Part One:    Apprentice to Change

 

Chapter 1  ~  Barney's Lessons in Conscious Dying 

 

Several months before he died, my old dog-friend Barney shared a number of challenging and thought-provoking talks about the nature of death. As a student and teacher of conscious dying, Barney offered to share his insights, beginning with how the way we ‘hold’ or think about death greatly influences the way we experience it.

 

Chapter 2: Facing Fear    

 

This chapter explores our individual and collective fears surrounding death, as well as our human fear of change in general. Shapeshifting is introduced as a way in which we can experience our projections of fear in greater detail and come to appreciate how they offer keys to healing. Included is a personal experience of facing fear and releasing the ‘knot’ of energy that served as a guardian to prevent premature movement into greater levels of awareness.

Chapter 3: A New Set of Eyes

 

The central metaphor of this chapter explores how it is necessary to release old beliefs and worn-out paradigms (and even ‘unlearn’ some of our body’s manner of perceiving the world) as we open to new ways of seeing ourselves and our world. Topics include how we use surface consciousness as a defense against deepening; how humans moved from a conscious relationship with death to a fearful one; how we may come to know the ‘scenery’ of death by ‘walking the path of death’ in advance; and, how reincarnation is a form of shapeshifting. We also look at “crossover points” in which both learning and teaching occur as we merge consciousness with another being.  

 

 

Chapter 4: Endless Variations & Infinite Perspectives

 

This chapter looks at the incredible diversity of species and views on planet Earth as well as the many ways in which we can make use of assorted incarnations to learn. It features three unique views of shapeshifting through talks with the Penguin People, the Spirits of Fish, and an ancient form of Bird. These conversations are tied together via a discussion in which Barney and I look at the various how’s and why’s of spirit incarnation. As Barney notes, I share this information to shake up some old ways of thinking and remind you that there are infinite perspectives in life. The more you learn more about shapeshifting and ways of connecting with other forms and species, the more you will see—and perhaps more deeply appreciate—the unlimited array of form, thought, creation, incarnation, and much more.

Chapter 5: Open Doorways

 

This chapter opens with Barney’s explanation of how his many lives as a teacher of shapeshifting led him to his teachings with Death. We explore karmic illusions,  different forms of shapeshifting, and what happens to the consciousness of the ‘other’ with whom we merge or shapeshift. In addition, this chapter takes us back to Barney as he prepares himself (and me) to die.

Chapter 6: A Conscious Death

 

This short yet potent chapter features a talk with my ‘Higher Self’; a talk with Barney the day before he dies; the experience of waking up a few hours before his death and meeting Barney’s “Spirit People” (guides and friends); and Barney’s conscious movement into death. 

Chapter 7: What Happens Next 

 

“The experience of death is to some degree very personal,” Barney told me a few days after he died, “though a few of the basic transitions do happen to a great many beings.” This chapter looks at Barney’s personal voyage as well as some of the general experiences that we all might encounter upon dying. In particular, we look at what happens when consciousness leaves the physical body.

 

Part Two: Adventures in Shapeshifting

 

Chapter 8: We are All Shapeshifters

 

“Once you get past this division of ‘life’ and ‘death’,” Barney told me one morning, “you see that it is simply another choice of form. This is where shapeshifting can play an important role for you and other humans.” Discussed in this chapter are reincarnation, the distinction between personality and soul, the value of conscious incarnation, and the use of shapeshifting as a means to ‘wake up’ while in the body. Also included is an experiential shapeshift with both Rabbit and Fox, along with short conversations with trees and animals about the deeper nature of the shapeshifting.

Chapter 9: This Mosaic Called Earth

 

Spirit moves through a multitude of beings, each—due to its unique software—offering a different perspective of life on planet earth. In visiting these other perspectives through shapeshifting our consciousness, we may experience a remarkable range of diverse realities. Thus we are free to learn from each other, share knowledge, wisdom and experience, and evolve in a more conscious way together. This chapter specifically looks at how different animals ‘move’ on the earth and some of the insights they hold for all of us. Also included are several talks with a cactus, and a sharing of cactus mythology.

 

Chapter 10: Limitless Possibilities

 

This chapter title refers to the endless potential of shapeshifting experiences. Or, as Barney put it, “We are on the wide track here. We are opening to largeness!” In this section, we explore how gaining fluidity in shifting consciousness is often a prelude to meeting one’s inner selves. Included are experiences of “becoming like water” and seeing through Barney’s eyes; sharing adventures with a raven, a jaguar and a goldfish; and a brief incident of teleporting consciousness. In addition, we meet a group of beings who focus on reawakening humans to the deeper nature of shapeshifting.

