Shamanism is a word used to describe ancient spiritual traditions practiced by many tribes of indigenous peoples.
Shamanic practices use ways to connect with the earth and with nature as a way of self-growth,
But also to heal their communities and all of life.
A person who practices shamanism is called a shaman and would be classed as a healer,
A person of medicine.
Although shamanic practices take place all over the world,
The word is said to come from Siberia.
The meaning of the word sha is to know.
They believe that everything is alive and has a subtle energetic level which they connect to.
According to Alberto Villoldo,
The founder of the Four Winds Society,
Shamanic energy medicine identifies only one ailment and one cure.
The ailment is alienation from our emotions,
From our bodies,
From the earth and from spirits.
The symptoms of this ailment are physical and emotional disease.
The cure is the experience of oneness which restores inner harmony and facilitates recovery from all maladies regardless of origin.
Whilst I wouldn't consider myself to be a shaman,
I would like to offer a visualising meditation with a shamanic intention of connecting to our more subtle energies.
Take some time to settle yourself.
However you want to be during this meditation,
Seated or laying down,
Just allow yourself to be comfortable so that any discomfort won't distract you.
And now pay attention to your breath.
We don't want to change anything about the breath,
We are just simply watching it.
Watching with curiosity.
What happens when I inhale?
Imagine the inhale starts around the bottom of your spine and as you inhale,
Watch how that breath arrives with movement.
And now watch how that breath and the movement travels up your body.
Noticing the obvious changes in the body with the breath.
Noticing the obvious movements.
Some of the movements might be really apparent,
Like the movement of the breath up the body and how the stomach and the chest lifts and expands.
But do you see anything else further up the body?
Anything smaller,
More subtle?
What about around the ears?
Or the eyebrows?
What about the exhale?
Watch the breath leave the nostrils.
Then observe the movement of the exhale in the body.
Imagine that the exhale begins at your throat and watch only the movement travelling down the body.
Noticing the obvious.
And now the subtle.
Do you feel the movement in your knees?
Or your toes?
With your eyes closed,
Imagine that you are staring at a dot directly in front of you.
And again with eyes closed,
Try to see with your peripheral vision so your inner looking will soften a little.
Allow the muscles at the sides of your eyes to relax and soften whilst keeping your inner peripheral vision alert.
Aim to keep this softened inner looking throughout this meditation.
And now imagine looking down at your feet.
You are barefoot,
Standing on the earth.
You wriggle your feet and feel the cool green grass and the cold dark earth underneath your feet.
Experience this sensation.
Imagine how these sensations,
The coolness of the ground against the soles of your feet and the tickle and prickle of the grass against your legs.
How those sensations would travel up your body.
Tune into this very subtle sensation.
Experience this.
And with your softened peripheral view,
You take a look around.
You see long grass all around as far as the eye can see.
There is nothing else around.
See this.
The sun is setting in the horizon and the sky is streaked with reds.
See this.
You hear a sound somewhere and it feels like it is calling you.
You know where you are heading and so you begin to walk towards the sound of the drumming.
Feel the coolness of the earth against your feet as you walk barefoot through the grass.
Feel the tickle and prickle of the grass against your legs as you walk barefoot through the grass.
Feel the drumming in your gut and your chest.
Feel the energy within your body being drawn to another somewhere close by.
Walk towards it.
Keep walking.
Following the sound within your chest.
The sound of adventure and ancient wisdom.
The sound of the earth being drawn to another place.
The sound of the earth being drawn to another place.
The sound of the earth being drawn to another place.
The sound of the earth being drawn to another place.
The sound of the earth being drawn to another place.
Bring your attention back to your body in your space right now.
Notice where you are sitting.
Visualise what is in your space in your room.
And then your next inhale,
Open your eyes.
Thank you.
