Journey into Shamanism- Part 1

The Journey Begins......

As the workshop was coming to it's end, I was anxious to keep learning and experiencing more, wanting the long conversations with Ty to continue, to hear about his journey and the trials and tribulations that he had overcome. It certainly was funny how I had a multitude of questions to ask Ty, (just like Carlos Castaneda had for Don Juan), as though when one meets someone with a spiritual connection, you let out all the conversation and questions that you have bottled inside until that like-minded person appears. In fact, I'm sure Ty did mention that it was time for me to go home more than once, I must have chewed his ears off with my incessant questioning, and then, trying to understand the answers from Ty. Many a time, did I go home contemplating the answer. This is a pattern that continues to this day. When you think you don't need to learn anymore, that you know all, that is when you know nothing at all.

I had experienced some healings from Ty which were unique, provoking, always insightful with wonderful visions that left me wordless to describe the journeying, it just wouldn't do it justice to put it into words. Revelations appeared, that then I dismissed only to re-appear in later years, to become my truth that I had avoided since then. 

One afternoon, I went to see Ty, determined to ask him if he would teach me, to show me the Shamanic Way. I was unsure whether it was appropiate to ask to be taught or that you had to wait til the teacher asked you. Thus I was in a dilemma as to what to do as I walked through the door to see Ty. He was looking at me but not saying anything, then he questioned what I planned to do after the course finished. For some reason I didn't ask him to teach me, but then he asked me in a gentle, soft voice whether I wanted to train with him. Inside I was shocked, relieved, felt priviledged and jumping for joy at being asked.  I felt honoured to be asked but there was this feeling of destiny, a desire to learn this path, and Ty was an inspiration, that encouraged me to search and learn the Shamanic Way, and what a wonderful teacher I was studying with.

And so started my journey with Ty Walking Deer..... 

Over the next 3 years, I would regularly see Ty for one-on-one meditations, healings and attend meditation nights conducted by Ty at his home with other like-minded people. I had thought I had progressed down my spiritual path sufficiently but that came crashing down when I commenced with Ty. He would consistently direct me to look at my thoughts, opinions, experiences from a different perspective, to go deeper , to find the true meaning behind actions, thoughts, emotions, of what people said, to be aware of my body language and how I reacted to that of others. It was a huge learning curve! To be able to go deeper into a subject or statement, to not accept the face value of what you are hearing or reading, but discover the underlying motives, possibly manipulations to direct our attention away from the true agenda, the real Truth, this was very challenging to me. I remember often Ty would bring up information or show me an article or a  video on a subject and I would think " This man is crazy, he's a conspiracy nut", it would be that challenging to my perspective of the world and the way it ran. I think, The Titanic turned sooner than what I did! It has taken me a long time to see what some call "The Greatest Lie",  but once you become aware of it, it starts to appear everywhere, from listening to the news and how it is reported to create fear, distrust, to alter our beliefs, to mask other agendas, to our politicians who are spokespeople for organisations, lobby groups in the background to do their bidding not for the people, like you and me. This only comes with great patience of a teacher who is prepared to challenge you on your Path but willing to wait while you discover the True meaning. There were many times, that it got too intense, I became filled with anger, frustration, "What has this got to do with my spiritual development?", I would ask Ty.

Ty replied, " In some ways, it has nothing to do with your own personal journey but it also has all to do with how you perceive the world and how you live in that world of lies and deceit, to find the Truth, being connected to Spirit every moment of the day, creating that awareness so you are not affected by the stories you hear, read, see, but accept them for what they are and recognize that there is a bigger picture and a purpose for every moment in this life." There were many times that I could have walked out the door, not to be thrown a curve ball that would challenge all that I had been told by my parents, teachers, ministers, politicians, my experiences, fears and the list could keep going onwards, but I DIDN'T. Why was that? It was the fact, that somewhere within me, I felt there was Truth in what Ty was saying, coupled with the unbelievable meditations and visions that I was having, that I was being healed, taught something within me that I had yearned for most of my life, and my soul recognised that even if my Mind fought to stop that realisation occurring.  

