How to Live a Joyful Life

Most people want to live a happy life, but it can be bewildering. Our culture teaches us to strive after so many things that don't lead to happiness: money, status, power, fame, instant gratification, material possessions, the perfect body, and on and on and on. And so each of us is on a journey to discover how to live a joyful, meaningful life. We try to figure out how to shed the conditioning that has proven to be so shallow, and do things differently. But what does that look like to do things differently? Shamanic practitioner Kris Abrams offers five lessons from shamanism about "How to Live a Joyful Life."

The Reindeer Riders

Dukha Shaman

Some of the world's greatest secrets and mysteries can be found beyond the boundaries of human civilization. With globalization encroaching more and more on those that try and maintain their unique ways of life, it's incredible to observe those that persevere. This is what makes the Dukha people of the Mongolian outback so fascinating. The nomadic tribe has lived in remote forests in northwestern Mongolia for centuries. During that time, they have developed a distinctive relationship with wild animals that is quite amazing. Through their own brand of animal husbandry, the Dukha people have learned to use reindeer as a means of transportation over the treacherous terrain they call home. They ride them into the deep snowy forests to hunt for food and collect antlers they can sell to nearby villages for basic supplies. Photographer Hamid Sardar-Afkhami recently documented them in a series of stunning photographs.

Nets of Being: Alex Grey's Visionary Art

"Great Net of Being" by Alex Grey

Every once in a great while an artist emerges who does more than simply reflect the social trends of the time. Such an artist is able to transcend established thinking and help us redefine ourselves and our world. Today, a growing number of art critics, philosophers, and spiritual seekers believe that they have found that vision in the art of Alex Grey. His portrayals of human beings blend anatomical exactitude with visionary depictions of universal life energy. Grey’s striking artwork leads us on the soul’s journey from material world encasement to recovery of the divinely illuminated core. In this Huffington Post interview, Grey discusses how he turned from suicidal nihilist to visionary artist, the convergence of psychedelics and Tibetan Buddhism, holding together a marriage involving two artists, live-painting with Beats Antique and the Disco Biscuits, and his unusual spiritual portrait of Obama.

Shamanic Revival in Tuva

Tuvan Shamans

While traditional shamanism continues to decline around the world, it is currently undergoing a revival in Tuva (southern Siberia). Tuva is regarded as the birthplace of shamanism. It is one of the few places in the world where the shamanic heritage has remained unbroken. Through the millennia, shamans have been very important in the area of the modern-day Republic of Tuva. Tuva is a unique place where no-one questions if spirits actually exist. They exist; the question is how to communicate with them.

In everyday life the Tuvan shaman is not distinguishable from other people, but when he is engaged in communicating with spirits he has to make use of a special dress and special instruments. Of these the most important and the one in most general use is the shaman's drum. It may be said that all over Tuva, where there is a shaman there is also a drum. The drum has the power of transporting the shaman to the spirit world and of evoking spirits by its sounds. Among the Tuvans, all their philosophy of life is represented symbolically in the drum. Photographer Vera Salnitskaya has published a photographic essay exploring the shamanic resurgence.

The Shamanic Drum as Cognitive Map

The Sami peoples of northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula in Russia practiced an indigenous form of shamanism until the religious repression of shamanic practices in the mid 17th century. The runebomme, an oval frame or bowl drum, was an important trance and divination tool of the noaidi, or Sami shaman. Sami shamanic drums depict their mythical representation of the world. Sami drumheads are decorated with cosmological rune symbols and drawings of heavenly bodies, plants, animals, humans and human habitations; sometimes divided into separate regions by horizontal or vertical lines. Sami drums are characterized by a central sun cross with arms protruding in the four cardinal directions. The cross symbolized the sun--the source of life. The horizontal or vertical lines represented the three realms of the shaman's universe.

