Journeying, also known as shamanic journeying, is the Western name for the practice of spirit flight that is found in many animist traditions.
Journeying uses trance practices to change the practitioner’s mental state so that they can leave their bodies and travel in the spirit worlds. It can use rhythm, stillness, movement or hallucinogenics to create the trance, and is done within a ceremonial container, usually with the aid of animal, ancestor and plant spirit helpers.
Journeying is helpful when:
- We need a powerful experience to help us shift a deeply rooted unhelpful pattern.
- We need to initiate or deepen a relationship with a specific spirit.
- We need to uncover deep knowledge, intuition or understanding in ourselves.
- We need to re-connect with our spiritual path and helpers.
- We need to reclaim something we have lost, such as power, creativity, health or energy.
- We need to heal a powerful wound.
- We need to ask for help from a deity, teacher or land spirit.
- We need inspiration and nourishment for creative practices.
Journeying requires a strong relationship with our helping spirits, a highly developed sense of imagination and intuition, self discipline and strong intent. It is an advanced practice that complements the foundation work of ceremony, altars, divination, craft work and working with spirits.