Lucid dreaming, sorcery, witches and shamanism. Interview with Alysa Braceau, Dreamshield, Netherlands by Willi Paul. Co-Presented by PlanetShifter.com Magazine & planetshifter.com

"One of the things I have encountered and describe in my book is that reality is much more comprehensive than it first appears to be. If you want to be free, want to feel free, you will have to face spiritual, physical and emotional blocks and work on them to release them."

Are you saying that we are born unhealthy and that we must overcome spiritual, physical and emotional blocks to be well, and alive?

No, I am not saying that! To put this in the Art of Dreaming perspective: in a later stage of my sorcerers-apprenticeship I found out how important it is to free myself from convictions, fears, and trauma's, etcetera. Letting go of these blocks gives you the experience of freedom! To be able to free myself, to heal myself, I could travel with my dream body - after having mastered the skill of lucid dreaming - into the unknown and recognise myself in totality!

What are the sources of these spiritual, physical and emotional blocks?

Trauma's in this life or even past lifes!

Do all Shaman practice the sorcerer's tradition? Do witches also practice this?

My benefactor and teacher Running Deer told me once that the conditions had to be perfect to meet a benefactor and get into sorcery. "You have to look at it this way,' he said. "As a benefactor, I am a polarity and your spiritual sense picked up on that before you met me that day. You circled around me like a rocket launched into orbit as it were, and finally you were in luck." Of course this sounds pretty bizarre and also a bit funny at the same time, but that's what he said.

From my own experience I can say that you need to have the abilities to be a sorcerer and you don't have to be a shaman for that and vice versa. One inherits this knowledge from spiritual ancestors but the good news is that people can learn this art of dreaming tradition and get results within a few weeks if they are interested and willing to learn.

Depending of the meaning you give to the word witch you could probably call a sorceress a witch, but a witch or Wiccan doesn't have to be a sorceress. Wiccan is more of a religion with its own rituals and ceremonies. Sorcery is about mastering the first everyday reality and the boundless second reality of creativity and dreaming along with the ability to separate the realities. A sorcerer is busy enlightening the whole universe and healing the dark places with his intention.

Why can't we create third or fourth lines or tribes now?

This path is in the tradition of Carlos Castaneda, he described the first line of knowledge, coming from the Toltec's and Aztecs.

My dreaming teacher said there is also a second line in which he has been raised. Originally there was only one sorcerer's line, but because hunters covered great distances during the ice age, and due to the origination of land bridges, this original line split into two tribes. The second line is the North American tradition.

Regarding you question: who can tell if there is a third or fourth line!

Tell us about Dreamtime. Is this a real place? How do you move about in it?

Australian aboriginals speak about Dreamtime. In the tradition I write about we talk about the dreaming reality. On the way to the totality you will learn to master your dreaming, which means that ordinary dreams will come to a halt and will be replaced by the dreaming of the spirit. Ordinary dreams come to a stop, disappear because they are primitive, and take up too much energy. As you master your dreaming, you will have medicine dreams and visions that guide you into the totality. If you want to learn more you can use the techniques in my book. I have also written an article with the techniques I mentioned which I can publish on Open Myth Source. The Title is Travel with your dream body!

So you gained knowledge of our Native American traditions of dreaming, sorcery, and shamanism while residing in the Netherlands?

That is right! More than six years ago I met the shaman and sorcerer Running Deer aka Vidar somewhere in Amsterdam. I found him so intriguing that I started a conversation with him. When I visited him a few months later at his place, he invited me to be his apprentice, to learn the art of mastering lucid dreaming, one of the teachings of totality in the sorcerer's tradition. And he suggested that I write a book about my experiences. At that time I was a journalist and used to write about my personal experiences following new age workshops so I eagerly said 'yes' to both of his questions.

Tell us about your early initiations with Running Deer. How did you know this was a safe path?

I am a natural born dreamer:) Ever since my childhood I had many dreams and visions. I felt a strong connection with my spiritual ancestors. It is not a coincidence I followed this path and felt secure and natural doing this. Running Deer said in the beginning: "You will learn by experience and that means you will find out yourself what the truth is and if I am right." And I found that out myself indeed!

Why do you state that the secret of creation is lucid dreaming?

