What is soul retrieval?

Soul retrieval is when we intentionally reclaim parts of ourselves that had been lost (soul loss).

Sandra Ingerman’s book, Soul Retrieval, Mending the Fragmented Self, says it very well:

“When we experience trauma, a part of our vital essence separates from us in order to survive the experience by escaping the full impact of the pain.

What constitutes trauma varies from one individual to another.

Soul loss can be caused by whatever a person experiences as traumatic, even if another person would not experience it as such.”

Traditional psychology might think of this as a dissociated or fragmented part of consciousness.

Shamanic practitioners view it as an actual loss of part of the soul.

My experience and witnessing of my clients is that it often is felt as a reclaiming of a vital part of their essence – when a soul retrieval is done, the person may feel as though she or he got back their joy, power, or innocence. They may feel a new energy or life in a part of their body that had felt empty, numb or cold.

Symptoms of Soul Loss

You have a difficult time staying present in your body

You feel like an ‘airhead’ or are spacey

Sometimes you feel like you are outside your body, observing

You tend to fade into the background

You have a hard time feeling innocent, playful, joyful, trusting or spontaneous

You look for external things to fill an internal void

You struggle with addictions to mood-altering substances

You experience chronic depression, apathy or numbness

You feel overwhelmed, like you can’t cope

You were chronically ill as a child

You have problems with illnesses or a weak immune system

You feel a void, emptiness, like a hole in your heart

You have gaps in your childhood memories or sense that you may have blocked out portions of your life

You have difficulty moving on with your life after the loss (separation, divorce, death) of a person or loved one, a favorite pet, or even a beloved stuffed animal