What is a Soul Retrieval?

[MonSno_LeeDra]

One of the things that one hears of on a shamanic type pathwalk is the notion of "Soul Retrievals". It is a common ideal that seems to have become a mainstay part of the neoshamanic pathwalk of the Healer Shaman. Yet just what is Soul Retrieval?

This is one of those ask a hundred people and get a hundred different answers. So in that light of no answer being fully correct and none fully incorrect I shall place my perspective upon the cyber page for discussion.

I was told once that what we call Soul Retrieval today is a far cry from what the Native American's meant when they utilized the concept. In the movie "WIND TALKERS" one of the Navajo Codetalkers experiences fear as he goes into combat. Another codetalker basically performs a soul retrieval upon him through the usage of smoke and prayer to call the bravery back into his body and allow him to overcome the fear. Once his soul is recovered and the retrieval completed he is again able to face the world and function.

In the above scenario the soul became fractured when the "fear" dominated him and caused his bravery to leave. In this scenario one might say the "Soul Retrieval" was to bring back a component of his makeup and make him whole once again. His fear was put in place and his bravery was called back and balanced his fear. With the return of his bravery was also the return of his manhood and energy.

That is one form of Soul Retrieval that is used to make the person whole again. Granted much of this form is based upon a belief and acceptance of one's place within the culture and understanding.

Another form is perhaps more clinical in nature, that of facing the fractured element of self. A little bit on the dangerous side of things for the Shamanic practitioner must become one with the person to be healed. At times merging their energy with that of the one to be healed and entering the internal landscape of the psyche.

Once merged the shamanic practitioner searches for the missing elements and tries to get them to rejoin the greater soul. Demanding in the sense that a fracture may have occurred due to some traumatic event, due to some extreme injury to the body or even something of a traumatic nature the person has buried and will not face or accept.

Pretty clear that this form is recognized as a Psychologist works. One must speak to the shards as individuals and bring them back into the whole. Yet also work with the whole to make the merger as painfree and complete as possible.

The last form of Soul Retrieval is a little harder to comprehend. Like the movie "Harry Potter" one may have fragments of their soul infused into material items. Granted not to the extent as portrayed in the Potter movies but close enough.

These are almost memories that attach the person to some item of usually great importance to them. One may find it in rings, weapons, and possessions of nearly any sort actually. Sometimes they are seen more as a cursed item than a soul fragment that continues to hold onto a physical item long after the body has expired and the soul passed on. One might even say this part calls for the shamanic practitioner to be an exorcist to rid the object of the possessing soul fragment.

In some groups this was seen as negative and destructive to the greater soul. Many groups utilizing Spirit Keepers to help the fragments release their hold to their physical items and pass them on to other's that might continue to use them and gain from that possession of the item.

Usually the hardest to release are those fragments that are bound to items that the person was strongly attached to but was never able to give away or let go of. This is also the category that grieves for a passed soul can cause the creation of. Their grief and pain trapping a fragment in the item they cling to as a sacred token of the person they cared so deeply for.

Unlike the Horacrux of the Potter movies, which had to be physically destroyed, the trapped fragments simply have to be released to move on. Sometimes easy to do, other times well lets just say it may take a couple of people to get them to let go.

So there you have it, "Soul Retrieval", as I understand it on a minor scale. Not to say I am only right and others wrong or even to imply such simply how I view the topic of discussion.

Look forward to any responses from those that wish to share their position on the subject.

[1111]

Interesting post. I have heard many different takes on this and always like reading about it. Thanks for sharing.