The idea of a vision quest has been on my mind for a while now. It all started with a TV show. When I was a kid we used to watch this western drama(?) called Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The show was set in the mid to late 1800s in Colorado, and follows Dr. Quinn, a female doctor from Boston who seeks a new life on the frontier. She ends up with three orphaned children, and they begin a new life together. The lead male is named Sully, a mountain man and widower, who has built a relationship with the Cheyenne Indians, and follows many of their practices and customs. In one episode, the oldest of the children, Matthew who is in his late teens, is frustrated that he is still being treated as a child. Sully talks to him about doing a vision quest, and Matthew undertakes the ritual.
Since watching this episode, I've wanted to do something similar. I'm drawn to nature, and the idea of getting alone with God in the woods is something that calls to me. I did not follow the Native American practice of fasting and cleansing in preparation for the quest, and I didn't spend three days alone in woods, waiting for a vision that would guide my life. I did go into the woods to hear from God, and God spoke, giving me a vision for things I needed to deal with and focus on.
In the past two years, I've done two vision quests, and though I am no expert, I have realized a few things that may be beneficial for others.
1- Nature is essential.
You have to get alone with God in nature. You don't have to hike four days into the mountains and be miles away from civilization, and if you don't have any wilderness skills or experience, don't even think about doing that, but you need to find solitude in nature. You need to get away from the noise and distractions that humanity has created, and get alone with what is real, what is calming, and where God can be clearly heard. Find a local park with some wooded area (I'm thinking about those who live in places like New York City; Central park is there because nature is good for the soul). Take some time to get alone with God in the natural world He has made.
2- Expect to hear from God.
Go into the experience expecting God to speak. Go into this ready to hear from God. The entire purpose of the vision quest is to receive guidance, for your life, so go expectantly, and wait for God to speak. Give Him the freedom and permission to say whatever He wants, and be open to wherever He wants to go.
3- Have no agenda.
Expect God to speak, but don't have an agenda for what He is going to say. Let Him direct you where He wants, not where you would have Him go. Be open to whatever He has to say, and role with what happens. I've found that this mentality has led to amazing insights, and experiences that could not be arranged for.
4- Let God end it.
Both times I have gone out, I have had a time frame. There is no getting around this, we all have responsibilities and obligations that we can't escape. I've gone into the quest with a set end time, and both times God has ended things sooner than I was expecting. Let God tell you when you are done, and don't try to force more out of Him.
5- Do it.
Don't just talk about it, don't just plan it, actually do it. Know your limits, and follow those, again, don't strand yourself in the middle of nowhere to take in nature. A vision does you no good if you don't make it back alive. But go. Get alone with God, and allow Him to speak into your life. Do it, it may just be one of the most defining moments of your life.
The vision quests I have undertaken have been very rewarding times, and the things God has shared with me in those moments has guided much of the year following them. These retreats have given me clarity and focus, and I am looking forward to what God reveals in 2018.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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