Soul Retrieval

Hello, mouse!

Again, I am with you on this one, and was wondering myself whether there was any way to "tempt" the lost soul part(s) back, but it seems to me that everyone who truly believes in their modality will be convinced that it will help you. I'm sure Crowan (or another Shaman practitioner) will offer advice. From what I've learned already, it is a big step, yes, but needn't necessarily commit you to the Shaman way of life.

Hi again Kiga,
I think the easiest way to dip my toe in the water would be to try journeying, using the most straightforward exercise I can find, and see what happens! I will try to suspend my disbelief and will make notes afterwards like I do with dreams. Perhaps when I feel ready I can go to someone who knows what they are doing and have a proper shamanic healing session. I've also found an introductory workshop I'd like to do (following the old gut feelings) with dates in May or October so we'll see.
Jane 🙂

You're braver than I am, Jane! I don't think I'd attempt journeying for the first time on my own, but if you do, please let us know how you got on.

The book by Alberto Villoldo Mending the Past and Helaing the Future with soul retrieval will walk you through it step by step - no need to become a shaman for this.

lovechris

The book by Alberto Villoldo Mending the Past and Helaing the Future with soul retrieval will walk you through it step by step - no need to become a shaman for this.

We’ve had this conversation before, Chris. I still haven’t read Villoldo’s book – I must do that soon.:)

Kiga and Mouse16 -
I don’t deny that if you are at exactly the right place and your missing soul is at exactly the right place, then you could –maybe- get it back. But please consider these points first-
·What if the soul part is in the land of the dead?
·What if it is in the Void?
·What if it is held by someone else?
·Can you be sure of getting out any intrusions first? How will you do this?
·How will you get the soul part back into you?
·Does the soul part need healing first? Can you do this?
·Do you know how to integrate the soul part?
·Do you, with a missing soul part, have enough power to go to the realms where your soul part is?
·It is you that the soul part left. Why would it come back?
·Has the situation that made it go changed enough for any purpose to be served by its return?
·Why do you want to do it yourself?

If you could already journey, then I would suggest that you ask your spirits what to do – and ask them why doing it yourself is not a good idea. Not being able to journey, how are you going to check on answers to the above questions?
There is a danger in being too self-sufficient and that is when we become ever more isolated from others. Why would you want to be so separate? Why would you not want the support of someone who is experienced and knowledgeable throughout this process?Not even native shamans are 'their own shamans'. If they are ill, they go to another shaman for healing. I am convinced that the connection with others who care enough about us to want to help heal us is an essential part of that healing.

Mouse – I would recommend doing the workshop and then continuing with journeying, rather than try to do it from a book. If you do want to try before May, then choose your book carefully. Simple exercises are great but sometimes miss out things. On a workshop you will have support and an expert on hand if anything goes wrong. Once you can journey – once you have met a power animal and have visited the Upper and Lower Worlds, and you have done a journey for another person (all of which you will get on a reputable workshop) then consider joining the London Open Drumming Group which meets monthly and which will continue the support that is so important.

Hi Crowan,

It's good to have your thoughts on this. I would like to try journeying before the workshop but my aim is to keep it very simple. There is an introductory book by Sandra Ingerman that has journeying exercises, I will use these as a guide with the intention of getting a feel of things, and maybe just asking for some guidance. As I might not be able to make the May workshop ( it's quite a way for me) I will probably go to the Oct one in London. It would be good to get a feel of things before then.

Despite all my questioning I have felt such a pull towards doing this for a long time and now it has come up again out of the blue to tap me on the shoulder it feels like the right time. It has also struck me reading the book(s) that I have already journeyed in my own way without knowing what I was doing. Journeying reminds me a little of Jung's 'active imagination' process - I tried this when studying art therapy (just a 6 month foundation course).

So, basically, I think that soul retrieval would really help me, given what I've mentioned below, but until I find the right person to help will have to wait and see.

Jane

There is an introductory book by Sandra Ingerman that has journeying exercises, I will use these as a guide with the intention of getting a feel of things, and maybe just asking for some guidance. As I might not be able to make the May workshop ( it's quite a way for me) I will probably go to the Oct one in London. It would be good to get a feel of things before then.

While still thinking that a workshop is a better first step, if I had to recommend a book, Sandra’s is the one I would go for. If you do try it and need someone to answer questions afterwards, contact me either on these pages or privately. I’ll do my best to help.

Thank you 🙂

You're braver than I am, Jane! I don't think I'd attempt journeying for the first time on my own, but if you do, please let us know how you got on.

