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Otherworld Journeys

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Shamanic Journeying and Otherworld Travels

_ The following is an introduction to shamanic journeying and other forms of travelling in the Otherworld. I have intentionally named this article Otherworld journeying because the ability to journey is part of the human potential and goes beyond shamanic culture. Also, true shamanic journeying is usually restricted to the three worlds of the shaman: the Underworld, Middle World and Upper World. But there are many other interesting regions in the Otherworld which can be visited by means of journeying even though knowledge of these worlds is not necessarily part of traditional shamanic cultures. For example, it is possible to visit lost civilisations such as Atlantis and Lemuria, other dimensions, such as the Faerie Realm, and other planets, such as Sirius. Though these realms are not part of traditional shamanic lore I have no doubt that throughout history many shamans have stumbled onto those worlds and realms. Also, some shamanic cultures had knowledge of particular realms that other cultures were not aware of. South American shamans, for example, may journey to the realm of the Yakurunas, a particular kind of water spirit that can help shamans in healing, but is also known to abduct people. It is doubtful that Siberian shamans visited the realm of the Yakurunas but they must have had other culture specific realms they visited. In spite of all the different cultures, and connections to different realms of the Otherworld there are common denominators to shamanic journeying.

In most cases the shaman journeys with the help of a drum, and often an assistant beats the drum for the shaman. The steady beat of the drum helped the shaman to enter into a trance state in which he or she entered the spirit world, also called the Otherworld. The trance state could also be induced through the sound of a rattle, ecstatic dancing, use of sacred plants, such as Ayahuasca or peyote, mushrooms, etc, through various methods of sensory deprivation. The point in all this is to be able to switch one's ordinary state of mind to a non-ordinary state of mind. This can be done through various methods, such as the shamanic methods outlined above, or through methods learned from mystical traditions. Yoga is another tradition that helps people achieve altered states of mind and travel to other realms. It is possible to journey through silent meditation, without the aid of drums, rattles, herbs, etc. Advanced yogis are said to be capable of teleporting, and even of interstellar travel via their bodies of light! But while these skills are probably unattainable for most of us, meditation and Yogic breathing practices, also known as pranayama, as well as mudras (certain gestures, sometimes called "finger yoga") can help us switch the mind to a state conducive to journeying. In my opinion it is always good to be capable of various forms of journeying and mind travel. You may not always be able to have your drum with you, sacred plants are progressively getting banned, your CD player with the drumming tape may malfunction or your rattle may break. While all these tools are very helpful in the beginning when you are just learning shamanic journeying, the ultimate journeying tool is the human mind!

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Can Anybody Learn How to Journey?

_Yes, because it is part of the human potential. Anybody can learn it, but some people may be better at it than others. Everybody can learn how to play an instrument, for example, but few become master musicians! It is a skill that needs to be developed, and for most people that means hard work. Well, it does not really have to be hard, it is in fact very enjoyable to journey, but it does need persistence, especially in the beginning. Once you have learned it you never lose the ability again. It is a bit like riding a bicycle. It may take you many hours to get the knack of it, but once you have learned it you will never forget. Even if you do not ride a bicycle for several years, as soon as you get on one again your body remembers. Shamanic journeying is very similar. Once you know the trick of Otherworld journeying, you will never completely unlearn it.

Some people take to journeying like a fish to water. They have very detailed visions and powerful experiences, which often arouses the envy of those who are not so blessed. Others struggle seeing anything during their journeys and are constantly doubting themselves. I have often been asked whether I believe that some people are more talented than others, and why that is, and what people can do to have better and more powerful journeys. I have designed a workshop all around journeying, exploring various journeying techniques, and going into the obstacles to journeying and how to overcome them by teaching people methods to deepen their journey experience. It is called "Journeys Beyond" and you can find dates and more info on my Workshops page. For now, suffice to say that the so-called "talented" individuals didn't get this talent just by chance, but they acquired it by training their minds, and by doing spiritual practices, either in this life or in past lives. As a general rule, people with a certain spiritual development who are used to meditation tend to find shamanic journeying quite easy, while people who are living a hectic material life and have never learned how to still their minds generally find it more difficult.
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Overcoming Obstacles to Journeying

