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In the previous post, I briefly discussed how a shamanic journey can be used for the purpose of a shamanic healing.

This post will explore the shamanic journey as its own practice and address how shamans know which of the three spirit realms to travel to for a journey as well as how shamans gather information while in the spirit world through the five claires.

 What are the Claires?

The claires are the ways that shamans obtain information from the spirit world. They are clairvoyance (seeing), clairaudience (hearing), clairsentience (feeling – both bodily and emotionally), claircognizance (knowing), and clairolfaction (smelling & tasting.) Many shamans will have one or two primary ways of receiving information but will still intuitively use all five to obtain information on their journeys.

Knowing Which of the Three Realms of the Spirit World to Journey to

Before a journey can begin, a shaman needs to know which of the three realms of the spirit world to journey to. This is determined by intent, as the reason for the journey plays a large role in which realm is the best place to start. Sometimes shamans travel between the three realms during a journey, as beings and information can be anywhere in the spirit world, but having a clear reason for the journey makes it easy to know which of the three realms it is best to travel to first during a journey.

Journeys to the Lower World are the most common in shamanic healing and are typically used for things like power animal retrieval or ancestral healing. Middle World journeys are typically used to interact with the energy of beings in the physical world. A journey to the Middle World could be used for things like a remote healing, helping a discarnate spirit cross to the spirit world, or to communicate with a being such as a tree. The Upper World is a place of destiny and future, so a journey there might be used for divination or a destiny retrieval. Upper World journeys are also used to meet spirit guides and ascended masters.

The Shamanic Journey

Before a journey begins, shamans create sacred space through the method or practice followed in their personal spiritual belief system. Shamans then call on the four directions and their spirit helpers before concentrating on their intention for the journey and grounding themselves. Some Shamans may use drumming or percussion to begin the journey, but not all.

After starting, shamans may imagine themselves in a place in nature or a place of sacred energy. After restating their intention, shamans will look for a way to get to the desired realm of the spirit world. They may visualize a rabbit hole to the Lower World, climbing a mountain or tree to the Upper World, or simply walking out their front door to the Middle World. Once they have arrived in their desired world, shamans will call on their power animals and spirit guides to join them in the spirit world and state their intention to their guides. Shamans then ask their guides to take them where they need to go to receive information pertinent to their intention. Then shamans experience the journey, being open to information as it comes, in any form. Once the journey feels complete or the callback sound plays (if percussion is in use), shamans will wrap up what they’re doing, thank their guides for assisting them, and tell them they will see them again. Then shamans will return to their body the same way they came into the spirit world (i.e. up through the rabbit role or down the mountain.)

Once they have returned to their body, they typically settle in by wiggling their fingers and toes before opening their eyes. Sometimes they may make notes in a journal while the journey is still fresh. Then shamans sit with the journey and look for ways to interpret the information they received and what everything they experienced might mean. If any information is particularly puzzling, shamans may journey again for clarification or re-enter the same journey. Once they feel the journeying experience is fully complete, shamans thank their spirit guides and close the directions.

 

Shamanic journeying is a highly complex and nuanced process, but hopefully this blog was able to give you a decent understanding of how a journey is performed and how shamans obtain the knowledge and information that they use in healing sessions and beyond.

Interested in booking a shamanic healing? Head over to our bookings page to find a time that works for you!

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