Yes I did write Part 2 (though I will probably expand it in the future to include a few more traditions). The link is http://trustearthpulse.com/blog/shamanism-part-2-three-shamanic-traditions/. Thank you for your interest. Our family dog passed away a few years ago now but I know exactly what you mean about the awareness. I also think the eyes give away a lot about a person’s personality no matter how well they hide other features and behaviours. Very interesting about the iguana observation. Please keep in touch. Your feedback – good or bad – is well appreciated.

“I have come across teach variations on this theme with animals and plants regarded as our relations, rather than our ’subjects’, in a fragile web of interdependence.”

That moment in your article felt like home to me. At the risk of sounding corny, it has a quite avataresque I-see-you quality to it.

Have you noticed when you look into animals eyes, sometimes you can see an awareness in them? for example: when I look in my dogs eyes I see her looking at me and it’s just known that she’s actually seeing my aliveness. When I look at an iguana though, it’s so different, even if his eyes meet mine, it feels like they see me more as an object than a source of life.

Have you ever seen the cave paintings of sexually aroused men with animal headdresses? This appears to demonstrate the link between shamanic experiences and physical arousal (which I personally think is a manifestation of all of the psychic centres/chakras being stimulated).

Your story reminds me a little of the journey of C.Michael Smith, a shamanic teacher who initially worked with the church (http://www.cmichaelsmith.com/bio.html ).

That last sentence is so, so true in my opinion. I remember watching a recent documentary on the standard model of cosmology. It works perfectly…at least it will when physicists finally work out what dark matter, dark energy and dark flow actually is.

Joking aside, I still think there is lots that religion, art, spirituality and science can still contribute but I don’t think we’re anywhere close to understanding the universe as a whole – and that is one of the joys of being alive!