MEDICINEFORTHESOUL

Shamanism,SoulRetrieval,&Healing
APersonalPerspective

HowardG.Charing
www.shamanism.co.uk www.shamanism.wordpress.com

WhatisShamanicHealing&SoulRetrieval?

ShamanicHealingconsistsofavariedbodyofpracticesperformedbytheshaman orpractitionertohelporhealanotherperson.Thisisafundamentalprincipleof shamanismwhereveritispracticed.Themethods,tools,symbology,andmedi cineswillvaryfromculturetocultureandregiontoregionbutprimarilythehealing isathreewayconnectionbetweentheclient,shamanandspirit.

SoulRetrieval:APersonalPerspective

Therecapitulationoflifeforceisthebodyofwork, whichrestoresorrecapitulateslostlifeforce.Soul Retrievalisoneofthemostwellknownandeffec tivepracticestothisend. Tounderstandhowrecapitulationpracticeswork, weneedtolookatthemultidimensionalnatureof realityandmoveawayfromalinearsequentialper spective.Fromthisexpandedperspective,anything whichhaseverhappenedtoanybody,anywhere;it isstillhappeningsomewhere.Ifatraumaticevent occurredforapersonten,twentyandsoonyears ago,forthatpersonitisstillhappening,andIwouldventuretostatethatitisalso insomewaystillinfluencingthepersonslife. Shamanismdoesnotdwellonpastevents;thereisonlythisvastawesomeever movinggreatmomentofnowwherethereisnoseparatepast,present,orfuture.It ispossibleforapractitionertojourneyandmoveoutsideoflineartimetogotothe placewherethatenergeticeventisstilloccurringforthatindividual,findandbring backthatpersonslifeforcewhichisheldinthatenergeticevent,andwhenthishas beencarriedout,thenthetherapeutichealingoftheeventanditsconsequences cantrulybegin. Thelossoflifeforceisknownassoulloss,andthiscantakeplacewhenwesuffera trauma,haveanaccident,experiencestrongemotionalexchangeswithalovedone, separationfromapartner,deathofalovedone,gothroughapervasiveperiodof difficultcircumstances.Whenweundergoaseveretraumatypicallyapartofour vitalnaturegoesaway,sothatwecansurvivewhateverishappeningtous.Itisa wayforthebodyandconsciousnesstosurviveseveretrauma.Problemsdevelop whenthesoulpartorfragmentdoesnotreturn.Itmaynotwanttocomeback,or maynotbeabletoreturnduetothenatureofthetrauma

TheconceptofSoullossandtheceremonialretrievalofsoulsarefoundinmany cultures.ForexampleintheTibetanBonShamanistictradition,Oneofthemostim portantpracticesperformedbyTibetanshamansoftheSichenpathisSoulRetrieval Lalu(literallyredeeming,orbuyingbackthesoul),andchilu,(redeemingthelife energy).ThesepracticesarewidespreadintheBontraditionandalsoinallTibetan Buddhistschools.

SoulLoss
Althoughtheterminologyisdifferent,theconceptofsoul lossisaphenomenonwellknowntopsychology.Jung (C.GJung,Mysteriumconiunctionis),recountsinhis memoirsafantasyinwhichhissoulflewawayfromhim, thatthelbidowithdrewintotheunconsciousandwas carryingonasecretlifethere.Thelibidorepresentingthe lifeforce,andtheunconscioustypicallyrepresentingthe landofthedead Thereareanumberofsymptomsofsoulloss,forexam ple,whenpeoplefeelthattheyareobservinglifeasan outsider,ratherthanengagingandbeingfullyinvolved. Othercommonsymptomsarewhenpeoplefeelthatthey arebeingspacedoutalotofthetime,notreallyhere. Othersymptomsthatindicatepossiblesoullossarelife themessuchasapervasivefear,inabilitytotrustpeople.I havealsofoundthataseveredepressioncanalsobeasymptomofsoulloss. Chronicillnessmayalsobeasymptomofsoulloss.ThisdirectlyrelatestoPower.In theshamanicworldview,powerandmaintaininghealthgohandinhand,ifthe bodyispowerfull,thereisnoroomforillnessordisease,whichareoftenregarded asaninvasiveforce. InmypracticeIhaveworkedwithmanypeoplewhohaddoneconsiderablework ontheoriginaltrauma,butinmanywayswerestillexperiencingorstuckinit.One ofthedifferencesbetweenSoulRetrievalandsomemodernWesternpsychological systemsisthatSoulRetrievalfocusesonthereturnandintegrationofthelostlife force,ratherthanfocusontheoriginaltraumaitself.InmyviewSoulRetrievaland therapyworkverywelltogether,thebestcombinationbeingfirsttherecapitulation ofthelostlifeforce,followedbyatherapeuticapproachtosupporttheperson throughtheprocessofworkingwithreleasedfeelingsandemotionalenergywhich canbeuncomfortableandevenrawfortheindividual.Thisreleaseandsubsequent experiencingoftheemotionsisafundamentalpartofthewholehealingprocess.

