Shamanic journeys.

The world's first doctors were shamans who understood that physical, emotional and spiritual energy were inseparable. A shaman is a spiritual healer and awakener. Shamanism awakens for the recipient deeper states of consciousness and soul searching. These states focus upon releasing discomfort or blocks, restoring wellness and becoming enlightened. Shamans have been known as witch doctors, medicine men, medicine women, mundunugu, exorcists, magicians, sorcerers, warlocks, witches, dowsers and those who do voodoo.

There are as many techniques for Shamanic work as there are cultures and individuals but, basically, most approaches balance love and power, male and female, light and dark, with the goal of invoking inner awareness, harmony

Shamanism relies heavily upon ceremony and ritual to evoke the desired trance. Many rituals involve hypnotic tools like smells, smoke, repetition, sound, suggestion and sleep deprivation. Some rely on mood altering substances.

Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative-Some techniques are fear based and their main thrust is cutting cords of ghosts, goblins and boogie men. I prefer to celebrate co-creation with a higher source and light.

Religious exorcists are masters of the dark approach. One participant of a tour I led to Egypt years ago, went frantically about each sacred site releasing "evil spirits". She saw them everywhere while the rest of us did not. The power of such negative suggestions became a self-fulfilling profusion of unhappiness. My personal rule of thumb for shamanism, and everything else, is-if it's not fun or doesn't manifest fun, don't do it.

I got a call recently from a depressed woman who visited a Manhattan Beach, CA psychic. This woman told her that it would cost hundreds of dollars to rid her of an attached ghost and therefore her depression. A few more visits and some $15,000 later, this gullible woman was really depressed!

All this to say guru G-U-R-U (gee, you are you). You are the true shaman for you hold within you profound magic and wisdom. The trick is to find ways to tap this power at will and seek a path that allows you to discover the spiritual dimension of your reality.

Wounded Healers--In shamanic society, the holiest healer was the wounded healer. For in the wounding, the gods were summoned for healing to take place. Those who overcame were gifted with their power to heal others. Soul retrieval, psychic surgery, healing touch, Reiki, and healing suggestion from enlightened hypnotherapists have and do work miracles.

Take Back Your Soul--Ancestors of all cultures: shamans, healers, hunas, medicine people and priests know that during painful rituals and traumas of life, we lose vitality and joy. Our language talks about lost souls or those who have had their spirit broken. Psychologists call such experiences dissociation caused by trauma or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Trauma is held in your cells even if you don't consciously notice it. Take back your soul. Stay conscious and you'll have healthy boundaries.

Hypnosis and Shamanic soul retrieval bring back disowned essences and heal the past. A nice way to do soul retrieval is with a friend or sitter or someone who specializes in it. Just like western hypnotherapy, the goal is integration.

How to do Soul Retrieval:

1. Play enchanting music. Drumming, the pounding surf or ohming are great.

2. Bless yourself: "I bless myself on all levels: Physically with radiant health, energy, vitality; Mentally with clear thinking, focus, direction, to find my path and purpose; Emotionally with unconditional love, peace, joy, and harmony for myself and others; and Spiritually with guidance so that I may truly fulfill my life's purpose."

3. Breathe: Take a deep breath, and let it out. You can shake a rattle, drum, chant and voice tone.

4. Affirm: Think these words or say them out loud: "I take back my soul, I am whole. I take back my soul, I am holy."

5. Take a shamanic journey: Imagine yourself traveling in the void back to any time in your life where your soul essence, vitality, or energy separated from your being. It could be a little memory, such as skinning your knee, or a big memory, such as being beaten, molested or abandoned. When you find that thought, image, memory, or uneasy feeling, invite that little you out of hiding. "Come home, it's safe now. It's time to come."

Use whatever ploy is necessary to convince this frightened part of you to leave this parallel reality and come back home. Call upon allies, guides, fantasies, anything you need to do the convincing. When it is done, breathe fully to your heart, and let in that part of yourself, saying, "Welcome home, it's safe now. I love you."

This article was first printed in Subconsciously Speaking in July, 2000. It is from Shelley's book, Hypnosis: How to Put a Smile On Your Face and Money In Your Pocket.

Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas is an IMDHA Board Member and will be a presenter this October at the 19th annual IMDHA Conference in Troy, MI--USA.