Page 20 - News and Views Spring 2023

Shamanism and Quakerism. Worlds apart? David Brown

Many Quakers have experienced or explored paths to the Light other than Quakerism. Many of us
still do so, to complement Quaker practices and teachings on our spiritual journeys. My own path
has included shamanism to which I was introduced over twenty years ago.

The main practice of shamanism is the shamanic journey, and normally this is a silent journey
except for the accompaniment of a drum with an insistent beat. In the same way as the Experiment
with Light or Meeting for Worship can take you to a place of guidance, a shamanic journey, for
example to ‘Upper World’, can take you to a place of guidance too. The shamanic world view
includes three worlds: Lower World, Middle World (where we humans live) and Upper World where
the spirit guides can be found, a place of light.

Here is a link you can copy and paste from YouTube for this journey,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ19FFidiBg

I am offering here a simplified version of this meditational journey, which you can experience
yourself by giving yourself around twenty minutes of silence as you read the instructions and
meditate on them.

First, imagine a beautiful and peaceful place, surrounded by trees. Sit in this place, comfortably,
breathing slowly, feeling the peaceful energy of nature around you. Spend some time here.

During this time, find an intention you wish to take to upper world, perhaps the answer you want to a
question.

You look up to the sky and the clouds and you can see to your left a tall tree reaching up to the
skies. This tree will assist you in moving into the upper world. Ask for the tree’s help in reaching
upper world and begin to climb the tree.

You climb higher and higher, feeling safe and exhilarated. Looking down you can see the other
trees and the earth far below. Eventually, you find yourself in the clouds where there is a ledge with
steps for you to climb further up.

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