Inner silence works from the moment you begin to accrue it. The desired result is what the old sorcerers called “stopping the world”, the moment when everything around us ceases to be what it’s always been. This is the moment when sorcerers return to the true nature of man. The old sorcerers called it total freedom. ~ Carlos Castaneda ~ The Active Side of Infinity

The vision quest is an amazing commitment that gently guides one outside of their comfort zone and effectively shifts the assemblage point. Vision quest pushes one to move beyond themselves to connect intimately and deeply with Mother Earth and the Infinite Mystery. Every indigenous culture has performed some type of vision quest from Jesus and Buddha, Shaman and Medicine People, Indigenous Peoples and American Indians up to modern day men and women from all countries and all walks of life. The vision quest is an opportunity to connect with profound silent knowledge, including heartfelt inner truth and insight, typically done alone, in a remote natural setting and has been practiced for many thousands of years.

During a time when people depended on nature to provide for them and having complete trust in their connection to the spirits of the earth and sky, Shaman and Medicine People would embark on a vision quest, often on behalf of their tribe, to find clarity for many different types of situations that would arise and affect or threaten the survival of their people. The vision quest may have been undertaken for reasons that included drought, disease, scarcity of food, conflict within the tribe, etc. Their experience allowed them to connect with the oneness that allowed them to see the truth with clarity and arrive at silent knowledge.

Sitting upon Mother Earth is the most powerful teacher and catalyst. In current times the connection to nature has unfortunately been vastly diminished. This was such an integral part of spiritual, emotional and physical vitality to our ancestors and must be reclaimed in order to ensure the survival of our species. Most societies and the people within them have become so disconnected and distracted in noisy environments with overwhelming external stimuli, busy schedules, emotional and psychological stresses, that they have stopped knowing how to listen to inner voices and truths. This chaos has resulted in a rampant imbalance that is affecting people, animals, the planet, the oceans, the forests, the atmosphere, etc.

Amidst the vast beauty and silence of the natural world, many people can rediscover a wholeness they had lost long ago. Amazing things happen when you spend time on a vision quest, whether it is for a single day or numerous, successive days and nights growing more intense the longer you remain in solitude. At first the changes seem subtle, there is quiet and stillness that begins to silence internal chatter as one surrenders to the beauty they are surrounded by. As you become still and quiet, you actually become a part of your surroundings, becoming one with the earth and no longer a separate entity. The animals begin to approach, unable to distinguish your separateness. Butterflies may land on you and remain for hours, deer amble closely to inspect, hawks, eagles and vultures soar gracefully above, the leaves of the trees quiver in the breeze to produce a beautiful, natural song.

The evening gently ushers in an amazing canopy of stars, planets and the moon. Everything settles down and the crickets begin their night song. Night hawks sing overhead as they hunt small flying insects alongside the bats. Nocturnal animals go about their business, aware of your presence yet unperturbed. Your eyes gradually adjust to the darkness and you realize that you can see in the dark after all. Old perceptions continue to fall away as you continue to deepen your experience through the continued shifting of your assemblage point. As the days pass your rhythm begins to match the rhythm of the natural world, sharing one heart-beat and it is here that you remember that you are but a piece of the whole in a very alive and vibrant universe.

The time has come for people to set aside their egos and take responsibility for this mother planet, the precious life upon her and the galaxy in which we live. Over time the vision quest has become adapted to serve personal needs. While the vision quest may certainly restore wholeness when facing significant life transitions, humanity must shift from constantly having to have their personal needs and material expectations met and instead sit upon the earth in gratitude and in silence, to connect and listen to what the universe has to say instead of continuously telling the universe what they want or need to receive.

As warriors we must recognize that we already have everything we need. Sit on the earth, honor her, honor the sky and you will be filled with silent knowledge. As each one of us increases our connection with the earth, we will be living the symbiotic life we were meant to be living. Each person will become balanced and as a result the earth and all her beings will become balanced. We can’t wait for someone else to do it, we have to do it. Now.