Shamanic Healing .. The common or core shamanic belief is that all illness is caused by Spiritual Dis-ease (physical, emotional & mental). Our life force energy, our ‘spirit�?can become splintered or damaged by not only what we have seen, heard, thought or believed, but also by the beliefs held within our communities.

Anthropologists, in their study of Shamanism, find that this form of healing is found around the world and dates back thousands of years. Core Shamanism are those practices and beliefs that are virtually the same throughout the world and across many cultures. A Shaman is a man or woman who uses the shamanic journey, entering an altered state via some type of percussion (drum, rattle, singing bowl, chanting, etc.) to diagnose and treat. In interacting with the spirit world the shaman uses various skills; divination, soul retrieval, extraction and psychopomp (assisting the soul to cross over to the other world).

Causes of illness:

Power animal goes away and a new one does not come. Our power animal protects us emotionally as well as physically. Symptoms: chronic physical problems - colds /flu, fatigue, chronic emotional or suicidal issues, depression, chronic misfortune, especially BIG things or non-stop misfortune.

Intrusion - having something in a person that does not belong to him or her. Symptoms: localized pain or illness, chronic illness, anger and misplaced energy or entities.

Soul Loss - (Loss of the essence or life force that keeps us alive). In today’s world, soul loss is a psychological phenomenon in the everyday lives of most people. Soul loss comes from emotional or physical trauma, when a part of our life force left as a survival mechanism. The types of traumas are endless: abuse, war, drugs, alcohol abuse, illness, accidents, death, surgery, anesthesia, natural disasters, fright & shock, alarm clocks. Symptoms - A sudden onset of apathy and listlessness. Dissociation: A person might say they don’t feel like they are in their body, like they are watching a TV or movie, "I’ve never been the same since �? , they don’t feel fully present in body, chronic physical problems (especially immune deficiency syndrome, chronic depression, people who can’t get over death or divorce, etc.). The joy is not felt in one’s life, initiative is curtailed, life feels pointless.

There are three levels of soul loss. Most people have some soul loss and are yet functional at various levels. Their lives are affected through their health and sense of well-being. Others can become psychotic. Then there is the area of coma, life threatening illnesses & trauma.

The term soul stealing refers to someone, most often unknowingly, taking a portion of someone else’s life force and holding it to them. This depletes that person who has lost life force energy and also burdens those that hold it. The shaman, through a journey state, works with the spirits to bring healing to both parties. Causes of soul stealing could include: Psychic Warfare (rare in our country), jealousy - when someone wants to take power from another, parent depressed and unknowingly pulling life force from a child, co-dependence, divorce / separation if not settled amiably, mutual hanging on, death of loved one, with mental, physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

The shaman approaches healing through soul retrieval and, if necessary, extraction, ritual and ceremonies. But it is the work following this that is of real importance. Individuals having had a soul retrieval will usually report a sense of well-being, of being more aware and focused. Some can have life altering effects in health, mental and physical, as well as the way they now approach living, their relationship with self and others.

After having had soul retrieval and/or extraction healing, people who have taken part in this type of healing will have freed up tremendous amounts of energy. We, at this point can choose to use that freed up energy to create further illness, traumas and dramas in our lives; or we can choose to use this energy to create positive, life enriching situations. Illness and behaviors that do not serve us are habits. The first step is to make a conscious decision to change those habits that limit us. Working individually or in small groups with people having had a soul retrieval, the following journeys can be experienced and some ceremonial work completed: full integration, soul remembering (finding your true essence), learning to use your spiritual creativity to increase your passion in life, learning what are the "core" attitudes and belief system that block you from your creative energy (often a belief imprinted form early years that we are not even aware of), creating personal sacred space, becoming aware of personal physical needs and learning how to honor them, gifts and strengths carried from your ancestral lineage, habit breaking rituals, etc. Group support through this time can be extremely healing.

Shamanic Healing can be extraordinary powerful and life changing, yet gentle.  A person seeking healing does not have to believe or even understand the process, however they do need to be at a 'core' level, truly seeking healing.