Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
22AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE1SPRING2014Fromtimeimmemorialhumanbeingssoughtthegreatoutdoorsorsoli-tudeobservationlisteningandlearningthewaysonaturetoenhancetheirownsurvivalandempowerment.Shamansrommanycontinentssoughtisolationintheormsowalkaboutsandvisionqueststoincreasetheirpowersandtodevelopspecialsupernaturalabilities.Tewell-knownNativeAmericanVisionQuestisanexampleoceremonialalonetimededicatedtoseekinginnerknowl-edgeanddirectionromthespiritworld.WhyspendsolotimeinnatureSolotimeinnatureisworthitsweightingoldwhenitcomestorelieromthedailygrindostressulcondi-tionsatwork.Butrelieromworkstressisarromtheonlyadvantageoferedbysolotimeinnature.Temysticsandshamansooldwenttonaturebecausetheyknewthattheonlywaytorechargewastohookupwithsomethingmorepowerulthanthey.WhatbetterwaytorechargethantositonamountaininaorestornexttoawateralloraewdaysandnightsTeyknewthatsomeothatnaturalpowercouldbegatheredandstoredusingspecialtechniquesandthenappliedlatertotheiractiveendeav-ors.Tereisnoreasonwhyanordinarypersonorabusinessororganizationalleadercannotlearnandapplysimilartechniquestorechargegatherstoreandapplytherenewedvitalitygainedromsolotime.Whileanintentandsolotimeinanaturalenvironmentareactuallysu-cienttoaccomplishagreatdealthereareotherimportantadditionstoasolothatenormouslyenhanceitsefectiveness.Firstoallduringasoloaparticipantcanengageinaseriesopowerulancientpracticesdesignedspecicallytobreakthrougholdpatternsgatherandstorevitalityandenhancevisioning.Secondlythereisgreatpowerindoingasoloundertheguidanceoanexperiencedsologuidewhosupervisestheexperi-enceoanumberopeopledoingsolosinthevicinity.Tisbringsameasureosaetytotheexperienceaswellasasenseocommunityeventhoughthetimeisspentinsolitude.Aterthesolothegroupcangathershareandintegratetheirexperiencesthusprovidingmuchgreateroverallinsightandlearning.WhathappensonasoloInatruesolotherearenoouterdistractionsnothingtoleakorhelpdischargethepowerotheexperience.Priortoandduringthesolothereisanallimportantdeclaredintentarivetingocustobreakthroughtogatherpowerandclarity.Tisocusthisintentmakesallthediferenceintheworldanddis-tinguishestimealoneromanordinaryvacation.Mostotensoloexperienceslongorshortindurationincludespecialpracticesconcentrationsothemindphysicalposturesorchigongorgather-ingvitalityanddeepmeditation.OnepracticemightbetoanswerthequestionWhoamIorWhatistrulyimpor-tantinmylieOrWhatismyimpos-sibledreamSomeparticipantspracticetaichiyogabreathingexercisesorothermethodsogatheringenergy.Peoplespendtimeinprayersayinghellotona-turerecapitulatingtheirlivesorgivinganderasingnegativememoriesclearingawaypersonalenergyleaksocusingonintentionsandthelike.Tepossibilitiesarepracticallyendless.Apersoncanbeasbusyorasrelaxedasheorshechoosestobeduringtheirsolotime.Tereistrulynoonecorrectwaytodoone.WhatarethechallengesofthesoloPerhapsthegreatestchallengeormanypeopleparticipatinginanaturesoloisboredom.Unaccustomedtohavingmuchtimeontheirhandstheybecomerestlessdgetyirritatedandimpatient.Atrsttheyarenotquitesurewhattodowiththemselveswithnoneotheirusualdistractions.Teirmindsmightitromthingtothinginarandomannoyingwaythatrevisitsworriesandregretscirculatingwithnoresolution.Onemayeelcompelledtopacebackandorthbeingdistractedbythethoughtsthattheyarewastingpre-cioustimewhiletheycouldbeworkingonprojectsputtingtogetherdealsandmakingimportantcalls.Inawordthesepeoplehavebecomeaddictedtostressandhaveachallengeexperiencinganenvironmentthatcanbeexceptionallypeaceul.ESSAYGoingSoloinNatureTheAncientShamanicPracticeForAwakeningToSpiritByJosLuisStevensPh.D.