| Getting There and Back Again - Continued Things to Consider Allow me to interject right here in the midst of everything that the techniques and practices that I am suggesting are NOT the only ones used for this type of work, and might very well not even be the most suitable or the most effective for every Shamanic Traveler. However, you will find that all effective measures respond to the Underworld Experience as a coherent phenomenon. It is your responsibility to explore the options and thus discover what works for you. For the sake of brevity, there are many things that I am not addressing here, but which are important to consider. For example: Effective preparation for your journey; various tools that you will need; and, a more detailed discussion of the liminal states of consciousness that allow you access to the Underworld. It is not my intention to offer a guide for beginners in a brief article, but to address some of the essential elements of the Shaman's journey, in a way that speaks to those who are ready to take the leap. If you think you are such a person, ask yourself these questions. Do I know myself well enough to trust my responses in any given situation? How would I react in a life or death situation? Can I count on myself to act reliably under stress? Am I intuitive enough to be able to judge my surroundings clearly? Am I experienced enough with functioning in altered states of consciousness that I can do so effectively and reliably? If you cannot answer each of these questions with an honest yes, then you are probably not ready to go Underworld diving. If you are... Finding Your Way Around What will the Underworld look like? Well that depends entirely on you. Unlike the more dense realms of earthly existence, the Underworld tends to be even more reflective of the viewer's own nature. In other words: What you see is who you are. So, needless to say, it's a very good idea to know just exactly who you are. Upon entering the Underworld, you may find yourself in a gigantic room, or on an open desert plain; in a primordial forest, or in a dank cellar. Go with it. Everything you're seeing is coming from your own experience of what is actually there, interpreted through your beliefs, values and past experience. It's not that there is not an authentic "otherness" present, but our sense of self paints the scenery so to speak in the colors that it knows. Appearances aside, there are some common sites you will probably run into. There will most likely be something, perhaps a river, that you will need to cross. There will be portals, maybe even a whole series of gates, each with a distinct guardian. There will be whole areas which appear to be sealed off. Best let them remain so for the time being. The key to all of this is to pay attention, both to what's happening around you and to your own intuitive sense of what it means. If you are crossing a river and you feel that it's a good idea not to let the water get onto your skin pay attention to it. The rules are somewhat different for everyone. Underworld navigation is like flying by the seat of your pants. It is being able to FEEL where you are coming from and where you are headed. There is no way to accurately describe the sensation. If you've been there, you know what I mean. If not...well, it's a little like being able to sense the energy moving through another person's body. If you can feel it, you know what it's doing. If you can't feel it, you have no way to tell. Though your own perceptions of the Underworld are unique, they do tend to be persistent, so mapping is a very good idea. Pay attention to shortcuts especially. They can save a lot of energy moving from one place to another. Getting Back Again One of the easiest ways to return from the Underworld is to have an "umbilical cord" connecting you all the way back up through your center and into your ordinary state of awareness. Remember to create this connecting link before going on any journeys, and you will have a surefire method for coming back in a hurry. If not, well, you can get lost down there. Getting lost in the Underworld is a very bad idea. So make sure you know how you intend to get back before you start your journey. It is best to keep your first journeys as short as possible, with clearly defined goals. At the beginning it will be enough to make the trip down, turn around and come back. Once you are confident of your ability to go and return safely, you can start to explore the Underworld landscape your own unique experience of it. When you are able to find your way around in that landscape with relative ease, you can begin working with it for healing, transformation and growth but that`s another article. Final Cautions Although you can find ways to heal yourself through this type of journey, you can be damaged as well. Don't make changes "down there" until you have a clear perception of what it is that you are changing. You are the one who will have to live with the outcome. Know yourself very well before attempting this work. Know your strengths, and especially know your weaknesses. Know when to be quiet and listen. Know when to duck. Know when to run. There are monsters in the Deep. In modern terms, they are reflections of those parts of yourself you do not yet know; shadows of your unrealized self. They are the children of your pain, your fear and your rage. And they will try to destroy you in order to survive. To calm them, to gentle them, to come to know them that is a large part of this work. But the monsters are there and they are real and they can bite. So pay attention, and be careful. Who is Kenn Deigh? Check out his bio! Back Home Transformation Sheya Shamanism LumensGate Books Links Articles |