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The Shamanic Walk is a wonderful way of consciously connecting to the deeper knowing of one’s spiritual self through Nature. How do you interpret the images and integrate their messages into your life? What follows is an account of part of one of my own experiences in some detail. I call it: A Meditation on Obstacles. Enjoying a walk in Nature, my intention was to gain some clarity about a challenging employment situation: whether to leave or to stay put.
In the Shamanic Walking Meditation the sight of a tree, the smell of decaying leaves, the sound of running water, and any sensations in the body are welcomed into awareness. We absorb these images and consider them as though they are messages from the universe, metaphors relating specifically to the question one has come to explore. The shamanic way of relating to the world embraces being one with Nature–mindfully interacting with our surroundings and interpreting our experience as though it has personal meaning for us.
Interpreting the Images
Upon arriving at my chosen destination in the local foothills, I set my intentions; I honored my entrance into sacred space with a ritual gesture of purification by dipping my hand into the tiny stream crossing my footpath. Then I paused at the threshold to ask the ancestors for permission to enter. Sensing their approval, I crossed into sacred space.
Walking along the woodsy canyon path, I focused my attention on the sights, sounds, and smells around me; a budding tree branch, the flow of water, a block shaped boulder in the middle of the path. I allowed these images to sink into my psyche and considered how their shape, function in nature, or my associations with these things, might deepen my understanding of the work issue I had come to ponder. I interacted with them as well, in order to open myself more fully to a physical appreciation of their message.
For example, at one point, a block shaped boulder was directly in my path. Rather than simply going around it, I decided to stop and absorb the idea that it was directly in my path. I could see it as a perfect metaphor for my predicament: An obstacle blocking my way in life. But as the boulder was not taking up the entire path there could be many different possibilities for proceeding beyond it. This too, was food for thought.
All of these possibilities seemed appropriate for dealing with my employment issue: I could go around it. That is to say, I could avoid dealing with it directly. I could step over it: Confront the issue directly but get it over with immediately. Or, I could sit on it and really think about what I should do: making a thoughtful plan for how I wished to proceed, seeing the boulder as a seat or a table at which I could sit down and be nourished– metaphorically speaking. I decided to sit on the boulder.
Obstacles pop up in life. Pressing issues clamor for attention every day. But some challenges require more: a dead battery in the car, a sick child needing immediate care. Emergencies demand a radical rethink of our priorities: what is most important to me right now? A moment ago it was rushing to get to work on time for a big meeting. All of a sudden, because of a dead battery or a sick child, my options have changed completely and what seemed essential a moment ago is no longer even in the picture!
In this case, I realized that my obstacle: the issues making it difficult for me to fully enjoy my current employment were complicated. Just quitting, or simply burying my feelings and towing the company line were not viable options for me. It was complex! As much as I wanted resolution, I also wanted to navigate things carefully. Whatever I decided, I wanted to behave ethically and with extreme personal integrity.
I continued to sit on the boulder. Absorbing the cool and the solid nature of the stone through my derriere, I sensed it calming me and pulling me into deeper connection with my body and my Soul Self. I dropped into a fuller awareness of my body’s take on things: tumultuous rumblings in my gut, rigid tension in my neck and shoulders, acid reflux etching my throat, exhaustion from worry: my body was quite clear: “This level of anxiety is too high! Something needs to change!” I wondered everything would be better if my ego stopped fighting and I accepted the reality of what was expected of me.
But the boulder wasn’t finished speaking. Soaking in its cool, solid surface I was reminded that this stone had been here for a long, long time; with very little change. Who had I been over time? What was my essential nature? It dawned on me that the qualities that got me hired in the job were not the qualities needed for me to flourish there. I recognized I could not fulfill my true nature in this job. It was not my ego that needed to be dealt with: My Soul needed to follow her own path. I needed to leave.
Enormous relief welled up in me with this realization. More thinking was needed to conscientiously follow this new path but at least my mind was made up. I felt deeply grateful to the boulder for its lessons. I silently thanked it as I stood up and continued along my way.
There are many ways to open up to mindfully focused thought. The Shamanic Walk is just one. Whatever method you choose, the practice of regular mindful reflection holds benefits that will serve you well.
©2014 Kathryn Bikle. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reproduced or used on other websites without permission of the author.
Photo of Rock and Boulder Bridge Across Stream courtesy of Susanne Hayek.