Making the Leap Into Extraordinary Reality

Tom Wright A Course In Shamanism

If you want to increase your income beyond what you have ever done before, then the gap between where you are financially now, and where you want to be, has to be “non-ordinary reality” for you. It has to, because you haven’t done it before! In the practice of ancient shamanism, the gap between everyday awareness, and “non-ordinary” experiences of altered states, was also a bridge making leap from non-ordinary to ordinary reality, because only in ordinary reality, could any sense be made of what had been experienced. Even if it was to say that it “made no sense” which at times, the omens or experiences did not. Only in the “here and now,” common sense universe of ordinary reality, can you even say that something either does or does not “make sense” because in non-ordinary reality there are no boundaries, and hence, no organizational bins to throw what happens in by way of “explanation.” (Which by the way, is a practice that really ‘explains’ nothing, ever, and at the least never changes the basic energetic nature of what’s being explained, but explaining certainly does make us feel better!) At least, in ordinary reality it does!

So what’s the point here? The point is, that for any leap desired, whether an increase in income, or an increase in awareness, we always start from the jump base of ordinary reality, and then from there, which is in reality, simply the best assessment we can come up with for “what already is,” we can then decide from that base, where we would like to jump to. Without that solid base, no jumping would be possible, in ordinary or non-ordinary reality, regardless of where it is you want to get to. Some mass, some solid ground must be gathered underneath us first, before the laws of Universal propulsion can work. We can’t leap off of clouds very effectively, now can we? Or leap into financial freedom from cloudy doubts or fears, now can we? Point is, we can’t. Not in our current physical Universe that is. Or even if we tried, we would not get far, certainly not as far as we say we desire to leap regarding an increase in income or an increase in awareness.

In this way of seeing and then practicing, the value of ordinary reality as the jumping base can be seen. In this way as well, the value of impeccability and a true appreciation for everyday awareness can also be seen. For without the mundane, the spectacular can never be experienced. Whatever your particular spectacular may be. In the world view of The Steel Shaman, that would make the mundane quite a bit more than mundane, in fact, that would make ordinary reality anything but! This all inclusive world view would in fact, make the states of both ordinary and non-ordinary reality, both into something quite else: extraordinary reality.

This is why in the book The Steel Shaman, the sheer practice of being in awe in every single moment of our time of being awake, alive, and able to be aware in the first place, is practiced. For without that much appreciation, no appreciable movement toward our experiential goals, whether of doubling our income, or doubling our awareness, can take place. So is this possible? Is it possible to live in awe of the majesty and gift our lives are, in every single now moment that we are alive? Well, yes, as a matter of fact it is. Has anyone ever done it? Well, as a matter of fact, not very often. Not often at all. But here’s the kicker. If one single person, a human being just like we all are human beings, was able to attain this state of being in continual awe, then every other single human being on the planet has that possibility put before them as a reality. Because if someone else can do it, so can you. How can that be true? It’s true, because we’re not talking about basketball dunks here, where you need to be in some certain physical shape to do that, we’re talking about a spiritual state of appreciation, and I know of no one capable of simply reading these words, who isn’t a fully capable spiritual human being. Perhaps not fully realized yet, but again, certainly fully and totally capable of reaching any and all sublime states of awe.

Now you might ask, have I reached this most desired state? Well, yes, and for weeks at a time sometimes, and the incredible feeling of being so connected as a living, awake, and aware human being who was appreciating all of my life in every single now moment I was alive in that time, which was all of it, was in and of itself completely and wholly worth it, regardless of any other results produced. And then I came out of it, and then went back into it, back and forth, with the point being that over time, the time I spend out of it continually reduces, while the time I spend in awe continually increases. Practicing this way of being in awe has made a huge difference in my feelings/emotions/results regarding the condition of my finances and awareness rewards. The best thing about these sublime states of being is that this leap from ordinary reality to where it is I desire to be, through the use of non-ordinary reality, is something that can be learned and practiced. That’s the point of A Course In Shamanism. To give you the direction, not the tools, because you already have the tools, and that would be you, your awareness, and the fact that you are human. Because our failure to make such leaps is never in the tools we lack, but in deciding the direction within which to channel the miraculous and awe inspiring tools of aliveness, awareness, and energy that we already have. Because what do we do with this hugely awe inspiring gift called life? Oh, sure, have fun, enjoy yourself, that’s part of it, but there’s a hugely “more” powerful way to relate to our lives than just merely entertainment. A way that is so all encompassing, whole, and complete, that it stands alone as an experience in and of itself. It’s where the energy of satisfaction, fulfillment, and contribution, along with increases in awareness and sheer health originate. So the question then remains, after going in and out of such experiences, what is the direction you take? Or, what else is there to do?

Well, here’s what you do. You use all the non-ordinary reality experiences of omens, signs, messages, and bliss, that you can muster an experience of, and then use every one of them to nurture you into creating a better and better ordinary reality for yourself (and so for the world as well) and in tying the two in together, what you then have is simply this: extraordinary reality, and more and more of the time of your life. Extraordinary! Now that’s a reality I can live with!