What is a Shamanic journey?
A Shamanic journey is a meditative or trance-like experience in which a person travels to realms beyond our ordinary reality. It is a way of accessing a wider consciousness.
Many people find it quite natural and relatively easy to learn. It typically begins with setting an intention and then allowing one’s mind to go beyond their subconscious to engage with ‘transpersonal’ realms. It can help you connect with the world around you, including nature. It provides opportunities for guidance, healing, spiritual growth, and empowers you to take a more active role in your own healing. If you want to learn more, have a read of my overview of Shamanic journeys.
For many first-timers, though, stepping into this unknown world can feel a little daunting. You might wonder if you’ll “get it right” or if anything will happen at all. Some worry that their imagination will take over or compare their experience to others’. These are all very common concerns, but they are also part of the process of opening yourself up to this powerful practice.
Let’s hear, in their own words, from some of our Introduction to Shamanism participants about their first Shamanic journeys that they undertook on an Introduction to Shamanism Course.
"Thinking back to my first journey, I was excited but also a bit apprehensive: what if I lay there and nothing happened, if I couldn't do it right? I also remember it taking a long time to relax, for my heartbeat to slow. The drumming felt intrusive and made me feel a bit panicky, and I couldn't get past it until very near the end of the 15 minutes. After the journey, I had worries about whether I'd made the whole thing up—was it just my imagination?
Listening to other people’s accounts, I felt a bit like mine wasn’t interesting enough (!). Other people's journeys felt much more convoluted and involved, with much more going on. Did they just have a better imagination than me?
Those thoughts aside, I also felt energised yet calmer and more relaxed—and eager to do another journey. I tried not to worry about whether I was doing it right or how my journey compared to other people's and just go with the flow. Over the course of the first day, one journey might be difficult, and the next easy.
A breakthrough for me was an exercise we did where we had to go out and connect with a tree. I could feel its life force thrumming through me, powerfully, like a heartbeat. It was like I’d had a peek behind the curtain and seen what was really going on. It inspired me to want to learn more, go deeper, to experience that connection again—a bit like going to the optician and getting new glasses and seeing the world clearly for the first time." ~ Jan
“I have been intrigued about Shamanism and journeying and connecting with my spirit guides to help me through life for some time now. I had no idea how limitless this practice could be and how it can then even translate out into the ‘real’ world.
Luckily I was not nervous or apprehensive my first time, as I had experienced something on this level before when meditating. I was more excited to learn how to connect to these worlds.
I think the most normal worry many experience—and certainly how I felt—was that it was all in my imagination, that I was possibly making myself see or feel things and not that it was actually something I was experiencing. It felt hard to believe that I did not need any kind of ‘magic,’ and as an average person, I held the power to do this myself. I started to feel that this was both possible and liberating.
I was fortunate enough to experience visuals on my first journey, where I met a few animals along the way in a lovely garden/jungle space. The drums certainly helped to keep my focus, although I did find my mind wandering at times back into reality. After the journey, physically, my body felt heavy, and I felt quite tired but somehow alive at the same time. The more I practiced, the more possibilities opened up, and the more I felt into the experience, which allows it to feel easier." ~ Lauren
Conclusion
Stepping into the world of shamanic journeying can feel both exciting and uncertain, as reflected in Jan and Lauren's experiences. Their experience highlight five lessons that can help anyone new to shamanic practice feel more at ease at giving it a go:
It’s okay to feel apprehensive or unsure at first – Initial doubts or distractions are normal, but with patience and openness, clarity often emerges.
Every journey is unique – Comparisons with others can distract from the personal significance of your own experiences. Trust that what you see or feel is right for you.
Your imagination is a powerful tool, not a limitation – Many beginners worry they’re "making it up," but imagination is often the bridge to deeper connection and insight.
Connection deepens with practice – Like any new skill, shamanic journeying becomes more profound and natural as you continue to explore.
Shamanic work has real-world impact – Beyond the journey itself, participants often find a stronger sense of purpose, connection, and empowerment that extends into their everyday lives.
If you're curious about experiencing this transformative practice for yourself, an introduction course is a welcoming and supportive way to begin. Whether you’re drawn by curiosity, a desire for personal growth, or a deeper connection with the world around you, taking that first step could open doors to new possibilities you’ve never imagined.
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