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As we enter into the millennium, we find ourselves at the doorstep of a golden age of awareness, with our soul already having completed much of the internal work necessary to transcend the earth�s heavy dimension. We are now knocking upon the door of communion with worlds beyond.
Awareness in a lucid dream, much greater than even an unusually vivid dream, rivals or exceeds the consciousness found in the daily awake state, and offers the dreamer a new dimension of experience. Inspirations for artistic creations, additional life choices, or a meeting with a deceased loved one, are a few of the many gifts we may find within the dream world.
Many of the gifts needed for experiencing lucidity and out of body travel often come quite natural to spiritual seekers, but refining these gifts remains the responsibility of the dreamer. Finding one�s centermost core, touching the delicate center of trust and oneness within the soul brings many rewards�gifts of remembrance of nighttime travels that are too often forgotten by the conscious mind.
What might we do to facilitate lucidity?
Moments of solitude, contemplation and introspection can bring great healing to a soul, and it is through healing that this natural ability of visionary dreaming returns. Lucidity is often lost at a young age, taken from the child that must endure life in harsh surroundings, punished by the world for its uniqueness. Lucidity is a gift that returns�with the acceptance of ones individuality.
Techniques of journaling, dream analysis, vision questing, bodywork, drumming, fasting and many other forms of expression bring about the natural alignment of the etheric bodies, alignments of awareness that allow the memory of our nighttime activities to seep into the conscious mind�as having a lucid dream is not an activity that you must achieve. We don�t have to worry about creating the experiences; it is merely about remembering them.
The intensity of the challenges in our lives often deplete spiritual light from our essence, leaving our souls thirsty for truth and longing for the forgotten memories of the other worlds. But by choosing a path of seeking, we may find that the necessary tools for healing always exist with any challenge. And of the many modalities for restoring hope to a soul, journaling can be one of the most powerful.
The energy created by writing about oneself, is that of digging beneath the surface, exposing wounds that allow a seeker to more clearly see internal injury and suffering. And it is this vision that ultimately perpetuates healing, allowing light to naturally, unconsciously and automatically replace what was once darkness�as opposed to a conscious effort of trying to pull light into the body. This indirect method allows one to raise their vibration while grounding deeply in the earth in a very balanced way�with a person retaining more control over their choices.
When I first began to journal, at the insistence of my Shaman teacher, I spent the allotted time with my notepad recounting the events of the day. But as I progressed and the years passed by, I found a more direct approach for my efforts. Rather than spending my energy physically writing, I found more expression contemplating the day�s events, while allowing my pen to focus more upon writing about my frustrations. In this way, I began to reach deeper into my core fears, resulting in more time to contemplate the self-imposed limitations in my life.
Of course this can be frightening initially, until one realizes that fear exposed to light soon dies. And it is perhaps not something that is moved toward swiftly. At first, I spent only a few moments a week journaling, but as I grew in confidence and the ability to actually expose and release unconscious fear, I soon found great enjoyment in these moments of solitude�the resulting freedom so liberating that journaling became one of the most important activities in my life. I found that in exposing my fear and suffering, I was opening a door for its release from my body. Although it took many months before I consciously found this healing, over ten years later, I still find it an essential part of my life.
As our consciousness lifts and we begin to take our destined places in the world, mystical expressions begin to weave their magic through us and into the environments in which we live. As if being rewarded for our perseverance, our memory continues to open, eventually enabling us to receive more conscious support from dimensions beyond. What types of experiences might we expect?
Once after falling soundly asleep, my light body leaving my physical body in bed, I found myself quite conscious and drifting though the back wall of my home. Making my way into the backyard, I was now standing in front of a row of daffodils. Marveling at the intensity of the experience, I fully realized that I was out of my physical body.
In a state of consciousness that far exceeded my normal daily experience, my eyes widened in amazement�I was now focusing on a faerie hovering just above a daffodil. Her cute and petite figure, barely five inches in height, was held tightly in a sphere of yellow energy.
Also in their light bodies (astral), two neighbors stood nearby but were unable to perceive the faerie. As their eyes met my own, they unconsciously sensed the amazing event that I was experiencing and a slight tension wracked their bodies, pulling my own spiritual vibration downward. Turning back to the faerie still hovering in my garden, she now appeared semi-transparent, but still remained within my perception.
Leaving me slightly disappointed that she had almost disappeared from my vision, her own excitement was not hindered, and she began to race upward in flight before turning to fly horizontally in a circle several feet above our heads. Whizzing around and around within the small opening in the trees, she expressed the purest joy at the excitement of being seen and acknowledged by a human.
This experience, although seemingly innocent, had a profound influence upon my life. Even the air had consciousness in that moment, enabling me to perceive a dimension and truths that most often stay far beyond my awareness. Earth spirits often remain with us, yet it is our ability in a moment to transcend the earthly physical experience that allows this great magic to be revealed. I perceived her, because I could first feel her presence�and I could feel her presence because I had remembered a lost piece of my heart.
