from http://www.crystalinks.com/visionquest.html

Since the beginning of this cycle of time, humanity has returned to nature to connect with spirit and to seek answers to problems of the third dimension. There is something about being alone in the wilderness that brings us closer - makes us more aware - of the 4 elements - and our connection to a creational source. We go to seek truths - divine realization - just as many of the ancient prophets did in their time.

In its own way - the vision quest is an Initiation not unlike the days of the ancient mystery school teachings where one learns about themselves and the mysteries of the universe are often revealed to them. It is a time of internal transformation and renewal. Who am I? Why am I here?

In a vision quest, conditions are set up that allow the soul to move beyond the illusions of the little self and enter the unity of the inner whole. It is a time of fasting - praying - and being in nature.

It is a period of solitude in which we seek an inner revelation - a vision -which grants profound meaning and direction to our life. This initiation leads to maturity and an understanding of our responsibility to ourselves, our society, our natural environment, and our soul.

Though the Vision Quest is associated with Native Americans traditions - it is practiced all over the world.

As an expression of the archetypical "Heroic Journey," the vision quest has been enacted in religious pilgrimages, mythological tales (including the story of the search for the Holy Grail), and our own daily pursuit of truth and purpose.

Today, there are companies which sponsor vision quests; they provide a wilderness area in which it is to occur, and they give instructions and guidance before and after the event.

In Native American traditions these times of inner trial are marked liked passages. Time is set aside to honor them.

It might be a day, a week, a month, whatever is necessary to complete the transformation and get the answer one seeks.

Preparation:

- able to fast

- able to camp out for long periods of time

- knowledge of first aid

- prepare sleeping equipment - or sleep on the ground.

- knowledge of spiritual things like meditation

- bring a spiritual instrument so you can play or chant

- be comfortable with the solitude

- if the weather permits you may wish to remove all clothing or cover yourself in a blanket

Now you are ready to go out alone in nature to spend the time seeking greater truths.

They may come as a vision you see in third dimention - a dream - a connection with nature - through meditation

You may not understand the vision when you receive it. It may take time for you to process.

A sacred circle of stone is placed on the ground. The individual remains in the circle for a certain period of time.

Sometimes a helper will check on the person - in cases of bad weather or to be sure the person is okay.

In many instances one is taken out of their body and are confronted by both the angelic and the demonic aspects of their own fears.

This transformational experience has been sometimes been done with the use of natural pseudylics such as peyote, mescaline, and the South American Iawaska plant during sacred initiation rites. These plants were held as sacred teachers from the plant kingdom. The insights during the sacred space allowed the veils between this world and the next to be pulled back and for the individual voyager to transcend himself and this dimension.

When the quest is over the person leaves most often with a message.

Curing illness - I have spoken with people who have been diagnosed with illnesses like cancer - and have returned after two weeks with nothing to drink but water - no food - and have been cured.

You are given a vision that will help you soul help its issues and move into its spiritual space.

Confidence. If we emerge from the wilderness alive and healthy, we feel more certain of our abilities and our strength, because we have survived raw nature and our own imagined limitations. We did alone, but we also discovered additional sources of power from beyond us.

Stronger connections to creation. We enhance our link to nature, humanity, and spirit.

Appreciation of life. We cherish it more intensely, after facing possible dangers and death in the wilderness. Our temporary deprival¹s also increase our appreciation of our friends, our food, and our material comforts.

The realization that we have our own source of wisdom. The vision comes to us directly, intimately - without books, churches, or religious teachers.

Our connection to source - oneness of the universe

Meeting your spirit guides - or spirit self so we understand who is guiding our path

A Vision Quest is an experience of deeper understanding of Nature and Spirit. It is a ceremony practiced by American Indians.

To prepare for this "insight" one must first cleanse the body and mind by going through a Inipi or sweat lodge.

Then with the help of a Holy Man is told certain things and must go to a spot, usually on a holy mountain, and stay 2 or 3 days

During this time no food is eaten and one does not sleep but spends the time in deep prayer and observation.

Many times, but not always, there is a vision. This vision is then shared with the Holy Man to help learn of its meaning.

Sometimes the meaning is not shown for several years afterward.

This is part of a vision quest I was told to share with all who may be interested.

Once, I went to pray at the top of the sacred mountain of my ancestors.

As I climbed to the top I heard voices singing as the wind blew the leaves.

At the top I saw, made from many stones, a large circle with a cross inside.

I knew from my teachings that this represented the circle of life and the four directions.

I sat down by the edge of this circle to pray.

I thought this is only a symbol of the universe.

"True," a very soft voice said.

"Look and you will see the Center of the Universe.

Look at every created thing."

As I looked around I saw that every created thing had a thread of smoke or light going from it.

The voice whispered, "This cord that every created thing has is what connects it to the Creator.

Without this cord it would not exist."

As I watched I saw that all these threads, coming from everything, went to the center of the circle where the four directions were one place (the center of the cross).

I saw that all these threads were tied together or joined here at this spot.

The voice spoke again, "This is the Center of the Universe. The place where all things join together and all things become one. The place where everything begins and ends. The place inside everything created."

That's when I understood that all of creation, the seen and the unseen, was all related.

The voice spoke one last time, "Yes, now you know the Center of the Universe."

I pray to the four directions.....hear me.

I pray to the West which gives us rest and reflection.

I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.

I pray to the North which gives us patience and purity.

I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.

I pray to the East which gives us energy and emotions.

I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.

I pray to the South which gives us discipline and direction.

I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.

Grandmother, share with me your wisdom, and I thank you for this gift.

Grandfather, share with me your strength, and I thank you for this gift.
-------------------------
Note that I might have used slightly different words or put some things a little differently, but this does a pretty good job of defining a Vision Quest.

Didn't Black Elk say the Center of the Universe is everywhere. So, wherever I am is the Center of the Universe. I think we find it within us and a Vision Quest is one way to find it.

__________________
InterfaithForums.com-Where your ideas and beliefs count.

"Our" center is within us. But a vision quest transcends the physical universe. We use it to enter, in a very intimate way, the spirit realm, which is not constrained by the physical laws of the universe such as we know them. But you are correct...one of the things that a vision quest can be used for is to find our "center".

It sounds like what is found is hallucinatory. Is there reality in hallucinations?

__________________
InterfaithForums.com-Where your ideas and beliefs count.

I've never had a hallucination, so I can't really answer that...I suppose that there could be. But then, I suppose that it also depends on which definition you use for "hallucination". If you use the one in the American Heritage dictionary:
Then yes and no. Much of what we are aware of in the physical world, using this definition, is actually hallucination, and nearly everyone (again, using this definition) hallucinates on a daily basis. There need not be a "mental disorder or as a response to a drug", a person only needs to be a thinking person.

Used in that context, then yes, it would be similar. The spirit realms do exist, but USUALLY they are hard to detect using only the five usual physical senses. (This isn't always true...there is a certain amount of overlap between the realms.) The interesting thing is that nearly every person has visited the spirit realm, but just don't know it. These show up in "dreams" where a person is almost shaken by how vivid they were, where there seemed to be some sort of message (whether they know at the time what it is...it is just a sense that there is a message there) and where the different senses are involved, unlike most dreams that tend to be just visual and auditory. The Shamanic teachings shows us how to make the transition to the spirit realm at will, rather than waiting for it to happen by chance. This is what gives a Shaman his power, and is why Shamans are sometimes known as "Shadow Walkers" or "Shape Shifters". The interesting part is that the Bible and Qur'an make reference to the spirit realms, but we won't even go into that right now...it is involved.