An important job of the shaman was (and still is) is to bring back soul parts that are separated
from people, places, and things in a process that core shamanism calls soul retrieval.  Soul
parts that are missing create a condition called soul loss. In order to understand what soul l
loss and soul retrieval are, it is important to understand that we exist on other levels besides 
the physical level, and that these subtler levels of spirit are the larger more experiential part of 
our beings.

Shamanic cultures around the world view illness as a lack or loss of soul/life essence. Some of 
the ways you may experience soul loss are, depression, a feeling of being stuck in a rut in your
life, a feeling of emotional emptiness or numbness, excessive anger, a run of bad luck, or as a 
chronic illness.  The most notable cause of loss of soul parts is trauma, emotional or physical, 
where the soul part leaves the body in order to protect you from the pain so you can survive the 
experience.  When the soul part leaves, it does so to protect you from pain.  If you've ever been in 
an auto accident (and most of us have), you probably don't recall the actual moment of impact 
because it is quite normal to "black out."  This "black out" period helps you to avoid the pain 
and survive the experience, and is a moment when your soul leaves your body.  The problem 
comes when the soul parts don't fully come back into your body, leaving a void.  There are many 
other situations for soul parts to leave us, and many situations that may be experienced as 
traumatic by one person, but not be experienced as traumatic by another.  Sometimes during 
childhood, when we are very open, we unknowingly gave up some of our soul to another person.  
Child molestation is a prime example of when soul loss can occur during childhood.  Parts of 
our soul can also be taken and held by others, mostly unknowingly by the person who is doing 
the taking, and one way this happens is a strong feeling of jealousy

During a soul retrieval session the soul parts that agree come back during a soul retrieval 
session are typically ones that you need right now to move forward with your life.  At another 
point in your life more soul parts will agree to come back because it is appropriate for them to 
do so at that time.  Soul parts can also be, and are, retrieved from past lives.

"When one of us becomes whole, we all become whole."
                                                        Liz's helping spirits