There are various things that can be done to help those that find journeying difficult. Factors such as environment, inner attitude, expectation, spiritual development, diet, posture, etc all play a part in influencing the experience. Knowing this, one can adjust those influences to bring about a better experience. A really powerful shaman's drum is also very beneficial to help one along. But consider, the power is not in the drum but in the one who wields it! Transmission of power from an experienced shaman or Yogi also helps. And the greatest factor is knowledge: if you know exactly how to do it, if you have been taught a good method, once you know the obstacles and how to avoid them, once you know the helping factors and how to use them to your benefit, and once you have learned how to induce a deeper trance, you will find that Otherworld journeying is getting progressively easier, and that your journeys become more vivid and more powerful. Knowledge will set you free and practice will make you perfect!
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Am I Making It Up?

This is a very typical question that beginners ask. The Otherworld is just as real as this physical world of matter, it is in fact more real. Overcoming the rational mind is essential if you want to journey. This is in fact the first obstacle that the beginner has to overcome. Do not worry if this question pops up from time to time, it is quite normal. I still ask myself this occasionally at the beginning of a journey. But I have learned how to switch from the rational mind to the magical mind, and once this switch happens the journey becomes so powerful that all doubt is instantly ended. If, for example, you have full sensory input, or come out of the journey and experience true physical healing as a result of what happened on the journey, or if you have gleaned information that can be verified in waking life, and that you could not possibly have known beforehand, then you finally begin to understand that the experience was indeed real.
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Are the Beings I Encounter Real?

_Some people believe that the beings you encounter in the Otherworld are just a figment of your imagination or aspect of your subconscious mind and yourself. In consequence, they may think it completely okay to treat them in any way they please. This could have serious repercussions. Be aware that the characters you encounter during your journeys are indeed living conscious beings. Bear in mind that some of them may even be Gods and Goddesses. They may appear in disguise to test you. So you better treat any being you meet with respect and mind your manners, just in case. It is definitely not healthy or beneficial to insult or upset divine beings! Once I took the soul of a client to my healing temple where I performed healing on him assisted by the Goddess Bast, who is one of my personal deities. The client became impatient and got up and said something condescending and derogatory about women to Bast. This enraged her so much that she said to me, "this is it! I will not do any more healing on him!" He got off quite lightly, in my opinion. Behaviour such as this could have much more serious consequences. You certainly don't want to be cursed by the gods! Besides gods, there are other higher beings in the Otherworld, and many beings with magical powers, of both positive and negative polarity.

When you are travelling in the physical world, maybe in a country where you do not know the customs, you also try your best to be polite and respectful. This approach will also serve you well during Otherworld journeying. And, when you are travelling in unknown parts of the world and meet strangers you are a bit wary. You are not going to go along with just anybody you meet. You want to have a similar approach in the Otherworld as well. Don't be too trusting and gullible but avoid being rude or disrespectful. Personally, I do not feel that the Otherworld is a fearful place at all. Occasionally I have to fight, but most of the time I interact with Otherword denizens in a peaceful way. In the Otherworld appearances can be deceiving. Something demonic may camouflage itself as a "being of light", for example. This is in fact very common and a trick demons frequently use on people with strong Christian conditioning! Bear in mind that Otherworld entities (both good and bad) can read your mind and have the ability to shapeshift. Therefore they may appear as what you fancy or fear! The Goddess may appear to you in the guise of an ugly old crone, just to test you. Dark beings are not necessarily evil beings. Don't be judgmental when interacting with Otherworld beings but use common sense. In the beginning the Otherworld will be a completely new world for you, and you are bound to make mistakes unless properly instructed. You learn from those mistakes eventually, though often at your cost. To help people avoid these pitfalls I am teaching journeying etiquette on my journeying workshop "Journeys Beyond" and also by online tuition.

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Basic Journeying

Journeying is both very easy and very complex. There are many different ways of journeying, and really you should be taught journeying by somebody who knows what they are doing. Some people stumble over the method of Otherworld journeying by coincidence and without any instruction. This happened to me in my childhood when I was locked up in my room for endless hours, unable to go anywhere with my physical body. It can happen automatically, you can learn how to journey on your own, but these are the exceptions rather than the rule. For most people having a good teacher is the best approach to learning shamanic journeying or Otherworld journeying. 

