Nepali shamans believe in the existence of three worlds like many shamanic traditions the world over.
These three worlds are the Upper, Middle and Lower Worlds, of which we live in the Middle World. The Upper World is seen as having seven distinct levels, and the Lower World also has its own seven distinct levels too. These three worlds and their several levels are seen as being connected together by an upside down tree called Kalpa Vriksha (the tree of immortality), which has its roots in the sky and its branches and leaves in the lower world.
The shamans travel between these worlds either to get information or to find the lost soul parts of sick people. Different deities and spirits inhabit these three worlds, both compassionate and malignant.
Nepalese shamans work in the Middle World level most of the time, as it is their point of departure for the other worlds. The shamans rarely use hallucinogenic substances or alcohol. Our shamans have a double headed drum which has a very high vibration, and which is held in front of the chest and the face.
The shaman starts drumming and ‘opens’ his body to receive the spirits that he works with. He protects his body by different creating layers of colors and protective spiritual energies, placing his helping spirits in the left and right side, and front and back of his body; invoking the spirits of the different directions. By doing this a shaman connects with the whole universe.
When this invocation is completed, the shaman sings the song of his helping spirits and remembers and re-lives the moment when the spirits first came into contact, when the shaman was initiatied. At this time the shaman feels a physical sensation of cold in the heart region and burning in the umbelical region and his body starts shaking. As the intention for the ceremony or ritual is already made, the shaman journeys to that level or direction.
Shamans also have to know the spirit keepers of the power places they are connected too as well, places like sacred mountains, lakes, rivers, etc., and the shaman has to be able to work with these spirits in order to establish a very good relationship with them. In our tradition, it is only then that exploration of the Lower and Upper Worlds can start; without having this base at the Middle World and a good relationship with the spirits here, it is impossible to work with the other worlds.
Without this connection and deep relationship a journey to the Lower or Middle Worlds would be merely an intellectual journey devoid of real meaning. The shamans have to work in partnership with the spirits, and if they do, then the whole healing process is also a partnership between the shaman and the needy.
