. These are:

Lower World. The dimension of myths and fabulous creatures, animal, elemental and plant spirits. This plane of consciousness is where our instinctive self resides. Our ancestors connect with us here. Where our animal totems work to root and strenghten our vitality and nourishment. It is a place of growth and renewal, of sensuality and fertile abundance. A place to connect with soul. Place of entry is usually through holes in the earth, where we descend. Entry points include: hollow tree trunks, rabbit holes, caverns, wells, lakes, cauldrons, underground passages.

Middle World. A plane of consciousness very similar to our physical world. Here we find linear thought, human problems and solutions to daily challenges. This is a kingdom where human souls reside (sometime deceased souls, too). Place of reconnection with mind. Points of entry include: mists, fogs, doorways, forests, tall grasses, windows.

The Upper World. It is here we connect with 'higher' Divine source energies of angels, god/goddesses, star nations, extra terrestrial beings, ascended masters, shamans and medicine people. The place of loving light, solar and planetary consciousness, of deep space and the cosmos. A place to reconnect with spirit. Points of entry include: mountains, tall trees, vines, winges beings, clouds, black holes.

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