by Dr. Alberto Villoldo: We now know that the fabric of space-time has ripples and folds…
yet we cling to the old idea that the only way to enact change is to become informed by the past, make modifications in the present, and hope that we put ourselves on a good trajectory into the future. But if time-space behaves like an ever-changing sphere, we might enact change by becoming informed by the future and altering the past, instead of informed by the past and planning for the future.
The famous bullfighter, Manolete, was shy and anxious as a child. The conventional psychological explanation is the Manolete became a bullfighter to compensate for his weak and fearful personality as a child. But in his book, The Soul’s Code, James Hillman suggests that Manolete had these characteristics in his youth because he knew on some level that someday he would be fighting bulls. Perhaps his soul had decided he should experience his fear ahead of time so that he could develop the ability to overcome it and step into his destiny, facing powerful and aggressive animals rushing toward him.
When we look back at our lives following Hillman’s theory, the “wasted” time, the wrong turn, and the disastrous relationship take on an entirely different light. What if we experienced exactly what we needed, regardless of the pain it might have caused us, in order to reach the point where we are today?
Imagine being on a circular platform that rotates to position you facing the track that is calling to you. Without having to figure out how to get there, you are facing the path of your destiny. Imagine that the energy driving this rotating platform comes from you, in the future, where you have 20/20 hindsight and are able to ensure that you will step onto that platform. Imagine that you know exactly which track leads to where you are meant to be, and you have the power to reach back and rotate that platform so that you will face the right track.
Shamans travel into places of nonordinary reality in order to take advantage of the malleability of space-time. By entering these spaces, you can experience the future, present, and past simultaneously and return to your everyday life aware of a calling from the future that was previously invisible to you. You will perceive your past differently and see the seeds of what is meant to bloom in the future, and your present state of mind will transform as the platform beneath you shifts.
The notion of “destiny” or “calling” is too often confused with grandiose beliefs about our self-importance. The track you’re meant to be on may simply be a track toward spiritual healing and improved health, rather than straight toward deterioration and death as dictated by statistics and a bad prognosis from a physician. It may be a track toward richer relationships, rather than continuing to invest in those that drain you. It may be a track toward teaching, inspiring, entertaining, or facilitating change, instead of financial security, recreational activities, or maintaining the status quo.
At first, experiencing nonordinary reality may leave you wondering if the future possibilities you encounter are real or just a dream. However, the more time you spend in nonordinary reality, the easier it becomes to believe in your ability to access the future and return to your present life with a new direction that is in sync with your destiny.
