Ok, ready to take your first other-world journey? Here we go.

First, set the mood. Turn on some slow, soothing music, preferably instrumental only. Let it be something that is quiet and slow, that you can feel without listening to it. Find yourself a nice comfortable chair and put a white candle nearby. Turn the music down very low, so that you can just barely hear it. It’s there just to help you to be calm and relaxed, not to distract you. Light the candle, then relax in your chair. Or, if you don’t have a chair you can completely relax in without worrying about falling out, lie down on the couch or on the bed. Just keep your candle nearby. Now, light the candle and relax.

Relax. Believe it or not, that’s the hardest part. You’ll lie there quietly, trying to relax, and you’ll start thinking of all the things you need to be doing. This won’t take very long, so you’ll have plenty of time afterwards to do whatever you need to do. Just acknowledge that yes, there are things you need to do and you will take care of them just as soon as you can. Often the things that come to mind at this time are things that you need guidance and or help with.

Start by thinking about your toes and feet. Tell them to relax. Wiggle them a little bit if you want, just to focus your energies on them. Do your toes feel tense? How about your feet? Next, your legs. Proceed up your body to your torso in this manner. Remember your back and abdominal muscles. When you get to your neck, and shoulders, you may need to spend a little extra time there. That’s where our tensions seem to reside the most. And don’t forget about your jaw. We often tense our jaws without even realizing we are up-tight. Proceed to your face muscles. Feeling pretty relaxed yet? You may get a feeling that you are floating. Usually, it’s just my feet and legs that feel like they are floating, but I know I’m getting there when I feel that way.

Now, think about your white candle. Take some deep breaths, and imagine you are breathing the white light of the candle into and around yourself. Imagine yourself surrounded by the white light. This will protect you from any influences out there that you aren’t ready to face yet.

Ok, you’re relaxed, you’re surrounded by the white light, your feet and legs are floating, so it’s time for the next step. Imagine that you leave your body. Just imagine it, and don’t worry about if you really did it or not. Worried about getting back again? Just think yourself back and you will be.

Look around with your spiritual eyes. (Remember, you’re out of your body, so your physical eyes are shut) What each person sees, if anything, is very individualized. You may see a beautiful woodland scene; or maybe a formless, cloudy void. It doesn’t matter. If you want to follow this path, you can learn to control what you see and where you go, at least to some extent. I always get a surprise when I go on these journeys. But that’s for another time. Move around in this otherworld of yours, but only just a little bit. You don’t want to go around too much and risk pissing off some spirit or the other. Just explore a little bit, then think yourself back into your body.

Back? Good. Now, open your eyes and stretch your body. Stretch your arms, fingers, toes, neck, everything. This helps to bring you back to this world, as well as it "grounds" any energy you may have brought back with you. Get up slowly, have a little something to drink, and relax just a few more minutes. When you feel like you’re really all the way back, go on with your life as usual.

So, what do you think about your first "Immrama"? Want to do it again? There are a few things to think about before you do.

It’s not a good idea to go wandering around the otherworlds with no clear reason or direction. We don’t know everything that’s out there, and you’ll need a little protection and guidance. Your protection and guidance will come from your otherworld allies. That’s where the unicorns, spirits, and deities come in.

If you think you would like to follow that shaman’s path, and walk between the worlds, there are a couple of things you can do.

E-mail me ysabell@prodigy.net.

Or, follow this link to Amazon.com and get this book,By Oak, Ash and Thorn, by D. J. Conway. It is an excellent resource for learning how to go on your otherworld journeys, guiding you along specific journeys until you get the hang of it. It also has a good bit about the different animals and other entities you might come across on your journeys, and it tells you what they meant to the Celts.

Please let me hear from you and tell me how it’s going.

Brightest Blessings!

Ysabell