The Lower World

Multi Media Painting

The lower world journey is to journey to find or visit with your power animal(s). You begin by envisioning a place in nature that you are familiar with, also known as your anchor spot. When you can see the spot you have chosen start to look for an entrance into the Lower World. An entrance into the lower world could be a fox hole, a hallowed out tree trunk, a ladder, a water fall…anything going down. My Spot is an actual place a block from my home. It's a tree with a large hole in the trunk, and it is how I choose to get down into the Lower World. It is my understanding you ALWAYS arrive in a cave... I wait for my power animals to come to the cave entrance. Most of the time, several of them are waiting for me. I was taught that the power animal comes to you, you do not go looking for it.

Traditionally it is suggested that you look for four of the same animal or four parts of the animal as a way of knowing whether or not that is your power animal. (I was told that when you see something 3 times, it is a symbol that it is there is contact with spirit or power or whatever name you choose to call it). Because of my earlier work as a medium, I was familiar with several of my Power animals. They had always actively helped with my healing work, For me, animals communicate verbally, telepathically or they may act out the answer to a question. Interestingly, my principle power animal is the ant. (Remember my story about the boy going on a vision quest?) That is why there are three ants in my painting.

I should mention that the first time I went on a guided meditation to visit the Lower World, all my healing helpers were there, but they were weird colors. When I had seen them they were the normal colors but they play tricks and games - changing colors was one of their surprises. So my paintings have purple and blue and green, etc animals and birds. The first one to change color was the ant and he was a brilliant orange. We are often surprised by which animal shows up for us. One power animal is not better, stronger or more of anything than another power animal is. Each animal has unique qualities and is partnered with you because it is the animal that you need at that time. Every power animal is sacred and has much to offer. Once your power animal has chosen you it is time to explore the Lower World.

Stay close to your power animal because you may become somewhat directionally challenged. When you hear the call back you may not necessarily remember how to return to the entrance to the Lower World. Your power animal, however, does remember and will get you back with plenty of time to spare. In order to find the way back, I lined one side of the cave entrance with light emitting stone. In the painting, I used pieces of a milky quart, but it doesn't show up well where it is next to the tree. While it is not in the painting, there should be trails through the world. Every power animal is sacred and has much to offer you.

Back to the painting, Many of the symbols are on my altar, and those whose likeness appears 3 or more times on my altar are in the painting. That is why there are bears (green and deep red glitter) and owls (enamel charm and gold charm on branches of the 'World Tree'), The colors of the sky reflect the sky as I've seen it on my journeys, which is very luminous. There were lots of flowers there, but it was impossible to reproduce the color or patterns on the petals. I've frequently gotten unicorn pieces so, although I've never had a guide or power animal who took the form of a unicorn there is one flying in the clouds. I do have an eagle and a hawk in my band as well as a heron (who is not on the painting). I am not aware of any fish or dolphin or whale in my psychic work, but as I was choosing things for the painting, I heard 'Don't forget us' when I overlooked the fish stencil and chose charms - so they are there.

That's all I can think of about the 'Lower World' or the painting. Hope it answers most of your questions.