Lucid dreaming takes you outside this reality to the boundless unknown, after you master your dreaming it takes you to the totality of the Self. When I reached that point I experienced that I created my own life. I experienced that in a way being a sculptor creating a sculpture, like a painter creating a painting! I mean not just in the way that you are aware of the fact (like many people are) that you can create you own life, your own beauty or your own misery but that you truly experience that.

Carlos Castaneda practiced tensegrity and took hallucinogenic drugs. What can you tell us about these practices?

In my book I describe how one of my spiritual ancestors passes over two practices in dreaming. From my own experience I can tell that it brings you (among others) in a dreaming state: to help you get lucid in your dreaming. Learning to dream consciously starts with attentiveness, being aware of your surroundings and your actions in daily life.

During my initiation into the Sorcerer's world one of the steps was to take magic mushrooms in a dreaming ceremony. The mushroom is the outward appearance of the entity and I was fortuned to meet the entity Mateeë. Running Deer told me somewhere in the beginning of my apprenticeship that Mateeë would guide me to the unknown; he teaches how to shift your assemblage point. His characteristic is cosmic love and beauty. He teaches you that this reality is not the only one. Mateeë is a signpost into the second reality and a cosmic relative.

You have to be ready to meet the entity. It can be very dangerous if you don't have someone to teach and to guide you because you are challenged and confronted with your fears.

To enter the second reality, the boundless reality you need not only to master your dreams, you also need to be inviolable. This means you must stay calm and independent in every given situation, untouched by your past (remember? That's why it's important to heal your blocks otherwise you can't travel, you will be stopped). The second reality is a completely different reality. You need to be strong as iron, because your intellect cannot cope when confronted with the boundless unknown. You have to train yourself to always be the same, irrespective of any given situation.

Is sustainability like a new religion?

Where do we need a new religion for? Why not call it sustainability awareness.

Shamans say that the purpose of human is to master conscious dreaming. One becomes the dreamer and the dream and to be a living dream weaver. The art of lucid dreaming is a way to experience that we are all connected and to discover that we are creating our own reality. That means for example in everyday reality that we can become more aware that we are not only responsible for ourselves but for the collective, the environment and the preservation of the earth.

Can we create new myths?

You can create new myths every day!

Who are you heroes? Are they all real or are some in dream state?

I studied social legal studies and was a probation officer for at least 5 years a.o. in Amsterdam and worked with drug addicts and alcoholics. All and all I was a social worker for 8 years. I am pretty much aware that on this planet there are many people for whom life is difficult for many different reasons. Life is not always easy, it can be very tough and pretty complicated. With this I try to say that I stand with my both feet on the ground in this society and that my life doesn't take place in a dream realty state, I'd rather be a pioneer and be open to the unlimited and the possibilities of human consciousness!

To me a hero is someone who takes responsibility for his own life, is helpful to other people and makes the best of every situation with a positive attitude!

How is lucid dreaming alchemic?

Lucid Dreaming is very powerful in showing you Creation. If you truly experience that you are conscious in your dreams you come to the point being aware that you are the creator of your life. To be a creator you first have to heal yourself and why not make it a nicer place for you and your surroundings!

* * * * * * *

About the Sorcerer's Dream

The Sorcerer's Dream, A true story of initiation into the Native American sorcerer's tradition by Alysa Braceau, Dreamshield. The author gives us a glimpse into the very real world of lucid dreaming and astral projection. Her direct experiences with a modern day mystic, Running Deer, takes the work of Castaneda one step further. In The Sorcerer's Dream, she reveals unique steps to mastering lucid dreaming and travelling to the unknown.

Alysa Braceau Bio –

Alysa Braceau, Dreamshield lives in the Netherlands (Europe), she is mother of a 7-year old daughter. She studied social legal studies and the past ten years she is a (freelance) journalist and publisher. Besides that she has a healing practice and gives workshops about the Art of Dreaming. Alysa Braceau is author of The Sorcerer's Dream. The theme of the past years has been the sorcerers tradition and mastering lucid dreaming. She carefully recorded her personal experiences which have finally led to this first book. The Sorcerer's dream, an initiation into the sorcerer's world and mastering lucid dreaming. Buy it at: here or at Amazon

Connections –

Alysa Braceau
Alysa at dreamshield.nl

Website: http://www.dreamshield.nl
Blog: http://dreamshield.wordpress.com