Understanding the Spirit Mind

Shamanism Blog by Scott Silverston

All of us, every human being, possesses both a Logic Mind and a Spirit Mind.  The Logic Mind is what we use to navigate our day to day life in ordinary waking reality.  When we think, do math, drive a car, read a book, dial a phone number. etc; we are acting within the province of the Logic Mind.  The Spirit Mind, is the realm of intuitive understanding, a place where our experiences can be described but not explained by logic.  How, for example, can we logically explain the way we are able to move over space and time in a dream?

Shamanic awareness and shamanic healing is dependent upon the Shaman being able to consistently and effectively access the spirit mind and then return to normal waking consciousness.   This is a vital part of the practice.  In order to be effective, one must be able to journey into the dreamtime and then returrn at will.  It is in the realm of the Spirit mind where shamanic healing occurs, where the spiritual wounds of the past live on in the present and where the agreeements we made at the time that those wounds were inflicted can be changed into ones that allow us to release the trapped spiritual poison, bring back our life force energy and heal.

While there are many different ways to access the Spirit Mind, I find using a simple drum beat to be the most effective and least impactful on my physical body.  The drum allows me to enter and return from shamanic realms with ease; without the physical toll of hallucinogens or extended periods of fasting or sleep deprivation; and with the added bonus of being able to move from a very deep state of shamanic awareness to picking my duaghter up from school in normal ordinary reality literally at the drop of a hat.

It is in this way that we are able to walk in both worlds while being bound to none, to be free travelers between the Logic Mind and the Spirit Mind.  We humans have been given the gift of both; it is a shame for us to abandon half of our capacity by placing ourselves firmly in one camp or the other.  Yet that is exactly the norm for most people.  It is part of the illusion of duality that has lead to so much conflict.  

One reason I believe that we have this misconception is that while we are all capable of accessing both the Logic Mind and the Spirit Mind; we cannot access them both simultaneously. This is important point because it leads to much misunderstanding.  We mistakenly belileve we have to choose one or the other because we can't do both at the same time. But like a cell phone that is roaming; even though I can't send a text while I am on a voice call; I can switch back and forth between text and voice calls at will.  It would be ridiculous for me to shun text messaging because it doesn't work while I am on a voice call. Likewise, we must embrace both the Logic Mind and the Spirit Mind for their respective purposes and limitiations.

Modern society is too much focused on black or white. We are either in the world of logic or the world of intuition.  Very rarely do we find people who are grounded in both worlds and able to move freely between them; yet that is exactly what is needed for us to heal ourselves and to reach our full potential.