The most important factor in successful journeying is whether you will be able to achieve a trance state and switch from ordinary consciousness to Otherworld consciousness. This may sound very complicated, but it is basically a very simple thing to do, an ability that you already have, even if you haven't trained it yet. So here are some easy to follow instructions. I suggest that your first journey should be to your Sanctuary. Please read the Sanctuary page if you have never worked with a personal spiritual sanctuary.

Preparation
Unplug your phone and make sure that you are undisturbed for at least half an hour. Wear loose and non-restrictive clothing. Make sure that your clothes are warm enough, as your body temperature drops when you journey. You may wish to cover yourself with a blanket or wrap yourself into a scarf or poncho. If working outdoors make sure you are in a place where passers-by won't disturb you. Be prepared for weather change! It is best to sit in a place where you will not get rain soaked when in the middle of an important journey! Journeying by the sea is great, but due to wind you could cool out quite badly, even in summer time, so make sure you have extra warm clothing.

Posture
Sit or lie in a comfortable position. The less you move, the deeper you can go. So make sure you are really comfortable before you start. A lying position will make many people dull and sleepy. If that happens to you, you may be better off journeying in a sitting or half reclining position. When sitting having a cushion under the base of your spine so that your spine is straight, greatly helps concentration. If you want to drum, it may be necessary to prop up the arm that holds the drum to avoid discomfort that would affect your concentration.

Trance Induction
Once you have made yourself comfortable close your eyes or use a bandanna. Many people find it easier to journey when it is dark, as this enhances visions. This is also one of the reasons why many medicine ceremonies are held in the evening or night, when it is dark. If you want to journey in the daytime you can close the blinds to darken your room, or use a bandanna to blindfold yourself. To achieve a trance state employ one of the following methods:

Drumming: Begin to beat your drum at a slow and steady beat. Alternatively, you can have somebody drum for you, or you can use a drumming tape. Read more about the power of the drum on my Sacred Drum page. If you use a drumming CD, best set it on endless mode in case your journey takes long.

Rattle: Alternatively, you can use the sound of a rattle to help you achieve the trance state. As with the drum, you can either rattle yourself or have somebody rattle for you. Whether you use a rattle or a drum, at the beginning of the journey you should use a slower beat or rhythm while you are setting your intention, calling your power animals, or while you are in your sanctuary, or generally getting ready. Once you enter the tunnel to your Underworld, pass through the veil to the Middle World or rise up to the Upper World, basically the moment you leave your body or seriously begin to journey, you should speed up the drum beat or rattling rhythm. 

By Meditation: If you want to journey by meditation, assume your favourite meditation posture. Keeping the spine straight helps greatly with meditation, but you shouldn't sit rigidly because tension in the body is not conducive to journeying at all. You need to be able to relax to successfully journey and go really deep. If you are an experienced meditator you will be able to sit in an upright posture for hours while being in a relaxed state. If you cannot sit cross-legged because you are too stiff or have leg or back pain, then sit on a chair with feet planted firmly on the ground, spine straight and back supported by the chair's backrest and possibly a pillow at the small of your back. Slow down your breathing and enter the meditative state the way you normally do. If you usually use mudras, feel free to use them now -- unless you need your hands for drumming of course.

Affirmation
Once you are ready to go you should use some sort of an affirmation. That helps to switch the mind to journeying mode and overcomes limitations of belief. You can write this affirmation out for yourself and learn it by heart. If you always use the same affirmation it soon becomes a trigger for the journeying frame of mind. The affirmation should be along the lines of: "I am spirit soul in a physical body. I am greater than the physical body and my consciousness is not confined to it. I can choose to leave my body any time I please and return to it whenever I wish. Leaving my body is effortless. I now choose to leave my body for the purpose of journeying in the Otherworld." It is best to find your own affirmation formula, because that way it resonates perfectly with you and will be most powerful.

