Shaman Art Journey: The Guardian’s Gift
Sacred Art Journey: Guardian’s Gift
The moment I stepped into the upper world, the air shimmered with a golden hue, alive with the whispers of unseen guides. I had come seeking names—the sacred names of my guardian and teacher—so I could call upon them when I needed their wisdom. But I knew that journeys such as these always held more than expected.
I began in my familiar place: seated in the wooden chair facing the towering redwood. To my right lay the pond and the cave, to my left, the winding path to the Wise One’s cabin. Rising, I followed the well-worn trail to the dwelling and, upon arrival, struck the triangle hanging from the great tree. The resonant chime rippled through the air, a call, an invocation. As if summoned by the sound, my guide appeared instantly, standing tall and watchful. Just beyond, the Wise One knelt upon the earth, hands moving deftly, his figure partially obscured. Concern flickered in my chest. Was he unwell?
Then I saw it—beneath his hands, a sacred mandala of sand was taking form, an intricate weaving of Native American and Tibetan symbols blending in a delicate masterpiece. My guide, Chiahmyaha, watched as I stepped forward, yet with every movement, I felt myself growing smaller, shrinking, dwindling, until I feared I might disappear entirely.
Chiahmyah reached down, gently lifting me into a small bowl, securing a lid above with tiny vents to let the airflow. I surrendered to the unknown as he placed me at the very heart of the mandala. The moment the bowl touched the center, the world shifted. A portal opened beneath me, and in the next breath, I was elsewhere.
I emerged into a realm of deep indigo skies and shadowed emerald forests. I grew again, expanding until the lid popped open, and I stood at full height. Before me, a great ostrich-like creature regarded me with knowing eyes. “Come,” it said, its voice both resonant and wind-like. “Your teacher awaits.”
I followed, moving through the strange and dreamlike landscape until we reached a grand doorway embedded within an ancient palace wall. The structure beyond was familiar—turrets of French design, spiraling stone staircases reminiscent of Mad King Ludwig’s castles. I felt a deep sense of déjà vu, as though I had been here before but seen it from another perspective, another time.
The ostrich nudged me forward. Up the spiraling stairs I went, into a chamber lined with rich fabrics of crimson and cobalt, where a great hearth blazed with warmth. My teacher stood waiting, the firelight flickering against his face.
“Welcome,” he said, gesturing to a seat by the flames.
I sat, the heat kissing my skin, a sense of quiet significance settling in my bones. I wanted to ask about him, myself, and everyone. I wanted to know why I was in this room, but there was no need. He already knew.
“You have done well to come,” he said. “But your journey is not only for yourself.”
The words echoed in my mind as a vision unfurled. I saw a girl, young, and inquisitive, her hands stained with ink, her journals thick with stories and illustrations chronicling her people’s history. She spoke with the unseen and conversed with muses as though they were flesh and blood. Yet, she doubted—was it imagination or memory? Reality or dream?
Then, another image: an older lady, standing before an oracle’s chamber. A decision weighed upon her heart. To become the Oracle or to turn away? The choice was never truly a choice—it was fate woven through lifetimes. She embraced it and stepped into the calling, awakening to a power that had long been sleeping.
And suddenly, I knew.
“We are all here to awaken what has always been within us,” my teacher said, his voice a gentle reminder. “To reconnect with the Oracle inside. Through your writing and drawing, we will remember. We will bring forth what has been hidden through our visions, words, and actions.”
The air around us thickened, the weight of the revelation settling in my chest. Before I could speak, he handed me a small cup filled with a translucent liquid.
“Drink,” he instructed. “And you will understand.”
I lifted the vessel to my lips. The moment the liquid touched my tongue, the world spun. I shrank, and once more spiraled back into the bowl, the portal reopening beneath me. The colors of the palace faded, replaced once more by the sacred mandala outside the Wise One’s cabin. I felt myself expanding, growing, until I stood before him.
The Wise One gazed at me with deep, knowing eyes. “And what have you learned?”
The words settled deep within me. I learned the stories I tell are not just fiction—they echo my soul’s path. My writing is the bridge between what was and what will be, between past lives and the present moment. It is my gift, my responsibility.
He nodded as if hearing my unspoken thoughts. “Then it is time for you to return. Watch for synchronicities in the coming days. They will guide you further.”
As I returned to the path home, his final words echoed in my heart: “In one week, return. We will speak again.”
And so, the journey closed, yet something had been set in motion within me. In the days that followed, I wove my visions into words and drawings. I also guided others through journeys on their paths. I found myself bridging worlds—between the seen and unseen, the past and future, the waking and the dreaming.
The spirits smile when we bravely step through the portal into our true calling. Through journeying, journaling, and drawing, we do not merely discover—we remember. The past speaks through us, the future whispers ahead and guides us into your sacred space as we become the conduit of timeless wisdom. Be fearless. Step through the veil, and embrace what has always been calling you.
