Client Guide to the Shamanic Journey

Transcription

Psychospiritual Counseling
www.psychospiritualcounseling.net
©2012 Tamara T. Thebert, MA, CHT, MFT Intern @ Holos Institute
Questions? tamara@psychospiritualcounseling.net
Client Guide to the Shamanic Journey in Therapy
by Tamara T. Thebert, MA, MFT Intern at Holos Institute
One of the primary influences that informs my approach as a counselor is the respectful
integration of ancient wisdom from spiritual traditions – especially shamanic healing
practices – and psychotherapy. With appreciation for indigenous wisdom and peoples
(including my ancestors) and experiencing the healing these practices offer the community,
I feel drawn to serve as a bridge for the ancient and contemporary in a way that honors this
way of being. I say way of being because we cannot simply extract one part of an entire
cosmology (i.e. shamanic journey) and apply it to our lives or therapy without honoring the
Psychospiritual Counseling: Shamanic Journey
Tamara T. Thebert, MA, CHT, MFT Intern at Holos Institute
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© 2012 Tamara T. Thebert
510.379.5246 tamara@holosinstitute.net
context, cosmology, and way of living from which a technique originates. Interconnection
and interdependence (often termed “web of life”) is one of the core experiences (rather
than solely beliefs) in indigenous cosmology and a “cause-and-effect relationship between
dimensions, energies, and beings” (Tedlock 2005, 20-21) is assumed as a result of this
interconnection. These practices exist with deep reverence for the Earth. Through
relationship with Nature as a teacher, mother, sister, father, brother, son, daughter, and
beloved, the depths of this way of being is embodied and modeled for current and future
generations. It is in a spiritually embodied context that I am interested in applying
techniques in a therapeutic context where clients are working with a Self that is able to
participate in a complex and dynamic reality while cultivating the capacity to live more
fully in the present moment. I offer this guide to those who would like to explore this
approach in therapy.
What is a Shamanic Journey?
The shamanic journey is a technique for developing intimate relationships with personal
helping spirits by consciously leaving ordinary reality and journeying into the subtler
realms of spirit to “perceive phenomena beyond the conscious mind.” (Gucciardi 2008)
The reason for developing relationships with helping spirits is to gain knowledge, wisdom,
practical healing methods, and other information that can be brought back for one’s own
personal benefit and/or benefit of the community. (Harner 1990, Ingerman 1991, Noble
1992, Cowan 2006, Gucciardi 2008) The practice employs the use of the drumbeat to
reach an altered state so as to provide a pathway for meeting and communicating with
guide(s), which allow access to the wisdom of the core self. The drum is considered the
vehicle of travel because it aligns your heartbeat with the heartbeat of the Earth and
connects us to All That Is. As a client you may experience a guide as a light, a deeper part
of yourself, one of your ancestors, an animal, angel, mythic figure, or anything that feels
right for you.
Journeying is often helpful for "homework" between sessions as well. Once you develop
your skill of setting intention and establish a relationship with your guide(s) for support in
the therapeutic process and your life, journeying can give you deeper insight into questions
that arise in reflection of a session. The continuing practice offers a tangible way to explore
with support in addition to weekly sessions. Integrating these insights is an important part
of the work. Linking the wisdom from your guides with your therapeutic journey and
following the lead of this wisdom is a key ingredient in listening to the deeper callings of
your soul. As with setting intentions, the skill of integration comes with time and while we
are in session, I model the basic principles as we set intentions, make connections with the
therapeutic journey, and integrate experiences together. Therefore, sessions may be used
for journeying and/or integrating the wisdom of the journeys in practical ways.
While I prefer to use the live drum in session, clients may choose to use high-quality
journeying CDs and stereo headphones for a similar effect until becoming proficient in
drumming and journeying simultaneously.
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What is the difference between journeying and visualization?
Many people have asked me what the difference is between journeying and visualization
techniques. Although journeying and visualizing may employ the use of intention, inspire
images and movement, and produce healing results, the main difference is that journeying
is part of an ancient cosmology that treats the practice and all that occurs as reality. It is a
practice of creating and maintaining relationships in what some call “nonordinary” reality.
