Soul Retrieval is an ancient shamanic healing method which modern-day shamans have adapted to fit into our cultural context.

To understand Soul Retrieval it is helpful to view our soul or spirit as an amorphous substance, more like fog than a solid object. Most religious and spiritual belief systems do have this view of the soul or spirit. In ancient times, the shaman of the village, community or tribe, understood that when someone experiences a trauma, not only is the physical and mental affected by this trauma, but also the soul or spirit.

The shaman's intervention after a trauma would involve multiple healings which might include dealing with physical wounds, emotional healing (for instance after the death of a new born child) and, always would include the retrieval of those aspects of the person's spirit which were taking flight to seek safety after the trauma.

You see, aspects of our spirit do not leave us because they are abandoning us, they leave because they are seeking a safe place to reside until it is safe and welcomed to return. Just as we most often forget the moment of a trauma, such as a car accident, because our mind and emotional being "shut down" or dissociate from the trauma of this event, so does a part of our spirit "dissociate" or leave us.

Soul Retrieval does not involve returning that aspect of the spirit which is wounded, but rather the gift or pure vital essence which did not feel safe, thus left seeking safety. In more concrete terms, a shaman does not bring back your wounded 5 year old, for example, but rather brings back some aspect of your vital essence that left because of a wounding or trauma.

That gift, or vital essence, has a quality which is important for you to have returned to you. For instance, it might be the essenceof "unbounded joy" that left you when you were 7 because of some trauma that occurred in school, or at home, or in a car accident, etc. When this essence is returned to you, it enables you to move into a state of greater completion or wholeness. As a result, healing occurs on many levels. Sometimes that healing is on the physical plane, or on the emotional plane or both. But without fail, some healing occurs.

Because in ancient times the Soul Retrieval occurred very close to the time of the trauma, they did not have to live in a dissociative state. The people of antiquity were able to relate to the beauty and majesty of nature and did not focus so much on their minds. Their experience of wholeness was immediate.

In our culture, unfortunately, most of us don't have the opportunity to receive a Soul Retrieval until we are well into adulthood, and sometimes not until we are in our 70's or beyond. Because of this, we develop habits and/or beliefs that we have to get beyond in order to integrate those soul essences into our whole selves.

When Dory performs a Soul Retrieval, a significant part of the time you spend with her is in understanding the vital essences that have returned and learning how to work with them so that integration into your daily life is easy and flawless. Sometimes a follow up session is required to understand and mitigate habits and beliefs that are standing in your way. This is part of the shaman's job; to coach and mentor and lead you in being all of who you are. A whole, pure, vital spirit living in a body.

You might also want to visit Sandra Ingerman's website where additional information about Soul Retrieval may be found. Dory Cote studied with Sandra Ingerman over a period of 5 years and has extensive experience in performing Soul Retrieval ceremonies. Sandra Ingerman is the authof of a book entitled Soul Retrieval which you may also want to read for additional information and many healing stories.

For further information or to schedule a Soul Retrieval session, please contact Dory.