AGENDA
Shamanic Drumming Circle in Las Cruces, New Mexico
When: 1st Friday of Month | 4:00 to 5:30pm
Where: Desert Sunrise Studio | 537 N. Alameda | Las Cruces, NM 88005 | Parking on cement pald in alley behind the studio, or on Mountain
Why: Develop shamanic mediation practices in our daily life.
How: Join us for monthly practice of shamanic drumming meditation to generate daily practices in your daily life.
What to bring: pillow & blanket or mat to lie on, eye mask or scarf for meditating. Drum or rattle to use in drumming circle. Please bring a pen and notebook to record your intentions and journeys.
Contact person: David M. Boje, Ph.D. (facilitator)
Cell 575-936-9578; email david@davidboje.com
Intention: To practice shamanic drumming and journeying as taught in Michael Harner’s FSS Basic Workshop (which we recommend to newcomers, at earliest opportunity). We practice using common methods of the shaman to enter non-ordinary reality for problem solving and healing.
What to bring: pillow & blanket or mat to lie on, eye mask or scarf for meditating. Drum or rattle to use in drumming circle. Please bring a pen and notebook to record your intentions and journeys.
Please, set your Intention before the meeting & see Resources for practicing Journey Meditations on your own - Thank you.
(1) Begin by opening the circle with a song (Ghost Dance Song)
- Ghost Dance Song
I circle around, I circle around, the boundaries of the earth
I circle around, I circle around, the boundaries of the earth
wearing my long winged feathers as I fly
wearing my long winged feathers as I fly
I circle around, I circle around, the boundaries of the earth
(2) Checking in, Welcome
You had asked about locating this book: Harner, M. (1990). The Way of the Shaman. PDF Available online for Free. or PDF avaialble free MediaFire. or Buy used copy by mail. or Kindle edition.
(3) First Round of Drumming and Dancing - Calling in our personal power (15 Minutes)
(4) Today's Focus: Practicing Journeying to Upper World
Shamans journey to Upper World to work with ‘teachers’, ancesotors, and so on. Michael Harner (2013: 102-107) tells us that Upper World ascension points can be trees, mountains, rainbows, whirlwinds, tornadoes, waterspouts, and so on. First ascension: explore and report, and journal what you find. You can journey to seek compassionate teacher-spirits, ancestor-spirits can be there (they are not guides). “Visitors treated by a teacher in the Upper World are frequently surprised to have lost their symptoms (such as a chronic backache) immediately upon their return to the Middle World” (Harner, 2013: p. 153).Notice the way that Upper World presents itself.
- First, Setting your Intention: Setting an Intention for this Journey."Focus your intention that you wish to meet a teacher in human form" (Ingerman, 2014: 46). Ask some questions: "Are you my teacher? What do you have to teach me right now? Do you have a massage to share with me or something to show me?" (IBID.).
- 1. Do not ask yes or no questions (avoid dependence on your helpers.
- 2. Start with: who, where, what, and how, NOT when (prophecy is more advanced process).
- 3. Use ethics: do not pry into others’ lives (get permission); OK to ask about your own part.
- 4. Be specific in intention, but open ended.
- 5. Ask teacher in Upper World for what is most perfectly suited to help you with the issue, in most gentle way possible.
- 6. Write Down Your Intention in your notebook.
- Second Drumming: a Drum Solo, as people in circle journey to Upper World to set the rhythm for the Circle (see more Resources for Drumming solo examples on YouTube).
-
- Third, notebooking about Journey to Upper World:
- RESOURCES: More on Journeying
- NOTE:There are Shamanic Practitioners in our Drumming Circle willing to see people during the month to help in healing and journeying.
- Fourth, Sharing (optional) on Journeys to Upper World
(5) Fourth Drumming Time: Dancing with your Power Animal
(6) Responding to any healing requests ( always with permission)
- Be sure to have permission from person you journey for.
(7) Closing the circle with a song (Greeting the Sun)
Greeting to the Sun
Afternoon sun, come my way (3 times)
Come my way, take my pain (3 times)
Take my pain, down below (3 times)
Down below, cool waters (3 times)
Aftenoon sun, I thank you (3 times)