This month we are moving into a more shamanic type of meditation.
What makes shamanic meditation different than regular guided meditation?
And what does it mean to take a shamanic journey?
Well, it’s not all that different from the guided meditations we’ve been doing. However, there are a few new elements. There will be a bit of drumming which often accompanies shamanic journeys. The drumming is very mild but it is included to help shift your brain waves so you can go deeper into the meditative state.
Drumming and chanting
Drumming and chanting are ancient techniques and are essential elements of shamanic journeying.
They are very effective ways to trick the mind out of it’s usual chatter and to shift your body into a hypnotic state.
Normally when we drum LIVE in our Tree of Life Training, the drumming is far more vigorous.
When it is louder and live, the vibration moves right through you and it shifts your state of mind more easily and more quickly.
You will get a mini flavor in this month’s meditation.
The above photo is of our dear friends in Gambia, West Africa. Every day they drummed their hearts out (when they were not busy giving us drum lessons) and we could do spontaneous shamanic journeys just by listening to them for only 10 minutes…….
Letting go of our Conditioning
Your mind is powerful and undergoes powerful conditioning during your growing up years. Maybe it is more acurate to say your LEFT brain is trained far more rigorously than your right brain.
Shamanic techniques shift the focus of attention to the right brain so you can access parts of you that is more holistic.
Your right brain facilitates experiences of wholeness, calmness, bliss, oneness, connectedness and connectivity.
Mystics call it unified consciousness.
This divine conscious is SO POWERFUL that it can obliterate feelings of isolation, loneliness, depression, unworthiness and self criticism.
Let’s call it up! Let’s activate it!
At the bottom of this page is a meditation where you will take a powerful shamanic journey to receive guidance from Spirit and catch a glimpse of your future.
You will be asked to do several things in the meditation.
Please prepare ahead of time so you can make the most out of your journey.
1) You will be asked to ground, as usual. WHY? To tether your entire being to Mother Earth. The deeper and more profoundly you connect with source, the higher you can go to explore your spirit and divine selves.
2) You will be asked to establish the 4 directions to set out your sacred space. In traditional Native American philosophy, you want to honor the spirits of the North, South, East, West, Above and Below. There are many different ways to do this depending on which tribe you are from.
Another way to think about the 4 directions is that it is a way to activate your Merkabah. North is the top of your Merkabah sphere, South at the base.
You can imagine East as the right side of your sphere and the left as the West.
Above and Below are the directions up and down your central pillar of consciousness. You honor the Below direction by grounding through the base of your spine. You honor the Above direction by opening your crown and connecting to your higher self.
3) You will receive a grandmother and grandfather ancestor. They will each give you a “word of power”. A power word is like a code to help you unlock something in your psyche or spirit. Even if it sounds strange, try to remember it because that word may be an important clue.
Traditionally a word of power is given to a vision questor by spirit to encourage them on their vision quest.
One way to think about the ancestors is to imagine them as your inner Anima and Animus – the grandparental archetypes within you that guide you from deep inside. Remember all these characters are YOU!
4) You will have an opportunity to call up an animal energy who will help you on your shamanic journey. You never know who is going to show up. Please accept whatever animal comes to you. Be prepared to be surprised. You may receive a different animal each time. Go with it!
5) You will be asked to walk through a portal and fly off into the “realm of spirit” with your animal. Again, use your imagination and fly!
6) You will be asked to imagine your life in the future: in 1 year, in 5 years and in 10 years. This is not to depress you as you watch yourself growing older….. It is designed for you to see that you are creating your own destiny!
You set your intention for who you are in the moment and who you want to become. Your goal for the future may be to be free, or to be satisisfied with your life no matter the circumstances or to start a business.
It can be anything you want it to be.
7) You will be prompted to view what life lessons you are learning this life. This is a small but mighty part of this meditation. Understanding what life lessons you are learning can bring tremendous relief and acceptance. You may find different life lessons come to you as you do the meditation multiple times.
8) Finally you will be surrounded by the presence of the Divine. This is a wonderful experience to bathe in the light of the Divine. Remember that this also signifies YOUR OWN DIVINITY. It’s wonderful to be embraced by the Divine presence and it is an invitation for your own divine presence to awaken within you. Sometimes I forget that piece and it is ultimately empowering to claim your divinity back for yourself. You are divine!
That’s a lot of preparation for one meditation! I hope it will become a rich experience as you do it many times.
Happy meditating!
Here are some affirmations to keep this profound meditation alive for you this month.
- I am grounded and rooted into Mother Earth
- I honor the 4 directions and feel safe within my vision quest circle
- I can call up my animal guide to help me anytime
- I remember the wisdom of my ancestors
- My sacred words of power are…
- I am creating my future now
- I am learning my poweful life lessons
- I am surrounded by the presence of the Divine
Click here for next month’s meditation – Dissolve your Inner Critic
For review: