| Yoga and Shamanism offer ways for people to | | | | other reality belong together, they are two halves of |
| become aware of their potential, to explore their | | | | one whole. |
| spiritual relationship to the universe, to other forms | | | | Ritual is a way to empower and enhance the trance |
| of life, and to each other. The experiences which | | | | state, and is a gateway to contain, translate, and |
| come from shamanism help a person to evolve a | | | | safely guide an altered state of consciousness into a |
| deeper bond and respect for all of creation, and from | | | | spiritual experience. Another way of saying this would |
| this perspective you are likely to lead a life which is | | | | be that a ritual carries an innate intention, a purpose. |
| vibrant and full in harmony and balance, and which | | | | Each of the Shamanic Trance Postures is in itself a |
| encourages understanding and optimism. The | | | | ritual, and it is a ritual with such intrinsic qualities of |
| Shamanic path is a way to experience this expanded | | | | exactness and power, that its objective is achieved |
| view of universe. | | | | outside the original cultural setting. This means that |
| One of the central practices of shamanism has been | | | | we in contemporary Western society can also |
| defined as the Spirit or Trance journey. One of the | | | | successfully participate in the Shamanic Trance |
| ways to embark on this experience of expanded | | | | Postures. |
| consciousness is what is called 'the shamanic journey'. | | | | To understand the Shamanic Trance Postures they |
| In this Journey the shaman journeys to the Spirit | | | | should be directly experienced, no amount of words |
| world, (commonly referred to as Upper & Lower | | | | can compensate for this. The best place to |
| Worlds), to directly commune with the spirits who | | | | experience the ecstatic trance states is in a |
| reside in the other realities. This is done for many | | | | workshop environment. This brings with it the |
| reasons, for example to receive guidance for healing, | | | | guidance and support of the workshop facilitator, and |
| maintaining both our own and by extension our | | | | the collective energies of the group. The power of |
| communities spiritual wholeness. | | | | the group is important in that it helps in terms of the |
| There are a number of ways to embark on a Spirit | | | | focus of the ritual, and provides indirect and direct |
| journey; these can be through dance, dream, using | | | | feedback. Feedback is the way to obtain the |
| teacher plants, and by assuming certain specific | | | | ineffable quality of trust. Trust is one of the pillars of |
| physical postures. The latter is known as Shamanic | | | | this work, and the group provides validation of your |
| Trance Postures, and are a method for achieving | | | | own experience. Another important factor is that the |
| ecstatic trance and entering that place of both | | | | power of the trance postures is magnified, as each |
| personal and collective vision. | | | | person supports and is a part of the collective |
| The word ecstasy and ecstatic is used in its original | | | | visionary experience. |
| meaning, which is based on the Greek ex-stasis, | | | | An Exercise - The Grandfather Bear Trance Posture. |
| meaning 'outside of yourself', outside of the | | | | A powerful Healing posture. |
| everyday world. The ecstatic trance brings with it a | | | | You may experience, great energy, certain colours, a |
| shift in our perception, a way of becoming aware of | | | | feeling of being supported and contained in a loving |
| a reality outside of the world of the ordinary, and the | | | | and gentle way. |
| mundane. The trance makes us able to perceive the | | | | Stand with your feet parallel , about six inches apart, |
| continuum of life, from what has been called | | | | and your toes aimed straight ahead. Your knees |
| non-ordinary reality, a reality which has been known | | | | should be slightly bent, removing any strain on your |
| to co-exist with our physical reality throughout time. | | | | lower back that would occur if your knees were |
| Black Elk, the Lakota medicine man and great | | | | locked. This stance is consistent for most of the |
| visionary whose life was recorded by John Neihardt in | | | | standing postures. |
| the 1930's, tells of "the world where there is nothing | | | | Gently roll both your hands , as though you are |
| but the spirits of all things. This is the real world that | | | | holding a small egg in the palm of each hand. Position |
| is behind this one, and everything we see here is | | | | your hands so that your folded fingers form a tall |
| something like a shadow from that world". | | | | triangle over your navel. The first joint of the index |
| There are certain works of ancient art, glyphs, | | | | finger of each hand should touch to form the apex |
| carvings, rock paintings which are more than creative | | | | of the triangle, with your thumbs resting one in front |
| expressions of their culture. They are visual teachings | | | | of the other, not one on top of the other. Your |
| for a specific ritual. These paintings and statues from | | | | upper arms can rest easily at both sides of your |
| the ancients depict people adopting distinct bodily | | | | body, so that your elbows are not sticking out. With |
| postures. Many of these bodily postures are ways to | | | | your eyes closed, lean your head back as though you |
| an altered state of consciousness, visionary | | | | are looking at a point just above the line where the |
| experiences, and a way to embark on a spirit | | | | wall meets the ceiling. There may be a strained |
| journey. There is an extensive geographic distribution | | | | feeling in the muscles at the back of your neck. |
| of the Trance Postures, and indications are that they | | | | Comments from people who have experienced the |
| belong to all cultures and traditions. These postures | | | | healing Trance Posture known as 'Grandfather Bear |
| have been rediscovered by Dr Felicitas Goodman | | | | 'on workshops. |
| after years of extensive research, and a full account | | | | "I have been having a sore and painful throat for |
| has been documented in her truly outstanding and | | | | some time. As I started the posture, I very quickly |
| remarkable book 'Where the Spirits Ride the Wind'. | | | | felt that I was being cradled from behind by a warm |
| When a person adopts a specific posture as shown | | | | energy, which I saw in my mind as a large bear. I felt |
| in one of the ancient artefacts, with an | | | | the bear rip open my throat with its claws, and pull |
| accompanying rhythmic sound e.g. Rattle or drum, the | | | | out heavy, thick mucus like material. This went on for |
| person may experience a vision which although is | | | | a few minutes, and then the bear blew warmth into |
| personal , is also specific to the posture. It is as if, | | | | my throat, and I began to see flashes of violet-blue |
| however personal the vision, it will conform within a | | | | colours around me. When the trance posture ended, |
| consistent framework. | | | | my throat felt clear, and my body felt as if it was |
| Ritual has great power in this reality; it is a way of | | | | glowing." |
| combining, the heart, mind, spirit, and body in a single | | | | "My back felt as if it was being opened, and metal |
| physical action and intention. Religions from all over | | | | plates which covered my spine being levered open |
| the world have long recognised the importance of | | | | and dragged out of my back. When we finished, my |
| ritual. Ritual is a means of communication between | | | | back felt so much more flexible, I could even touch |
| the Spirits and ourselves, it is a way that the Spirits | | | | my toes, which is something which I have not been |
| can cross over from their world into ours. In Western | | | | able to do for quite some time. I had forgotten how |
| society we have forgotten that the ordinary and | | | | stiff my back had become. |