Shamanic Journeying

My new experience from last week involves Shamanic Journeying. The same person who did the sweat lodge (Apache traditional) also offers vision quests and drumming circles. I am often lured to try anything (within limits - bungee jumping and sky diving are definitely out)once and when my friend, Jan (my Tarot teacher) mentioned it I knew that I'd have to give it a go. Jim started the evening by giving an intro to the effects of drumming, its particular rhythyms, what they individually mean and how they induce altered states. He talked with me individually for awhile as he knew that I was a "virgin" and suggested that during this first journeying experience I hold the intention of meeting my power animal. In native american spirituality there is a belief that we have power animals and spirit animals that offer us protection, support, and guidance to hear spirit's messages. The drumming assists our unconscious in "traveling" to an altered state, similar to meditation, to have waking visions (dreams). Holding this intention proved helpful. The first thing I "saw" in my mind's eye was a bear. I asked whether he/she was my power anmimal and I heard "no, but I can take you to him." A long sequence ensued traveling across different types of landscape; the bear's fur changed from black to white (polar bear) when we got into the colder regions. We arrived at a cave and then I saw a snake and remembered thinking - oh, no, I hope that's not my power animal as I hate/fear snakes. Then I heard the roar of a lion and I knew instinctively that this was my power animal and had confirmation in the vision that this was the case. Towards the end I saw an eagle and had an experience of being lifted by the eagle to have a wider view of the earth and life. Jim told me the meaning of each animal - bear for healing; snake for transformation/awakened sexuality, lion for courgage and strength and lastly eagle for vision. He commented that I had quite a vision for my first journeying experience!

Writing practice this week has focused on my memories of a solo bus trip I took at age eight to Tonawanda, NY, to visit my Aunt and Uncle. I'm finding that memoir (at least for me)begins with a vague memory of an event that I then use creative license to turn into a story. Many of the details are not factual but the framework, time period and general emotional feel of the story are accurate. It's fun to combine truth with imagination and transform it with words into a story. I saw a biographical program on TV the other night on Annie Proulx (author of Brokeback Mountain, the Shipping News, etc)and she chronicled the process of writing her most recent novel, "That Old Ace in the Hole" over a period of two and half years.... At the end of it she said she thought it might be her last novel because the process took her so long - she much preferred writing short stories because she could crank one out within a month. I feel like the chapters in my memoir are each like mini short stories, fashioned that way because I read three pages/week in my writing groups. Because I'm reading out loud I often create a beginning, middle and end of each vignette. I've had the idea that maybe some of them could be published as "stand alone" pieces in literary magazines. Speaking of which I am working on editing twenty pages of prose to submit to "Discovery Awards" in New Mexico - specifically designed for unpublished authors. I'm also going to submit the same sample for a scholarship to the Taos Writer's Conference which will be happening July 12 - 19th this summer. Wish me luck!