There are moments in life when everything changes – not necessarily because the world around us changes, but because something loosens, opens or falls into place inside us. These moments can be small, almost imperceptible, or they can be large and transformative. In shamanic practice, and especially through drum journeys, such inner breakthroughs and insights are not just welcome – they are celebrated. For in shamanism, personal growth is not a goal one reaches once and for all, but an eternal journey, a circle of discovery, healing and joy.
A bridge to the inner landscape
The drum journey is one of the oldest and most central practices in shamanism. When the rhythm of the drum begins to beat, a door opens to another landscape – an inner universe where time and space dissolve, and where it is possible to meet power animals, ancestors, spiritual guides and sides of oneself one perhaps did not know existed.
For many, the drum journey is a journey into the unknown. One sets aside the worries of everyday life, lets the body relax, and lets oneself be carried by the monotonous rhythm of the drum. Some see images, others sense feelings, some receive words or songs, and still others experience only a deep calm. There is no correct answer – the most important thing is to be open, curious and willing to let oneself be surprised.
The invisible victories
In shamanic practice, it is not only the great, dramatic experiences that count. Often it is the small, almost imperceptible breakthroughs that bring the greatest joy and lasting change. It can be an insight that suddenly falls into place, a feeling of being safe, an old fear that loosens its grip, or a new understanding of oneself or the world.
Meeting one's own fear
A woman told of a drum journey where she suddenly stood face to face with a large, dark wolf. At first she was frightened, but instead of fleeing, she chose to remain standing. She saw that the wolf was not dangerous, but a protector – a part of herself she had tried to suppress. After the journey she felt freer, braver and more whole. This was not a great outer breakthrough, but an inner victory that brought lasting joy and strength.
Finding calm in unrest
Another participant described how she, after many years of unrest and restlessness, suddenly experienced a deep stillness during a drum journey. She imagined herself sitting by a still lake, and felt all unrest disappear. Afterward she could call forth this calm in everyday life, and it became a source of strength and balance.
The celebration of the small victories
In shamanism, it is important to celebrate the small victories. This can be done in many ways – alone, in community, through rituals, song, dance or simply by acknowledging to oneself that something has changed. The celebration is not just a reward, but a way of anchoring the breakthrough, so that it finds a place in one's life and can continue to grow.
Rituals for celebration
After a drum journey, one can light a candle to mark the insight or the breakthrough. The candle becomes a symbol of the new that has entered one's life.
Many write down their experiences, or draw pictures of what they have seen or felt. This makes it easier to remember and return to the insight later.
In shamanic communities, it is common to share experiences after a drum journey. To be seen and heard by others strengthens the experience, and gives room for support and celebration.
Some celebrate through song, dance or music – alone or together with others. This gives the body the opportunity to express the joy and anchor it in the physical.
Lasting joy – why the celebration is important
To celebrate one's own spiritual victories is not about boasting or making oneself big, but about acknowledging that one has grown, learned or healed something within oneself. When one celebrates, one gives oneself permission to be proud, grateful and glad – and this brings lasting joy.
Research on rituals and celebration shows that such actions reinforce positive emotions, increase self-esteem and strengthen the bonds to others. In shamanism, this has been known from of old: When one celebrates, one anchors the insight in the body and the mind, and makes it easier to carry it forward in life.
Personal stories of growth and celebration
Maria's journey – from doubt to trust
Maria had always been unsure of her own worth. She took part in a drum journey, and experienced meeting a deer – an animal she had always felt connected to. The deer showed her a path through the forest, and said: «You are good enough, just as you are.» After the journey Maria cried with relief. She celebrated by taking a walk in the forest, lighting a candle and writing a letter to herself. This small victory gave her the courage to trust herself more, and she experienced a lasting joy that grew with each day.
Erik's breakthrough – letting go of old patterns
Erik had long struggled to let go of old habits and patterns of thought. During a drum journey he imagined that he set down a heavy sack by a tree, and walked on without the burden. Afterward he felt lighter, and decided to mark this with a small ceremony: He gathered some stones, placed them in a circle, and gave thanks for the help he had received. This simple act allowed the breakthrough to take hold, and Erik found it became easier to change his habits in everyday life.
