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Quynn was interviewed for an online newsletter a couple of years ago, and below you will find her responses.
What exactly is shamanism?
First of all, anthropologists tell us that "shaman" is a word that comes from one particular culture. The "Tungus" languaged people of Siberia. While this word comes from one group of people, every human on Earth originally comes from ancestors who lived in small groups and had to read Nature's signs to survive. In this era of our past (I say "past" because only a few cultures on Earth are still living in such ways) is where we would find a person in our group who was called upon to be an intermediary between the human world, and the "spirit world". No matter what each culture called it, there is/was a consistency in such cultures, that every thing has a spirit, including the trees, the rocks, the wind, the animals, as well as dead ancestors. When someone in the group/tribe had a problem, or the group itself had a question, that could not be answered by other means, the "shaman" would travel to the spirit world to hopefully get the needed information to remedy the problem. Please note that each group's shaman is an individual with a personality, as well as personal strengths, so the details of each shaman's job is unique, but the theme is that he/she is able to consciously and at-will enter the spirit world, and come back with answers.
This leads to the question of "what is journeying?". To "journey" is, simply, to go into the dreamworld/spiritworld/other realms of reality on purpose, and while awake. Most Americans have been taught that we experience the worlds of dreams only while asleep but we can, and do, experience this part of our mind (or whatever it is exactly) while awake. When we do this we utilize our logical, discerning mind to maneuver more effectively in the vast wilderness of our inner worlds. Those who have used medicinal plants know the multidemensional quality to the human mind and the world, but one can travel the inner pathways without the help of a plant substance, and it is important to have such experiences without any "helpers". Spirit travelers in shamanic cultures often use rhythm (with instruments and/or voice) to alter the brainwaves, thus making it easier to have the visions of a "journey". Some say the translation of "shaman" is not of a role of a person, but a state of being, which we would describe as "ecstasy". This word describes those moments when time as we know it is altered and the "awe-some" nature of the world around us is revealed, even for an instant. This is the vehicle that assists our multidemensional travel.
When did you first become aware of your interest in the realms of the unseen world?
I was an intuitive child, but I didn't grow up having otherworldly experiences. I didn't seek out the unseen world, it sought me out. When I was 27 years old I had a bizarre physical experience that started my shamanic life. (Briefly, I woke up out of sleep one night with a bloody face, a bruised body and the remnants of memories of a "visitation".) After this experience visions started, I began having strange dreams and synchronistically I was drawn to a teacher who could help me begin to train my mind (I had never "meditated" before). Since then, each piece of teaching has come from journeys of my own, guidance from people around me, books and strange synchronistic encounters that have led me along my path. Many traditional shamanic cultures describe two ways for a shamanic initiate to be taught. One is to apprentice to a human teacher and the second is to be taught by the spirit world itself. Many learn by a combination of the two methods.
After a while I got an internal message that I needed to begin to break down my experience into sizable chunks so I could share it with others. I resisted this idea at first, but I realized I needed to do it, so I did. Now I see many, many other people who are getting messages of their own about how they are supposed to heal themselves and give back. This is the circle of life. I simply help others do what they know they need to do.
Some places seem charged with a tremendous amount of energy, while other places seem uncomfortable or energy-depleting. Animals seem to sense this. Can you explain this? Do you have any tips for sensing these places of power?
Since every place has an energy, sensitive people and animals feel them. Sometimes a physical place has an inherant energy that is not comfortable for humans. One place comes to mind- near Crescent City, California. The story goes that the Orginal People of the area didn't go there because it was known for earthquakes. The Original People warned the white settlers of this but didn't think the warning was important, so they settled. Since, of course, there have been more earthquakes.
I travel around the west and I sense many places are what I call "spirit land", land that is powerful in its particular way, but humans are not meant to live there. Often in these places (I am not going to name any places, I'm sure the reader can think of a few) the Original People of the area would either stay away, or only move through. Many white people don't generally believe in such things so they have made permanent camp, even to the detriment of themselves, and the land.
Another reason for "bad vibes" is that many atrocities have happened in many places. Genocide and meanness have occurred in many places, both to humans, as well as to the land itself. There is a northwest coastal story that tells if a Cedar tree is cut down unjustly the rest of the Cedars will curse the guilty person and his/her people for all time. In the past this belief in cause and affect helped people be thoughtful of what they did, and where they did it. Many white people have not remembered this lesson yet.
