Vision Quest: How to Awaken Your Spiritual Wisdom
Vision Quest, How to Awaken Your Spiritual Wisdom
What is a vision quest? It is a journey, or pilgrimage, to open the way for one to find spiritual guidance and purpose in the next phase of life. It is also a way to find your spiritual guide.
For centuries Native Americans, as well as many cultures around the world, have taken this personal voyage to guide them through life. Many cultures use this journey as a rite of passage for a teenager. It is also a beneficial experience for an older person who has lost their way or had a major life change which has caused difficulty along their spiritual path.
Each tribe, or culture, will have their own ritual on how to experience a vision quest. One such ritual is to confer with the medicine man or shaman of the tribe for advice and instructions. Then the seeker will go out alone to a specific place in nature and fast for four days and nights. During this time, the seeker sits in the same spot and meditates. Of course, there will be times one has to take a break for personal need.
What is a spiritual guide? It is an animal or bird which will have a strong influence on your way of life. During the quest, when one meditates deeply, this guide will appear in a vision or dream and bring the messages one needs to know (ie: how to handle certain problems in life or which direction to take). The attributes of the spirit guide are an important part of why a particular guide has come to you. It could very well mean you need to focus on and build those attributes within yourself.
I found out many years ago my spirit guide is the puma. At certain times in my life, my guide has been a Cooper’s hawk. Both these guides have helped me through difficult times.
When I had an online Native American site, one of my viewers wrote to me and said he often sees a lone wolf when out camping or hiking. He asked me if the wolf is his spirit guide. I told him I could not answer his question. “You will know this within you, and it will come to you in dreams or meditation.” He wrote back to me about a year later and confirmed the wolf is his spirit guide and his life had changed for the better.
How can a vision quest awaken your spiritual wisdom? All I can say about it is you will find out in your own way. Each person will find their right path when they feel a deep peace within their soul and a warm love for all things in life glowing in their heart. It will come to you in your own time and way.
When your life is in balance and your spiritual path has become more clarified, you will know you have found your right path in life. And you will have awakened your spiritual wisdom.
Now, I realize that not everyone can go sit on a mountain top or somewhere else in nature and fast for four days, but there are ways to find your place of solitude and meditate. Find your place, find your peace, and awaken your spiritual wisdom.
~~~
© 2022 Phyllis Doyle Burns
I love feedback for it helps me to know what my readers like to see. Please scroll down to the Comments section and let me know your thoughts on this post. Thank you.
For more works by this author see Phyllis Doyle Burns on The Creative Exiles.
and Phyllis Doyle Burns on HubPages
I have always liked to write.It is important to me that writing comes from my heart and soul. When writing poetry, if I do not feel a spiritual connection to what I am writing on, I will discard it and go on to something I can connect with on a spiritual level. I live in the moment, I write from the past or beyond the veil. When writing fiction I go with whatever inspires me at the moment - it could be funny, sorrowful, romantic or sometimes done with the use of colloquial language from mountain folk or other cultural regions.
I began writing content online in 2007, starting with BellaOnline - A Voice For Women, where I was the Native American Editor, Folklore & Mythology Editor, and the Appalachian Editor. I also wrote articles forThe Examiner, Daily Two Cents, and Yahoo. I am currently an author on HubPages.
Most of what I write takes a lot of research and I love it. Even if it is a fictional story, I will research for accuracy in whatever it takes to make my characters, their era, their location, etc. become realistic to the reader.
I hope you enjoy my works. Thank you for visiting.
- Ode to Voices in Desert Sands - August 14, 2023
- My Secluded Mountain Forest Nook - July 24, 2023
- My Cozy Log Cabin in the Woods - July 22, 2023
In a week I am taking the kids camping at the Four Corners and to hike Mesa Verde. I have written about Mesa Verde before and visited the ruins when I was a child. I have had visions of the place my whole life this must be a spiritual quest and I am excited to see what enlightment lies in the ruins. When I was young I realized my spirit animal was Bear. At first I did not like Bear and did not understand its importance but now that I am parenting three children I visit the spirit of Bear often. Thank you for this How-To it has been very helpful. Jamie
Thank you for reading this article, Jamie. I am glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful. Bear is a powerful spirit animal. Bear is protective, caring, and courageous. Enjoy your camping trip to the Four Corners. This will be a wonderful place for a vision quest and a great spiritual experience for you and the kids.
This is a very interesting piece, Phyllis. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
You are most welcome, John. Thank you for reading. Glad you find it interesting.