The shamanic journey is one of the oldest known methods for connecting to the invisible realms. The rituals of shamanism differ in method, style, and beliefs from one culture to another, but they have deep roots in ancient societies throughout the world. Additional variations are developing in the twenty-first century as modern civilization realizes the value of these ancient beliefs and are reconnecting us to the universality of holistic thinking that dominated early societies.

Earlier cultures perceived the world in universal terms because much of existence was mysterious to these ancient civilizations. Ironically, this perception of wholeness in existence represented some superior concepts to the later Newtonian mechanics that came to dominate scientific thought and eventually defined our modern theories of existence.

In Newton's time, there was certainly value in breaking down larger constructs into parts and elements that could be more easily assessed and "fixed." The unfortunate side effect was a fragmentation of the universal whole into constituent parts, and people failed to fully realize the larger significance of the deeper essence that constitutes life.