Travelogue from Inner and Outer Spaces

Jeanne-Rachel Salomon

S C I E N C E & S P I R I T

From A Shamanic Practitioner’s Diary - December 2005

Grace calls, the wife of a friend. She is worried about her mother, Jackie, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the age of 75 the doctors offer Jackie two alternatives: chemotherapy or hospice. Jackie rejects both. Grace believes that her mother is in denial of the seriousness of her condition. Is there anything I could do as a shamanic practitioner to assist her mother coming to terms with the situation?

I tell Grace that if I get Jackie’s permission to work on her behalf, I certainly will try to help. Jackie lives in California, so any shamanic work needs to be done long-distance. Jackie gives her consent, and I make a preliminary shamanic journey to find out how to help her at this point. My spirit helpers instruct me to connect with her Guardian Angel. I journey into non-ordinary reality and state my intent to meet Jackie’s Guardian Angel. Immediately Jeanne d’Arc [Joan of Arc] comes into my vision. A bit surprised by her appearance, I ask my spirit helpers if the saintly French hero is the person I am supposed to meet. They emphatically nod their heads. I approach Jeanne d’Arc, introduce myself and tell her about Jackie and her condition.

* | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | *

With convincing authority and a calm demeanor, Jeanne d’Arc informs me that she is indeed Jackie’s Guardian Angel. She assures me that she will be at Jackie’s side; that she will give her support and guidance; that she will lend her strength and confidence during this crisis, and that she will hold her and comfort her in her suffering. Jeanne d’Arc requests that I relay this information to Jackie and her family. She then makes me understand that Jackie is a strong woman who will live out her life in dignity and according to her destiny. I thank Jeanne d’Arc for connecting with me and for assisting Jackie, and return to ordinary reality.

I e-mail the results of my enquiry to Grace. A couple of days later, Grace writes and tells me that her family is of French origin, and that her mother is very happy to have Jeanne d’Arc as her Guardian Angel. Jackie has left the hospital and is now back at her home in San Diego; her children and grandchildren are there with her.

Another e-mail arrives about a month later: Jackie has come to terms with the finality of her condition and has decided to go with hospice.

* | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | *

Jeanne d’Arc with standard, 15th century,
Museé Jeanne d’Arc, Rouen, France

After another fortnight, Grace reports that Jackie continues to hold on to life, though by now she is very weak and sleeps most of the time. Could I initiate something that would help to alleviate Jackie’s apparent fear of letting go?

I journey into non-ordinary reality and pose the question to my spirit helpers. A dolphin appears; it tells me that it will assist Jackie in her transition from the physical to the non-physical realm. I have read about the advanced psychic abilities of dolphins, and am pleased to see this beautiful animal rushing to Jackie’s side. My spirit helpers also inform me that in her final hours Jackie will be surrounded by a cosmic symphony of sound, which will calm her emotions and melt her fears, so that she will be able to surrender and make the final leap. I forward this information to Grace.

Jackie passed away the following day. According to her wishes, her ashes will be taken to France and be scattered at the Loire River.