There were many times that I would comment to Ty after a meditation or healing, or talking about a vision I had while meditating at home, that I would feel about what I had experienced was more a confirmation of what I already knew within myself and it seemed I was being shown these visions to re-awaken that knowledge. We, all have that knowledge within us, but most of us choose to ignore all the signs, the "coincidences" that occur in our lives, to continue on in our world of consumerism, short attention spans, social media, never to realise the possibilities of reacquainting ourselves with the Divine knowledge. I had walked that path of ignoring that which I was searching for, for a long time. I always looked for someone to guide me, to do the work and I would be instantly illuminated. How little did I know! All the prophets, gurus, spiritual leaders will tell you that the answer is never found from someone, or a book, but only by looking "within" yourself. There lies your answers and your Truth.   So every amazing vision that I experienced brought me closer to the conclusion that we are born with this knowledge , only to lose it as we become indoctrinated by our parents, experiences, media, environment, relationships etc., only to feel that there is something missing and we begin to search for answers to fill that "big hole" inside us. At first we do seek others for guidance but ultimately, it is our journey and we must travel it alone to reconnect within us that Divine knowledge. 

When I first started meditating with Ty, I was unable to sit on the floor in a cross-legged position, let alone a lotus position- that seemed like an impossibility. If you could see me in my version of sitting in a crossed-leg position, it would have the appearance of a grasshopper, with my legs sticking up in the air, ready to spring into action, such was the tightness in my muscles and joints. In addition, I couldn't straighten my back and sit upright, so I had this lean backwards that became extremely uncomfortable in a short time. I must have looked totally stiff, not relaxed ( how is that possible when every part of your body is screaming out in pain, saying enough!), so Ty suggested that I move to one of the recliner chairs, which I was relieved to go along with and so were my legs and back.  Leaned back and up came the foot rest, I was in heaven, but that feeling came thumping down to earth, when Ty said that I wasn't to go to sleep during the meditation, I needed to focus and not drift off, to allow myself not to get too comfortable and become too relaxed. What were the odds that I would fall asleep once he said that. So once I fell asleep, I was not connected in the meditation, the Mind had come in and distracted me away from the meditation and advancing my journey with Ty's guidance. I have to put my hand up, and declare that at times, I definitely heard myself breathing heavily, although the others present would say that it was more snoring than breathing heavily. What does a few words mean? Well, it means a lot if you intend to journey on your Path, it's also about discipline, being honest, humble, attune to everything around you and within you, to get past old values, thoughts, beliefs, to not allow the Mind to prevent you in moving forward, by such things as falling asleep, being uncomfortable, because they are only temporary and will pass as you evolve and deepen your connection to your Higher Self and to the Creator.  

So I was very determined to be able to join the rest of the group on the floor, to sit cross-legged (lotus position might take a bit more work-but not impossible), be relaxed and totally in the moment during the meditation. While I sat in the recliner for a good while, I worked on some exercises that Ty had shown me to stretch the legs and joints, I began taking advantage of anytime available at home to sit in a cross-legged position, and gradually the legs started becoming more flexible. The grasshopper position started to disappear, my legs started to lower enough that I could sit on the floor in reasonable comfort, and with a few cushions to prop up my legs from the shaking and pain, I thought I could join the others. It was hard work but the pleasure was great to join the others on the floor and meditate. 

Over the next few years, the tightness in my legs gradually gave way but it was hard going, having to prop-up my legs with cushions and support my back with a pillow, but the legs got more flexible and my back became stronger and more straight. Because my legs didn't have the flexibility at first, all the pressure of my legs not bending would be felt in my ankles and feet. The legs would shake and the outside of my ankle and feet would be screaming in pain and gradually my feet would go numb or have pins and needles going through them. There were many times that I came to the brink of uncrossing my legs and wanting to feel the instant relief of the pain and shaking, that is once the feeling came back into my feet. There was no way I could get up and go anywhere, my feet and legs would be so numb that I had no confidence that they would support me. 