As we heal and find a deeper trust in ourselves, and oneness with our surroundings, we allow our memories to the surface�often along with many forgotten dreams and desires. It is the acceptance of our inner sense of direction that brings us closer to our innate powers, as we allow intuition to become master over our lives. It is then that our wisdom may more fully return, bringing with it the knowledge of our most passionate longings.
Learning to bask in moments of solitude is one of the most powerful tools in reclaiming this lost power of our nighttime travels and remembrance�is only a dream away.
When recounting the story to a friend days later, I was struck by surprise and his intrigue made me consider, �If that had happened in a dream, I would have accepted it to be bringing a message.� A fragment of my soul instantly returned�and from that moment on�I increased my conscious effort to become aware of the animal medicines trying to contact me.
Having grown more open to receive help from my spiritual allies, I was on the second day of a Vision Quest when shortly after dawn I decided to stand up and walk around in the immediate area of my site.
Pausing at a tree, I leaned against a low branch that stretched out horizontally and very near to the ground. Quietly resting my mind, I soon noticed the grass moving in the distance. It was a familiar site. Only an Armadillo moves about with such little regard for his surroundings.
Completely oblivious to me, I remained still while watching him proceed closer. Moving at a very slowly rate, he was rooting up the ground in front of him, searching for food. He seemed quite content with himself, yet still unaware of my presence.
This wasn�t the first time I had been close to the Armadillo, but it was the first time I had been aware enough to receive the message that it�s vibration hoped to deliver. Waiting, I contemplated it�s meaning as he passed only inches from my foot.
After making his way through my aura, I wandered back to my circle to continue considering his visit. Already familiar with his medicine�maintaining personal boundaries and of holding your own space and vibration�I soon understood the purpose of his visit. I had already spent the majority of my life losing my beliefs and desires to other people in my life and the Armadillo was now speaking to me, trying to offer his protection. I needed to hold my own focus and to stay conscious of my own truth.
When accumulating personal power, among many allies, the essences of the Armadillo and Owl often offer their presence, as synchronicity finds its way into a seeker�s life.
Joanne walked up to my coffee table and picked up the single Owl feather that lay upon it.
�That�s a happy feather,� she told me, with the child like innocence of a nine year old. Then she started to walk into the other room.
�Whoa. Whooaa. Wait a second, come back here!� I insisted. �What are you talking about? Why is this a happy feather?�
Turning back to me, she again reached for the feather �Well, the Owl is very happy that half of his feathers went to metaphysical people,� she stated.
Looking toward her mother, my eyes wide in amazement, �I know the story of this Owl. It was badly decomposed when it was found�only half of the feathers were saved.�
Sharing a moment of silence, we acknowledged our gratitude for being gifted with the Owl�s thought.
As my spiritual growth continued to expand, my dreams becoming more vivid, at times as lucid as during the awake state, the animal medicines (a word to describe an energy�s feel or power) began to more deeply influence my life. Their vibration, their spiritual essences, were more deeply infusing me with their power, while enabling me to make more insightful life choices.
I found that each animal had a predominate characteristic, like the blue jay�s power of intuition, the snake�s vibration of change and healing, or the hawk�s ability to see from a higher perspective. And that the powers of all of the animals combined, have the ability to assist us in achieving wholeness. Each animal was a fraction of the God/Goddess energy and together�they made up the whole. So by being able to feel an animal�s power, we could restore, heal and embody the missing facets of the God energy within us.
Years later when feeling burdened by the challenges of my life, I again felt particularly drawn to the Owl. Finally reaching me in a dream, he was prepared to share his gifts. Accompanied by pines and junipers, the dirt path I followed wound through and alongside a shallow valley in the forest. Feeling the density of the air change as I passed beneath a large cedar bow, I realized that I had entered into an ethereal world, a gateway between the dimensions, and I looked down to the ground. At my feet were the feathers of an Owl�hundreds of them. Quickly gathering them in my arms, the relief within my body grew and taking in a deep breath, I felt a deep release as the Owl�s energy began to penetrate my being. Recently forced to endure difficult challenges in my physical world, the owl was gifting me with his vibration, �the ability to see in darkness,� and my soul found the peace he brought to me, completely liberating. The Owl, with no spoken words, had given me the ability to navigate through this dark period of my life. I was grateful.
It is hard for me to remember a time before my perception included the interpretation of animal medicines. Many will resist conscious help from animals, but through my questing, I have had the fortune to remove many layers of numbness. And given the gift of waking in a dream, becoming completely conscious when asleep, I�ve had the opportunity to fully feel the power of a totem�A profoundly healing and empowering experience. So I offer my gratitude, appreciation and renewed hope in return, and send prayers asking that I may always walk delicately enough on the earth to feel the presence of animals.
Additional reading: Medicine Cards, by Jamie Sams and David Carson.
I was sitting motionless on my sleeping bag at night in the forest as the need for sleep tried to steal my consciousness from me. I wanted to be awake for this, or at least be partially awake. It had taken me months, or perhaps lifetimes to find myself here and I did not wish to allow my slumber to stop me from consciously connecting to the spirit world.
