A physical object can connect the shaman with an object’s healing power, and an object placed where we can see it can remind us of our connection to our Tribe. They are a matter of personal preference and what works for us. An offering can also be a way of expressing gratitude.
Where does an altar fit into journeying? #
Some practitioners prepare for journeying with an altar or shrine and an offering. Others light incense or candles, hold a crystal, use a particular blanket, or keep a picture or soft toy of their Power AnimalPower Animal. The Oversoul of a wild species, met as a single Lower-World being and bonded with in a deep, committed, usually lifelong soul-bond of unconditional love. The practitioner’s first and foremost Guide: Panther, not “my panther”. Read the full answer nearby.1
These practices are about moving awareness from ordinary consciousness towards shamanic consciousness. Paul Francis’s own preparation uses little ritual. Some people find elaborate rituals helpful; others use simple ones. The task is to find what works for us, stay flexible, and remember the purpose rather than getting hung up on the ritual. See What part do ritual and ceremony play in Therapeutic Shamanism?
What can a physical object help us connect with? #
When physical objects are used in shamanic healing, their purpose is usually to help us connect to the object’s healing power in shamanic reality. Holding a bone or another part of an animal, for example, can help us tune into that animal in the shamanic realms.2
He also describes how, if a Stone featured prominently in a healing journey, the patient may then be given a physical piece, with the idea of strengthening the connection to what happened. A shaman may use smoke to smudge someone in physical reality, acting out something happening at a much more profound level in shamanic reality.
Some shamans use almost no physical objects; they work directly in the shamanic realms. What matters is knowing the teaching and healing properties and how to work with them. That wider teaching is already covered in What is the medicine bundle?
How can a physical gift express gratitude to a Lower-World Tribe? #
One exercise does just this. First think about an actual physical gift we could offer to express gratitude to the Tribe. It could be a crystal, carving, flint knife or some other object. Or it could be something we make: a toy for the Children, a pipe for the EldersElder (True Elder). The rarer stage beyond Adulthood. Adults decide; Elders advise. More about this, a necklace, poem or letter of thanks.3
Prepare for a journey as usual, holding the gift or having it beside us. In the journey, go to the Tribe and picture offering it to the person or people it is intended for, with love and deep gratitude. Afterwards, place the physical object somewhere visible, where it will remind us of our connection to the Tribe.
