Modern Day Applications of Shamanism
Carolina Warter,
If you yearn for a fuller sense of vitality and connection to life, if you feel that something is missing or "you've never been the same since...", soul retrieval can put you on the path to healing your connections to self, to loved ones, to the earth.
In our culture it is the exception rather then the norm for people to feel whole. Because we do not feel whole, we look outside ourselves to be filled up - with addiction, codependent or abusive relationships, workaholism, chronic illness, or, on the flip side, the endless pursuit of spiritual highs. We are a culture of addictions, unhealthy relationships, co-dependencies, child abuse and materialism. Our treatment of the planet is a reflection of how we treat ourselves.
Healing ourselves from these unhealthy patterns often takes years even decades via our traditional psychotherapy and counseling systems. Shamans understand why that is. Traumatic experiences result in soul loss wherein a part of our soul (vital essence that keeps us alive) splits off and leaves the person. In classical shamanism, soul loss often manifested as illness, comas, or near death states and meant that the life force had left the body. Present day shamans are finding that soul loss is a very common occurrence, due to the traumas and abuse patterns of our culture.
When we undergo severe trauma, parts of our souls go away so that we can survive the experience. Soul loss is actually a protective device. For example, incest survivors often remember the experience of being raped from the perspective of looking down at their body. People in severe car accidents often recall out of body experiences. Temporary soul loss can be a good survival tool for trauma. However, if the soul does not return, problems develop.
Symptoms of Soul
Loss
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Dissociation
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The inability to feel the full range of emotions
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Feelings of spaciness
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Loss of memories of traumatic events or entire periods of life
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Having themes that go on throughout life (example: not being able to trust men)
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Addictions
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Chronic illness
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Depression
One of the reasons traditional systems of counseling can take so long to facilitate healing is that the part of the person that was involved in the trauma, the part with the memories or feelings, left. So the therapist can be working very hard for a very long time with a person who is not all there.
When the soul splits off leaving the person in a weakened dis-spirited condition, it is the job of the shaman to restore the wholeness. The shaman leaves ordinary consciousness, journeying to the spirit world, and retrieves the lost soul.
The key in doing soul retrievals is working with the guides. I must move my ego or my personal identity out of the way. My intention must be absolutely pure to be of service. Shamanic work always goes easier if the intention is clear and the work is done to help another person.
Dr. Carlos Warter writes about his history with many shamans and spiritual teachers in Recovery of the Sacred: Lessons in Soul Awareness
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Other pages:
Introduction to Shamanics
What is Shamanism?
Shamanic View of Health
Keys to Shamanism
Shamanic Techniques
Carolina Warter, for Shamanic Healing
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