One can enter the shamanic journey state under the influence of a drum beat. The drum beat is the same sound that we all came into the world listening to: the drumming of our mother’s heart. This drum beat helps us enter the theta brain wave state, which is the same state we are in when we are dreaming.

Journeying into what we call “non-ordinary reality” is like a dream. In journey state, the vibrational sound of the drum, rattle, or toning activates a change in brain waves. The brain changes from beta (ordinary consciousness) to theta waves. It is a good idea to write down what happens in your journey right after, because sometimes it can be hard to recall, much like a dream.

Shamanic journey is a divination tool

This kind of divination tool can provide robust information from your helping spirits. It is very important to ask the right question of your guides. If we ask a question that isn’t getting at the heart of an issue, we can misinterpret what our guides tell us.

Your helping spirits are not interested in telling  you what job you should take, or who you should date, or where you should live.

Rather they are there to guide you to live in a way that expresses your soul’s divine reason to be here on this earth. Your helping spirits are aware that you have your own free will and you will make your own decisions.

Why journey?

If you are a soul explorer doing your soul work, shamanic journeys are perhaps the best tool for you to work with.

In the journey state, you can enter the spirit world (non-ordinary reality) where you can meet with and seek council from your helping spirits, your animal helpers, and your ancestors.

How to start a shamanic journey practice

1. Wait until you are relaxed to go into non-ordinary reality. Make sure that you have a clear mind.
2. Smudge and clear your energy field with your chosen herb (sage, sweetgrass, palo santo). In a dark room, lay down flat, with your head on the same level as your heart (no pillow). Lay and contemplate your question and your upcoming journey.
3. When I journey alone, I like to use the app Mindful Bear on my iphone. You can set the app for an amount of time and see where it takes you. Ten minutes is a good place to start (there is no time in non-ordinary reality).
4. Begin by shutting your eyes and visualizing an opening in the earth in a place where you felt safe as a child. Perhaps your back yard, a field or park where you used to play and imagine. It can be a hole, a cave, a tree, or a swamp. Inspect the hole’s details and look around before you go inside.
5. Enter the opening and slide down, down, down the tunnel to the spirit world, and explore—what do you see? What is it like? This first journey is a time to explore.

Expand your practice

In your next journey you might call out—”who is here?” “Can anyone help me?” See who shows up. You might ask, “Please take me to my grandmother”; you might ask, “who are my animal guides?”

When you go to the journey world, you can ask specific questions of your companions or guides. For example, “what is holding me back?” or “how can I make sure that I am on my soul’s path?”

Finally, Make sure that you only ask one question per journey until you get to know your guides. Or you may not need to ask a question at all. Sometimes your guides will just know what you are there for or what you need, so let them guide you.

The biggest lesson I have learned from my guides is to be patient and let my guides show me what they want to show me. When I try to control how the journey goes, I do not learn much and everyone involved gets frustrated.

My guides get irritated with me when I get too attached to my agenda and why I came there. I have learned to let them lead the way.

What is your experience with shamanic journey work?