The Journey of the Raven's Heart
"The Journey of the Raven's Heart"
Far to the north, where the forests stand like ancient songs and the earth's breath becomes visible in the mist, lived a young man named Ayo. His village knew him as a quiet dreamer, someone who often went into the woods alone and spoke to stones, trees, and the wind. They said, "He's different." But Ayo knew: He was simply open.
One evening, as the sky turned deep darkness and the full moon hung over the mountains, the village elder—a shaman with eyes like glowing coals—called him.
"You are ready," she said. "Tonight you will die—and return."
She led him to a birchbark hut, placed a drum beside him, gave him bitter tea made from the roots and bark, and left him in the darkness. Ayo lay down. The drum began to beat—slowly, then faster, like a heart from deep within the earth.
And then... he left the world.
The Lower World
He fell—through earth, stone, and water. Deeper and deeper, until he landed in a realm of roots and glowing animals. A wolf stepped out of the shadows, silent but full of dignity. The wolf led him through tunnels of light and bone, showing him his fears in the form of whispering shadows.
"If you are not afraid of death, life will not control you."
With courage, Ayo stepped through the shadow—and the shadow turned to smoke. He had passed through the first gate.
The Middle World
He returned—but everything was changed. The trees whispered, the river sang. Here he saw the spirits of things, the dreams of stones, the songs of herbs. He saw his village—not as it is, but as it vibrates. Streams of light connected all the people. Pain was visible, but also love—like shining bonds between hearts.
The Upper World
Finally, Ayo flew. He transformed—not into an eagle, but into a raven, black and shining. He ascended into a realm of wind and stars, where no form remained, only light, sound, and memory. There, a being of flames spoke to him—not a god, not a human, but the consciousness of the Great Spirit.
"Everything is connected. You are part of the song you seek. Become a singer of the in-between world."
And with this message, Ayo returned.
When he awoke, it was morning. The drum was silent. The Elder sat there and smiled.
"You are back. Now your work begins."
From then on, Ayo became a bridge person—a shaman. He healed not with words, but with listening. He spoke to plants, listened to the dreams of the sick, found lost souls, and guided them home. Not everyone understood him. But those willing to listen heard the song of the earth through him.
"What is a shaman?" a child asked him.
Ayo replied:
"A shaman is not a healer. He is a traveler between worlds. An interpreter for what you have long known – but have forgotten how to hear."
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