The Worlds
In shamanic tradition, reality is both seen and unseen. Ordinary Reality is our physical world; Non-Ordinary Reality is made up of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Worlds—each offering unique guidance, energy, and healing. These are not ideas, but real spiritual realms journeyed to with purpose and care.
A Map of Non-Ordinary Reality
In shamanic practice, we speak of two states of consciousness: Ordinary Reality and Non-Ordinary Reality. These are not abstract concepts—they are distinct worlds we navigate during healing, journeying, and spiritual inquiry.
Understanding the difference between them—and how the three levels of Non-Ordinary Reality function—can help orient and deepen your spiritual work.
Ordinary Reality (OR)
Ordinary Reality is where we are now. This space. This planet. It is governed by time, gravity, and logic—our day-to-day physical existence. It’s where we live our lives, build relationships, and pay our bills.
But here’s something I’ve come to believe through decades of experience: the term “Ordinary Reality” is misleading. To me, it feels like the illusion. What we call ordinary is often the least truthful layer of existence. It’s in Non-Ordinary Reality that we find clarity, power, and deeper truth.
Non-Ordinary Reality (NOR)
Non-Ordinary Reality is the spirit world—timeless, multidimensional, and layered with insight and sacred presence. It’s where healing happens, soul essences are found, and guidance from compassionate spirits can be received. Practitioners enter NOR through rhythmic drumming, meditation, or focused journeying, often in a trance-like state.
Non-Ordinary Reality is not random or chaotic—it is structured. In most shamanic systems, it is made up of three distinct realms:
The Lower World
This is where I do nearly all of my healing work. 99.9% of the time, I journey to the Lower World—because that is where power animals, ancestors, and most soul essences are found.
The Lower World is rich with natural beauty and elemental wisdom. It contains forests, rivers, oceans, mountains, waterfalls, caves, and ancient paths. You might think of it as the Earth’s spirit layer—a deeply grounded, life-affirming realm filled with non-human teachers who bring medicine, strength, and support.
This is not a “dark” place. In fact, it is nurturing, stabilizing, and filled with integrity. It’s where we retrieve what has been lost and remember who we are in essence.
The Upper World
The Upper World is a realm of light, ascension, and high-vibration guidance. It’s the home of angels, saints, sages, ascended masters, and those who crossed over with great spiritual maturity—figures like Jesus, Buddha, and others whose teachings live on.
To reach the Upper World, journeyers often rise through clouds, ladders, mountaintops, or veils. It’s not often the first stop in healing work, but when one is called there, it brings tremendous compassion, insight, and a sense of divine perspective.
Most people don’t visit the Upper World regularly—it’s less common than the Lower World in soul retrieval and power animal work, but its presence is deeply important.
The Middle World
The Middle World is the energetic counterpart to our ordinary reality. It looks like Earth but often appears as muted, gray, or black-and-white, and is navigated with care and discernment.
It’s where psychics often get their information—where one might locate lost objects, perceive spirits lingering in a space, or receive day-to-day intuitive insight. It can be helpful for certain kinds of inquiries, but it is not where I go for soul retrievals or deep healing.
The Middle World has beauty and intelligence, but because it’s so close to human consciousness, it also requires the most boundaries.
Why the Worlds Matter
Understanding these realms helps orient the healing process. When I speak of traveling on your behalf, I’m not going on a metaphorical journey—I’m entering one of these worlds in altered consciousness to find what has been lost, restore connection, and bring back guidance from trusted allies.
These are not fantasy spaces. They are structured, familiar, and deeply real—often more real than the world we see with our physical eyes.
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