Some Resources for Shamanic Journey Drumming

Here are three recordings I’ve made of drumming for shamanic journeys of different lengths: 5 minutes, 7 minutes, and 12 minutes. They begin with four slow beats, which I find helpful for centering myself before actually embarking on a journey. They end with three sets of 7 slow beats to signal that it’s time to start to return to ordinary reality, a minute of a quick callback rhythm that accompanies the return journey, and another three sets of 7 slow beats to signal a complete return to ordinary reality.

You may also wish to use any of the three recordings that you can download for free here. They are intended to accompany Sandra Ingerman’s book Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide, which is a wonderful introduction to shamanic work. The first is for a journey about 10 minutes long, and begins with some rattling and whistling that can help you summon the helpful spirits around you. The second is for a journey of about 18 minutes, and has more than one drummer. The third is single drumming for a journey of half an hour. They all have the same callback pattern as above to get you back to ordinary reality.

You can, of course, set the time limit of a journey by simply moving the front end of the seek bar forward until the remaining time is what you want. Very long journeys, especially in this context, are probably not necessary, and it’s always good to bear in mind that shamanic practitioners journey to nonordinary reality—they don’t live there.

If you’re not sitting up and drumming for yourself, the nicest way to journey is lying down, comfortably, with a blindfold on and your phone turned off, to minimize distractions.

It’s generally recommended to abstain from substances that alter consciousness—alcohol in particular—for at least 24 hours before doing shamanic work, as they can make it very difficult to maintain clarity and focus while journeying.

Many people learn, before very long, to drum for themselves, which makes it easy to journey for as long as is necessary and come back as soon as it’s clear that your work for that moment is done. Sandra Ingerman’s website has a list of places where you can find drums and rattles; in general, her website is an excellent resource for anyone looking to pursue this path further.