Yet, just as dreams are honored as part of reality, all that happens in journeys are
considered as real – and ordinary – as waking life (although it can take practice to
understand the language of the landscape). A guide is not “symbolic” nor a “metaphor” in
this cosmology because guides are part of reality and are honored. The journey is not
necessarily used to help one individual, it is assumed that one person’s healing effects the
healing of all beings (energetically and in relationship within the community in all realms
and times). Traditional psychology may determine this type of experience as symbolic or
metaphor. Both perspectives are helpful, yet when a client wants to intentionally include
spiritual guides/deeper part of themselves as part of their healing process, journeying can
offer one way to access this guidance while including and going beyond metaphor.
Because shamanic approaches are part of a living, dynamic cosmology of
interconnectedness, establishing and maintaining a relationship with nature is extremely
important. Cultivating a connection with Mother Earth and engaging with her on a
moment-to-moment basis is one of the keys to grounding the practice in daily life. This
relationship, along with a consistent journeying practice, can help a client cultivate
presence and awareness to the subtleties of ordinary and nonordinary reality. Presence and
awareness to the subtleties of what is happening in the moment encourages the cultivation
of acceptance, offering an opportunity to change one’s relationship to loss, anxiety,
depression, and other challenges in life.
Basic Approach. The following approach is an offering from my personal experiences and
training in shamanism as well as in-depth research of written works. My gratitude goes to
my ancestors, teachers, and guides.
Everyone has guides(s) that want to help. We have a choice to consciously connect with
our guide(s). The shamanic journey is one way; ceremony, dreaming, dancing, divining,
making prayers, participating in sweatlodge, and/or a vision quest are some other ways
within this cosmology. The general approach I use with clients follows.
Journeying for a guide (power within). Journeying for a guide might been seen as an act of
empowerment because you are consciously participating in your healing process by
appealing to a deeper part of yourself (the part that is aware that you are connected to All
That Is – guides are remembered in this awareness). My experience is that this power stems
from the awareness that the web of interconnectedness is held together by Unconditional
Love and Presence.
What to expect. Most people experience a light trance, a subtle shift in awareness.
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Channels of wisdom. “Sight” comes in many forms so do not be alarmed if you do not
consider yourself a visual person. The journey may unfold through:
• Seeing
• Sensing/Feeling
• Hearing
I once knew a woman who didn’t know what she experienced until she began to write it in
her journal.
The power of place. There are two main things to consider about place when developing a
journeying practice: (1)the physical location in ordinary reality and (2)your entry-exit point.
Physical Location
Choose a place where it is quiet and you will not be disturbed. Be sure it is a place you
feel safe and supports this kind of exploration.
Entry-Exit location
Choose somewhere in nature that has special significance to you and has a specific place
where you can enter/exit in your journeys. The place should serve as both the entry and
exit point and should be accessible to you in the middle world. Although not all shamanic
practitioners require this, I recommend it whenever possible to deepen the connection
between the worlds. When you are not journeying, it is important that you visit this place
as part of your practice. Again, without a deep connection with nature in ordinary reality,
journeys to nonordinary reality are not grounded and are less likely to hold the power and
consciousness needed to manifest in ordinary reality.
Characteristics of the Location
The characteristics of the location should be a specific opening in the earth (for example, a
cave, crack, hollow tree, place in a creek or river, etc.) of any size. Becoming familiar with
your sacred place is important as you will continually use it by bringing into your presence
through sights, smells, sounds, feelings, and sensations in the beginning of each journey.
Three Worlds
Across most shamanic cosmologies is the experience of three worlds: the upper, lower,
and middle worlds. It is generally accepted that while the upper and lower worlds have
only compassionate spirits, the middle world (the world we reside in) also contains lost or
confused spirits as well as uncompassionate spirits. It is important to have a strong practice
in the upper and lower worlds before shamanically participating in the middle world;
therefore, I guide clients in upper and lower world journeys.
Specific Intention
One of the most important aspects of journeying is intention. Intention guides and focuses
the energy as well as informs the spirits of your purpose so they can work with you more
effectively. With intention, you use your energy to invite the energies of the universe
towards your specific purpose. During client sessions, I will help you form and refine an
intention for each journey in the context of your therapy.
