A journey to the Other World begins with a statement of intent - repeated 3 times to fix it in the mind. This time: 'My intent is to see if there is a power animal that was once with my client, who wishes to return to help them with their life.'

Simon explained that not every animal encountered was a power animal. But by ancient agreement, a power animal would identify itself by appearing 4 times or more in a journey. The shaman would then gather the spirit which had taken animal form into his or her arms, and bring it back to the client. The shaman blows the spirit into the client's heart; and to ensure no drops are lost, makes a second blow through the crown. Finally the shaman shakes a rattle around the client's body to seal in the returned spirit.

I lay down touching the shaman travelling on my behalf. She made the connection quickly, and I felt her arms go up to gather in the spirit of a power animal. Then she rose to her knees to blow the spirit into me. I had no sensation of anything entering, so when all was done I was keen to hear her story.

She said a black panther had come to her immediately, and was very keen to join me. She smiled saying the panther had showed itself ten times or more. It had green-yellow eyes; and a yellow colour mixed in with the black as she gathered the spirit. The spirit was quite hard to hold together, as she moved it across to my body. I asked if she had a sense of it being male or female. She hesitated a moment and then said 'female', looking to see if this might offend me. I reassured her this was fine, as it was. I asked if the panther showed any emotion or feeling. She said the strongest sense she had was of power. I felt in need of it.

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Simon suggested we make contact with the returned spirit in our dreams, so I went to sleep that night with the intent of meeting Black Panther. My dream certainly sent out a call. The first to arrive is a school friend I haven't seen for thirty years, Alan Brown. He expects to play a game of squash with me, and is disappointed I know nothing about it as he has travelled a long way. Then I am with a woman at a round cafe-table whose partner arrives unexpectedly. Finally, I am at a rectangular table with a BBC man I think I recognise from the past on the other side. He tells me his name a little grudgingly, but it doesn't seem relevant to anything.

Then at some point I am asked, or expected, to 'Look for Dion(e)'; and I awake with this on my mind. I imagine Dione is a form of Diana (Artemis), and wonder if the goddess is associated with black panthers.

Alan was a close friend, but I don't think he played squash; and I haven't played since those days. He may appear because Brown is close to black. But he is also a symbol for a spirit that has left me. So it's a shame I'm not ready for squash, which is another symbol for something that has left me. It was probably my best sport, though I became too angry if I played badly. It doesn't seem an impressive symbol, although from the point of view of a panther's agility and power it may be the nearest available thing. The unexpected return of the woman's partner is another symbol of reunion. Even the BBC man is someone from the past, whose name I once knew.

But in each of these 3 cases, there is no great enthusiasm for the reunion, which is odd. It may be that Black Panther is not impressed by what she finds. And I have to readjust too. So it is not a case of now we're together everything is roses.

She gives me a task - Look for Dion(e).

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