The Lower World

The Lower World is what gives us our power, our cojones, our ability to take this shamanic thing and make it our own rather than someone else's version. In astrology, we have Pluto, who is Lord of the Underworld, and one of his main meanings is 'power'. So same thing.

PLUTO

So when you see a teacher trotting out the teachings of 'core shamanism', that is all well and good, it helps people, but if you watch you'll probably see that they haven't yet fully found their own way. And that is not a criticism, because it is a deep thing that I am talking about, that usually takes many years and is ultimately a gift from Spirit.

But I think where I will venture a comment is over the denial of the Lower World. And this is usually unconscious. And it often expresses itself in an over-emphasis on the Light, on heavenly visions of who we could be and a proselytising spirit, the need to bring others with them. But you can't just deny that authentic power, because it will then come out in its shadow form. And that usually means either having someone else on a pedestal, as the embodiment of all that is good; or putting oneself there as a messenger of the Light, as an advanced being, who will bounce back any feedback while maintaining a facade of openness to it. In both cases, the position is well-defended.