directions are given to shamans without any need of rituals.
In the retrieving-ritual process, etheric forms may appear frolicking or moving menacingly before the shaman. If they are spirits related to dragons, tigers, and snakes, the etheric shadows would possess such forms as the associated-creature. Dragon-spirits regularly manifest themselves as wisps of smoke, as slithering etheric shadows–at time they form themselves through the flames of the camp-fire. While the psychic-struggle and testing is taking place, these spirits would strive to thwart the efforts of the shaman. But once the operator overcomes all of the trials and temptations, all of the personal fears, etc, the spirits eventually award him with the pearls that they watch over. Sometimes the spirits would indicate that the time for release would have to be at a later date as prevailing conditions related to the “bilateral relationship between humans and spirits” are not conducive or appropriate for the gifting–shamans would then have no other alternative but to postpone the acquisition. It has been suggested by some that the whole modus operandi of pearl-retrieval should be captured on video–this would certainly have a promotive effect on the sales of mustika-pearls; however, rituals conducted under such conditions are apt to fail because of the varied factors that conflict with the sacred and prepared environment and the processes of shamanic-work. Unwanted intrusions or an inappropriate/inept set-up are causes of failures during retrieval-work.
If these pearls are psychically revealed to be in caves where snakes and venomous creatures are to be found in abundance, the shaman while entering in the vicinity of the hidden pearls would strew