The drum is a key to the cosmology of the Samis. The figures of the drum were a kind of cognitive map for the journey of the shaman's ego-soul between the three levels of the universe. At the same time it was the collective side of the drum, open to the public to be observed collectively and interpreted publicly by the shaman to the audience who shared the same cosmologic beliefs. The cyclic world-outlook of shamanism became manifest in the oval shape and the heliocentric figures of the drum. It was probably used, read and interpreted from different directions in a way that shifted annually in accordance with the seasonal variation. To learn more read "TheShamanic Drum as Cognitive Map" by Juha Pentikäinen. This article presents this rich iconography and ends on a comparative analysis of the "message" painted on these drums with Finnish folklore, its mythology and, especially, its ancient oral literature.

Frame Drum Singing

Karen Renée Robb

Singing and drumming are extremely powerful tools for restoring the vibrational integrity of body, mind, and spirit. When coupled together, they move us to a level of awareness beyond form, a place where we discover our own divinity. You can sing while playing a frame drum or just sing directly into the drum without playing it.

When you play or sing into a drum, the sound opens a path of communication between the spiritual and earthly realms. According to Wallace Black Elk, the renowned Lakota shaman, "When you pray with that drum, when the spirits hear that drum, it echoes. They hear this drum, and they hear your voice loud and clear."

You can use musical sound to summon the healing power of helping spirits or enter the spirit world to access information directly from the source. There is a bridge on these sound waves so you can go from one world to another. In the sound world, a tunnel opens through which we can pass, or our helping spirits come to us. When you stop playing or singing, the bridge disappears. To learn more about frame drum singing, visit Karen Renée Robb's website Frame Drum Wisdom.

Happy Fall Equinox 2015

Pyramid of Kukulkan

At the Autumnal Equinox, we begin a new cycle on the Medicine Wheel of Life, entering the West--the home of autumn, twilight, Bear, introspection, and transformation. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the day and night are in balance, the Pyramid of Kukulkan (or Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent god) at Chich'en Itza, Mexico is visited by its namesake. On every equinox, the sun projects an undulating pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon--a pattern caused by the angle of the sun and the edge of the nine steps that define the pyramid's construction. These triangles of light link up with the massive stone carvings of snake heads at the base of the stairs, suggesting a massive serpent snaking down the structure. On the equinox, Kukulkan returns to earth to commune with his worshipers and provide blessing for a full harvest and good health before descending into the underworld.

5 Herbs That Help Induce Lucid Dreams

The latest trend in lucid dreaming is the use of herbs to increase dream recall and trigger more dreams where you become aware you are dreaming. There are more than enough legal natural herbs that are completely safe, have no side effects, don't put any strain on your nervous system, and have many positive physiological benefits. These herbs can greatly increase your chance to go lucid, but they will not do the trick alone. These herbs are worthless if not taken with the right mindset, as well as more traditional forms of lucid dreaming induction. However, taken with intention, respect, and as part of an ongoing mind-training program, these herbs may enhance the opportunities to work with self-awareness in the dream. Here are five legal herbs that will help induce lucid dreams:

 

 1. Mugwort: Mugwort is a commonly used herb in Europe. It's believed to help settle the stomach and treat digestive troubles, and it can also be used as a dream augmenter. Mugwort can be smoked, burned as an incense, or used as a tea.

2. Mexican Tarragon: Tarragon is another dream enhancing herb. It's commonly used in Mexican dishes and is frequently used in traditional Dia De Los Muertos observances for its powers of inducing lucid dreaming. This can be used as a tea or incense as well.

3. African Dream Bean: Off the coast of Madagascar, as well as in some parts of Australia and Asia, you'll find this rather common bean growing. It's used sometimes as a skin treatment and is also great for teething babies. It's most interesting use is its power to induce not just lucid dreams, but dreams that purportedly connect you with the spirit realm. The bean itself is eaten for this effect.

4. Wild Asparagus Root: Wild asparagus root, which is fairly widespread, is legendary for allowing your consciousness to soar during sleep. It purportedly helps you achieve dreams of other dimensions and places as you sleep. It can also help relieve stress and help keep your lungs and kidneys healthy.

5. Blue Lotus: For the ancient Egyptians, the Blue Lotus was among the most sacred of plants. It was associated with life origins and divine perspectives. It was also used to stimulate sex drive and fertility. The ancients believed it could slow down the process of aging. Many believe that this flower was soaked in water or wine and could be used as an intoxicant. It helped its user achieve visionary states.

