Vision Quest - is it Shamanism or a Form of Meditation?

A Vision Quest is considered as a right of passage for many Native Americans. Yet, there are many that think of it as a form of shamanism.

First let's take a look at what a Vision Quest is and how it is suppose to work. A Vision Quest is a supernatural experience in which an individual seeks to interact with a guardian spirit. They do this for two major reasons. First for protection and advice and second for a look into the future. It works when an individual enters into a trance or a state of meditation.

While in this trance, it is said that the individual will confer with either an animal or spirit from the other side. The journey is taken alone and is to be taken very seriously. At one point in Native American history, it was one of seven major rites that individual would partake in. Although still used by a few of the tribal nations, it isn't used as much as it once was.

A typical Quest would begin in a teens young age. They would fast for several days. With the help of a medicine man, they would ingest several entheogens. The quest seeker finds a special place in nature. There they would clear an area of foreign debris and sit inside a ten foot circle. They bring nothing from society accept water.

The Quest usually lasts two to four days. During this time, the individual looks deep into his soul. The individual seeks to find solace (a strong state of mind). They will be tempted many times to leave the circle for various reasons. A feeling of insanity might even step in at times. Some individuals have claimed to have a grand vision. This is somewhat greater that a vision itself. However, there have been many that haven't had any type of vision at all. The Quest provides a period of solitude that allows an individual to look inside themselves. To seek an inner revelation (vision), which grants the individual a profound meaning and direction of their life. To many of us, this would appear to be a simple form of meditation. the only major difference would be the period of time we are involved in it.