Maria and Erik are of course fictional people, but their experiences are real and are based on students' experiences from courses and drum journeys.
The power of community – celebrating together
In many shamanic groups, it is common to celebrate one another's victories. After a drum journey, the participants can share their experiences, and the group can sing, dance or simply give one another a hug. This creates a sense of community, and means that everyone shares in the joy. When one grows, all grow – and when one celebrates, the whole circle celebrates.
The drum journey as a tool for personal growth
The drum journey is not just a method for gaining insight or healing – it is a path to personal growth. Through the journey one gains the opportunity to meet oneself in new ways, to explore unknown sides, and to draw forth resources one did not know one had. Each journey is unique, and each insight is a gift that can be celebrated and carried forward.
Meeting resistance
Sometimes one meets resistance during a drum journey – fear, grief, anger or confusion. In shamanism, this is not a sign that something is wrong, but that something is about to loosen. When one dares to stand in the resistance, and perhaps gets help from a power animal or a spiritual guide, small or large breakthroughs can arise. To celebrate that one has dared to meet the difficult is an important part of the growth.
Bringing home lost parts
In shamanic healing, one often speaks of «soul retrieval» – bringing home lost parts of oneself. This can happen during a drum journey, where one makes contact with sides of oneself that have been forgotten or suppressed. When one brings home such a part, it can feel like becoming more whole, more alive. To celebrate this through a ritual, a song or a dance reinforces the experience and brings lasting joy.
Celebration as the anchoring of insight
When one celebrates a spiritual victory, one anchors the insight in the body, the mind and the heart. This makes it easier to carry the breakthrough into everyday life, and to build further upon it. The celebration can be simple or grand, alone or together with others – the most important thing is that it feels genuine and meaningful.
Examples of celebration rituals
After a drum journey, one can make a piece of jewelry, a drawing or a small figure that symbolizes the insight or the victory. This can be carried with one, or placed on an altar as a reminder.
Many find that taking a walk after a drum journey helps them anchor the experience. One can pick up a stone, a flower or a branch as a symbol of the new.
To tell of one's experience to a friend or in a group, and to receive support and recognition, makes the joy grow and become more real.
Lasting joy – more than a moment
The joy that comes from celebrating one's own spiritual victories is not just a moment's euphoria. It leaves traces, gives strength and courage to meet new challenges, and makes life richer and more meaningful. In shamanism, this joy is a gift – not only to oneself, but to the whole community. When one grows, all grow. When one celebrates, the whole circle celebrates.
Reflections on personal growth and celebration
Personal growth through drum journeys is not about becoming «finished» or «perfect», but about being on the way – being open to new insights, daring to meet the unknown, and celebrating the small and great victories along the way. Each drum journey is an opportunity to learn, heal and grow. Each insight is a gift that can be celebrated, shared and anchored in life.
The celebration is not just a reward, but a practice that brings lasting joy, strength and community. It reminds us that we are alive, that we are in motion, and that we can always find new ways of being ourselves – in contact with nature, the spirits and one another.
Living in celebration
To celebrate one's own spiritual victories is to say yes to life, to growth, to joy. It is to acknowledge that each insight, each healing, each small victory is worth marking – not only for oneself, but for the whole community. In shamanism, this is a way of life: To live in celebration, to be grateful for the journey, and to share the joy with others.
When we celebrate, we open ourselves to more joy, more insight, more love. We become more alive, more open, more ourselves. And perhaps, in the midst of the celebration, we discover that it is the journey itself – with all its small and great victories – that is the greatest gift of all.
References
Eliade, M. (2004). Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. Princeton University Press.
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Winkelman, M. (2010). Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing. Praeger.
Walsh, R. (2007). The World of Shamanism: New Views of an Ancient Tradition. Llewellyn Publications.
Ingerman, S. (1991). Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self. HarperOne.
Rock, A. J., & Krippner, S. (2011). Demystifying Shamans and Their World: A Multidisciplinary Study. Imprint Academic.
Tedlock, B. (2001). The Woman in the Shaman's Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicine. Bantam.
Krippner, S. (2012). Shamans as Healers, Counselors, and Psychotherapists. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 31(2), 72-79.
