The Three Shamanic Worlds
Shamanic Cosmology - The Three Worlds
At the base of the great tree, she lies in surrender, resting against her axis mundi — the living pillar that connects Heaven, Earth and the Deep Below. In shamanic cosmology, this sacred tree bridges the Three Worlds: the Upper World of expanded vision and luminous guidance, the Middle World of earthly life and spirit within nature, and the Lower World of ancestral wisdom, instinct and deep soul memory.
Before her, a doorway opens. Steps ascend and descend, offering passage into realms beyond ordinary sight. At each level, compassionate allies await — teachers, healers and guardians who walk beside her as she journeys for insight and restoration. These worlds are not distant places but dimensions of consciousness, accessible through reverence, intention and trust.
This painting is a remembrance of the sacred map carried within us all. When we dare to enter the doorway, we discover we are never alone on the path.
This artwork was originally created for ‘The Ultimate Guide to Shamanism’, written by Rebecca Keating and Published by Quarto Knows, Fair Winds Press.
