Reclaiming Your Soul: Part 2
Our last discussion on soul retrieval emphasized the tragic causes of soul loss, the addictions that can follow, and finally, the remedies. There is another form of soul loss, not often mentioned but common nonetheless, which is to deliberately give our soul away, for example, through vows of love in marriage or in a religious order. Parents often give part of their soul away to their children, believing it will make the child stronger and more capable. These forms of soul loss through love can take us unaware, and they seem so good and noble that I have hesitated to speak about them. But they are powerful, and they can and will change the course of our lives without intentional soul retrieval.
A portion of our soul is free to leave naturally and it will do so during dreams and other altered states. So this coming and going is not unusual, but is actually healthy and normal. However, giving our soul away, sharing our soul, or borrowing another's soul and life force energy is not healthy and quite harmful to everyone involved. It is a lose-lose situation. Soul stealing or borrowing can be a way to dominate another person.
Unconsciously we have all experienced some form of these dynamics. And some of us are quite conscious of it. On some level we have given our consent to participate, but at any time, we may change our minds, change our intentions, and change the direction of our life through soul retrieval.
In the case of love, marriage, parenthood or religious vows, we make the decision and then have it sanctified. Not only are we now "locked-in", but every day in every way we act and reinforce our promise and our soul. Self-sacrifice is beautiful and can provide enormous soul growth and learning. However, the middle way, the balanced life, is the healthiest and wisest approach. Easy to speak of, not so easy to manifest. The good news is it's never too late to call your soul home. And you don't need to abandon your vows or marriage or children to do this.
Losing a loved one, especially suddenly and unexpectedly, can magnify our soul loss. You have seen or known people who have never recovered from their wife's or husband's death. Though years have passed, they still feel unfaithful to date or enter into a new relationship. Their life force energy seems depleted; they feel like they are "stuck in a time warp".
Another aspect of soul loss may occur when a child dies. The entire family can be "frozen in time" on some basic and essential emotional level. I have seen this so many times that I believe it is quite prevalent throughout the world. I witnessed this in relation to the Vietnam War and the many families who lost husbands, fathers, brothers, or sons. That tragedy became a defining moment for the entire family, a collective and shared loss of an enormous magnitude. The scars, wounds and loss run so deeply and are so buried in the family's collective unconscious that it may require some time to begin to unearth, call back, and truly heal.
However, we can recover and reclaim our precious life-force energies and soul. Receiving good help and intercession can and does make all the difference. One's reaction to their soul retrieval can vary greatly. Some people can feel great joy, some sadness. Some experience fullness or lightness. But everyone is aware that something profound has happened, and they are willing to accept it and hold it.
Benefits of soul retrieval can include greater decision-making ability, a feeling more present in the here and now and in the body, the ability to move past issues that could not be dealt with before, more stability and inner wisdom, an ability to deal with grief and loss, and an ability to move forward confidently in the healing process.
It's not uncommon to feel the urge to have healthy, wholesome fun activities, or to spend more time in nature and introspection after soul retrieval. For the process to be truly effective, we need to be listening to our own inner guide, and caring for our own newborn parts that have so generously and gently returned for our safekeeping and joy.