Power Loss

Definition: All individuals have helping guardian spirits.  Possession of guardian spirit power is fundamental to health because it provides a power-full body that resists the intrusions of external forces.  The presence of a power animal or guardian spirit increases one's physical energy, ability to resist contagious disease, and increases one's mental alertness and self-confidence.  Power loss can occur when a person's guardian spirit leaves and another does not take its place.

Symptoms: Power loss can manifest as chronic illness, depression, suicidal tendencies, chronic misfortune, etc .

Healing Techniques:

Retrieval of Power Animals: The shaman journeys to seek a power animal who is willing to assist the client in reclaiming his/her power.

Shamanic Counseling:  By training clients to journey for themselves, they learn to reclaim their own power by working with power animals and using divination to help answer life questions.

Definition.  Soul loss is the loss of individual soul essence, lifeforce, vitality.  This loss happens when individuals suffer emotional or physical trauma.  Some causes of soul loss can be accidents, surgery, abuse, war stress, divorce, death of loved one, etc.  Soul loss is not bad.  It is a survival mechanism we use at times of severe trauma.

Symptoms:   The symptoms of soul loss can be very similar to those of power loss.  They include post-traumatic stress syndrome, addictions, searching outside of self to become whole, immune deficiency problems, coma, etc.

Healing Technique:

Soul Retrieval: A shamanic healer tracks lost pieces of the client's soul and brings them back for reintegration. In indigenous communities, the shaman would perform soul retrieval within 3 days of the traumatic event.  In our culture, such retrieval rarely occurs so quickly; therefore chronic conditions attributable to soul loss often go unrecognized and untreated for many years.  It is important to retrieve lost soul pieces as soon as possible after they have left to ensure the least amount of disruption in the client's health .

Definition.  The void caused in a person's spiritual essence as a result of a loss of power or soul loss can be filled by a spiritual intrusion.  A spiritual intrusion is misplaced energy that moves into the opening in the body caused by the power or soul loss.  Spiritual intrusions come from negative thought forms – either from inappropriate expression of emotion or inability to express emotions – that exist all around us. 

Symptoms: Spiritual intrusions can cause health conditions such as chronic pain or illness, heart disease, cancer, neck troubles, chronic depression, etc.

Healing Technique:

Extraction: Shamans extract spiritual intrusions and give them back to the natural world by using water to neutralize the energy of the intrusion.  Once the extraction is  complete, the opening created by the removal of the spiritual intrusion is filled with either a soul retrieval or power animal retrieval

Recommended Reading List/Resources

The Way of the Shaman , Michael Harner (HarperSan Francisco 3 rd Ed. 1990).

Soul Retrieval;  Mending the Fragmented Self , Sandra Ingerman, (HarperSan Francisco 1991).

Welcome Home:  Following Your Soul's Journey Home , Sandra Ingerman (Harper San Francisco 1994). 

Foundation for Shamanic Studies , P.O. Box 1939, Mill Valley, CA 94942 (415) 380-8282