Soul loss is an issue of extreme soul imbalance that healers have attempted to treat for 100,000 years. Soul retrieval is the oldest profession, I'm sure it is. It seems to be part of the human condition, the comings and goings of the soul.
Even in modern medicine, soul retrieval is practiced. We don't call it that anymore. We call it psychotherapy and psychiatry. There was a period of time when soul retrieval was not a part of modern medicine. At that time, people suffering from soul imbalances were locked up. It was very cruel, but no one knew what else to do. God bless you Grandfathers Sigmund and Carl!
Of course people are still locked up and hospitalized all the time. The practice of psychiatry is absolutely necessary for some people. I am not against the miracle drugs that make it possible for these people to function and live their lives without so much suffering. I'm grateful relief is possible for people when they need that level of care.
The practice of psychiatry does not restore or balance the soul, it is a compensatory endeavor that helps people feel less haunted. I am all for it!
Psychotherapy is something I availed myself of often and for many years earlier in life. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to the couch if needed. Psychotherapy is a gradual and meticulous type of soul retrieval, a mindful type of soul retrieval. The process saved my life, more than once. I wish it was truly affordable and seen as proactive healthcare.
One of the reasons I love Chinese medicine is because it's a complete system. No matter what my symptoms may be, the acupuncture and herbs address soul imbalances as well as the physical imbalances. Chinese medicine is elegant, it surely is.
As a shaman, I am very interested in soul imbalances. I am a healer shaman, a kind of diplomat whose job it is to mediate between the seen and unseen, as best I can, to bring harmony to the body and soul of the person I am working with. There are shamans who go to the underworld to battle demons, or go head to head with sickness spirits. I honor these warrior shamans but it isn't what I do. I come in peace.
Hence I can't treat soul loss of a serious nature. I leave that to the warrior shamans, the psychiatrists, psychotherapists and acupuncturists. But I work with common, chronic types of minor soul imbalance all the time in individuals and families.
What is it with soul, that it's so ready to abandon us? I've been asking myself this question for many years. Naturally I have no answers. Many people have asked this question going back in time who knows how long. No one knows, but still, we wonder. I have a few theories, of course.
If you're feeling a little (or a lot) "off" but can't connect it to anything physical or external (like a situation at work, for instance), I suggest some soul balancing work. Acupuncture and therapy are excellent paths, but there are many ways to balance the soul. We always have, and still do need soul balancing. It's part of the condition of ensoulment.
May we be soulful, not haunted.
May we be peaceful and spacious.
May we be healthy.
May we love and be loved.
Amen.
1 comment:
I'm thrilled to report that this message moved me to action. (I was stuck.) I just saw a DO who referred me to another DO who will help me put Humpty-Dumpty back together again. Also gonna try the therapy thing again, after many disappointments there.
Thank you for sharing your story and wisdom, Reya. I figured if a DO could help you after your life echoed metaphor after your train wreck and shamanic initiation (is that the right word?), maybe a DO could help me.
:-)
(Also, I'm locked out of my former email, so if you ever responded to my cryptic message, um, well, never got it. New chapters, I s'pose. AND Margaret Atwood just responded to me on Twitter. *goosebumps* Something's shifting!)
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