Drums: The Rhythm of Life

Drums are the most essential and widespread instrument in the history of human culture; its pulsing heartbeat is the rhythm of life. Rhythm and resonance order the natural world. Dissonance and disharmony arise only when we limit our capacity to resonate totally and completely with the rhythm of life. The origin of the word rhythm is Greek meaning "to flow." We can learn to flow with the rhythm of life by simply learning to feel the beat, pulse, or groove while drumming. When drummers feel this rhythmic flow, especially at a slower, steady beat, they can shift into a state of deep relaxation and expanded awareness. It is a way of bringing the essential self into accord with the flow of a dynamic, interrelated universe, helping us feel connected rather than isolated and estranged.

To learn more about drums and the rhythm they create in life, look inside A History of Religion in 5 1/2 Objects by religion scholar S. Brent Plate. In this beautifully written book, Plate explores how five everyday objects--stones, incense, drums, crosses, and bread--are intricately connected to spirituality. Plate analyzes the deep-rooted similarities in how these objects, connected to the five senses, have been used among different religions, and across history. It's truly a great joy to read.

Burning Man Dreamtime

Burning Man is North America's quintessential experience of waking life having the characteristics of a dream. Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather to create Black Rock City in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and ReDreaming the "World-as-it-is" into the "World-as-it-can-be." They depart one week later, having created unbelievable artistic experiences that contribute to the collective dream, and having left no trace whatsoever. I invite you to view my new music video "Burning Man Dreamtime."

"Shamanic Transformations"

I am a contributing writer for the new book "Shamanic Transformations: True Stories of the Moment of Awakening." It is a collection of inspiring accounts from contemporary shamans about their first moments of spiritual epiphany. Contributing writers include Sandra Ingerman, Hank Wesselman, John Perkins, Alberto Villoldo, Lewis Mehl-Madrona, Tom Cowan, Linda Star Wolf, and others. My contribution is "The Calling," which is an excerpt from my book "Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits." How does one receive the "call" to enter onto the shamanic path? What causes some people to change their safe, uneventful, and ordinary lives and start on a spiritual search? To learn more, look inside "Shamanic Transformations." To read the entire excerpt of "The Calling," click here.

The Hopi Butterfly Dance

In the summer of 1989, my wife and I had the opportunity to attend the Hopi Butterfly Dance in northeastern Arizona. The Butterfly Dance is one of the most beautiful and spectacular of the Hopi social dances. Like most Hopi ceremonies, the Butterfly Dance is a petition for rain, good health and long life for all living things. The dance is a celebration of the harvest that recognizes the butterfly for its beauty and its contribution in pollinating plant life.

The main participants are Hopi youth and young adults who are accompanied by a drummer and a chorus of singers. The participating girls each wear an elaborately painted headdress or kopatsoki made for them by their male dance partners. The imagery includes symbols of the girl's clan and sometimes of her dance partner's clan. The boys wear loosely fitting velvet shirts and tailored kilts that are embroidered with cloud and rain symbols. Everyone dances lightly, keeping time with the constant drumbeat. The dancers' gestures interpret and emphasize each song's meaning: lowering the arms depicts the lowering clouds, moving the arms in a zigzag motion denotes lightning, lowering the palms signifies rain, and lifting the hands symbolizes the growing stalks of corn.

To watch the Butterfly Dance is to be transported to a way of life rooted in the distant past. The Hopi (The Peaceful People) have carried on their ancient way of life and culture in northeastern Arizona for more than 2000 years. To be Hopi is to strive toward achieving a state of total reverence and respect for all things, to be at peace with these things, and to live in accordance with the instructions of Maasaw, the Creator or Caretaker of Earth. The Hopi observe their traditional ceremonies for the benefit of the entire world. Watch the Hopi Butterfly Dance.

"This May Be the Last Time"

"This May Be the Last Time" is a documentary by Native American filmmaker Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Creek) that interweaves the story of the 1962 disappearance of his grandfather with the rich history of the Muscogee (Creek) hymns the Seminole community sang as they searched for him. It's the evolution of these songs, a form of a capella "line singing," that Harjo determines to investigate and shed light on. Through interviews with community members and outside academics, Harjo discovers that the hymns likely entered the Seminole language via Scottish missionaries, who also influenced rural Appalachia congregations, as well as African American churches in the South during the early 1800s, prior to the tragic relocation of Seminole communities on the notorious "Trail of Tears." Tribal members sang the songs on the long forced march and they subsequently became mainstays of churches reestablished in Oklahoma.

