Adam's Belize Journal- Fall 2005

 Tuesday- Nov 29, 2005 - Plane Ride and Arrival

My partner and I are heading off to Belize today. An early morning start, smooth trip through Newark Airport and off into the air we go. It is during our first trip from New Jersey to Texas that I recall a fellow shamanic practitioner suggesting "you have to try journeying on an airplane sometime". Well I have plenty of time since we are spending most of the day traveling, and I do have a couple of spirits I've wanted to start working with in the spirit worlds.

So I set my intentions to journey out into the sky and to meet with two Egyptian Gods- Shu and Tefnut. These are two of the early creation gods from ancient Egypt. Shu is the god of air and Tefnut is the goddess of moisture. As we the plane flies over tall pillars of cumulus clouds, I figure there is no better place to journey for a first meeting.

I pull out my head phones- start my drumming music, and review my intention before starting the journey.

There was initial difficulty leaving my body. I shifted to shamanic consciousness but the wind and movement of the plane made it difficult to separate from my physical body. When I did release there was an intense rush of wind, air, and energy. I felt tossed about and tried several ways of gaining control- shifting into a bird, using wings, etc. I finally got my bearings and was able to simply navigate through the sky on my own.

I called out to Tefnut and received an immediate reply from a thick cloudbank to the left and below me. However, I also heard many whispering voices from all directions- very similar to a previous journey to cloud spirits. I focused specifically on Tefnut's voice and followed it to the cloudbank.

There was a large hole in the cloud- lined with white marble pillars and several wide steps that lead downward into a temple inside the cloud. The temple was clean, white, pristine, but still felt warm and alive.

Tefnut came into view, she is beautiful. Her skin shifted color between an olive green and a dusky blue-gray. Her hair was long, black, and plated in thick, flat braids. There was a constant trickle of water running down her skin, like condensation on a window, and thick heavy drops of water would drip from her skin and splash on the floor. Her garments where thin, white linen that clung to her wet skin. Sheets of fabric ran from a gold collar to gold bracelets on her wrists. Her top covered the center of her chest and lead into a tight skirt that stretched to her ankles. On her head she wore a circlet with a cobra and many beaded strands hung in front of her face like a Tibetan eye veil.

We exchanged our introductions and she welcomed and received me. She then said it was time to meet her beloved- Shu.

A boat came from across the clouds- it had a long, narrow design with a tremendous hooded cobra on the front. We boarded the boat and began to sail through the clouds and across the sky.

Off in the distance could be seen a huge stone dome- light tan in color. Craggy stone spires wreathed the dome and the light from the sun illuminated the entire structure with a warm glow. We sailed toward a single doorway in the dome and disembarked onto a narrow dock.

As we entered I took note of the huge space inside. The ceiling stretched up very high and shafts of sunlight came down from several openings in the ceiling. Several stone pillars broke up the space and Shu stood across from us.

His skin was bright, almost luminous. His hair was brown and constantly tossed and whipped around by a wind. His white linens were very similar to Tefnut's but were dry and whipped around by strong wind. It was like watching flags being lashed around by a strong gust. From time to time I would also see wings and feathers of small white birds, like doves, that would be seen for just a second around him and then disappear.

As I spoke with Shu and Tefnut they told me how they were the fuel for creation. Nothing could be created without their energies and help and no life could exist without the force of movement that they embody.

I asked, "but what of stillness?" They replied that stillness has its merits, but without the balance of their movement there would be no life in the stillness.

They embraced me and welcomed me once more before I left.

I felt good about this journey, and felt gifted that I was able to do it from the plane where I was physically in the clouds and sky that honored them.