JUST AS WE ALL HAVE POWER ANIMALS, WE ALSO have human-form teachers looking to help and guide us.
All spirit entities can travel to any of the spiritual dimensions, but our human-form guides are generally found in Upper World.
Before we journey in search of our ancestral helping spirits, it is important that we understand that they are a very specific type of ancestral spirit.
Not everyone leaves their earthly form to become a helping spirit.
While every person crosses over to the spirit realm at the end of their incarnate lives, not every soul will become resolved after crossing over.
Some souls carry unresolved karma and emotional baggage, making them inappropriate to act as helping spirits.
If you consult with these ancestors, you may find their advice to be rooted in their own traumas and fears.
Ancestral helping spirits are resolved spirits, meaning they reconnected with the source after passing, becoming whole again.
These ancestral helping spirits have chosen to return and act as guides.
When we journey, it is these resolved spirits we want to connect with. As we have addressed before, you should approach your journeys to Upper World without expectations or preconceptions.
Ancestral helping spirits come in many forms and may surprise you.
Sometimes we see family members, or famous teachers, or even children.
Whoever shows up for you has the correct message to share with you in that moment.
Prepare for your journey to Upper World, in the same way you did for Lower World.
You will need the following: A quiet place where you can be uninterrupted for approximately 30 minutes A comfortable place to lie down that is not your bed, such as a yoga mat or a comforter you can place on the floor.
I recommend not journeying in bed, as you are more likely to fall asleep.
A light blanket, if you tend to get cold Comfortable clothing.
You don’t want to be distracted by physical discomfort.
An eye cover, if your space can’t be darkened A pillow to support your head (optional) Your audio recording of live drumming. I recommend a 15-minute drumming audio to start.
A journal to chronicle your journey when you return When you are comfortable, close your eyes and start your drumbeat.
Hold your intent clear in your mind, which is to journey to Upper World and meet one of your ancestral helping spirits.
I find it helpful to ask one of my power animals to show up and help me find my way to Upper World.
Start your journey in Middle World by visualizing yourself in a space in nature that feels safe to you.
I usually find that one of my power animals is waiting for me, as requested.
From your starting point, look for an elevated place you can access, such as the top of a tall tree or a mountain.
Some practitioners imagine elevators into the clouds, though I personally dislike using man-made machinery in my journeys.
Experiment with different approaches, so you can find what works best for you.
Make your way up, and once you reach the top of this place, allow yourself to continue moving upward into the sky, far above the earth.
Keep traveling upward into the atmosphere until you encounter a membrane separating Middle World from Upper World.
This membrane is a tangible boundary, and you can access Upper World only by crossing it.
Without finding this transition point, you will keep traveling upward endlessly within Middle World.
If you do not find it on your first try, do not be discouraged.
Take a break and try again later.
On my first attempt, I spent the entire time wandering around a cloud layer but did not manage to leave Middle World.
I had been journeying to Lower World for years, but found the threshold to Upper World much more difficult to access.
My second journey was far more successful.
Once you do encounter this membrane, move through it and arrive in Upper World.
Take the time to notice your surroundings, making sure to check in with of all your senses.
Are you seeing, smelling, feeling, or hearing anything? Move around Upper World and get to know your surroundings.
You will probably find Upper World very different from Lower World.
If you were accompanied by a power animal, you can request their help in finding your ancestral helping spirit.
In my experience, our human-form guides can be a bit hesitant to fully reveal themselves on the first encounter.
They may keep their faces shadowed or covered by a veil.
Be willing to accept this, as they will probably reveal themselves once you are more familiar with one another.
In the meantime, enjoy their company and ask them what information or guidance they have to offer you.
Like our power animals, they have endless wisdom to share and it comes in many forms.
In some of my journeys, my ancestral helping spirits have taught me very specific healing rituals, which I then incorporated into my ceremonial practices.
They may teach you power ceremonies, songs, incantations, or many other powerful lessons.
When you hear the callback drumming, be sure to thank your ancestral helping spirits for their guidance before retracing your steps.
Find your way back to your starting point, passing through the boundary membrane as you return to Middle World.
As your journey wraps up, take the time to ease back into your body before moving.
Record your experiences in your journal so you can revisit them later.
We often need time to process the full meaning of the messages received from our guides, and it is very helpful to have an account of our journey to remind us of the details.
You have now received basic guides for how to journey both to Lower and Upper Worlds.
These are practices you should engage in regularly so you can keep learning from your helping spirits.
I have found that journeying at least once a month is a good schedule to keep feeling connected. If you are able to do so more often, I definitely encourage it.