| Soul Retrieval - Shamanism and Healing. | | | | as an outsider, rather than engaging and being fully |
| The recapitulation of life force is the body of work, | | | | involved. Other common symptoms are when people |
| which restores or recapitulates lost life force. Soul | | | | feel that they are being 'spaced' out a lot of the time, |
| Retrieval is one of the most well-known and effective | | | | not really here. Other symptoms that indicate possible |
| practices to this end. | | | | soul loss are life-themes such as a pervasive fear, |
| To understand how recapitulation practices work, we | | | | inability to trust people. I have also found that a severe |
| need to look at the multidimensional nature of reality | | | | depression can also be a symptom of soul loss. |
| and move away from a linear sequential perspective. | | | | Chronic illness may also be a symptom of soul loss. |
| From this expanded perspective, 'anything which has | | | | This directly relates to Power. In the shamanic |
| ever happened to anybody, anywhere; it is still | | | | worldview, power and maintaining health go hand in |
| happening somewhere'. If a traumatic event occurred | | | | hand, if the body is power-full, there is no room for |
| for a person ten, twenty and so on years ago, for that | | | | illness or disease, which are often regarded as an |
| person it is still happening, and I would venture to state | | | | invasive force. |
| that it is also in some way still influencing the person's | | | | In my practice I have worked with many people who |
| life. | | | | had done considerable work on the original trauma, but |
| Shamanism does not dwell on past events; there is | | | | still were stuck in this. One of the differences between |
| only this vast awesome ever-moving great moment | | | | Soul Retrieval and some modern Western |
| of now where there is no separate past, present, or | | | | psychological systems is that Soul Retrieval focuses |
| future. It is possible for a practitioner to journey and | | | | on the return and integration of the lost life-force, |
| move outside of linear time to go to the place where | | | | rather than focus on the original trauma itself. In my |
| that energetic event is still occurring for that individual, | | | | view Soul Retrieval and therapy work very well |
| find and bring back that person's life force which is | | | | together, the best combination being first the |
| held in that energetic event, and when this has been | | | | recapitulation of the lost life-force, followed by a |
| carried out, then the therapeutic healing of the event | | | | therapeutic approach to support the person through |
| and it's consequences can truly begin. | | | | the process of working with released feelings and |
| The loss of life-force is known as soul-loss, and this | | | | emotional energy which can be uncomfortable and |
| can take place when we suffer a trauma, have an | | | | even raw for the individual. This release and |
| accident, experience strong emotional exchanges with | | | | subsequent experiencing of the emotions is a |
| a loved one, separation from a partner, death of a | | | | fundamental part of the whole healing process, and I |
| loved one, go through a pervasive period of difficult | | | | cannot stress this enough. |
| circumstances. When we undergo a severe trauma | | | | This healing process leads to what I call the union of |
| typically a part of our vital nature goes away, so that | | | | the life force, when the person can then move |
| we can survive what ever is happening to us. It is a | | | | forward in their life without being anchored to the past, |
| way for the body and consciousness to survive | | | | and live a life of creativity and productivity. |
| severe trauma. Problems develop when the soul part | | | | Life After Soul Retrieval |
| or fragment does not return. It may not want to come | | | | When the soul-fragments are returned, the memories |
| back, or may not be able to return due to the nature | | | | and emotions associated with the departure of the |
| of the trauma | | | | soul fragment may also return. Although this may not |
| Joseph Campbell writes in his classic work The Masks | | | | always be a comfortable experience, it is a sign that |
| of God '...sickness according to shamanic theory, can | | | | healing is taking place. The experiencing of the |
| be caused either by the entrance of an alien element | | | | emotions and feelings although they may have not |
| into the body, or by the departure of the soul from the | | | | been felt prior to the Soul Retrieval , the effects are |
| body and its imprisonment in one of the spirit regions: | | | | still working, but at a deeply unconscious level i.e. a |
| above, below, or beyond the rim of the world. The | | | | place of the not known. The person may have been |
| Shaman's clairvoyant vision must discover its lurking | | | | experiencing a chronic and pervasive depression, yet |
| place. Then riding "on the sound of his drum", he must | | | | not able to come to grips with this. Soul Retrieval |
| sail away on the wings of trance to whatever spiritual | | | | works very well with other therapies. A therapist can |
| realm may harbour the soul in question, and work | | | | only work with the parts of the person which are |
| swiftly his deed of rescue.' | | | | there, it is an encouraging development that people are |
| The concept of Soul-loss , and the ceremonial retrieval | | | | now coming to Soul Retrieval sessions accompanied |
| of souls is found in many cultures. For example in the | | | | by their therapist. |
| Tibetan Bon Shamanistic tradition, One of the most | | | | The most common immediate response after a Soul |
| important practices performed by Tibetan shamans of | | | | Retrieval , is that the recipient feels that they are more |
| the Sichen path is Soul Retrieval - Lalu (literally | | | | 'full', that there is more of them. They may even |
| redeeming, or buying back the soul), and chilu, | | | | experience the density of the body to have changed. |
| (redeeming the life-energy). These practices are | | | | It is important to recognise, that each person is |
| widespread in the Bon tradition and also in all Tibetan | | | | different and everybody will react differently after a |
| Buddhist schools. | | | | Soul Retrieval. Some may feel heavier, bigger, happier, |
| Although the terminology is different, the concept of | | | | angry, sad, laughing, or perhaps nothing for a few |
| soul-loss is a phenomenon well known to psychology. | | | | weeks. My observation is that most people will |
| Jung recounts in his memoirs a fantasy in which his | | | | experience a change within a two week period, two |
| soul flew away from him, that is, the libido withdrew | | | | weeks seems to be the magic number when the |
| into the unconscious and was carrying on a secret life | | | | person really feels the effect. It is important to trust the |
| there. The libido representing the life-force, and the | | | | persons psyche completely. |
| unconscious typically representing 'the land of the dead' | | | | The only role that the recipient has is to receive the |
| . | | | | healing. It is important that they keep open, and |
| There are a number of symptoms of soul-loss, for | | | | concentrate on staying open to receive this energy - |
| example, when people feel that they are observing life | | | | that is their only task. |