Shamanic Journeying

Samhain Shamanic Journey - “To the Caves of my mind”

One persons experience of their Inner Cave.

The intention is to de-mystify the Journeying experience so that others may do it if they wish.

Let me give a little bit of background to my understanding of Shamanic Journeying, just for context. It is an ages-old practice, used by peoples all over the world & it involves getting into a trance-like state – commonly brought on by drumming, rattles, dancing, chanting etc. - & visiting “other worlds” in which there are Power Animals, Guides, Spirits, Ancestors etc. This is done both using one’s imagination and especially “going with the flow” with whatever comes into one’s mind. Use earphones and a recording of drumming which can be found online with various periods, usually from 15 minutes to 2 hours or your own drumming using that famous Indigenous Irish Shamanic drum, AKA The Bodhrán.

It is recommended to have an intention for a journey before starting. Typically, practitioners will visit the Upper, Middle or Lower Worlds & there are various ways of getting there often via a cave scenario and a canoe to visit the Lower World.

My intention was to get some insight on the “caves of the mind", intending to actually visit the cave in question for a Samhain Ceremony and journey. But it was lashing rain so, setting up an altar in my sitting room, closing the blinds to simulate a cave, lighting some incense, off I went!

Imagining entering a cave on a beach near Dublin, heading for the canoe, there were steps at the back of the cave which had been un-noticed before. Climbing the steps, sure they led to the Upper World, moving/floating up them, going through clouds, exiting, heading towards a door in the distance. On opening the door, there was a capsule to get in, lie down, close the transparent lid and whoosh!. Not feeling a thing, there was a sense of travelling at an extraordinary speed.

"What’s this all in aid of?” ... an immediate answer: “It’s so that the human, mortal part of you can make some sense of what’s happening.”
Leaving the capsule, facing another door which, when opened, led to a beautiful, calm, natural landscape, another thought:
“It’s still under construction – think ‘Garden of Eden' – type scenario – again so your simple brain can make sense of it”. (Note: These worlds are partly figments of my not-so-simple mind, designing them whatever way I wish).

At this stage, there was a beautiful Goddess-Like Being who was sitting on a bench nearby. It felt like being ‘moved’ rather than ‘walked’ having transformed into an Energy Being in the capsule.

The Goddess/Guide communicated to me by thought: “What are you looking for?”

Answering by thinking: “I want to visit the caves of my mind and gain some insights.”

She sighed before answering: “Very well, I’ll show you something you should be able to understand, follow me.”

Following her to a cliff by the sea, not dissimilar to the launch place of my Journeys’ actually, but much grander – huge in fact, we stopped and she urged me to continue along the cliff and enter the cave. Entering a massive space, bigger than any cathedral, there were lots of other caves in the walls. At the back of the cave, crawling into one - “Fears” - although there were no signs anywhere, I spent a while contemplating fears experienced regularly but was interrupted – rudely – by being dragged out of the cave by the 'feet'. It was my Goddess/Guide, who had obviously followed me into the cave… and she wasn’t happy.

“Why would you seek out that cave when, if you look around you, right here, there are so many beautiful and interesting things to behold?” she asked.

She had a point. There were caves everywhere in the walls of the main cave, which itself was covered in crystals and all sorts of interesting, beautiful natural patterns. One of these caves was about halfway up the sheer wall in a very inaccessible looking situation. What was it?

“Ancestors,” she replied.

Scrambling up and entering the cave there were some ancestors – some recognisable, most not. During a chat with the Ancestors, a first insight...

“Just Be and all else will follow.”

(What they actually said was: “With the simplicity of an authentic present, a complicated future will unfold. Just Be” … Why do they talk like that? Is it them or me? but there you have it).

Leaving the ancestors’ cave, there was a cave for anything imaginable. Another interesting one about three-quarters of the way up the wall was definitely out of reach. Asking what it was, there was a pause: (She’s lovely, but very impatient with sometimes).

“That’s Time travel, as you know it.”

Intrigued, wanting to know more about the mind.

At the very, very top of the cave, which narrowed to quite a small point, there was a bright light.

“Where does that lead?”

“It leads to the exact spot where you entered this cave,” she answered and seeing my puzzlement, continued: “there is no time but you’re not ready for that stuff yet. Go and visit the Lower Realm now.” Then she was gone. (She does that, very dramatic altogether).

Into the canoe – which just appeared out of nowhere of course. Then a Downwards journey. Coming to a familiar Lower World with its’ lake, forest and beach in the distance, having tied up the canoe, into the forest, heading for the wooden hut that is in a clearing.

Two Power animals were there waiting for me, a Seagull and a Black Panther. After a brief chat they told me to go outside and join the Old Man who was sitting on a large log there. Doing as advised, the Old Man immediately started to impart his Wisdom:

“Know that hoovering the house is every bit as important as writing a masterpiece,” he thought. Needless to say, I didn’t like hearing that.

“Has my wife somehow infiltrated my Shamanic Lower World and got to my Old Man Guide?”. He chuckled. (Yes, there is room for humour in these Worlds of course!)

It made no sense at the time but thinking about it later, it did. When hoovering the house, that is the most important thing in my Universe at that particular time. Which is why many of the wise folks in the past have said that you should do whatever you are doing as good as you possibly can. After all our time as humans is precious so we might as well try and make the most out of every second of our lives – even when we’re hoovering!

Silence for a while before the Old Man “spoke” again:

“Be under no illusion – doing nothing is doing something very important.”

At this point Seagull Guide landed on my shoulder and advised "head for home". Hesitating... the drumming in my earbuds hadn’t changed beat to alert me to go home yet, but Seagull was insistent.

“Go home now, it’s time.”

Retracing the route, back to the canoe, into a cave, transported to the beach, back to my makeshift cave in my sitting room. Opening my eyes instantaneously, the drumming in my ears sped up, signifying the Journey was coming to an end after 30 (human) minutes.

Watching and listening until all went silent, I was back. Back from the Journey to get an insight into the caves of my mind…

And WHAT a Journey!!