Rowan feels like a proud dad watching their first-born score the winning goal in a cup final. He’d offer a fist-bump if it didn’t hurt. “You are a marvel,” he manages. He gestures at his phone, sitting on the table-top like a neglected paperweight.
“You’ve got messages,” says Snowdrop, reaching across and scrolling for him. “Your agent’s still waiting to call back, your BT bill is available online, Roxanne wants to know if you remember where her passport is – that’s a bit rich, don’t you think? – oh, and you’ve been accepted into Facebook groups for Friends of St Olaf’s Church and …what’s this word?” she asks, spelling out ‘alumnus’. “Ok, alumnus. They’ve accepted your request so you can now view discussion groups and photos from the ‘glory days’ of the Silver Birch Academy, 1974-1992. Is that where they were pupils? Right, right.”
Rowan chews his lip, mulling things over. He hasn’t heard back from his message to Violet and his earlier request to find Freya Grey online have proven ineffective. There are plenty of red-haired women of a certain age who answer to the name. He’s messaged them all, claiming to be a friend of a friend. He might be well served by posting a message in the Facebook group. A simple ‘does anybody have a number for Freya’ might at least provoke some memories. But to do that he might risk alienating the people who may come in useful when he is fleshing out the book. Stories can rise or fall on such judgement calls.
“Oh, you’ve had a message from somebody called Rosie,” says Snowdrop, narrowing her eyes. “There’s a picture attached. Apparently she’s thinking of you …,”
Rowan lunges forward, grabbing the phone. He looks up and sees Snowdrop grinning at him. “I knew you liked her,” she says. “You went all doe-eyed when you mentioned her.”
“Oh shush,” says Rowan, rearranging his position. He’d like a cigarette and another glass of something warming for the road.
“Cup of tea?” asks Snowdrop, reading his thoughts. She looks at him with such hopefulness in her eyes that he feels unable to disappoint her.
“Perfect,” he says. “Just what the doctor ordered.”
22
Rowan:
Hi, and Namaste. My name is Rowan and I believe you’re good friends with my sister, Serendipity. She mentioned you might be able to help me out with some details and background for a project I’m working on. Would you be able to help?
Sharon:
I do know Serendipity, and her lovely daughter. She mentioned you may need a bit of info so please, fire away. What is it you need?
Rowan:
A precis. Shamanism explained. What you’re into, how you do it, how people respond …
Sharon:
There are some great books that could help you. There’s one called Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy – that’s what got me started.
Rowan:
Great, thanks, I’ll try and track it down. You’ve been doing this a while, have you?
Sharon:
Started when I was in my teens. I can’t imagine another way to live now.
Rowan:
Who got you into it? I saw on your website you’ve been trained in all sorts of disciplines. How good are you? Can you get rid of my headaches from there?!
Sharon:
Some people think so. There are shamanic practitioners who offer remote services. They find your frequency and promise to fix whatever ails you no matter where you are. I’m not saying they can’t do it but I have enough doubt about my own ability to not offer it as a service. If that’s what you’re after there are people I can recommend.
Rowan:
That’s amazing, I didn’t even know that was a thing. I keep wondering what it is that you actually see when you’re in a trance. I grew up a little bit outside the mainstream so I’m open to new ideas. In a nutshell, what is it you do?
Sharon:
I personally do power retrieval, soul retrieval, & shamanic extraction medicine.
Rowan:
Soul retrieval sounds fascinating. How does it work?
Sharon:
I use the drum, my main shamanic tool, and beat it to the 'eagle beat' (quite rapid, this is the same beat as the theta brainwaves when we're asleep) This induces an altered, higher state as it were, and once I connect to the client, set my intention to spirit in the Upper World (where lost soul parts are nurtured & looked after) that I wish to find and return lost soul parts for the healee. The feeling I liken it to, is more like a lucid dream, I journey upwards, calling on my shamanic guides for assistance & protection. Each experience is different, but generally I am met by various, ancestors, guides, & occasionally totem animals that are connected to the client. They are taking care of the soul parts in readiment for them to be returned, they are never truly lost. The ancestor/guide etc gives me an item, could be anything, and I ask them what soul part it represents, ie. an arrow for their direction, a candle to bring their fire back, and so on. Then I give that ancestor something back in return as a thank you, energetically of course. I carry on doing this until I'm told by my guides that all parts have been returned. The feeling is very spacey but also quite euphoric. I bring the soul parts back to the physical world, and each part is blown into the heart chakra of the client, then again into the crown chakra, a rattle is then shook around the crown chakra, sealing the soul parts back where they belong.
Rowan:
This is fascinating
Sharon:
All different shamanic cultures have their own way of doing this, however, the basis always seems to be very similar.
Rowan:
Maybe it’s the cynic in me but it sounds as though it might be open to mischief. People could easily prey upon the sort of person attracted to that level of ‘power’. You must have met people you wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing to ferret about inside your higher consciousness?
Sharon:
I used to have a client who felt like that. I can’t mention names, I have known a couple of people, usually male, that have manipulated vulnerable people in various ways, to boost their own ego, bank balance, sense of power, or libido. But I guess that happens in all walks of life. Please just ask if you need me to elaborate on anything to do with the healing I’ve just described, as Ive just given you a basic idea I guess.