The more experience we gain in achieving radical acceptance, the more we are able to live in True Self. Such acceptance allows us to deal with ourselves as we really are. There are two ways to achieve this. We may either change the way we see ourselves to bring it more in line with our True Selves, or we may change our concept of True Self to bring it more in line with the way we see ourselves. When we have done so, we will be living in Wise Mind, balanced perfectly between emotion and reason, chaos and order. We will have become the persons we were born to be.
The Ultimate Boon means finally overcoming our greatest personal challenges by casting aside the fear of living according to our own true nature. When we have captured the Ultimate Boon, we will be transformed into a new state, emerging from quest as stronger and more confident persons. This newfound confidence may come in many forms. It may manifest as recognition of our own personal ecospiritual power, greater knowledge or insight, or even reconciliation with a loved one or another ally. Whatever form the Ultimate Boon chooses to take in your life, take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come. The journey is now halfway over, and the final phase is about to begin.
11.2 The Ultimate Boon – Vision Quest
What is your own true nature? What is your mission in life? What is your journey to True Self? One way to answer these questions is to undertake a vision quest.
The vision quest is a time-honored rite of passage common to shamanic tribes throughout the world. It is used to determine life’s purpose. The vision quest may take on many forms, but for this activity we will be using the form of the vigil.
To perform your own vision quest, first find a place that calls out to you. It may be your own sacred space, or some other place that feels full of energy to you. Make sure it is a place that you will be undisturbed for the duration of the vigil. Dress in comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You may wish to take a blanket with you to ward off the chill night air if you are planning to stay overnight and make sure that the place you have chosen is a safe place, free of predators of the four-legged, or two-legged, variety. If you are doing this activity as part of an ecospirituality program, your instructor may have already selected a place for this activity.
When you have arrived at your sacred space, first ask permission to use the space, then make an offering to the place and express your gratitude for being able to use the space for your quest. Next, sit or stand comfortably and ground and center yourself. Do this in a place where you will be comfortable but alert for the duration of the vigil.
You may wish to perform a mindful meditation like mindful breathing or the Tree of Life meditation prior to starting your vigil. If you play any instruments like drums or flutes, you may make music a part of your vigil. Some ecospirituality groups use drum circles for this purpose. The rhythm of the music helps to induce trancelike meditative states that are conducive to vision seeking.
It may help to build a campfire or to light a candle to give you a center of focus as you ground and center.
Once you feel you are ready, ask the Universe to reveal your life purpose to you, and wait for a reply. Sometimes this reply may come as a vision, or a dream, or just as a feeling in your spirit, or as an omen. Stay alert for the duration of the vigil, and greet the conclusion of the rite with open acceptance.
11.3 Preparation for the Vision Quest
To prepare for your vision quest, spend as much of the day prior as possible in quiet contemplation and meditation on your life’s purpose and mission. Even if you feel you already have a good understanding about the meaning and purpose of your life, the vision quest may help you to clarify the details, so greet the experience with an open and accepting attitude.
How will your life’s purpose be revealed to you? Look for messages from the environment. Do the trees speak to you? Are you visited by any animals? A visit from your totem animal would be especially powerful during a vision quest. Don’t forget to look for omens as well. These can be especially powerful in determining your future, since they come from your unconscious mind. And since your dreams, visions, and omens come from you and to you and you alone, nobody else can tell you what they mean but you. There is no “right” or “wrong” message you can receive in a vision quest as long as the message has meaning for you.
11.4 The Vision Quest
The five phases of your Vision Quest are as follows:
- Preparation: Find your sacred space for the Vision Quest and prepare yourself by first asking permission of the spirits or energies there to use the place for your intended purpose. Wait for a reply. When you feel that permission has been given, make an offering in the form of a bit of bread, or some seeds for the local wildlife, or a libation of ale, wine, fruit juice or other potable poured on the ground there to express your gratitude. If you sense that permission has not been given, then put off your Vision Quest until another day.
- Separation: A Vision Quest is a vigil that must be accomplished alone. While your friends, family or pets may accompany you to the site, once the Vision Quest has begun they should leave you alone with the spirit of the location. Make sure that everyone understands this before you begin, so that you are not interrupted. If you are participating in the Vision Quest with an ecospirituality group, your instructor will have all members of the group go off some distance from everyone else so that you may all enjoy isolation for purposes of contemplation.
- Isolation: Once you are alone, sit or stand comfortably and ground and center yourself. You may wish to perform a meditation as you prepare yourself to receive what your chosen site will be sending to you this night. Although this rite is called a “vision” quest, remain open to what all of your senses may be telling you. What sounds, smells, or other physical sensations might you be getting that could be interpreted as a message about your life’s purpose? It may help to build a campfire or to light a candle to give you a center of focus.
- Assimilation: Once you feel you are ready, ask the Universe to reveal your life purpose to you, and wait for a reply. Sometimes this reply may come as a vision, or a dream, or just as a feeling in your spirit. Stay awake all night if possible, and greet the dawn with open acceptance. If you are not able to stay for the night, just remain alert and open for the time you have to complete the quest. Look for messages from the environment. Do the trees speak to you? Are you visited by any animals? Did you receive any omens? A visit from your totem animal would be especially powerful at this time.
- Interpretation: The magical thing about a Vision Quest is that any message you receive is yours, and yours alone. So how you choose to interpret the omens is totally up to you. When your life’s mission is revealed, greet the dawn and offer thanks. If your mission is not revealed, try again at another time, after preparing yourself by a period of meditation, fasting, and thanksgiving.
Once you have completed your vision quest, download the worksheet below and complete the Reflections on My Vision Quest exercise.
