Journey....

I enter into the moonlight, the crisp air of the night brushing my flesh as the slight beat of a rattle and a drum pulse behind me. I look around to see tree lines, a quiet wood, and a blazing fire before me. The smoke speaks to me, wishing to whisk me up into the sky for the answers that I seek. "How do I remember?" I ask. "How do I see?" I wait in anticipation to be consumed by the flames,  looking above for guidance 'Can they hear me?' I wonder. The rattle ceases and the drumbeat grows louder, a steady pulse rushing through every ounce of my being. The rhythmic, cardiac beat entrances me and my sensations begin to shift.
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Eyes closed, I feel a  gentle tugging at my heart as though something nudging to lift me up. To fly me up into the sky, through the cosmos and into the upper world. I sit, I surrender, I wait for the lift. The tugging continues, but I do not ascend. Looking around I see that I am still alone, the blackness of the evening hovering over the landscape and holding my energy onto the earth. I begin to feel a different pull, a knowing that the underworld is where I am meant to go. Turning around I see a distant cave, its open mouth  leading straight down into the earth. 

Without hesitation I make my way into the grotto and follow the dim light deep down beneath the earth's surface. Moving with ease, the beating of the drum follows me and leads me along my way. Easing past the twists, turns and dark corners my anticipation grows as my heart goes along with the rapid beating of the drum. Dark gives away to light then turns back into darkness, flashes of earth and rock blaze past my eyes. I was moving with some speed and knew I must be getting close. 

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-Finally I arrive into the underworld and my guide awaits me. Soft grey hair, jetting out in every direction like short silk strands moving through water. Reaching taller than I, her eight arachnid legs grappled the uneven earth as her one red eye peered at me. "What messages do you have for me?" I asked. "How do I remember? How do I see?" Not needing words she infused a flash of white light into the dark cave, illuminating an enormous web. It faded back into the darkness just as quickly as it came. 'Create'. was the message I received. 'Just keep creating.'  She invited me onto her back and we began to journey deeper into the cave, I held onto her soft grey hair as her legs crept up around me like a cage she walked. She moved with the quickened beat of the drum that pulsed all around us.

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She brought me to a well of water, its surface illuminated the inky air and shadows around us. She walks us up to the edge and peers into the rippled surface. I see not only our reflection in the water but the reflection of a circle of women all around us. Wise women of old, their grey hair long and their faces loving. Were these the women who had come before, who were to come still? Were they perhaps a reflection of myself from a time long ago, or still to come?Again no words were spoken, but impressions were being made and messages received. That sense of remembering that's been burning in my belly ignited even more, knowing that down to every cell in my being I was moving in the right direction. To remember. To answer the call. 

Looking over to the side of the cavern a white rat with red eyes had joined us. It too offered me messages without words; climbing up and scratching the walls as though to find its way. ​The yogini in me knew the red in the eyes of my guides had to do with the root chakra, fear, and a sense of safety and security. My spider guide's red third eye was telling me to release my fear and trust my intuition and I knew that I would be safe and protected. She and I climbed onto the back of the rat as all three of us now worked to make our way.

We went down a few tunnels, none illuminated by the light and we had to eventually turn and try another way. We came upon a tunnel glowing with the light I knew I needed to follow. It welcomed us all like it was lighting our way home. 'Follow the light'. They sent me up into this tunnel on my own, staying behind for when I needed to return for more counsel. The drumbeat began to slow as I made my ascent back up into the woods.

As I reached the top I emerged to see the moon still shined bright, quiet and formidable. The forest was still and the only sound was a gentle breeze moving through the branches. The final strokes of the drumbeat solidified my consciousness back into my body, the cool crisp breath energizing all of my senses. As the pulse ceased and the final drumbeat was struck I felt the silence ringing in my ears. It felt as though the soul whispers I had been receiving were still resonating within the fabric of my being, and woven into my heart~

This was a Shamanic journey I had taken, a practice to work with direct revelation and connect to my ancestors, spirit and animals guides. It is a powerful practice to connect with  your own Divinity, tap into  your creative potential and ignite your inner light. It is the most ancient form of meditation dating back over 77,000 years. I am very new into this practice and am thankful for having found it. See my Shaman friends and inspiration below! 

*The spider symbolizes balance, wisdom, creativity, communication, a networker, cyclical, crafty, fate, protection.
* The rat represents fertility, stealth, scavenging, intelligence, enjoys luxury, intelligent, wealth, success, drive.
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*Get a full list of Animal totems and guides here

Try a journey with Shaman Sandra Ingerman

Begin your own journey practice at home with Teri Williams to connect you to wisdom, unconditional love and healing

One of my other favorite Shamans and business neighbor, Megan at New Myth Energy

Shaman Apprentice Lisa Harthun at Healing Balance will be performing beautiful Crystal Bowl Healing meditations at the studio for each solstice and equinox of 2018 to help shift our energy with the seasons

Answer the call with the book Witch by Lisa Lister
and the book Rise Sister Rise by Rebecca Campbell
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I thank you for letting me share my journey with you and as the Shamans say....Aho!

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