ThishealingprocessleadstowhatIcalltheunionofthelifeforce,whentheperson canthenmoveforwardintheirlifewithoutbeinganchoredtothepast,andlivea lifeofcreativityandproductivity. Whenthesoulfragmentsarereturned,the memoriesandemotionsassociatedwith thedepartureofthesoulfragmentmay alsoreturn.Althoughthismaynotalways beacomfortableexperience,itisasign thathealingistakingplace.Theexperienc ingoftheemotionsandfeelingsalthough theymayhavenotbeenfeltpriortothe SoulRetrieval,theeffectsarestillworking, butatadeeplyunconsciousleveli.e.a placeofthenotknown.Thepersonmay havebeenexperiencingachronicandper vasivedepression,yetnotabletocometo gripswiththis.SoulRetrievalworksvery wellwithothertherapies.Atherapistcan onlyworkwiththepartsofthepersonwhicharethere,itisanencouragingdevel opmentthatpeoplearenowcomingtoSoulRetrievalsessionsaccompaniedby theirtherapist. ThemostcommonimmediateresponseafteraSoulRetrievalisthattherecipient feelsthattheyaremorefull,thatthereismoreofthem.Theymayevenexperi encethedensityofthebodytohavechanged. Itisimportanttorecognise,thateachpersonisdifferentandeverybodywillreact differentlyafteraSoulRetrieval.Somemayfeelheavier,bigger,happier,angry,sad, laughingorperhapsnothingforafewweeks.Myobservationisthatmostpeople willexperienceachangewithinatwoweekperiod,twoweeksseemstobethe magicnumberwhenthepersonreallyfeelstheeffect.Itisimportanttotrustthe personspsychecompletely.Theonlyrolethattherecipienthasistoreceivethe healing.Itisimportantthattheykeepopen,andconcentrateonstayingopentore ceivethisenergythatistheironlytask. AfterSoulRetrieval,recipientsshouldallowthemselvesspacetobewiththere turnedlifeforce.Forsomeitmaybequietreflection,othersmaywanttobeinna ture,inthecountryside,intheparks.Musicisalsoimportant,beautiful soundshelptorestoreourdissonantenergyfields.Natureisawonderfulhealer, beinginnature,enjoyingthebeautyoftheoutdoors,oftheEarth,willhelpthesoul partstointegratewiththerecipient.

SoulRetrievalisonewaytorestoreandmaintainourlifeforceandpower.Thisisan actwherewereceiveourownlifeforce.Anotherwaytomaintainourlifeforceis nottoholdontoanybodyelse.Inourlives,wetakeandsometimesholdontothe energyofothers.ThisisknownasSoulTheft,whichIknowformanymaybean emotivewordandconcept,butthisissomethingwealldo.Itiscommonand shouldbelookedatinanonjudgmentalway.Insomerespects,itistheotherside ofSoulRetrieval.SoulTheftcanbealearnedgenerationalbehaviourandoftenoc cursinrelationshipsandwithinfamilies.Itisanunconsciousact.Infact,iftheper sonknewwhattheyweredoing,theymaywellbeveryupset. Westealortakepeopleslifeforceinmanyways,astheseexamplesillustrate: Whenwearejealousofanotherpersonspowerorstatus Whensomeonehasapower/energythatanotherwants WhenanotherwantsapersonsidentityorfeelsIwanttobelikehim/her!This alsooccurswhenweheroworshiporidolizesomeone. Averycommonwaytotakeanotherpersonspoweristojudgethem. Whenweovercareforsomeone,causingthemtobecometoodependenton us.Thiscanresultinthepersonlosingtheirownstrengthandwilltosupport themselves. Thereareanumberofproblemsthatsoultheftcauses: Thepersonwhoselifeforcehasbeentakenisdiminishedinsomeway. Relationshipscanbehungonto,causingdifficult,ragged,andunsatisfactory completions. Thepersonwhohastakenanotherpersonslifeforcecannotuseitinanyway whatsoever,soitbecomesaburden.Toillustratethis,participantsonwork shopswhodotheSoulreleaseexercisehaveexpresseditinanumberofways. Onesaid,ThetakensoulpartsfeltlikeIhadbarnaclesonthehullofaship whichwereholdingmeback,weighingmedown.Anothersaid,ItfeltlikeI wascoveredinclingingseedsandleaves Sometimeswemayeventakeonanotherpersonsshadow,eg.theiranger, andnegativity,andthenwefindourselvesworkingwiththeirfeelings,which maybeanuncomfortableexperience.

