November 21, 2018

Soul Retrieval – A Journey to Prep

panther
By sparkignite

In preparation of a Soul Retrieval I am to do today, I journeyed this morning. (I do this for all my clients as I have found the healing that occurs is deeper.) Today’s client is a lovely woman who has been seeing me regularly for Reiki for about a year. For those of you who are not familiar with what a Soul Retrieval is, it is a healing to make the person feel whole again. When we experience trauma (physical, emotional, mental), a part of our vital essence separates from us in order to survive the experience by escaping the full impact of the pain. This occurrence is called Soul Loss. In essence, Soul Loss is a protection mechanism.

Symptoms of Soul Loss, include but are not limited to:

  • Feeling incomplete
  • Depression
  • Inability to move forward on some issue
  • Lost memories
  • Feeling like you’re not in control of your life
  • When people say: “I felt like a part of me died when…”
  • When people say: “I feel like so-and-so stole my soul…”
  • When people say: “I never felt the same since…”
  • A feeling like something is missing from life

A Soul Retrieval is performed by a shaman (or shamanic healing practitioner) who can retrieve the lost soul piece, by journeying into non-ordinary reality and with the help of spirit animals, and restore wholeness to the person. – More details on this process in a future blog post.

During my journey this morning, a black panther appeared.

I was a little surprised to see a panther because he is not one of my power animals. I asked him if he was a new power animal. He said, “No.” I then asked if he was my client’s power animal. He said, “No,” again.

I thought this odd because, animals don’t usually drop in like that when I journey.

However, I didn’t dwell on it too much because there was limited time.

He led me through this lush green jungle which opened up to a cave-like place. I saw a gold statue, about a two feet tall and the words “Thich Nhat Hanh*” pop up.

Behind the statue, I saw my client dressed in a beautifully decorated robe. She looked commanding and wise. She pointed to an opening off to the side. It was circular and big enough me and my Power Animal to crawl through. I did as I was told.

The other end of the opening was full of a warm pale yellow light. I thought of the sun. And those times I’ve been to the beach and there is just enough warmth and light to bask in the sun for hours without getting sunburned. There was nothing else in the room. And I realized I was receiving a healing. I was filling up with power.

When I was done, we crawled back out and re-entered the cave. My client stood exactly where I left her. She pointed toward the entrance where black panther and I entered. We took the cue and left.

As soon as I rose from this journey, I went to my bookcase to pull “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews and located the Panther section. I needed to understand if there was any significance in this animal that appeared.

I received chills reading that the black panther has lunar significance and relates to power with the New Moon. Today is the New Moon. Let me repeat: Today, Sept 21/17 is the New Moon.

Of all the panthers, probably the black panther has the greatest mysticism associated with it. It is the symbol of the feminine…It is the symbol for life and power of the night. It is a symbol of the feminine energies manifest upon the earth…The panther helps us understand the dark and death and the inherent powers in them; and thus by acknowledging them, eliminate our fears and learn to use the powers…It awakens inner passions…and an awakening of the kundalini, signaling a time of not just coming into one’s own power. More so, the keynote of the black panther is Reclaiming One’s True Power.

I feel like this journey I intended for my client went a little wayward.

But, sometimes that happens. I’ve gone into journey’s seeking an answer for a specific question – and instead, received an extraction (a healing).My classmates in Shamanic Healing school at medicinecircle.ca can attest that we have no control over what happens when we go under a.k.a. when we journey. Our Power Animals take the lead and we just follow. Our spirit guides show us and we go to places that we didn’t expect to ever go. It’s really cool, but also so “out there”. But, believe me, we’re not making this stuff up. We are receiving information from who I like to call “The Powers that Be”. We have learned to trust what we get even though we don’t understand what we’re getting.

In any case, I feel the healing I received in the “sunroom” powered me up and I am ready to meet my client and see what comes. I am grateful today’s New Moon in Virgo, for this connection I have, for the guidance I am receiving and for the healing I have received in my life which has brought me to where I am today – Strong, Powerful and Determined.

About Thich Nhat Hanh

He is a Vietnamese zen monk who has celebrates the teachings of both Jesus and Buddha. He compares Christianity with Buddhism and explains their differences.

I had heard of this spiritual leader, but, had never taken the time to learn about his teachings. I am not sure if he appeared (symbolically) in my journey for me or for my client. But, my interest is peaked since I was raised a Christian as a child but didn’t quite follow the religion for various reasons – things didn’t make sense and seemed so complicated with so many exceptions.

And in my adulthood, I organically began to gravitate toward the “just be nice to everyone” attitude, which I believe stems from the Buddhist practice.

Perhaps, Mr. Thich Nhat Hanh is to be one of my new spiritual guides. Though, I will ask my client today if she has any connection to him.