The Journey

First I start by clearing my space & myself with Sage - yes I bought it on the internet! I do have some growing in the garden but it's the kind you eat, mind you I do burn that too. No I do not pretend to be an actual shaman! I did not grow up in a indigenous community, well not in this lifetime anyway.

So I have cleansed myself and my space, I then go on to say a prayer, asking my guides of love & light to introduce themselves... I also bring in the Four directions and Divine protection, (check the internet for instructions). You can use whatever prayer you prefer, something that you resonates with perhaps.

It helps to put some drumming beats on, there are some good shamanic drum beats on YouTube. You can get a drum and do it yourself if your good at multitasking.

Now I lay myself down and get into a comfortable position keeping my back straight and close my eye's. I was taught to state why I am doing the journey 3 times out loud. 'I am doing this journey to meet my spirit guides.' I concentrate on my breathing and relax. Then it begins.....

I follow the beat of the drum, I am walking in a field of lush, tall green grass. The air is warm, the sun is setting, pink & red tones decorate the sky: I feel light, airy & safe. Looking ahead I see a large leafless tree. There is a figure standing next to it, I feel excited that there is actually someone there to meet me. As I approach the figure I realise it's not a person, but a animal! In fact it's a wolf, a very large one with beautiful grey fur & piercing blue eye's. He did not speak but gracefully beckoned me to follow him into the large opening in the tree.

On entering the opening it was dark, pitch black in fact. We spiralled down the tree until we reached a light. Walking toward the light it became clear that this was an entrance toward another time and place. It felt and looked real, the grass was green, it was daytime with clear blue sky overhead. There we both where by a large peaceful lake, completely relaxed. There was a calm tranquil atmosphere to this place that felt familiar.

Still following my guide at this point, I walked into the lake to be cleansed and prepared for the healing that I was about to experience. We followed a wood-chip path that appeared out of nowhere, ferns and bright tropical looking plants of red, yellow, orange and blue ran along the sides. We gently proceeded to climb the hilly wood-chip path. Finally at the end we came upon at a hut. My guide then asked me ''would you like to receive healing?'' I obviously replied ''Yes thank you.'' I entered the hut, and sat down on a fur covered stool situated in the middle of the hut, (wolf-fur covered stool. I thought "Thank God my guide didn't see that" As I looked around I could see a plethora of different objects hanging from the ceiling and on the walls. On further inspection there where bones, crystals, herbs, roots and such like. I don't know what was more alarming, the bones or how calm I felt, good job I didn't have a bloody clue what was coming next.

You really do have to trust your guides and try not to analyse it to much, just trust in the process and enjoy the experience.

So I'm sat in the hut and a huge Maori looking shaman entered... I presumed it was his hut by this point. He did not speak, he did not use any tools, he literally just started pulling maggots and worms out of my ears, nose and throat. I did think "what the holy crap is going on!" However in the midst of all this going on I still felt calm, so I went with it. After the maggots and worms had stopped coming out of my ears, nose and throat, he then stuffed them with something that looked like a kind of moss, it actually felt quite nice. He instructed me to ''rest up for the rest of the day.'' so that's what I did.

I walked out of the hut, retraced my steps down the wood-chip path, back through the tranquil lake, up the portal and back out of the tree, intact and safe with guide by my side. what an amazing

journey !

That night I slept like a log.

Jennifer Ben-ali