Shamanic journeying between the Middle, Lower and Upper Worlds
Shamanic healing is founded on the beautiful practice of the shamanic journey: a spiritual journey into the higher-self and the unseen realms to experience presence, wisdom and love. Through the shamanic journey we can leave the lower mind and the physical body to walk between the worlds, entering the unseen space, the energetic fields where everything is connected in oneness and where our spirit and soul reside.
We are all connected as children of Mother Earth and manifestations of the divine oneness- the energetic driving force of the universe which connects all of us and all matter, and is born out of love. Love is the ultimate creator. The life force of the universe and the connector of all things. When we enter into shamanic practices we are recognising our divine oneness and appreciating the universe for it's infinite wisdom and our presence within it.
We are opening our hearts, without hesitation, fear, or embarrassment, to the non-physical world which we are so rarely able to experience in the modern bustle of human life, and which we are socially conditioned to fear and refute.
Shamanic journeying involves walking within the 3 known spiritual worlds: the lower world, the middle world, and the upper world. We all possess the inner knowledge of these worlds and the ability to traverse them, if we can permit ourselves to accept that we are not our minds, and we do not only reside in the mind and our mental capacities. Through the practice of sourcing, or accessing, we can enter a new state of consciousness, freeing us temporarily from the trappings of our mind to a higher state of presence and consciousness that allows us to walk within the unseen realms. Sourcing, as it is commonly known, or accessing- as I like to refer to it- can be performed through a variety of techniques such as circular breathing, deep meditation, chanting or music, along with the support of psychotropic substances- albeit these should only be used when following the guidance of an individual who understands how to safely digest the many different types of plant medicine.
Once we have learnt how to access our alternative states of consciousness, we can begin to journey between the worlds as part of our spiritual healing quest. Below is an overview of each:
The Middleworld- the mother place
It's easiest to start with the middleworld, as this is closest too us and our physical world. The middleworld is our anchor point, our starting place. It is where we perceive the ordinary physical reality of the material world around us through our five senses, as well as the place where we can experience subtle reality with our spiritual senses- such as inner vision, intuition, and empathy- both are real and both interconnect since the physical world is simple a veil over the energetic and spiritual realms. Subtle reality is also timeless and has unlimited dimensionalities. Psychics and seers are born with the gift to see both realities at once, but many of us need to use shamanic practices or others means to experience both. Our imaginations provide us with a glimpse into this subtle reality, as we can instantly become absorbed into a world outside of the ordinary. In addition, great thinkers or scientists have all entered into the knowledge of subtle reality through intense journeys of discovery that take them outside the boundaries of normal thinking patterns- e.g. Einstein.
The Middleworld is characterised by...
The elemental beings- the sylphs of the air, gnomes of the earth, salamanders of fire, and undines of water- who reside over all of nature and are the guardians of the natural world. The beings encountered in the Middleworld are terrestrial entities, presided over by Mother Earth, who is known by many other names and gives life to all living things.
We journey into the Middleworld to...
Increase our capacity in a new skill or capability which can help us in our daily lives. The middle world is where we enter into communion with the Earth- something we rarely have patience or time for in our ordinary lives. It is where we can begin to align ourselves with the patterns and cycles of the earth and the elements. We enter into the Middleworld through a place in nature that is familiar to us in our physical reality- such as a tree we know and love- this becomes our journey centre from which we travel outwards across the Middleworld. The Middleworld is often associated with the place where we journey to find our guardian animal, since they will have a strong tie to the natural physical world.
The Underworld- the house of memory
The Underworld has a misunderstood representation in that it is often linked to notions of darkness, negativity and notions of Hell. The Underworld is in fact the power house of the three worlds. It is here where we draw on our memory and deep and buried resources that have been guarded throughout time to bring life to ancestral teachings and long-forgotten wisdom. It can be thought of as the roots of a great tree- the roots which ground all three worlds and give it the rich source of water it needs to grow tall. The Underworld is therefore a place of beginnings and joy, not fear or suffering.
The Underworld is characterised by...
The deep traditions forgotten through time which are inherent in much of our daily knowledge without us realising. We are in fact accessing the Underworld whenever we seek old memories or visions of places and people gone by. We require the foundations of the knowledge within the Underworld before we undertake a new project or path, and the it is the underworld that can spark creative flow and energy to find new realities. The beings encountered in the Underworld are ancestral teachers, totems, deities, dragons, and other guardians and assemblies of primal power.
We journey into the Underworld to...
Review the roots of something which has become imbalanced or needs healing from the past, as well as to draw nourishment and primal power for new beginnings. The Underworld is also a place where we can retrieve lost knowledge, create solidarity with our ancestors, or regain lost power. We usually enter the Underworld through a known place in the Middleworld where we can journey downwards into the Earth, like a cavern or the roots of a tree. For many, one single place can become the entry point for all three worlds, for example- the roots of the tree for the Upperworld, the trunk of the tree for the Middleworld and the branches to reach the upper world.
The Upperworld- the song of inner space
The Upperworld is the visionary and archetypal realm of the three worlds. Here we access knowledge, information and inspiration. It is here where we can gain an overview of things: a blueprint for life. We experience a pristine beauty and primal connection in the Upperworld which will emotionally enlighten us and which is the source for all visioning. As with the underworld, the Upperworld has been misrepresented to some degree as well, as a place where the gods dwell in endless bliss and which can only be entered by those who display ‘their best behaviour’- which such heavenly places require. As such, the Upperworld has become a place of desire and selfish fulfilment where we are drawn to crave things, and has thus been neglected as a place of vision and inspiration- not desire and perfection.
The Upperworld is characterised by...
A place where we may divine information and ask questions about the outcomes of things. The star sprits and luminous beings reside here- those who are energetically aligned with the outer cosmos and the planets and who can define and interpret the patterns of our destiny. Modern astrology is associated with the powers of the Upperworld and the star-beings who are powerful, ancestral teachers.
We journey into the Upperworld to...
Restore a sense of perspective on things through an ability to see the broad picture and the divine meaning of our destinies. Above all, the Upperworld is a place of inspiration. It fuels our imaginations and provides us with the vision and insight to see that which could be. Beings associated with the Upperworld are large birds, angelic beings, deities of spinning and weaving creativity, and guardians of the celestial realms.
With the power of the underworld to help us make Upperworld ideas manifest, the Middleworld comes into true balance. This is ultimately what we will journey for- both to connect to each of the worlds and to enlighten and lighten our experience in the Middleworld as our physical "beingness" in the overwhelming experience that most of us live within.
Please contact me for help and guidance with journeying and to experience shamanic journeying yourself :-)