Many people in today's world are being called by spirit to
become psychopomps. The psychopomp is a guide who leads the soul on its journey
to the afterlife. The term derives from the Greek word psuchopompos, literally
meaning the "guide of souls." The psychopomp is a universal,
cross-cultural archetype. In Jungian psychology, the psychopomp is a mediator
between the conscious and unconscious. It is symbolically personified in dreams
as a wise man or woman, or often as an animal guide. Stories of psychopomps are
widespread throughout the myths, legends, and religious texts of cultures
around the world. Psychopomps have been associated at different times and in
different cultures with angels, horses, whip-poor-wills, ravens, dogs, crows, and
owls. In many cultures, the shaman also fulfills the role of the psychopomp. Their
role is not to judge the deceased, but simply to provide safe passage.
Unfortunately, many of the psychopomp myths and rituals that
once helped prepare people for this final rite of passage have become lost or
forgotten. When people are unprepared to face death, they often need additional
assistance. Souls that die in a state of fear or confusion may also need
assistance crossing over. Other souls are held back by grieving relatives who
cannot let them go. If not channeled properly, grief is useless to the dead and
dangerous to the living. For example, in funeral rites among the Dagara people
of West Africa , drumming and singing are used to open
the mourners to grief. Grief is then channeled in such a way that it will
convey the newly deceased soul to the afterlife. Without the help of the
drummers, musicians, and singers, the powerful emotional energy cannot be
unleashed.
There are many techniques and ways to perform psychopomp
work. I work primarily with the drum and the power of a clear intention to help
earthbound souls move beyond their worldly attachments and progress towards the
Light. When you play a drum, the sound can be heard by the spirits throughout
all realms of the spirit world. The sound waves create a bridge between the
physical and spiritual planes. In the sound world, a tunnel opens through which
souls can pass, or our helping spirits come to us. When you stop playing the
drum, the bridge disappears.
The drum also serves as a concentration device for stilling
the mind and focusing our attention. Shamans have understood for centuries that
sustained focused attention on a specific intention, while in a state of inner
silence, channels our creative energy into manifesting the physical equivalent
of the focus. It is consciousness that creates the material universe, not the
other way around. The creative power of our intent is limited only by what we
believe is possible.
I begin by creating a purified sacred space where well-being
and health can flourish. I visualize a beacon of luminous white light emanating
from the center of my sacred space and out into the net of light around our
planet. I then call in the spiritual energies of the seven directions--East,
South, West, North, Above, Below, and Within. I also call upon the Archangel
Michael, the spirit horses of the four directions, and all of my helping
spirits. Next I state my intention to help earthbound souls cross over into the
afterlife. I then begin drumming a steady, metronome-like rhythm pulsed at
around three to four beats per second. As I drum, I silently recite my
intention like a mantra. The key is to focus your energy to that point on the
drumhead's surface that you are striking, not beyond it. Transfer your energy
and intention into the drum, stroking it firmly, yet gently, until it sings and
hums. With practice, you learn just how much energy to send out to achieve a
desired result and how much to retain so that you don't tire. When you have
finished your psychopomp work, sacred space must be closed. To learn more, look
inside my book Shamanic Drumming.
We are currently in a time of great transition where a
growing number of people are being called to fulfill the sacred role of the
psychopomp. Some choose to offer their assistance in conjunction with their
function as a hospice worker, or as a midwife to the dying. Others, like me, prefer
to focus more on helping those who may be trapped in the spirit realms. If you
are being called to become a psychopomp, then look inside the book Delayed Departure: A Beginner's Guide to Soul Rescue by author and regression therapist
Ann Merivale. This book contains valuable information for anyone interested in
embarking on the important work of soul rescue, with illustrations taken from
the author's own practice.