"Shamanism" is a need based system, meaning that shamanistic techniques are used when they are needed. Our ancestors' techniques of harmony and healing are certainly needed now, but we cannot wait for some "shaman" to come and help us. We must activate our shamanic minds to help ourselves and the places where we live, so my advice to sensitive people is this- When you sense a sacred place, give thanks. When you sense a place that has been abused, or that something bad has happened there- say some kind of blessing for healing and forgiveness, make one up if you have to. It is the thought that counts.
A central aspect of shamanism is reading signs and omens in nature. Can you explain how an understanding of these messages in nature can synchronistically relate to an event in our lives?
Signs and omens are a common aspect of humanity and this Earth environment. Shamanic peoples experienced signs and omens in Nature because that is where they lived. Today, many people feel that they do not live "in Nature", but the natural world is everywhere so signs and omens occur everywhere.
To clarify, my broad definition of a sign or omen is when something happens at a moment when something else occurs, and it tells you something you need to know. Each occurance is individual, yet the two (or more) events occurring simultaneously create a synchronicity, and this combination takes on a bigger meaning for the person experiencing it. Again, shamanizing is a need based system so a "shaman" may be needing to read the signs for when is the exact right moment to take her people across a mountain pass so that nothing bad happens. In this instance the "shaman" would look for telling indicators (which she would be familiar with, because she knows her environment) that would tell her the exact "yes" moment. A "shaman" would gain or lose influence (power), depending on how successful her reading was for the group.
I hear from many people, myself included, who have had a question or a dilemma and then something happened at a strategic moment to help them know their answer. This magical something could be "natural", such as a raven flying over, dropping a feather, but it could also be that a needed book falls off the shelf at the library, or you hear about the same thing three times in 24 hours. The world is alive and ready to guide us at all times. This includes billboards and technology as well as the wind. The power is in being able to decifer and understand what a sign and/or omen is telling you. No one can do this for you. This wisdom comes from personal experience.
Can you explain what a Power Animal or Animal Totem is?
A sure sign of a "shamanic" people or person is that they say/believe/know that they come from an animal ancestor. More than they are being guided by an animal, but that they feel that their original ancestor is an animal. This is what folks mean when they say they are of the wolf or eagle or otter clan/tribe. Many people talk today about power animals and totem animals and mix the two meanings. In my mind, a totem animal is a cultural name for an original ancestral animal. A power animal is a personal animal guide or helper. Some people believe that a person has one power animal. There are many traditions, and my experience tells me that a person can and often does have at least one animal that is there consistently, and other animals can come to help for specific reasons at certain times. Again, this is all revealed to the individual through their journeys, visions, dreams and intuitions. ***My one piece of advice is that this information should be obtained by personal experience, not by letting someone else, especially someone you don't know, tell you who your animal guides are.
Most people are taught to believe that time is linear. How would you explain the expansion and contraction of time during the experience of Journeying?
There have been many corruptions of the human mind by people who want power and are greedy. One of the most significant disruptions to the "natural time" of humans has been the institution of the Gregorian Calendar and clock time (hours and minutes). I am not going to go into the history of these impositions here, but I would encourage any reader unfamiliar with these ideas to learn more about them. The good news is that since the mechanical timing system is foreign to our bodies and the Earth, it is very easy to forget about them. I'm sure everyone has had the experience of being away from a clock, or being on vacation and forgetting what "day" or "time" it is.
Our dreaming mind operates in a way that is natural to the human brain. When we enter this realm on purpose (Journeying) we are operating in a different timing frequency than that which is taught in school or expected at a "job". Each week in the winter and spring in Tucson, Arizona I offer shamanic journeying circles and I am constantly impressed with how time and space bend for folks while in the "altered state" of journeying. So much can happen in such a relatively short amount of linear time. Everyone has these experiences regularly, usually when doing something enjoyable and relaxing. Many have been taught that such moments are simply "daydreaming" and described as wasting or killing time, but it doesn't matter because our minds gravitate towards their natural state no matter what fools say.
Can the practice of shamanism be employed to lessen the effects of a traumatic experience?
Yes. When we experience trauma we are imprinted in many ways and on many levels. Often when someone is healing from trauma their logical mind may think "I should be over this by now" but they still can be triggered into reaction. Shamanizing accesses the dreaming/child/intuitive mind and gives someone the opportunity to comminicate with that part of the self. It also allows a person to call upon inner help that offers strength and guidance in the healing process. Simply, it can be very helpful to work things out on these realms and receive help from inner guides. I suggest a person wanting to heal should utilize many approaches to the healing process. Healing is like peeling an onion, you have to keep pulling back layers and eventually one reaches the center.
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