Shamanic LW Impressions

[Guest guest]

Mykal:

 

Your post describing the worlds is a concise one; thank you :-) Of

course, there are so many things that can be said about this method of

work, it is not simple and is not a parlor game... but I believe that

each of us has it in us to be a shaman. In some tribal societies,

almost all the members *are* shamen!

 

I was fascinated with your example of the World Tree, Mykal, because I

have experienced this myself and it is one of my favorite access

method. Many people choose animal burrows or caves, I am not sure why

I chose a hollow tree (I imagine there must be a reason for

preference, but since it doesn't seem to matter *how* you get there,

maybe there isn't ;-)

 

I really do encourage the curious to check into Michael Harner's

classes. He has used his anthropological background to distill the

methodology of shamanic trance and journey work without losing the

element of wonder and sacredness of it. His organization has also

worked to support indiginous religious freedom and encourage shamen to

pass along their knowledge before it is lost. Harner's core shamanism

is not the beginning and the end by any means, but like many of the

things we study in the west that are not organically ours (like yoga,

tai chi, and Eastern philosophy) there is an element of resonance that

speaks to some of us, a lifeway that doesn't have a modern analog in

our religious or social millieu. To me, that's a good thing. All roads

lead to Rome, eh?

 

Crow

 

mykal wrote:

>

> " mykal " <mykal

>

> If you read my 1st email, you probably just said, " He did OK, but he only

> answered half the question! "

>

> I access the all the realms (lower, middle & upper) by using a tree. For

> me, it is the World Tree. I enter a door in the side of the tree and then

> make my way down a spiral staircase to a door that opens into the lower

> world. A door out the back of the tree has led me to the middle world, and

> climbing the branches (ala Jack & his world tree, er...beanstalk, I mean).

> Again, there are many other ways. Get helper spirits (power animals) in the

> lower world first. They can guide you to your access to the other realms --

> just ask them!

>

> mykal

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have taken the Harner course and found it quite valuable as well. Also,

look for the possibility of a community shammanic drum circle. They do

exsist. I know, I was lucky enough to find one in Madison, WI. The support

of a regular group meeting over time is a very valuable tool in developing

one's abilities to journey.

 

mykal