Tricky as a Fox? - *Bill's Shamanic Journey
by Laureen Rama

In an hour and a half introductory workshop, Bill,* a counsellor by profession, felt a fox jump into his lap, curl up and snuggle in, right at home, just as I was starting to guide people into their shamanic journey experience. The purpose of this first journey was for people to discover and learn the qualities of their power animal. Through this they would also learn about their own strengths, represented by the power animal.

Bill shooed the fox away, telling it it was not time yet, the journey hadn't started. Besides, he didn't want a tricky cunning fox as his power animal--participants were going to tell their stories and he didn't want others to know he had these qualities! The fox jumped out of his lap and trotted off. Then, as Bill listened to my instructions, the fox came back, brushed against his leg and jumped back into his lap. Bill felt he was stuck with the fox and why fight it--he let it stay.

As I began rattling to call in the spirits to be with us and guide us in the shamanic journey, Bill felt himself and the fox standing in a nest of rattlesnakes. As someone who had grown up in rattler territory, he was terrified. He yelled to the fox "Let's get out of here!" and with a graceful leap they were out of the circle of snakes and flying along over the landscape. The fox's beautiful coat rippled in the wind and Bill felt somehow part of her--a lovely free feeling.

When they stopped, the fox told Bill he should consider other qualities of the fox beyond cunning. She said, "We are intelligent, quick to assess a situation, and able to observe and determine what's best for ourselves and others. We act instinctively, having a keen intuition. And it is okay to be a bit cunning in this world. You especially should know that, having survived despite major barriers to overcome in your life!"

Then they swept away again to avoid the drumming which had begun to accompany the shamanic journey. It seemed very loud to Bill. As they sailed through a leafy forest, Bill complained he was chilly, so the fox led him to an old Roman bath site with crumbling walls, and a warm, sunny, sheltered bubbling bath in the centre. Bill crawled in, soaking up the heat and the fox lay on the deck beside him, her lovely long nose stretched flat along her forepaws. Bill felt she was beautiful and experienced a warm feeling of love for the fox, that stayed with him long after the journey.

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What You Can Learn Sitting on a Bench - *Jan's Shamanic Journey
by Laureen Rama

In a weekend shamanic practice workshop for healers, Jan did a shamanic journey to ask how she could care for her soul. Her owl power animal quickly guided her to a bench on the side of a mountain and instructed her to sit. She felt she was being told to trust the process and be patient with the paces of others in her life (much slower than hers!).

Then she felt herself sitting on the porch of her great grandmother, who had lived to the age of 91. The thought came to Jan: "How do we measure success in life?" Reflecting on her great grandmother's life, Jan felt it was a success, since she had had faith, family, and friends. She may not have left many tangible accomplishments behind, but she had touched many lives. In the journey, Jan felt deeply that success in life is truly measured by who we are rather than what we do.

Then Jan thought of herself playing in the mud, making dishes with her young son, a measure of how her life was successful. When that scene ended, Jan asked the owl if her soul needed any healing. She was advised to change her relationships with two people with whom she had unhealthy psychic connections. She was also cautioned not to develop unhealthy ties with another person. As her journey ended, Jan, who is an energetic "doer," felt the overall message she received was that you can learn a lot just sitting on a bench.

* names have been changed and participants have granted permission for the sharing of these stories.