Crossing Over
Now think of your sanctuary or count yourself down to it if you use the counting method. The scenery should build up around you. You make it more real by opening all your senses in the Otherworld: the sense of sight, hearing, touch and smell, and possibly even taste. You have now achieved the switch to the Otherworld. At this point you may want to gather your power animals or call your guides. The next step is:

Setting your Intention
Of course ideally you should already have set your intention before you even started the journey. But now is the time to repeat this intention to yourself so that it is very clear in your mind -- because your intent is the fuel for your journey! The clearer the intent, the more powerful the journey. The intent can be something like "I am going on a journey to heal my stomach problem" or "I am going to retrieve the most important piece of my soul that I have lost" or "I am going on a journey to unblock my creativity." You should also communicate this intent to any guides, power animals or power plants that are to accompany you.

Journeying
Then speed up the drum beat or the rhythm of the rattle, which indicates to your mind that now it is journeying time. Your mind will oblige by going into a deeper trance, into "journeying mode". If you are meditating silently, just progress with the journey. You may then cross over into the Underworld, the Middle World or Upper World from your Sanctuary. You may also use inter-dimensional portals to travel to other dimensions such as the Faerie Realm, Atlantis or to Sirius. But these are advanced methods. No matter where you go, you are now in journeying mode. The rest is easy, just stay focused and keep the rational mind out of the way. If at any time during the journey you lose your concentration or space out, just go back to where you last were and resume from there. If the rational mind interrupts you with doubts of whether this is real, tell it to shut up! Reaffirm your intention and continue.

Returning
When you are ready to return reverse your tracks. Go back to your Sanctuary the way you came. Once in your sanctuary slow the drum beat to the same slow beat you used at the beginning of the journey. Think of your physical body and the location it is in, i.e. your room, under your favourite tree. Feel your Sanctuary fading all around you while at the same time becoming aware of your physical body. Stop drumming or rattling. Affirm that you are fully back in your physical body now, back in the same place and time you were in before the journey -- in case you come back from a time travel. (Read more on time travel on the Middle World page.) Take three deep breaths and then slowly open your eyes. If it was a very deep journey you may want to sit quietly for a few moments. It is worth taking notes of journeys and keep track of beings you met in the Otherworld, places you visited, messages you received etc.

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Advanced Journeying

If you wish to learn more advanced methods of journeying, you need to learn from an adept. I teach these methods on my workshops. On the "Journeys Beyond" workshop for example, you will learn how to use portals for inter-dimensional travel and how to access alternative dimensions. But you don't need to be experienced to take part in the workshop because you will also learn the basics of journeying in depth setting a firm foundation for spiritual growth. You will have the opportunity to experiment with various journeying modes and learn how to overcome obstacles to journeying. It has been my experience that many people complain about not being able to "see" clearly during journeys in spite of having attended numerous workshops. I found that this can usually be overcome quite easily and I greatly enjoy helping people explore the Otherworld and make the most of their shamanic journeys. 

Other Dimensions
Before visiting other dimensions one needs to have a good foundation in journeying in the more accessible regions of the Otherworld, such as the Underworld and Upper World. In higher regions and parallel realities you meet all kind of strange beings and it is best if you know the customs and rules of interaction in those realms, lest you get yourself in trouble. This topic is beyond the scope of this article which is just to give you an introduction to shamanic journeying and journeying in the Otherworld. If you would like to learn more you can always have a one on one tuition with me. Please visit the Online Tuition page for more information!

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Otherworld Travel as a Means for Spiritual Growth

Journeying in the Otherworld never gets boring! There is always something new to explore and more to learn. You can rediscover ancient forgotten lore, meet guides and spiritually advanced beings who help you to learn and grow faster. You will meet many new friends on your journeys and make lasting bonds. You may also experience danger and scary things, and you may have to overcome adversaries and fight sometimes -- but hey, that's part of the adventure! There are many adventures waiting for you, any time you are ready! Once you have learned how to travel with your spirit body, you can spare yourself the hassle and costs of conventional travelling. All you need is a bit of time and courage and a world or magic and wonder unfolds! Enjoy your travels in the Otherworld and keep on growing spiritually!
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Copyright © Avalon Sakti Tiamat, 09.01.2010
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My Radio Show on Otherworld Travels

If you would like to learn more about Shamanic Journeying and the Otherworlds then listen to my radio show "Otherworld Travels" with Christie Aphrodite of www.souljourneysradio.com.
Please click the player to hear the radio show.
For more radio shows of mine on spiritual topics please visit My Radio Shows!
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Namaste!

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