by Sheridan Semple
If you’ve been around the Shamanic Astrology block a few times, you’ve probably heard about the shamanic concept of the 3 Worlds from Daniel and Cayelin. Thinking about the 3 Worlds and trying to stay grounded in all three has really helped me navigate the pandemic.
I liken it to a ferris wheel. If I keep riding the wheel through all three worlds, I do fine. If I stop, or worse get off, at any one world, that’s where I start to get weird. My motto is don’t let my ferris wheel stop. Don’t get stuck in any one world for too long.
If the 3 Worlds is new idea to you, here’s a quick explanation. Our realities constantly exist in three different worlds: celestial, middle and under. We may or may not be aware of the worlds, but our experiences often live in one or more of them. In Shamanic Astrology terms we associate Uranus and Neptune with the celestial (or upper) world, Saturn and Jupiter with the middle world, and Pluto and Chiron with the underworld.
What are these worlds all about?
I’ll explain from the top down, but no one world is better or worse than another. There is no hierarchy in the worlds. The celestial world is the place where we get that “God” perspective, up high in
the sky. It’s the eagle’s view, that looks down from a distance. It has some perspective and sees the forest, not just the tree. Being detached from the day to day grind, from this vantage point we see that everything just fine. It’s all good from this point of view and everything is unfolding exactly as it should.
The middle world is what we consider as the “real” world. It’s where we physically live, grocery shop, run errands, do laundry, eat, sleep and work. That may seem mundane, but it is the place where we spend the majority of our energy. It’s not lacking in importance! The middle world is where our bodies live and make our life experience possible.
Finally, the underworld, just like it sounds, is under the surface. Hidden in the shadow, it’s where we keep our deepest fears and feelings. Our subconscious baggage hangs out here. You might wonder, why would I ever want to go there? This is where the juiciness of life gets its energy. When we go here and feel our darkest feelings and fears, we release the energy it takes to stay in denial. We let go and immediately begin to ride on the eagle’s wings back up to the celestial world.
So, how are the 3 Worlds helping me with COVID?
Danial Giamario, Shamanic Astrology’s founder, taught me the importance of keeping my feet firmly planted in each of the worlds, especially now in this time of so much rapid change, uncertainty, and anxiety. Remember the ferris wheel? I make sure to keep my ferris wheel circling. I don’t let it get stuck in any one world for too long.
If I get stuck at the top and bliss out into thoughts that it is all good. Everything is going to be fine. I may feel temporary relief from the fear and anxiety, but I may also stop washing my hands or stop following my area’s rules. I get light polarized and deny the challenges many people are facing and lack empathy. It is the truth that ultimately everything is fine, “all good”, so it’s important to keep this world’s perspective in mind, especially if I’m getting really scared or anxious.
When I’m stuck in the middle world, I start obsessively washing my hands and every single thing that enters my house. I might become the coronavirus police and want to tell others what I think they are doing wrong. I go beyond simply taking care of myself as best as I can and start wanting to control everyone else. It’s really important to keep a foot firmly grounded in the middle
world, so I make sure I take the necessary precautions to keep myself and my family healthy. Afterall, it’s the middle world where I could actually catch the virus.
If I get stuck in the underworld, I’m filled with fear and paranoia around the virus. I sink into depression that it’s all out of my control. This is where I want to curl up in the fetal position, binge watch Netflix, and try to push my shadow further down with distraction. While it’s true my fears around getting sick or making money are real, the key here is to surrender and let go.
I can’t control the virus, nor the rules around what I can or can’t do right now. So, I feel my feelings and let go. I keep on riding the ferris wheel. Surrendering always brings me right back up to the high view from the celestial world, where everything is truly going to be ok, no matter what. As long as I keep my ferris wheel moving, and don’t get off at the wrong stop, I’m literally all good.
Sheridan Semple