It was September and the leaves had already fallen, allowing the moon to peer through the normally thick canopy of leaves provided by the trees overhead. The full moon seemed to be scalding my face with its bright light each time it moved from behind a limb, casting it�s energy fully upon me. I couldn�t have slept now if I had wanted to and spent most of night drifting on the edge of consciousness, a great place to be for someone seeking vision.
I wondered to myself. What will happen tonight? Will I be able to make direct contact with my guides? This had been my dream for sometime now. It seemed to me they held the secrets of my soul and my heart was greatly longing to find the pieces that I believed to be missing. I could no longer deny that the life I was living was not inspiring me and realized that I had to make a change. And now I found myself in the forest . . .
The choice to take part in a vision quest is born from a deep desire to be more connected to oneself, the earth, and all of creation. And to more deeply understand ones inner life and how it gets expressed in our physical world. It is one thing to have a dream, and quite another to live one.
The people of ancient cultures from our past have often sought ways to find a greater connection to themselves and to more closely align their lives with their truest desires. Although the searches have often been outside of oneself, in the outer world, many have found a more direct source to lead them in their expression into our world. Guidance from ones inner world.
Many spiritual seekers have found that when they disconnected from the group consciousness that they belonged to, by spending time alone in their natural world of nature, they could find new possibilities that existed within themselves. They discovered that by leaving the physical presence of all of their friends and loved ones, they were no longer limited by the fears they held, by the others beliefs. And at some point during this contemplation, they would be allowed a �New Vision,� in which they could more abundantly direct their lives.
There are many ways to prepare for a vision quest and a clear explanation of all of the possibilities is far beyond the scope of what a brief article could deliver, but there is always a beginning to a search. Perhaps this will help.
Months of preparation usually precede a quest, as it is very important to understand as much as possible about what is going to happen leading up to the event, during the quest and afterward. I begin by spending lots of time in solitude while considering all of the troubling issues within my life. This makes my time alone with the earth more gentle, as it gradually eases me into the state of being that I will be experiencing while in the forest. And with contemplation, comes a greater understanding of the desire for this experience, slowly empowering a seeker with each passing day until he or she is ready to quest.
Although I have fasted for several days at a time, I have found for me that a briefer fast and quest, one or two days, has usually proven sufficient. The longer ones have revealed more to me than I could understand and have left me ungrounded for months. Many shorter quests I believe could have brought about the same results, leaving me more emotionally balanced and allowing me to more gradually go through the life changes that would result.
But on quest day, I walk into the forest and make myself comfortable at the location I�ve chosen several days before. After a few hours of solitude, I generally find that I am not able to do much of anything else, but consider my life and the challenges it is presenting to me. The absence or minimal presence of food in the body helps the mind to expand beyond the consciousness of the earth. And with no physical beings to speak to, the body, for a time becomes closer to spirit than to its physical presence in the earth. It is here that the soul finds healing and draws the power of God close to them.
It seems in this heightened state of consciousness that my mind begins to wrestle with my heart, often continuing for many hours. But eventually the battle shifts and I feel my body becoming lighter as my mind begins to let go of the things, people and situations in my life that are no longer serving me. I have no control over this, the release that my soul is in need of, and there is no guarantee that peace will even be found. But usually, in the end I feel blessed as conscious understanding comes to me and a clearer direction for my life is found.
Then, I allow my intuition to tell me when I am finished. I try to decide if there are more issues to face, or if I have already reached high enough and have received my �Vision.� And of course I allow the animals to help me along the way, paying close attention to who came to me and how can their valuable medicine be applied to the internal considerations that I was facing in the moment they arrived.
Many changes in the emotional body of an individual occur throughout the process and it can be very disorienting when returning afterward and reentering the life you have been living. The others around you will not have recently touched the God energy and may not be able to help you to adjust your life accordingly. The preparation time leading up to the quest shows its importance now, as it has the power to deepen your connection into the earth, allowing for greater balance when returning into the physical life.
Quests most always bring about a conscious desire to make changes in the way a life is being expressed in the physical dimension, giving the seeker the opportunity to embody the vision that was found. If no changes result, the vision gained silently slips back into the unconscious, waiting for a time when the quester is more able to live the new-found truths. It is the souls desire to bring the magic back into the life and to live it in every moment. And the quest reveals more of these possibilities to the conscious mind.
But if the seeker finds the courage to embrace their vision, it will take time afterward to adjust and to rebalance the desires of the physical and spiritual selves, or the left and right brain. Magic has difficulty in understanding logic. But there is a way.
By discovering the fears that inhibit our lives, we find the way to live our dreams. And by acknowledging the suffering within us, we unlock the doors to our greatest potentials. Fear cannot help but to grow weaker after being touched by consciousness and there is always a choice that can be made to lead us out of darkness. It just requires Vision.
Happy questing.
Carla Neff Gordan . . . and Tom Brown Jr.
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