Ginkgo Fire Shamanic Circle

Ginkgo Fire Shamanic Circle meets every 3rd Tuesday at the James City County Library in Toano, & we'd love to see you there.

Each month, we start with a brief welcome and introductions. Then we “open the circle” by lighting a candle, singing, and a bit of group drumming in unison.

After that, I’ll introduce the questions I’ll be inviting the group to journey on for the night. They might be connected to the time of year, or to a spiritual theme. Then, we’ll begin our first journey of the evening, with me drumming for the group. A typical journey will last about 10-15 minutes. Then we’ll take some notes on what we experienced, followed by a conversation where you're welcome to share briefly about what you experienced. We strongly emphasize confidentiality, to keep the circle safe for everyone.

Then, we'll do a second journey on a related topic, followed by another round of conversation and sharing.

Before we close, we spend a few minutes offering shamanic healing to anyone in the circle who requests it, or anyone else who has given us permission to do healing work for them.

Then, we close the circle with a brief song. That's it!

If you'd like to explore shamanic journeying in a friendly, supportive environment, you're warmly invited to come and try it out.

We include both beginners and experienced journeyers. Because of this, I ask that you have some basic familiarity with shamanic journeying before your first visit, so that we can all practice together.

How you can learn the basics:

• Occasionally I offer an introductory workshop to teach people basic shamanic journeying skills. Please contact me if you'd like to participate next time.

• Download this free ebook and turn to the chapter on shamanic journeying. Written by my wife and fellow shamanic practitioner Laura Horton-Ludwig, it's a brief, accessible introduction to journeying that includes a guided drumming track.

• Read Sandra Ingerman's book Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner's Guide for a more comprehensive introduction, along with drum tracks so you can practice on your own.

• Take one of the excellent basic workshops taught by the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. FSS teaches these workshops both online and in person.

What to bring:

To support you as you journey, please bring:

• An eye covering, like a sleep mask or bandanna (blocking out light can help you journey more easily).
• A journal or notebook & writing materials for taking notes.
• A yoga mat and/or blanket, if you wish to lie down while you journey. Remaining seated in a chair is fine too.
• A rattle or drum, if you wish. If you don't have one, that's fine. I always bring a few extras.

Any questions?

I'd be happy to talk with you about any questions you might have. Contact me any time.