Therearemanybenefitstoallpartiesandtoallthatthereiswhenwereturnan otherpersonslifeforcetothem.Thisactcanbemostprofoundandhealingand workonmanylevels.Igetalotoffeedbackfrompeoplewhodothiswork,and manytimesIamtoldofrelationshipsbetweenpartners,parentsandchildren changingandimproving.Asasimpleanalogy,Iseethisasatugofwarwhereboth partiesarepullingontherope.When onepersonreturnstheotherslife force,theyeffectivelyletgoofthe rope.Thenwhentheotherpersonre sponds,thereisnomoreropetopullor exertpressureon. Participantsinworkshopsandclients oftentellmethatassoonastheydid thiswork,theywenthomeandcleared alltheclutterandjunkfromtheir home.Tomethisisawayofmakingan immediatephysicalmanifestationand groundingoftheactofrelease.They aremakingspaceavailablefornew thingstocomeintotheirlives,whichisexactlywhathappensinourownsoulbod ies:wemakemorespaceforourownlifeforce,morespaceforourownpower. Eventhoughwemayknowthisandwouldliketoreflectandwherepossiblereturn theotherpersonslifeforce,itmaybedifficulttorecallorrememberpeoples namesortheirfacesbecausetheactwascarriedoutonanunconsciousbasis.This istheclearproblem. Workingwiththetools,methodsandtechniquesofshamanismcanbeverysuppor tivetousinthisactofreleasing.Itisbecausetheunconsciousmemoriesarediffi culttoaccessthatcontactwiththeSpiritpeople,Spiritanimals,andteacherscan behelpful.TheSpiritteachersandanimalsknowusperfectly:theyknowourper sonalhistory,ourstrengths,ourqualities,ourfoibles,thesymbolsweworkwith, andtheycanhelpusinthis. ACeremonytoReleaseSoulPartsWeAreHoldingOnto Todothis,wecanembarkontheshamanicjourneywiththespecificobjectiveand intentionofaskingthespirits,totellmethenamesorshowmethefacesorletme knowinanywayIcanunderstandthepeoplewhosesoulpartsIhavetakenandam stillholdingonto.ThisjourneycanbecarriedoutineithertheUpperorLower worlds.

Irecommendyouallowyourselfabouttwentyminutesforthisjourney,whereyou maybetoldwhatyouneedtoknow,takenbyyourSpiritteachers/Poweranimalin theotherrealitytoaplacewherepeoplewhosesoulpartsaregatheredtogether, oryoumaysimplybecomeaware.Allarevalid;thereisnorightorwrongwaytodo this.

Whenyouhavereturnedfromthejourney,itisagoodideatowritethenames downonpaperwhilethememoriesofthejourneyarestillfreshinyourmind. Pleasekeepinyourmindthatyoushouldnotjudgeyourselfforthis;itissomething thatwealldo.Thedifferencenowisthatyouhaveanopportunitytorestorethe balance. Nowyouknowwhatyouneedtoreleaseandreturn.Thiscanbebestachievedbya ritualorceremony.Ritualsandceremonieshavegreatpowerinthisreality;itisa wayofcombiningtheheart,mind,spiritandbodyinasinglephysicalactionandin tention.Religionsfromallovertheworldhavelongrecognizedtheimportanceof ritualandceremony.RitualisameansofcommunicationbetweentheSpiritsand ourselves;itisawaythattheSpiritscancrossoverfromtheirworldintoours.In Westernsociety,wehaveforgottenthattheordinaryandotherrealitybelongto gether;theyaretwohalvesofonewhole.

AnexampleofaritualwouldbeaFireCeremony.Togainpower,ithelpsifthisritual iswitnessedbyfriendsorthosewhowouldliketoparticipateandsupportyou.The participantscansupportyoubyusingarattle,gentlydrummingorchanting.To starttheceremony,youneedalocationthatispreferablyoutdoorsinaplacethat cansafelycontainafire.

