If you have any sort of medical condition that requires medication, don't stop taking it. If you smoke, a Vision Quest may not be time time to try to quit - you may decide to take your cigarettes with you. But smoking can become a distraction - but perhaps not as much of a distraction as the withdrawal symptoms that can arise from quitting during the Quest! If you can't physically do without food or water, take an appropriate reduced amount with you.
Again, a Vision Quest is not a time to physically harm yourself. That's not the point. On the other hand, it is a time of austerity. A Vision Quest is not a physical survival endurance test, nor a time to harm yourself. You also probably don't want to have your Quest cut short by frostbite or sunstroke!
It is a time of asceticism, but don't injure or kill yourself. It's a spiritual exercise. You need to take care of your physical self, but not to the extent of being really comfy! The idea is to meet your spiritual self, the spirits, the Creator, God, whatever-you-call-it, in as simple a way as possible, unencumbered, with as little between you and the spiritual realm as possible. Take appropriate clothing into the Quest with you, unless you intend to do a more austere Quest, in which you meet Nature on its own terms with an absolute minimum of protection.
This is a valid approach, but you should be up to it, and prepare for it, on all levels: Therefore, you may wish to take a light sleeping bag to wrap yourself in at night-time. If it's autumn, maybe bring something waterproof in case it rains being wet when it's cooler out may cause hypothermia.
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It's up to you - exercise common sense. Generally speaking, the more austere the Quest, the more intense it will be. The more comfy you are, the less intense it will be.
But overall, you don't want to put yourself in any danger. If you need to take in food or medication, ensure that it is in sealed containers.
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You don't need the distraction of animals being attracted to that stuff. When you select your spot also consider what you will do with your human wastes. If you fast and drink a reduced amount of water, there won't be any, of course. But there may still be some in the first day or two.
Some people prefer to Quest with a helper or protector overseeing their Quest. Some even go so far as to pay someone to do this, or they pay to "go on" or "do" or "take" a Vision Quest somewhere.
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Others prefer to do the entire Quest alone, from start through finish. There are arguments for and against each alternative. What you do is your choice. They can be a spiritual helper, who guides you through the entire process, from preparations, to watching over you during your Quest, to afterwards helping you understand what you received during the Quest.
Or you may wish to have a helper who fills only a more physical role, watching over you during the Quest to ensure you're physically okay, and that no one disturbs you. And perhaps helping to get you back to the regular world afterwards. For example, it is possible that you may not be in any shape to drive immediately after the Quest. On the other hand, a "helper" may in fact turn out to be a detriment to your quest, if the "help" that they offer in fact turns out to be a hindrance or a distraction.
On the spiritual level, a helper can interfere if they introduce energies to your Quest, even if simply just by their presence. Or if they "protect" you by shielding you from influences that in fact need to be part of your Quest. This is the argument for doing the whole thing completely alone from start to finish - what happens to you will be of your own doing, and will be meant for you alone. If you decide to have a helper of any type, be sure that it is someone that you trust completely. Your well-being may be completely in their hands.
This is especially true if they are helping you in a spiritual role.
Paying a stranger to be your helper is something to be very careful of. Also, it is important to select someone who will not "bring you down" when you come out. For example, if you are a quiet, introspective person, you should probably not select someone who is loud and boisterous. You will likely be wanting time for reflection after the Quest, and they could easily intrude into that. Another example, if you select someone who is into psychology, and this is not at all your view, then don't utilize that person.
And be careful of getting "slotted" into a particular way of going into, doing, and coming out of the quest. Please note that in any traditional setting, there is no fee charged. In fact, in most traditional circles of any flavour it is regarded as very wrong to charge for any spiritual teachings or activities.
Rather, one offers what one is able to, in recognition that those who are helping and guiding you have to live ie, they have to eat and have somewhere to live just as you do. And while they are doing this for you, they aren't working for that time period. And a package of tobacco - if you feel you must make a gift of that in the Native tradition - isn't enough!! In many traditions, the Quest begins at sunrise.
You are, of course, free to choose what time of day to start, and what time of day on the last day to finish. Again, all aspects of the Quest should be done in a way that feels right to you. But sunrise is symbolic in that it is a beginning. On the other hand, it might be symbolic to you to start the Quest at sunset, to symbolize the ending of the "old you".
And to end it at sunrise, to symbolize the emergence of the "new you". When you reach your Quest area, draw a circle, or otherwise delineate an area that will become your Quest area.
Quest: A Guide for Creating Your Own Vision Quest
Once you step into that area, do not leave it for the duration of the Quest. The purpose of this is to provide some discipline to your Quest, so that you will be less easily distracted or thrown off your Quest. A Vision Quest is all about facing yourself, and learning about yourself and your path in life.
