A rite of passage in some native American cultures. Vision quest preparations involve a time of fasting, the guidance of a tribal Holy Man and sometimes ingestion of natural hallucinogens. The quest itself is usually a journey alone into the wilderness seeking personal growth and spiritual guidance. The seeker finds a place that they feel is special, and sits in a 10 foot circle and brings nothing in from society (not even clothes) with the exception of water. A normal vision Quest lasts four days within this circle in which time the seeker is forced to look into his soul. A strong urge to leave the Quest area will come to you and you might feel like you are going crazy, but if you remind yourself of the overall outcome eventually your mind will stop wandering on random thoughts. Remember you are not going to die in just four days. Most importantly if and when you embark on a Quest, do not expect to have a grand vision your fist time. You must take the time to learn the way of the spirit gradually. Native American totems can speak through all things and messages or instructions often come in the form of an animal or bird. Generally a physical representation of the vision or message such as a feather, fur or a rock is collected and placed in the seeker's medicine bag to ensure the power of the vision will stay with the individual to remind, protect or guide him. Enter the Quest with no expectations and the insight you receive will enlighten you and you won't be disappointed.

External links

• http://www.thewildwest.org/native_american/religion/Quest.html
• http://www.crystalinks.com/visionquest.html