Soul Retrieval: Reclaiming Personal Power Through Shamanic Healing
By Jessica C. Hunter
“It is our birthright to fully express our Souls. Life without meaning equals despair. It is time for all to collect back our lost pieces and remember why we were born into this world. Then, we are truly healed and can live our lives in harmony and help others do the same.” -Sandra Ingerman, Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self
energetic world – to create a bridge of balance and harmony in the physical world. In traditional cultures, the Shaman, also known as the medicine man or woman, is the channel to the spirit world and the physical world for healing the community, on both a global and individual level. This ancient practice continues to thrive today and is becoming increasingly popular through work provided by modern shamanic practitioners. One of the most profound and healing shamanic techniques is that of soul retrieval.
S
A soul retrieval is a shamanic healing technique that restores balance, harmony, and personal power to an individual. Shamanic teachings suggest that as we progress through transitions, traumas, or significant life events, a piece of our soul essence (also known as a soul part) may leave the physical body and return to the spirit world. The soul part leaves the physical body as a form of self preservation and protection of itself; if the body is imbalanced on a physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual level, the soul essence is affected and not in alignment with the body, resulting in partial soul loss. It is possible, and very common, to have more than one soul part leave the body throughout life’s journey.
The catalyst for imbalance is usually the event that initiates this
process, such as a life transition, significant change, or trauma. Giv- ing away one’s personal power to another is also a catalyst for soul loss. Individuals who experience depression, addictions, grief, or a sense of emptiness or incompleteness, are usually candidates for soul retrieval work. Soul loss can also be connected to a positive transition; it is not always associated with negative events. The soul part that transitions back to the spirit world returns there seeking healing, protection, and safety. Sometimes, it returns for a purpose of learning a lesson or life skill. When the soul part is ready to be reunited with the body, and the physical body is ready to reclaim it, it can be re-integrated through a soul retrieval.
hamanic healing is the oldest form of holistic healing, prac- ticed for thousands of years amongst various cultures. It focuses on working with the invisible – the spiritual and
Some examples of soul loss are the following: if an individual is in a relationship that has a power struggle and is not balanced, soul loss can occur. The individual who is always giving to the one who is taking in this type of relationship is actually also giving a piece of his/ her power/ soul essence away. Sometimes this is done consciously, and sometimes unconsciously. Either way, the effects can be felt – you may feel mentally or emotionally drained, fatigued, or depressed. This is an example of giving your power away.
Another example of soul loss is exhibited with grief. When an
individual grieves another, they are going through a normal process; however, unresolved grief, or extremely deep grief, can cause a soul part to leave the individual and in some cases, join their loved one in the spirit world. The individual misses their loved one so much that they cannot bear to be without them and accept the transition, and they lose a piece of themselves in the process. That piece is not meant to be in the spirit world with the loved one, it is meant to be in their physical body at that time; the time will eventually come when they fully transition and can join their loved ones in whole soul. In these cases, the grief process can be even more difficult with the soul loss, and the grieving individual may not be able to move forward due to losing this soul part; the soul loss can actually hinder the healing process.
Today, soul retrievals are facilitated by trained shamanic prac- titioners to restore balance and healing. As the soul part and the physical body both need to be in alignment for the healing to be successful, the practitioner must obtain permission to do the healing from their spirit teachers prior to doing the healing work. Permis- sion truly happens between the soul part and the receiver; the prac- titioner is the intermediary. If permission is granted, the practitioner can access the soul part through a shamanic journey. The practitio- ner’s spirit teacher shows them where the part is located and which part is ready to return. The practitioner may see a symbol of the soul part, or they may see an exact visualization of the part at the time of the soul loss – right down to the clothes they were wearing, style of their hair or location in the physical world.
Spirit teachers are significant guides that are accessed in sha-
manic training and apprenticeship. A deep relationship is devel- oped over a period of many years with them; this relationship is crucial for the practitioner to be able to perform advanced shamanic healing work such as soul retrieval, and should absolutely never be attempted on anyone without proper formal training over a period of years.
16 Natural Nutmeg - May/June 2015
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44