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10AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE1SPRING2014YoumaybewonderingwhatmakesmesosuretheplaceIreachedinmyjourneyisreliablycompassionateandsafe.Whatifabullyorcriminalarrivedtheresomeonesodamagedtheyhadnoexperienceorcapacitytocareaboutthewell-beingofothersHowcouldtheybeexpectedtosuddenlybeginfeelingkind-nessandgoodwilljustbecausetheyhadcometothisPlaceIcanonlysaythatinmyjourneyIneverthoughttoquestionmysensethatbadbehaviorwasimpos-siblethereanymorethanIquestionedthetruthandbasickindnessofthemes-sageinmydreamthatGodwascallingmehome.IfyoujourneytothePlaceofReconciliationyouwillexperienceitasitshowsitselftoyouandseeforyourself.Wearehard-wiredtopayextraatten-tiontothethoughtsandemotionsthathelpusreacttothreat.Thisisanancientstrategytokeepusaliveinadangerousworld.Yetwhennotdisturbedbythreatwenaturallysettleintoahappyrestingstate.WhenphysicaldeathhasalreadyhappenedwhereistheneedtocontinuerunninginstinctualbehaviorstoavoiditIfoundthePlaceofReconciliationinajourneybeyondmyowndeathandthatstheonlywayshortofactualphysicaldeathIknowforanyonetoreachit.Itmakessensetomethatwhoeverarrivesnomatterhowbrutalizedbylifemustsuccumbtoitsharmonizingforces.Compassionisatoolaskillfulmeansforarrivingatreconciliationacceptanceandharmonywiththerestoftheuni-versedefinedbyWebstersassympa-theticconsciousnessofothersdistresstogetherwithadesiretoalleviateit.IwouldaddthatinthePlaceofReconcili-ationcompassionismorethanadesiretorelieveanotherssufferingitsaheartfeltwilltodoso.AsaplaceofcompassionthePlaceofReconciliationisadestinationforhealingwhereshamanscanjourneyforhealing.BasedonmyownimpressionsandreportsfromothersIveintroducedtothisjourneyvisitorstothePlaceofRec-onciliationdiscoveradeepappreciationforthesufferingofothersandastrongandheartfeltwilltomakeitbetter.Theyfeeltrulysorry.Theircompassioncanbesostrongitsendsouttendrilsofforcetosurroundanddigbeneaththepainlift-ingitoutandawayfromapersonssoul.Compassioncanhelpyouseeyourclientasahurtchildandgivefreereintoyourinstincttorushtohissideandmakethepaingoaway.InthePlaceofReconciliationthatkindofcompassionistheoperatingprinciple.Itisthelaw.Ev-eryoneknowstheresnowayout.Theyrestucktheretogetherwithnothingtodobutadaptandacceptitasitis.Noonehasthepowertoharmanyoneelseandnoonecanbeharmed.Theonlymove-mentpossibleisthemovementtowardbeautyharmonyandtotalreconciliationwithwhatsthere.Notethatreconcilia-tionamovementtowardlifeisnotthesameasresignationwhichisagivinguptothenumbnessofdespair.InstructionsforanExploratoryJourneytothePlaceofReconciliationIntenttovisitthePlaceofReconcili-ationinnon-ordinaryrealitytolearnaboutitandexperiencethecompassionthere.BeopenandwillingtoacceptwhateverhappensandalerttowitnesskindlovingactsbetweenbeingsinthatPlace.YoucometothePlaceofRecon-ciliationbyright.Itisaplaceinnon-ordinaryrealitydesignedforyou.Youseeitasyourown.Theothersaretherebothforyouandforthemselves.Youcomeasoneofthem.