A Shaman’s Journey Through the Planes of Existence

by Berenice Andrews

Lying flat on her back on her living room floor, the shamanic teacher/healer prepares to travel into the Otherworld, into the infinite and eternal planes of existence that are above, around and below her. She knows that somewhere in that vastness she will find what she is seeking, for she has been there many times. She knows that the planes of existence constitute the lower, middle and upper realms of the Otherworld. She goes into them because they are filled with the knowledge needed by humanity. She also knows that this knowledge can be acquired initially only from the Otherworld, through inspiration, intuition, insight and shamanic spirit journeying.

Within seconds, she will begin a spirit journey of soul retrieval for a middle-aged man who now lies tightly beside her so that their energy fields can overlap. He’s there because he senses that “something” has been “missing” in him since his childhood. For the shamanic teacher/healer the “something missing” that she will seek and find is a fragment of the consciousness energies she refers to as his “soul substance.” She has already informed him that one or more fragments of soul substance can be lost during traumatic experiences that include injury, serious illness, surgery, sexual abuse and warfare. Now the shamanic teacher/healer asks him to relax, while she journeys.

The heartbeat drumming starts. Embodying only her subtle “bodies” of consciousness, she quickly leaves this Earth plane. Her spirit guide is waiting.

Together they journey through dark and starry space, then through space filled with swirling colors, light orbs and discarnate energies. On and on they travel, faster than the speed of light. Suddenly the journey ends. She and her guide are standing on a tiny platform hovering at the edge of the Void. She sees a staircase that ascends into darkness and notices a cupboard under the steps. She waits.

Out of the cupboard there cautiously emerges a tiny three-year-old boy hugging a toy fire truck. She gently asks him if he would like to go home with her. He glances with fright up the stairs. She lovingly reassures him. Then, with her spirit guide close by, she climbs the steps. Coming to a large cage with iron bars, she sees inside a crouching figure that stares at her with malevolent eyes. Sadly she realizes that here is a child molester and that it must be confined until it seeks healing help. After firmly locking the cage, she and her guide descend the stairs. She picks up the boy, who holds his toy and nestles into her arms.

With her guide leading the way, they quickly return to this Earth plane. Very carefully holding the soul fragment, she rises and kneels beside the man. Cupping her hands like a funnel, she blows the precious energies through it into his heart center. Then she gently raises him into a sitting position and blows the energies into his crown center. They smile at each other and sip some water.

With his permission, she recounts all the details of the journey, His eyes gleam as he remembers his toy truck. And he weeps when she describes the little boy and the presence at the top of the stairs. Until that moment, he had “forgotten” about his abuser. She tells him that with time, he will assimilate the soul fragment and suggests that he seek out caring and competent psychotherapeutic help. They hug each other goodbye.

But there is more….

All Can Access the Planes of Existence
The planes of existence are also in each living human being. They are the centers of consciousness called the “chakras” (wheels of light). The shamanic teacher/healer knows this and carefully teaches her students how to explore their own. Their seven major chakras comprise their holistic human energy system: the spectrum of consciousness energies that is the microcosmic manifestation of the macrocosmic One Consciousness, Creative Energy. Each one of these inner planes of existence carries its own generative power (its archetypal imperative), its own element, color and sound, its own archetypal masculine or feminine force and its own “self.” Each generates out of soul substance the soul structures of physicality, emotionality, mentality and transcendence (spirituality) that the person becomes. Each can be accessed and explored so that it will reveal its enormous power and the woundedness that prevents it from fully functioning. To help heal these planes of existence/centers of consciousness, the students learn how to spirit journey into them.

For example, a student, who had experienced many relationship difficulties throughout the years, decided to explore her sacral center of consciousness; the relationship chakra that generates the primal soul structures of emotionality; those focused mainly on pleasure and/or pain. Because form manifests from consciousness, she wanted to heal this inner plane and, thereby, transmute and/or transform her malfunctioning emotions, a major component of her difficulties.

When she entered her sacral plane of existence, she was horrified by what she saw. There, in the center of a dank and filthy dungeon huddled a little girl covered with sores and clad in grimy white rags. She was peering through her dirty, tangled hair and crying bitterly. With immense love, the student picked her up and carried her out of that dreadful place. The spirit journey ended there. Yet, she had gained enough knowledge to start the healing process. She realized that the archetypal feminine force of her sacral center had been badly wounded and that here was a prime cause of her emotional malfunction. Several months later, after much healing therapy and self-nurturing, she repeated the journey. This time she entered the Western plains and encountered a clean and healthy little girl joyfully dancing with other children around a shamanic fire. That story continues.

The shamanic teacher/healer knows that her work in the macrocosmic and microcosmic planes of existence is a means of helping people to heal and transform.

In short, it promotes the wholeness that is the prerequisite of being truly great. And, after all, isn’t that why we’re here on this Earth plane?

Berenice Andrews is approaching her 79th birthday, and she continues to follow her bliss, remaining “in love” with her work as a shamanic teacher/healer and with the soul searchers she teaches. This article recounts true stories from her work with students and clients. To learn more about her teaching and Rebirthing Into Androgyny:  Your Quest For Wholeness, And Afterward visit thestonecircleclassroom.com.

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