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General Process
1. Get in a relaxed and comfortable position and close (or cover) your eyes.
2. Visualize the sacred place you have chosen for your entry/exit point bringing it into
your presence as much as possible through sights, smells, sounds, feelings, and
sensations.
3. Repeat your intention in your heart.
4. When you hear the Horse (drum), allow yourself to feel the gentle shift in energy.
5. Go through the entry point and engage your senses until you see a tunnel. If you
do not see a tunnel, visualize one, and proceed up or down (depending) toward the
light.
6. When you emerge, you will be in a new land of some sort. Look around. If your guide
doesn’t join you immediately, call for the guide.
7. If this is the first time meeting your guide, ask the guide if (s)he is your guide for your
specific intention.
8. If this is your first time in the new land and you already have a guide, still
communicate your intention to your guide and ask to be shown around.
9. Surrender to the process. Let the guide take you through experiences that will teach
you about your intention.
10. When time is up, the drumbeat will change, first by slowing, and then a callback will
begin with faster beats, until finally, the slow beats will return and then stop.
11. As soon as you hear the drumbeat change significantly, tell your guide it is time to
return. Ask the guide to take you back to the tunnel and the original entrance. Thank
your guide.
12. Come fully back into your body. Reorient yourself.
13. Integrate the journey by reviewing and/or recording the experience. These are just a
couple of ways to start integration as it will continue long after the journey in your
inner and outer experiences. Sometimes clients need to return to a section of the
journey to re-engage in a particular experience and/or explore an intention further.
14. Pay attention to your dreams. Oftentimes people will integrate the experience in
dreamtime and/or continue the process.
15. Repeat!
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For more information about shamanism and journeying, I recommend the following
materials:
Cowan, Tom. (1996). Shamanism as a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life.
Freedom: The Crossing Press.
Eliade, Mircea. (1989). Shamanism. Arkana.
Gucciardi, Isa. (2008). Using the shamanic journey. [On-line]:
http://www.sacredstream.org/Applied-Shamanism/Using-the-ShamanicJourney.html, originally accessed 08-12-08; updated link on 01-24-11.
----------------. (2008b). Opening the doors to the Self: The shamanic journey.
[On-line]: http://www.sacredstream.org/Applied-Shamanism/Opening-the-Doorsto-the-Self-The-Shamanic-Journey.html, originally accessed 08-12-08; updated link on 0124-11.
Halifax, Joan. (1979). Shamanic voices: a survey of visionary narratives. New York:
Dutton.
Harner, Michael J. (1990). The way of the shaman. San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Ingerman, Sandra. (1991). Soul retrieval: Mending the fragmented self.
San Francisco: HarperCollins.
---------------------- (1993). Welcome home: following your soul's journey home.
[San Francisco, Calif.]: HarperSanFrancisco.
King, Serge Kahili. (1990). Urban shaman. New York: Simon & Schuester, Inc.
Noble, Vicki. (1991). Shakti woman: Feeling our fire, healing our world: the new
female shamanism. [San Francisco, Calif.]: HarperSanFrancisco.
Tedlock, Barbara. (2005). The Woman in the Shaman’s Body. New York:
Bantam Books.
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Works Cited
Cowan, Tom. (1996). Shamanism as a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life.
Freedom: The Crossing Press.
Gucciardi, Isa. (2008). Using the shamanic journey. [On-line]:
http://www.sacredstream.org/Applied-Shamanism/Using-the-ShamanicJourney.html, originally accessed 08-12-08; updated link on 01-24-11.
----------------. (2008b). Opening the doors to the Self: The shamanic journey.
[On-line]: http://www.sacredstream.org/Applied-Shamanism/Opening-the-Doorsto-the-Self-The-Shamanic-Journey.html, originally accessed 08-12-08; updated link on 0124-11.
Harner, Michael J. (1990). The way of the shaman. San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Ingerman, Sandra. (1991). Soul retrieval: Mending the fragmented self.
San Francisco: HarperCollins.
Noble, Vicki. (1991). Shakti woman: Feeling our fire, healing our world: the new
female shamanism. [San Francisco, Calif.]: HarperSanFrancisco.
Tedlock, Barbara. (2005). The Woman in the Shaman’s Body. New York:
Bantam Books.
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Client Guide to the Shamanic Journey

Transcription

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