Ty would say to me that at the beginning, it was far better to be comfortable rather than be dogmatic about sitting in a cross-legged position in pain, thus not allowing you to reach a meditative state, but I persisted and gradually the pain subsided enough and the knees lowered adequately that I could concentrate more on the meditation, to allow myself to get to those deeper states of mind. Another important factor, was to keep as still as possible during the meditation. Each time we move, become itchy and scratch that itch, be distracted by sounds, find images too confronting whilst meditating, we often will become more conscious taking us out of that deep meditative state that we wish to achieve. Then, we have to go through the whole process of letting go and reaching that meditative state that we were in before. This scenario can repeat itself over and over again, if we give in to being distracted by our thoughts and lack of discipline. Meditation does involve discipline and focus, without these you could not develop the skills to enable you to go deeper and deeper. This is part of the mind's way to not allow you to experience your meditation deeply, by distracting you and by, you allowing yourself to be distracted. Remember, an itch can take up all your attention in a given moment but it cannot sustain your attention for too long, so if you don't pay any attention to it, that itch will start to fade from your focus and you are still in a deep meditative state, not having to go through the whole process all over again. It all depends on how you look at it! By not giving in to the distraction, and allowing those thoughts to pass, you are taking a step forward in your meditative development.

Subsequently, the mind asserts its authority also, by distracting you with a myriad of thoughts, as soon as you deal with one then another appears, but over time they start to diminish and that is when you have an opportunity to see past the mind's influence and connect to Spirit and your Higher Self.   

As my physical capacity improved, so had I to deal with the actual gaining of a meditative state, in bringing myself to a deeper state, to experience all that Spirit can show us. To do this, I began by the breath. Breathing deeply in a slow rhythmic fashion, can quickly relax the body and mind into a theta brain-wave zone, the heart starts to beat at a slower rate allowing you to relax every part of your body, not feeling any tension in the entire body. At the same time, the mind needs to be emptied of all thoughts, to be present and in the moment, not affected by thoughts of the past or what will happen in the future. Many will tell you to block these thoughts from entering your consciousness, but in my view all that will create is a focus on blocking thoughts, not being relaxed and in the moment of relaxation, resulting in tension throughout the mind and body. Ty suggested to me that a better option was to allow these thoughts to be recognised not blocked, to acknowledge these thoughts but be firm in letting the mind know that this present time is for meditating only and you will deal with these issues later, then let it go completely. Do not continue to focus on thinking about the issue or something you need to do or you will be distracted the entire time during the meditation and never achieve that meditative state we are wanting to experience. At first, the conversations will come at you in a flurry, a million and one thoughts(so it seems at the beginning) but gradually if you follow the suggested process, they will slow down until we have no further thoughts than concentrating on the breath. That is a practice that the prophets like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna followed on their way to illumination,  and it enables you to find the answers you seek by the only way possible, looking 'within'.

Now that you have cleared your mind of all the everyday thoughts, possibilities and inner conversations, it's time to connect to the breath and energise the 7 chakras, which are energy centres in the body. With all the stresses of our lifestyle affecting us on such a deep level, it is so important to meditate each day, including practising deep breathing into the stomach, by pushing the diaphragm down and up, thus allowing the bottom of the lungs (which rarely are filled, especially as we get older and breathe a more shallow breath only in the chest) to fill, and balancing the chakra points. Every meditation with Ty would include connecting with each of the chakras, starting with the first chakra (base or root) and move upwards to the next, until we reached the crown chakra. By doing this we had raised our vibration sufficiently so as to give us a deeper, clearer experience of the night's happenings, whatever that brought.  Although it has to be said that every time you meditated with Ty, it was an amazing experience. Sometimes challenging, sometimes exhilarating but never dull or boring. 

By Clayton Silent Crow