The circle boundary helps to ensure that you stay focused. Otherwise you might be tempted to go for a walk to have a look around! There's not a lot to say about "what to do" during the Quest. Generally speaking, the idea is face yourself with as little distraction as possible. And to listen to what the spiritual realms have to offer you. Essentially it's a time of listening. In most traditions, the Quester tries to stay awake at all times. This may or may not be possible or practical for you.
Some say that what you need to receive will come to you whether you are conscious or not. Others will say that you need to be conscious to understand and retain what is given to you, and that it shows discipline. You are not there to "prove" anything. You don't need to "prove" you are "worthy" to the spiritual realm, or to God. Any spiritual being worth paying attention to already knows what's in your heart, and where you are at spiritually.
Nor do you have to prove anything to any person. This is all about YOU. If it's the right time for you, and you make yourself ready, and conduct yourself in an appropriate manner, then whatever you need will come to you. What's an "appropriate manner"? A Quest is a serious thing.
Approach it with reverence and anticipation but not expectations! On the physical level, if you find yourself in trouble physically, then don't hesitate to bail out if you need to. It's not the right time to be doing a Quest if you are endangering yourself by doing it. You haven't "failed" if you leave early. A Quest is all about finding your way in life; it's not about debilitating yourself!
Nor is it about "proving" anything, to anyone. During the Quest many insights will come to you that may help you in your life, in your relationships, in healing yourself, and so on. You may receive insights and guidance on what to do with your life, where to go, and why. The meaning of some things may become clear.
It's very important to be watchful for these things. Please remember that they can come to you in many different ways. Again, the key word here is to listen. The word "listen" encompasses much more than mere physical listening with your ears. It's a state of watchfulness for signs and insights that are meant for you, that can help you, that point things out to you, that guide you. Listen to what is being offered to you.
That's why you are doing the Quest, after all! And some things which come to you won't make sense until a later date.
Quest: A Guide for Creating Your Own Vision Quest by Denise Linn
A question which you should be asking right about now is, "What if the things I receive are merely delusions brought about by lack of food and water? Try to reach a sense of what feels right and correct to you. Look at what comes to you from a state of balanced objectivity, as much as possible. This doesn't mean to use your logical mind to analyze what you receive, however. Filter it through your sense of what feels right, using your intuition and common sense.
Some people recommend "journaling" during your Quest. If you don't know what that means, it simply refers to writing down what comes to you, what happens to you, etc. For some this may be appropriate. For others it can become a big distraction. Spiritual things are understood on a level much deeper than the logical thinking mind.
The activity of putting what comes to you into words engages that logical mind and can easily drag you out of a deeper state. If you are thinking of writing in a journal during your Quest, consider this carefully. Your Quest may turn into merely a time of writing random thoughts that come through your mind! For some a compromise might be to keep the journal closed, opening it only when some major insight comes to you. Some say that you will remember and understand what you need to remember and understand, without having to write it down.
And within the context of North American Native traditions, writing is generally frowned upon, even forbidden, during spiritual activities. Plan ahead so that you aren't plunged back into society and your day-to-day life immediately afterwards. You will need and want some time alone to reflect on your experience, on what you received during the Quest.
How long depends on you. I would suggest a couple of days at a minimum. Similar to the period prior to the Quest, don't go around telling everyone about your Quest. It's no one's business except your own. If you find yourself telling everyone, "I went on a Vision Quest", then take a good look at yourself, as your ego is likely being overactive. A Quest is an intensely private affair and is no one's business but your own. If insights have come to you about changes you need to make in your life, try your hardest to make the changes.
To ignore them, and to not make any effort to implement the changes, is disrespectful of the whole process. If you subsequently Quest again, you likely won't receive very much more than what you received on the previous Vision Quest until you start to live what has already been given to you. That's generally how spiritual things work. You will receive a certain amount of guidance, help, insight, etc.
As well, if you find yourself in a spiritually "dry" phase in life, it may be that you need to go back and re-examine what you've been given so far, and work on these "old" things first, before you can progress further. Nowadays many people recommend utilizing "journaling" there's that word again as a means to expand on and understand what you received during your Quest. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Quest by Denise Linn. It can take the form of a journey into nature for introspection that encourages answers to personal questions that rise from within.
Now international lecturer and healer Denise Linn draws on her Native American roots, as well as the teachings of other cultures, to create a carefully crafted spiritual program for anyone wishing to venture on a retreat or create a uniquely personal Quest of his or her own. Paperback , pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Quest , please sign up. Lists with This Book. Feb 04, Lea rated it it was amazing.
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