What is journeying?
Journeying is leaving “this world” reality to enter the “Otherworld” while in the state of ecstasy. It is the actual traveling through the various levels of the Worlds: Siberian shamans have 9 levels and usually travel on the back of a goose of a horse. American Indians have 3 levels and travel in accompaniment with their totem guides. African shamans, depending upon the tribe have multiple layers of the Otherworld and travel with their ancestors. Each shamanic culture has its own version of exactly where and with whom they travel; though each shamanic culture does have some sort of journeying involved. According to Tom Cowan when a shaman journeys he/she is letting their spirit leave their body to journey to the astral plane or spirit realm. There are many ways of obtaining this state of ecstasy, as was discussed with the question “What is Shamanic ecstasy?.” This altered state of consciousness has many levels full awake, dreaming, and daydreaming. Though unlike drug induced or dreame