Most intriguingly, Harjo's sources help make the connection between one of their religious songs and the Rolling Stones' cover of the Staples Singers' gospel tune "The Last Time." The roots of the song can be traced back to an African American spiritual from the 1800s called "This May Be The Last Time." Filtering painstaking research on the evolution of Creek Nation hymns through a tragic narrative from Harjo's family history, the director's first nonfiction feature is heartfelt and illuminating. The documentary can currently be streamed at Netflix. To learn more, please visit the official website.

Shiva's Drum

Shiva, Lord of the Cosmic Dance

According to Hindu mythology, Shiva is the lord of the cosmic dance and the cosmic sound of AUM, from which the entire universe in generated. Shiva is often depicted with an "hourglass drum" or damaru, which provides the music for the dance, and symbolizes the act of the creation of the universe through sound. The sounding of Shiva's drum produced the first sound (Nada, the source of creation) in the void of nothingness; its pulse setting up a rhythm to which Shiva began his dance of creation.

The damaru is a small drum with two drumheads, which symbolize the two states of existence--unmanifest and manifest. When a damaru is vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance to create one sound. The drumbeat is the tuner sound, the sound that fuses the unmanifest and manifest aspects of vibration into one resonance. The sound thus produced by the damaru symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation. According to Hindu scriptures, Nada is the source of creation. It is through this drum that the universe was created, and through it the universe will be destroyed and renewed again in the endless cycles (rhythms) of time. 

The damaru, like all double-headed drums, constitutes a microcosm of the universe, unites the masculine and feminine principles, and produces sounds with a tremendous dynamic range. By playing a double-headed drum we become co-creators. In such a drum there is balance between male and female forces. Earth and Sky, Matter and Spirit, Shiva (divine masculine) and Shakti (divine feminine) are working together in perfect harmony. With clarity of thought and intent, the drummer becomes a co-creator of all that is needed to benefit all beings unto seven generations. To learn more, look inside my book Shamanic Drumming.

Rain Blessing

May the blessing of the rain be on you--

the soft sweet rain.

May it fall upon your spirit

so that all the little flowers may spring up,

and shed their sweetness on the air.

May the blessing of the great rains be on you,

may they beat upon your spirit

and wash it fair and clean,

and leave there many a shining pool

where the blue of heaven shines,

and sometimes a star.

--Old Gaelic Rain Blessing

I invite you to view my new music video "Rain Blessing."

Quantum Theory of Soul's Existence

In his book, "Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness Are the Keys to Understanding the Nature of the Universe," Dr. Robert Lanza explains his new theory of biocentrism. Biocentrism teaches that life and consciousness are fundamental to the universe.  It is consciousness that creates the material universe, not the other way around.

The theory implies that death of consciousness simply does not exist. If the body generates consciousness, then consciousness dies when the body dies. But if the body receives consciousness in the same way that a radio tuner receives radio waves, then of course consciousness does not end at the death of the physical vehicle. In fact, consciousness exists outside of constraints of time and space. It is able to be anywhere: in the human body and outside of it. In other words, it is non-local in the same sense that quantum objects are non-local.

In support of Dr. Lanza's theory, two world-renowned quantum scientists claim they can prove the existence of the soul. American Dr. Stuart Hameroff and British physicist Sir Roger Penrose developed a quantum theory of consciousness asserting that our souls are contained inside structures called microtubules which live within our brain cells. Their idea stems from the notion of the brain as a biological computer, "with 100 billion neurons and their axonal firings and synaptic connections acting as information networks".

Dr. Hameroff and Sir Roger have been working on the theory since 1996. They argue that our experience of consciousness is the result of quantum gravity effects inside these microtubules -- a process they call orchestrated objective reduction (Orch-OR). In a near-death experience the microtubules lose their quantum state but the information within them is not destroyed. Or in layman's terms, the soul does not die but returns to the universe.