Chapter 11: Deepening Dream Awareness

 

This chapter investigates shapeshifting in dreams, as well as using shapeshifting to access deeper aspects of dream awareness. Included are talks with Dream-Guide teachers and several examples of shapeshifting dreams. Subjects explored in the talks feature the parallels between shapeshifting and dreaming, using dream experiences as templates to other states of awareness, and integrating dreams and waking consciousness.

 

Chapter 12: Moving Through Fear

 

This chapter regards fear as a guardian between worlds—not only between life and death, but also between our small, unawakened self and our greater potential. In considering how our deepest fear isn’t that we are powerless but powerful beyond measure, the chapter looks at how we might use fear as a barometer of where we are in our journey. It also includes an elephant dream as an example of transforming fear through different selves in different times.

Chapter 13: Other Voices…

 

This chapter further explores the aforementioned group of beings who study shapeshifting and contribute to the learning of others. Also included are three individual talks and one linked (merged) voice from an eel, a plant and a member of the group. Yet another aspect of this chapter’s title is explored through how the voices of disowned inner selves are reflected (or projected) onto outer selves. Similarly, teachings from Raven reveal how the many ‘selves’ we interact with in the world relate to the selves we hide within. 

Chapter 14: …Other Selves

 

Here we focus on shapeshifting as a tool to integrating our ‘other’ selves. Included is an unusual experience with whales, revealing how sound can serve as a pathway leading us to alternate realities and selves. Further, we explore the notion of simultaneously experiencing numerous versions of Self, and how finding the “spirit tracks” we make for our future/past selves allows us to meet and consciously know ever larger aspects of who we are.

 

Part Three:  The Art of Greater Living

 

Chapter 15: Embracing the Yeti 

 

This chapter focuses on remembering and recalling our lost selves, with the Yeti as a great example of a legendary ‘lost self’. We explore the interweaving of cultural legend, personal mythology and different versions of reality as we work to reclaim that which is lost (some of which may be so lost that we don’t even know about it); dissolve the fear that keeps this lost (or as repressed shadow material); and, use shapeshifting as a means to embrace all our selves in the process of becoming ever more whole. 

Chapter 16: The Circle of Projections

 

In recalling and reclaiming our projections, we begin to refashion ourselves and experience more deeply the essential oneness out of which our selves are created. But how do we know what is ‘real’ as we work with projections of self and ‘other than’ self? How do we not get lost in such a flood of projections? This chapter looks at karmic illusions (spiritual projections) and the “meeting place” in shapeshifting in which a clear recalling of selves is possible. 

Chapter 17: Ever Re-Becoming

 

Evolution, the nature of time, and the process of incarnation/reincarnation are central topics of this chapter. Several animals share their experiences with incarnating, and we look again at reincarnation as a form of shapeshifting. Also explored is how we can contact and share information with the different incarnations of ourselves. As my dog-pal Max explains part of his re-becoming: One time I was a salmon that was eaten nearly fully alive by a bear. What an experience! I went directly into the bear and was so amazed by ‘bearness’ that I stayed and became part of bear. And, you see, when my salmon essence became part of bear I became part of bear—and so too did salmon wisdom become part of bear. This is why it is more important than you realize to pay attention to what you eat, because what you eat is part of what is becoming you and part of what you become!

Chapter 18: Beyond the Mirror

 

This chapter features a conversation with Barney on the value of conscious death as a touchstone to meeting and merging with other selves—not only inner selves, but alternate selves and other dimensional selves. We look at variations of time and space in terms of integrating these selves, and how shifting energy (via shapeshifting) allows us to meet ourselves in other dimensional forms. 

Chapter 19: A New Set of I’s

 

This chapter features conversations with an inter-dimensional being I came to know as Tau. Tau and I were paired together by Barney as students of shapeshifting who had similar levels of development, though in different ways. As such, Barney told us, you have much to share with each other—much to learn and much to teach. Tau and I had numerous talks about shapeshifting and different perspectives of different worlds, as well as several merging experiences in which we shared consciousness. During a particularly fascinating conversation, I stumbled upon the realization that Tau was, in fact, an alternate version of myself who was working to “bring us together, to unite us and help each of us become more aware of the others.”

 

Chapter 20: Claiming Presence

 

This chapter looks at the idea of integrating selves with enough awareness to move beyond karma. A Leopard Spirit shares his view that one of humanity’s biggest challenges is not knowing who we are and that one of the greatest things we can learn from certain animals is to claim presence—to experientially know the suchness of who we really are. This chapter also explores the core of shapeshifting as a means of “creating and translating soul work in the world.” 

Chapter 21: Here & Now

 

With all our exploration of different dimensions and alternate realities, we expand ourselves to a place of becoming more. And yet, all we ever need is right here, right now. This ending chapter brings the adventure home as we re-member ourselves to seeing the infusion of ‘here’ and ‘now’ within any--and every--aspect of reality. The full journey of shapeshifting is reviewed and ideas are offered by various beings about opening ourselves to the Art of Greater Living.