Shamanic healing is spiritual healing that has two different spiritual components to it. The first component is that the work is aided and empowered by Compassionate spirits. The second component is that it can be a profound healing of the spirit of a person. From the shamanic model, many of our illnesses, problems or unhealthy patterns begin in imbalances of our spirit or energy. When these issues are addressed in the subtle or spiritual realm, the effect can translate to the physical. Shamanic healing may include the divination and healing of illness caused by imbalances, clearing and removal of emotional and spiritual negative attachments and entities, extraction of intrusive energies, and soul retrieval and the bestowing of power, gifts or blessings.
Just as modern psychology recognizes that people can experience dissociation and fragmentation, shamanism recognizes that people can experience soul loss or loss of some of their vital essence. Soul loss can occur when someone experiences traumas, emotional loss, abuse, accidents, illness and injuries. Other people can take our essence. The loss of our vital essence occurs as a survival mechanism and coping strategy that we unconsciously employ when faced by events that are too painful or traumatic to be endured. This fragmentation happens when parts of our soul essence leave us in order for us to survive the experience with less pain. This reduction leaves us as a survivor. The parts of our soul essence that leave are not just random quantities of our energy, but are most often some of our most treasured aspects. It is not unusual for the soul essence loss to include our self-love, joy in life, our creativity, our confidence, our ability to bond in loving relationship, or our deepest connection to our self.
Just as modern psychology recognizes that people can experience dissociation and fragmentation, shamanism recognizes that people can experience soul loss or loss of some of their vital essence. Soul loss can occur when someone experiences traumas, emotional loss, abuse, accidents, illness and injuries. Other people can take our essence. The loss of our vital essence occurs as a survival mechanism and coping strategy that we unconsciously employ when faced by events that are too painful or traumatic to be endured. This fragmentation happens when parts of our soul essence leave us in order for us to survive the experience with less pain. This reduction leaves us as a survivor. The parts of our soul essence that leave are not just random quantities of our energy, but are most often some of our most treasured aspects. It is not unusual for the soul essence loss to include our self-love, joy in life, our creativity, our confidence, our ability to bond in loving relationship, or our deepest connection to our self.
Betsy Bergstrom
Artwork by Juan Ulloa