Dr. Hameroff explained the theory at length in the documentary "Through the Wormhole," which was recently aired in the US by the Science Channel. "Let's say the heart stops beating, the blood stops flowing, the microtubules lose their quantum state," Dr. Hameroff said. "The quantum information within the microtubules is not destroyed, it can't be destroyed, it just distributes and dissipates to the universe at large. If the patient is resuscitated, revived, this quantum information can go back into the microtubules and the patient says 'I had a near death experience'. In the event of the patient's death, it was possible that this quantum information can exist outside the body indefinitely -- as a soul."

This quantum theory of consciousness explains things like near-death experiences, astral projection, out of body experiences, and even reincarnation without needing to appeal to religious ideology. The energy of your consciousness potentially gets recycled back into a different body at some point, and in the mean time it exists outside of the physical body on some other level of reality, and possibly in another universe.

The Call of the Psychopomp

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. 

The Descent of the Feathered Serpent

In March of 1994, I was fortunate enough to visit the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chich'en Itza, Mexico on the vernal equinox when the sun projects an undulating pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon--a pattern caused by the angle of the sun and the edge of the nine steps that define the pyramid's construction. These triangles of light link up with the massive stone carvings of snake heads at the base of the stairs, suggesting a massive serpent snaking down the structure.

           

According to legend, twice a year when the day and night are in balance, this pyramid dedicated to Kukulkan (or Quetzalcoatl), the feathered serpent god, is visited by its namesake. On the equinox Kukulkan returns to earth to commune with his worshipers, provide blessing for a full harvest and good health before entering the sacred water, bathing in it, and continuing through it on his way to the underworld.

A Shamanic Perspective on Schizophrenia

What does a father do when hope is gone that his only son can ever lead anything close to a "normal" life? That's the question that haunted Dick Russell in the fall of 2011, when his son, Franklin, was thirty-two. At the age of seventeen, Franklin had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. For years he spent time in and out of various hospitals, and even went through periods of adamantly denying that Dick was actually his father. Desperately seeking an alternative to the medical model's medication regimen, Dick introduces Franklin to West African Dagara shaman and writer Malidoma Patrice Somé, Phd. Somé helps Franklin in a way Western medicine couldn't, bringing to light the psychic capabilities behind the seemingly delusional thought patterns, as well as his artistic talents.

The Dagara people of West Africa have an entirely different view of what is actually happening to someone who has been diagnosed as "mentally ill." In the shamanic view, mental illness signals "the birth of a healer," explains Somé. Thus, mental disorders are spiritual emergencies, spiritual crises, and need to be regarded as such to aid the healer in being born. What those in the West view as mental illness, the Dagara people regard as "good news from the other world." The person going through the crisis has been chosen as a medium for a message to the community that needs to be communicated from the spirit realm.

A different perspective opens up very different possibilities. The Dagara people use ritual to relieve the suffering at the core of "mental illness." According to Somé, ritual can open the way for the individual's healing relationship with helping spirits that supports a cure or definitive movement out of the "mentally ill" state of being and back into the world as an individual better equipped than most to give their gifts to the world. To learn more, look inside Dick Russell's memoir, "My Mysterious Son: A Life-Changing Passage Between Schizophrenia and Shamanism."

Painting the Landscape of Your Soul

Damini Celebre, is a fine artist, art educator, acupuncturist, a shamanic practitioner, and now, an author. In her new book, Painting the Landscape of Your Soul: A Journey of Self Discovery, Celebre combines her two passions, creative arts and healing arts, to synthesize a unique approach to awakening your creative self. Painting the Landscape of Your Soul engages and reawakens your innate creativity as a path to self discovery. This book is a step-by-step journey of empowerment, reclaiming your inner self with paint and paper. It incorporates trusting your intuitive voice with deep, underlying principles of healing such as energy medicine and shamanism. Pablo Picasso was once quoted as saying, "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." According to Celebre, the practice of art allows our soul's to talk to us, to be clear, and to illuminate the path of our soul's true purpose. More than a book about art, this is a much needed book about using a very innate form of expression to discover our true self. Celebre's book is available at Amazon.