The Shaman Way: Seeing and Interpreting Alternative
Realities
by Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls
Sometimes what we see can be happening, or about to happen,
in other realities besides this one. There are other realities
that look very much like this one does physically. Some
People call them alternate realities. Jim Carrey made
a movie where everything about his life was staged inside
a bubble. Do you remember that movie? When he tried to
get in a boat and sail away, the boat stopped at the edge
of the bubble and he realized it was not real. Some realities
are that close to our own.
I was standing in my living room cleaning the rugs when
I looked up. It was nice outside so I had the door open
to allow some fresh air into the house. I looked out the
door and down the front walk and there were horses and
buggy carriages going by on the road outside. There were
houses across the street that weren't there before, tall
brownstone houses and a man walked by in a top hat. There
was a picket fence in front of my house that was not there
before. I looked back into my living room and then back
out the door and it was still there. I just stood watching
for a long time, maybe 15 minutes while carriages and
people walked by my house. I saw a milk truck and some
kids in knickers ran by playing with a hoop. I would look
at myself dressed in my jeans and see my living room just
fine and then look out the door and this other time was
still here. It did not leave until I left the living room
and came back.
A Sheet Away from Alternative Realities
We are just a sheet of paper away from other realities.
Sometimes we are more connected to alternative realities
than to this one. Some people prefer to live in alternative
realities and they are kept in insane asylums. It is not
that they are insane - it is that they are more connected
to other places and other times. If someone would do the
study and research, we might be able to help these "insane"
people. I have come very close to choosing an alternative
reality myself. I was really tempted to stay in one reality,
which was so much more loving than this one. I struggled
with myself in order remain here, telling myself that
I am here for a purpose. Even now I get sad thinking about
it. Perhaps this is one place depression comes from.
I counsel people every day who are slipping in and out
of this reality. They don't completely slip out but they
feel the disconnect and cannot control it. It is hard
to tell people to remain grounded here when some part
of them knows that it is better over there. How do I say
that? I barely am here myself!
But we can't be slipping back and forth without control
either. One man was losing his job over it. A lady was
losing her kids over it. We all want the better world.
Somewhere inside we have seen it or felt it and we all
know about it. Although it might not be on a conscious
level, many are having a hard time finding a real reason
to stay here. The ones who can fair well in this reality
are the warriors, the healers, and the ones who like to
fight and make a difference, the champions of a cause.
I, myself, faced this choice; that is, either to be the
traditional Shamanic healer I was raised to be or end
up in an asylum. Do you remember the sainted nuns who
would cloister themselves in church steeples for their
whole lives? They would never see anyone and the priest
would bring them one meal a day and their lives were spent
in prayer for that church, the town, and the country.
Believe me, they were seldom in this reality.
I see that world is being populated more and more by
people who have chosen to be healers, warriors, hunters,
to do battle for the saving of this world, this reality.
We were definitely put here for a purpose - no matter
how stinky this reality might be. We chose to be here
and to make a difference. So I keep reminding myself to
remain grounded here in this reality.
But my point to you today is...
There
are many realities and you may be picking up on any one
of them. How can you know if it is this place or another?
You can know through experience, practice, keeping a log
and evaluating the results. Learn about other realities
as well, so you can recognize them better in the online
course called Shaman Apprenticeship 101 found at http://www.shamanelder.com
.
I saw a whole star system collapse when I was 24. I had
a series of visions of this incredible implosion of the
cosmos. It was very scary for me to witness this, as I
thought it was this universe. It did happen but it happened
a billion miles away, in another time.
I am not saying that what you are seeing is not for here
and now. I have no way to say that. I am not here to judge
what you see. You are the best judge of what you see.
I am suggesting that you learn to interpret as well as
see.
Copyright © 2005 Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls. All rights
reserved.
Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls is one of America's most loved
tradtional elder teachers of Shamanism for today's modern
society. She is the creator and instructor of the Shaman
Apprenticship 101 course. Learn more about Shaman
Maggie and this course now. Free counseling on any
subject.
Message from Waynonaha, "If your a mom with daughters
or have friends of menopausal years then do them a favor
and gift them the book on Menopause
by Susun Weed my daughters are all so happy that they
used this information. I now gift this book or recommend
it along with the breast cancer book to all of my friends.
I find the
Breast Health book is a perfect and positive gift for
any woman who even suspects, or has breast cancer in her
family.
The word positive here is the key we all need to think positive
about menopause not negative.
This is the best part of our lives and we need to understand
that the best is yet to come. Transition need not be the
horrible hot flashes or depressions it can be a beautiful
transition were we honor the part we as women play in the
role of life.
Our women have used these same herbs and ways for thousands
of years and you never have heard true Native Indian women
complaining of hot flashes. This is a welcome time to walk
on and continue the work that the Grandmothers do in the
hoop of life."
Love and blessings,
Waynonaha