Shamanism

    Image by Jeffrey K. Bedrick.Used with permission.

Shamanism is one of the oldest traditions in the world. It demands no worship of Gods or Goddesses but allows either or both if that is your personal preferance. Traditionally shamans are seers,healers and helpers who are willing to travel to the Otherworlds to perform healings or to bring back information for themselves or others who require their services.Shamans have spirit helpers and are aware that all things upon the face of Mother Earth have a consciousness and so deserve as much respect as any human being.A shaman generally goes through some serious trauma or near death experience before starting to walk a shamanic path and has to die to him/herself many times on the upwards climb to self. These 'little deaths' are simply the dying to old fears as journeying requires a steady hand and nerves.

There are many ways in which a shaman may travel to the Otherworlds but the one we use and therefore know is the Tree of Life.There are three levels to journey to,the Lower World or the Underworld is one.Althought the name Underworld can bring visions of demons and hell we must realise that it's origins lie in shamanism and earth based religions,unfortunately Christianity gave this place a very bad rap indeed! The Underworld is a most beautiful place in nature and to journey to this place we travel down the roots of the tree.We can also go down via a tunnel,a lift,any way that we are happy with!There are no set rules to this journeying.Shamanic journeying is as fluid as we ourselves are.Once there we find that this place is where we can find Power Animals,Totems,Nature Spirits, Elementals and places of healing. A shaman will travel here to meet with his or her animal helpers or totems,to find such animals or totems for others and to work healings.

The second  level is the Upper World.This is the place where we can find Angels and the souls of the departed.Here we may ask for guidance and also healing.We can travel to the Upper World by climbing the branches of the Tree of Life and many times a shaman will first go to the Underworld,find a Power Animal and ask it to lead them to the Upperworlds.We can also travel there by a Rainbow bridge ,by flying,by any way you find!Again,there are no hard and fast rules for journeying.

The third level is the Middle World and this is represented by the trunk of the Tree of Life.This is a meeting point between the worlds and you can ask Angels and Power Animals to work with you together in this area as it is the astral body of Mother Earth herself.This is a wonderful point from which to work healing on the planet and we can ask to be taken to any part of the Earth which needs healing.

In our experience shamanism is not something you follow but a way of life,a way of being, a way of exploring who you are and how you relate to the world around you.