Big reveal -- You don't have to believe in spirits to learn journeying. One of the things I tell beginners is this: You don't have to force yourself to believe anything. If you're spiritually curious, curiosity is enough. If you're searching - let that guide you and trust in your instinct. The shaman's journey is an easy method. You learn the method. You take the journey. Pay attention to what happens. Maybe you'll understand your experience spiritually. Maybe you'll understand parts of it symbolically. Maybe you'll simply say, "I don't know what that was, but something happened." That's okay. That's why we go step by step without forcing anything. One thing I've learned over almost three decades of taking shamanic journeys, the helping spirits know us and what we need. They know how to communicate with us in ways we will understand. That's the reason shamanic practice is experiential. In our world too many people are impatient and want it given right now. This way, this most ancient way, is more powerful and insightful than I can tell you. So instead of beginning with: "Do I believe this?" or "Why is nothing happening now?" or "Am I doing it right?" Try beginning with: "What happens when I actually do the practice?" "What happens when I give myself the chance to learn?" "What happens when I do meet my helping spirit?" Those are much more interesting questions. A question to ask yourself --- Am I more naturally skeptical or naturally open to spiritual experiences? Skepticism and curiosity are both welcome. As you listen to the workshop recodings, just take notes as needed. When you get to the journey section with drumming - give yourself permission to receive and to learn. It's a step by step process.

For those who are new to the shaman's journey process, I have something that might be helpful to you. Many times when I teach I find that students are also in a process of remembering. That process is deep and can be very emotional as we remember not only who we are, but we remember the helping and guiding spirits that we've forgotten about over time. In the shamanic worldview, we believe all persons are born with helping spirits who walk with and guide us throughout our lives. But in the west, we're not taught or trained in this view so we forget. As children many of us had "imaginary" friends and I would venture to say many of these friends were indeed our helping spirits we were born with but trained and told to forget. So when people begin this journey back to spirit, you start to remember. Some of you will receive spirits that feel familiar, like a long lost friend.