Journeying is really special; and I've been lucky I think. Like coming home.

I'm so glad it went well for you, Jane. Maybe I'll have to get hold of a copy of that book...

Journeying is really special; and I've been lucky I think. Like coming home.

That's exactly how it felt (and still feels) for me. I'm thrilled that you have managed it.

Jonathan Horwitz is teaching an Introductory course in London, in October. Is that the one you are thinking of attending? If so, you'll love it. Jonathan is a fantastic teacher.:)

Yep, that is the one, it seems a long way away at the moment but am looking forward to it.
Crowan, I'm going to PM you a couple of questions on journeying, I hope you don't mind.

Jane

Just waking this one up with a wee question. If a shamanic practioner does a soul retrieval for you, are you normally required to journey as well or do they do this alone?

Just waking this one up with a wee question. If a shamanic practioner does a soul retrieval for you, are you normally required to journey as well or do they do this alone?

During the soul retrieval itself, no. You simply relax as the practitioner goes to fetch your soul part. Afterwards, I find it useful to get a client who can journey to go to meet the returned part. Most clients can't journey, however, so the question doesn't arise.

During the soul retrieval itself, no. You simply relax as the practitioner goes to fetch your soul part. Afterwards, I find it useful to get a client who can journey to go to meet the returned part. Most clients can't journey, however, so the question doesn't arise.

Thanks, I hope to have a soul retrieval done after my course next month. Something tells me this will be a big thing for me and that I have to wait until then.

My course has been cancelled so I'm going on the Oct one instead, damn!

My course has been cancelled so I'm going on the Oct one instead, damn!

I'm so sorry to hear that. I was really looking forward to hearing about it. October must seem a very long time to wait.:)

Maybe you weren't meant to do it this time, mouse! It could be all for the best.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I was really looking forward to hearing about it. October must seem a very long time to wait.:)

Thanks, nice of you to say 🙂 It does seem a while but you have to go with the flow I guess. Funny thing is, I originally booked it for Oct, then decided I should go for May as had an intuition I won't be able to do it in Oct...who knows!!

We've decided to go to Devon the weekend of the course anyway - both the partner and I are long overdue a bit of communing with nature so it will still be nice time I hope.

Maybe you weren't meant to do it this time, mouse! It could be all for the best.

When I finally do the course, will let you know how it goes! Are you still interested in Shamanism?

Oh, yes! But I must admit to a fair degree of scepticism just at the moment. There are some things Crowan presents as facts that I just can't get my head round!
(I know she will read this, and that she won't take offence - I wouldn't have said it otherwise!)

Oh, yes! But I must admit to a fair degree of scepticism just at the moment. There are some things Crowan presents as facts that I just can't get my head round!
(I know she will read this, and that she won't take offence - I wouldn't have said it otherwise!)

Yes, I know what you mean. I think only experience can show you, and even then, well...you can still attach to stories to make sense of it, you may not be getting at the truth of it.

For example, I had read about the existence of subtle energy/Kundalini and wasn't able to understand that it could happen in reality and then I had (and still have) an experience of feeling buzzing electrical energy in my body and sensations of heat plus other stuff that was all classic as described. It still amazes me though that it is happening!

Oh, yes! But I must admit to a fair degree of scepticism just at the moment. There are some things Crowan presents as facts that I just can't get my head round!

(I know she will read this, and that she won't take offence - I wouldn't have said it otherwise!)

Kiga, I would never take offence at honesty (or at least, not unless I were particularly low, which would be my stuff ). Feel free to challenge. Even amongst other shamanic practitioners with whom I am close friends, I am known as fairly fundamentalist - as in 'going back to the fundamentals of shamanism'.

Yes, I know what you mean. I think only experience can show you, and even then, well...you can still attach to stories to make sense of it, you may not be getting at the truth of it.

For example, I had read about the existence of subtle energy/Kundalini and wasn't able to understand that it could happen in reality and then I had (and still have) an experience of feeling buzzing electrical energy in my body and sensations of heat plus other stuff that was all classic as described. It still amazes me though that it is happening!

Mouse – have you ever done much work with understanding energy and how it flows in the body? I teach some of this as part of both the Practitioner Training and Working with Spirits of Nature. Several students have already felt the kind of thing you have described, through yoga, or Reiki, or something else – sometimes spontaneously. Shamanism then gives them the tools to understand and control it.

Crowan - not much no. I learnt Reiki but didn't carry it into being a practitioner. Have always been sensitive to feeling subtle energy however - through Reiki, Bowen and accupuncture treatments I've had for various ailments.