What Is the Soul?

From a shamanic and animistic perspective, the soul is not just our personality or memory—it is our living essence, our animating force, our sacred blueprint. It carries our gifts, our original instructions, our connection to our purpose and Spirit.

The soul is inherently luminous, sovereign, and wise. It holds the keys to our creativity, our love, our joy, and our ability to be in right relationship—with self, with others, with the unseen, and with the Earth and beyond. When we are soul-full living expressions of our unique purpose and true nature, we feel our place in the great web of life. We know who we are and why we are here and are able to navigate life from a place of authenticity and heart.

What is Soul Loss?

In traditional healing, soul loss is not seen as a failure, but as a wise and instinctual response—a survival mechanism. When we experience overwhelming grief, fear, anger, or harm, a part of our soul may choose to step away to preserve the rest of us or we may give a part of our soul to a loved one in hopes it will aide them during a time of difficulty. Either way soul loss occurs as a protection, not a punishment.

Soul loss doesn’t always stem from one dramatic event. It can also be slow and subtle drift over time. It might feel like something important went missing somewhere along the way, or like part of you just stopped showing up.

Soul loss may occur after experiences such as:

• Abuse — Physical, emotional, or sexual violation can cause deep energetic rupture, especially when experienced in childhood.
• Accidents or Medical Trauma — Car crashes, surgeries, or invasive procedures can leave the body and soul disconnected.
• Sudden Loss or Grief — The death of a loved one, a miscarriage, or losing a home can fracture the heart and spirit.
• Violence or War — Witnessing or experiencing violence, including combat or generational trauma, can lead to soul fragmentation.
• Betrayal, Divorce, or Abandonment — Heartbreak and abandonment, especially when unexpected or repeated, often result in soul loss.
• Chronic Stress or Suppression — Long periods of fear, anxiety, or emotional repression—such as staying in unsafe environments or living out of alignment with our truth for long periods of time—can slowly wear down the soul’s integrity.

Symptoms of Soul Loss

When soul loss is left untreated for an extended periods it can manifest into many different forms of illness. Some common symptoms of soul loss include:

• Memory gaps or “not feeling like yourself”
• Chronic fatigue, depression, or anxiety
• Chronic or terminal illness
• Auto-Immune Conditions
• Emotional numbness or detachment
• Addictions or patterns of self-sabotage
• A persistent feeling that something is missing
• A persistent feeling of hopelessness or despair
• A sense of watching life from the outside and/or difficulty making decisions
• “I have never felt the same since ….”

What is Soul Retrieval?

Soul Retrieval is a method of spiritual healing used to recover parts of your soul that may have become separated or lost due to trauma, loss, shock, or overwhelming life experiences as described above. These soul parts are not symbolic—they are actual, vital aspects of your essence, carrying your gifts, energy, truth, and joy.

In a Soul Retrieval session, a practitioner partners with trusted compassionate Helping Spirits and journeys into the unseen realms on behalf of the client. Their intention is to lovingly seek out, tend to, and bring back these lost pieces of soul essence, restoring a sense of wholeness and vitality.

Sometimes, before this return can happen, other layers of healing are needed—such as the clearing of misplaced or intrusive energies, and the release from old patterns that no longer serve. These practices help clear space so that the soul can return home with ease and grace.

There are also gentle, empowering ways to support this healing within yourself. Soul Recovery, for instance, involves supported or self-guided journeying and practices of soul remembrance, where lost soul essence may return through intention and awareness. Often, the soul begins to return naturally once the intensity of trauma has softened or our life circumstances have shifted in a supportive direction.

When successful, the return of soul essence can bring about:

• Renewed energy and life force
• Emotional clarity and healing
• A deeper sense of purpose, joy, and self-awareness
• Relief from chronic symptoms or emotional numbness
• A reawakening of creativity, love, and connection

If you are curious about how Soul Retrieval can support you, your pet, the land where you live or work, and/or your business you can schedule a 35-minute phone consultation Here.

If you want to schedule a Soul Retrieval for you, your pet, or your business you can schedule a Healing Session Here.

If the land where you live or work is lacking in vitality you can schedule a Land Tending Exploration Here.

If you want to explore the self-healing technique of Soul Recovery journeying schedule a 120 min Mentorship Session Here.

Recommended Reading: “Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self” by Sandra Ingerman *The most recent revised and updated edition was published in 2006*