Paul Sivert on symptoms and situations of soul loss and the shamanic healing ceremony to return what was lost…
Sandra Ingerman has written an excellent book on the topic Soul Retrieval – Mending the Fragmented Self. I will also comment on my personal experiences of having my soul loss returned to me and the many experiences I’ve encountered retrieving other’s lost pieces of their soul.
Today many of us are coming to the realization that we are not whole. We don’t feel “all together” or “all here”. There is a technique in shamanism to restore the soul loss on behalf of the client. In his Soul Retrieval Training Program, Dr Alberto Villoldo stated that soul retrieval is a major challenge and vital procedure to be performed by western shamans. In the Inka tradition, almost anyone could do a soul retrieval, but now according to Dr Villoldo, only shamans can perform the technique.
Soul loss is the separation of an individual and a part of their spiritual energy. The causes of soul loss are many, with most people experiencing some degree of soul loss during their lifetime. Children are especially vulnerable to soul loss – or soul thievery by some adult. Some examples of soul loss are physical/sexual abuse where the perpetrator may know or may not know that his/her actions cause soul loss in another. An abusive relationship is another situation where one may lose a part of your soul. An individual who becomes seriously ill may experience soul loss and keep getting sick. Repressed, forgotten, and gaps in memories could be attributed to soul loss. The grief process is also a possible occasion to experiences soul loss. Your divorced partner may have taken a piece of your soul with them causing you to feel weak and afraid. Below is a partial list of symptoms.
The goal of the Soul Retrieval is to get back to what was lost.
Please look this list of questions about possible soul loss. Perhaps one may apply to you.
- Do you ever have a difficult time staying “present” in your body? Do you sometimes feel as if you’re outside your body observing it as you would a movie?
- Do you ever feel numb, apathetic, or deadened?
- Do you suffer from chronic depression?
- Do you have problems with your immune system and have trouble resisting illness?
- Were you chronically ill as a child?
- Do you have gaps in you memory of you life after age five? Do you sense that you may have blacked out significant traumas in your life?
- Do you struggle with addictions? For example, alcohol, drugs, food, sex, or gambling?
- Do you find yourself looking to external things to full up an internal void or emptiness?
- Have you had difficulty moving on with your life after a divorce or the death of a loved one?
- Do you suffer from multiple personality syndrome?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be dealing with soul loss. Important parts of your essential core self may not be available to you. This part of you still exists and can be returned to you through the soul retrieval ceremony.
“In man is awakened that spirit by which the whole universe was created.” Sufi Meditation Theme, lnayant Khan
We are not limited in the parts that make up our wholeness. According to the Medicine people of the Andes, we can continue to grow spiritual throughout our lives, expanding our connection to the divine Spirit. However, the contary is also true. We can lose our spiritual energy too. We call that event soul loss, when a piece of our soul’s energy splits from us and returns to mother earth for safe keping until it is retrieved by the Shaman.
Every one suffers soul loss, except for perhaps the walking saints of this planet. Listed below are some examples of situations where soul loss may occur.
- Fear of Trusting Others. Unable to develop enough trust to make responsible life commitments.
- Low Self Esteem. Feelings of worthlessness, poor self image, little or no self-love, self-care, self-acceptance, self-affirmation.
- Shame. Generalized and diffuse and/or in reaction to specific behavior(s).
- Isolation. Alienation, loneliness, distance from others and/or God.
- Feeling rejected or abandoned by God or other people.
- Spiritual neglect or little development in one’s spirit or spiritual life.
- Inability to make decisions. Fear of commitment. Inability to think for oneself.
- Feelings of powerlessness. No matter what happens, it is God’s will.
- Difficulty in relationships. Fear of intimacy. Inability to choose intimacy. Maintain emotional or spiritual intimacy.
- Perfectionism.
- A history of any kind of abuse as a victim and/or perpetrator.
- Self destructive and/or obsessive/compulsive personality: workaholic, chemical dependent, co-dependent, over-achiever, addictive personality, self punitive, I am my worst enemy, sex addiction.
- Chronic pain, depression, and anxiety.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms of spiritual abuse, you could be suffering from soul loss. The soul retrieval in the Inka tradition is the procedure that is typically used to restore those lost pieces of the soul. The soul retrieval process is a ceremony and it typically takes several sessions to complete. It is important to remember that you are not a jigsaw puzzle with a finite number of pieces. As you continue to evolve, deeper layers of soul loss may be revealed to you so therefore soul retrieval could be a process that one would undertake several times. In addition, it is important to remember that the sould retrieval is a form of spiritual energy healing. The energy that is returned may have effects on other parts of the human being, including your thoughts, feelings, and physical manifestations.
Soul Retrieval is an extremely powerful medicine healing and the healing occurs first followed by the insights and awareness, which is contrary to standard psychotherapy. Therefore, a client who undergoes soul retrieval process will receive more clarity about their soul’s purpose and life’s goals as they continue to work with these new energies after the ceremony has been completed.
It is the Shaman’s job to journey into the lower world and retrieve these lost pieces of the patient’s soul. Journeying into the lower world does present some risk for the Shaman. He or she must be able to navigate the many corridors and pathways of the lower world and be successful in obtaining the soul’s energy for their client. Sometimes the spirit guides will not release a piece of a soul for a particular individual because the client is not ready yet. Generally, the Shaman will retrieve three pieces for the client: a medicine gift, a soul element, and a power animal. Of course, there is much information to be shared about the journey which will provide the client with a plan on how their life is about to change.
The Inka tradition of soul retrieval is an incredibly powerful ceremonial process. It prepares the client to let go of past thoughts and behaviors that do not bring them the rewards that they are deserving. I hope you choose this tremendous spiritual experience to expand your world.