CallintheSpirits,theuniverse,allthatthereis,askfortheirassistance,andstate yourintentionveryclearly.IamreturningthesoulpartsIamstillholdingonto. Thenwhilestillmaintainingaceremonialspace,tearthepaperintostrips,one nametoastrip,andthenproceedtoburneachstripofpaper.Aseachstripofpa perburns,visualize,imagine,feel,sense,intuitthesoulpartofthatpersonbeing releasedfromyouandreturningtothatperson.Aftereachnamehasburned,you maywanttomakeanofferingtotheSpiritstothankthem.Youmaywanttoadda pinchofcedarorsagetothefire.Theactofreturningsoulpartsoftenbringswithit asenseofcompletionandageneralfeelingofsatisfaction.Asametaphor,itislike thecompletionofanopenchapter.

Evenwhenyouhavecompletedtheceremony,overaperiodoftimeitisverymuch possiblethatyoumaywellrecalladditionalnames,faces,incidentsandsoon.This isnormal.Whatyouhavedoneistoopenthedoortothesesubmergedmemories. TheFireCeremonycanberepeatedatanytime.

IndividualShamanicHealingSessionsSoulRetrievalandHealingforWholeness, andWellbeing Followingamajoraccident(anelevatorcrash)Ivebeenhealingsincethelate 1980s,andworkinternationally,andIwasholdingthefirstShamanicHealingPrac titionerTrainingcoursesintheUK.TheservicesIofferare;

ShamanicHealing SoulRetrieval ShamanicDivination

Divinationisnotfortunetelling,itisapathwaytoadeeperunderstandingof eventsandinfluencessurroundingasituationorperson.Divinationisasoldashu manity,butunfortunatelyinmainstreamWesternsocietyithasbeenregardedas somethingprimitive,irrational,andpanderingtosuperstition.Divinationissimplya wayofrevealingthetruth.Thedivinerrevealsoruncoverstotheirclienthidden truthsaboutthemselvesorthecircumstancessurroundingthem.Insocietiesout sidetheWest,diviningcontinuestoplayanimportantrolerevealingthatwhichis hidden,easinganxiety,andhelpingincomingtotermswithchallengingcircum stancesthatmaydemandtheimplementationofdifficultdecisions.

Indivination,theroleoftheshamanistoactasaneutralmediator.Thepractitio ner,byexploringandprovidingtheinitialreadingandinterpretation,allowsthe seekerofthisinformationtoavoidprojectingpersonalwants,desires,andwishesif thequestionorsituationisemotionallycharged.

RemoteHealing&Divination Ialsocarryoutdistanthealing&Divinationbyarrangement.ForthisIwouldre quireaphotographorpersonalobjectoftheclient,howeverthesedaysItendto workinteractivelywiththeclientviaSkypeortelephoneonaworldwidebasis.

PowerObjects/Talismans Anotherpartofmyworkistopullordrawinbe nignandsupportiveenergiesfortheclientandim bueanaturalobject,typicallyarockwiththisqual ity.Ithenpaintauniquedesignontherockspe ciallyfortheclientasbothanactofattentionto focusthespecifichealingqualitiesthattheclient needsandtosealtheenergeticqualityintherock whichholdsthis.Thiscanbedonebyproxyforan otherpersonwhotheclientwouldliketomaybe giveasapresenttothem.Thecostsforthisvary dependingontheworkinvolved.

ABOUTHOWARDG.CHARING Ifeelgreatlyprivilegedtodothiswork.Iamfortunateto beabletoencounter,workwith,andbringgroupsto meetsomeextraordinaryshamans&healersintheAn des,theAmazonRainforest,andthePhilippines.Itgives meenormouspleasuretowitnesspeoplebecomemore empoweredandengaginginlifewithmorecreativity,en ergy,andhappinessthroughtheshamanicbodyofprac tices.Idothisworkwithonehundredpercenteffortand passion.Somuchhashappenedsincemyentryintothe worldofshamanismovertwentyyearsagofollowinga seriousaccident(anelevatorcrash)whichresultedinse vereinjuriesandaneardeathexperience.Sincethe 1990sIhaveorganisedjourneystotheAmazonRainfor estandtheAndeslearningfromtheshamansandpar ticipatinginAyahuasca,SanPedroandsacredplantceremonies. CoauthorofPlantSpiritShamanismpublishedbyDestinyBooks:

Anindepthlookattheroleofplantspiritsinshamanicritualsfromaroundthe world

Showshowshamanshealusingtheirknowledgeofplantspiritsaswellasthe plantsmedicalproperties

CoauthorofTheAyahuascaVisionsofPablo AmaringopublishedbyInnerTraditions: Pleasefeelfreetocontactmetodiscussfurther. Email:shamanism@yahoo.com Skype:HGC999 MyBlog:www.shamanism.wordpress.com Websites: www.shamanism.co.uk www.ayahuascavisions.com