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Why should you do a Shamanic Journey?
Daniela Hills 
In this article you will read about Shamanism, Drumming, Trance, Other Worlds, and Shamanic Journeying.
What is Shamanism?
Shamanism is a spiritual practice. We find Shamanism all over the world, with different practises, methods, rituals and beliefs.
Shamanism is the experience and knowledge of our ancestors, who used the healing power of nature, the elements Earth, Water, Air, Fire, the power of plants, animals and stones, to learn and help us for our highest wellbeing.
Shamanism is the practical knowledge that sickness always comes from a disharmony between humans, nature and the Universe.
What is a Shaman?
A Shaman works with all levels of our being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of ourselves. The shaman believes all these levels are connected and work together.
To bring disharmony back to harmony, a shaman uses spiritual rituals, which helps her to reach an altered state of consciousness, so she can interact with the “Spirit World”.
Shamans are healers, or people who can see in the dark, they are mystics, doctors, advisers, and teachers.
Normally a shaman would never call himself a shaman. He is a wounded warrior, so to speak, who went through difficult times, and learned to heal himself, and now to help others. This is the reason people call him or her a "shaman".
But otherwise to be a shaman in some cultures, initiations are required. These initiations vary from culture to culture, and can be very dangerous.
In our culture we do not need dangerous rituals, because in fact, dangerous initiations are not necessary.
Everyone can learn shamanic practises or rituals. You do not need to be a shaman, or to be called a shaman for this. When you do one of the practises, you will feel, and know, if this is really your way to go.
The Shamanic Journey
From all the rituals that exist, the Shamanic Journey is very important in shamanic practises to bring healing and harmony on all levels of your being.
A Shamanic Journey is a way of exploring the spiritual realms, and making contact with spirits, spirit animals, power animals, lost souls, angels, ancestors, elders, or departed shamans. It is a way of finding out more about yourself, or finding information, healing, wisdom, knowledge, and guidance with one’s personal life.
There are many ways to do Shamanic Journeys, with rattles, music, singing, dancing, and drumming.
Drumming
Drumming is the oldest form of healing on Earth. Just by simply listening to the drums will have many positive effects on you, because it alters your brain-waves, similar to Binaural Beats.
Drumming brings you to a relaxed state. It distracts you from all the thoughts you have. It simply relaxes your busy mind, and your whole body.
Drumming brings you to a higher consciousness where healing can happen, and where all your questions can be answered. Even if you are not practicing shamanic rituals, the drumming rhythm will still have great benefits for you.
Trance
When you listen to the drumming rhythm you will go into a trance-like state.
Trance is nothing more than a state of consciousness, that you can reach through dancing, music, breathing, or meditation. I know for sure that you have experienced a state of trance already just by day dreaming.
Trance is like a very deep relaxation.
In this state, and with your eyes closed, you are able to visit other worlds, or other realities. But everything that you see happens only in your mind.
Other Worlds
There are three worlds that you can visit in a Shamanic journey: The Under World, the Middle World, and the Upper World.
We always begin the journey in the Middle World. It is an imaginary world that is similar to the world we are living in right now. We journey here to deal with present problems.
When we start the journey we find a place in our mind’s eye, which is comfortable for us, this could be on a beach, beside a lake, or a quiet place in the forest, somewhere in nature. In the Middle World we might meet some animals, which could be our Guardian Animals, or our guides.
The next place we want to visit is the Under World.
When we start to go deeper, we journey to the Under World. Here we can meet spirit animals, angels, guides, or ancestors. We can find our Power Animal, or parts of our soul that have gone missing, and also we can find knowledge.
The Upper World is more ethereal. Here we can also gain knowledge and information. In this place we also have access to Upper World spiritual guides and teachers. They can help us to manifest our ideas into reality. Here we also get spiritual help and guidance.
Why should you do a Shamanic Journey?
If you want to make contact with your spirit guides, spirit animals, power animals, angles, ancestors, elders, or departed shamans, and if you want to find out more about yourself, or finding answers to questions, than a shamanic journey will be very helpful.
Maybe you tried to do this already through a meditation, but it didn’t really work out for you, because doing a meditation is not your thing.
A shamanic journey is similar to a meditation, but done in a different way, because most of the time you will use a specific drumming music to reach a Higher consciousness.
The first journey you should do is to find your Power Animal.
What is a Power Animal, and why should you bring it back into your life?
Symbolically speaking, a Power Animal is a part of you. Power Animals are a reflection of your deepest self.
It represent qualities which you have, or need, in this life. Often these qualities are hidden, because of a shock or trauma.
The reason to start with finding your Power Animal first is that your Power Animal will be your guide in the other worlds, regardless of whether you are doing a journey for yourself or for someone else. This is important for when you continue doing other journeys, for example finding shamanic symbols.
