Soul Loss

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No one literally loses their soul. The term "soul loss" is a generic term used by many traditions to describe the phenomenon of disconnecting from aspects of ourselves through trauma. 

Soul loss is a disconnect from personal gifts and abilities we have decided are not safe to express. Soul loss can occur on any of four levels ~ physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

When we experience trauma, our “internal computer” latches on to a perceived cause and creates a program of avoidance (pattern of behavior) designed to prevent similar damage in future. As we evolve and the pattern is no longer appropriate, it can continue to run on autopilot. 

Unconscious patterns resulting from soul loss narrow the possibilities we can pursue.

For example, a desired goal may be repeatedly sabotaged by an internal pattern that has determined success puts us at risk. Regardless of whatever healing modalities have been utilized, as long as the energetic/spiritual aspect of the original damage remains unaddressed, the same program can continue to run, drawing the very thing we wish to avoid.

In the many ways soul loss can occur, let's look at one experience in the life of a child, whom we will call Sarah.

Sarah is boisterous and creative. She spontaneously engages in make-believe, happily acting out all the characters in her imagination.

One day, as she is enthusiastically engaged in joyful, imaginative play in the yard, Sarah is abruptly and loudly criticized by a neighbor who shouts at her angrily because she is making too much noise. The source of the neighbor's displeasure might originate in any number of unrelated things ~ a lost job, family crisis, disrupted sleep pattern, etc. ~ but, in essence, results in projecting their dissatisfaction on an unsuspecting child who is simply doing what children do.

Sarah’s magnificent, imaginary world comes crashing down. The neighbor's judgment and criticism is the very opposite of her nature. Crushed, she concludes that play, creativity and joy are unacceptable, and their expression is an invitation for attack. This is classic soul loss.

The conclusion that "creativity = attack" becomes the underlying program affecting everything she does. Sarah decides engaging in creativity puts her at risk. Her internal computer downloads her conclusions, and continues to broadcast this same program behind the scenes of her conscious life. 

The universe complies with both our conscious and unconscious directives. 

Even though the original event might be forgotten as Sarah grows into adulthood, she finds she is continuously thwarted by circumstances which prevent her from bringing projects to completion and fully expressing her creativity and joy. 

No matter how hard Sarah tries, something keeps occurring to shortstop her creativity. The pattern repeats with different players and scenarios, but the common denominator is Sarah and the self defeating pattern is the theme, drawing in additional damage with every replay. 

Although she might project blame onto the unwitting participants in her drama, Sarah is the source of her own demise, creating the same play over and over again.

Our being consists of four levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual (or energetic). When we incur damage at any one of these levels, all four are affected, and our frequency/energy drops accordingly. 

In Sarah’s case, the original  damage is emotional. The pattern she adopts disconnects her from her natural creativity and joy, fearing rejection and negative input. In order for all four levels to operate in balance, the reduced energy/frequency on the emotional level is accommodated by a corresponding drop in the other three ~ physical, mental and spiritual (energetic).

Over time, as this pattern repeats, all four levels can draw similar damage as variations on a theme ~ physical (it’s not safe to express creativity, especially through her voice and body), emotional (finding joy in her creations draws attack), mental (her ideas aren’t worth anything), spiritual/energetic (expression of her imagination sets her up for criticism and judgment). Sarah unconsciously becomes her own self fulfilling prophet, some part of her always expecting the worst and thus creating it in her reality.

If one compounds lifelong damage (and subsequent soul loss), personal frequency can drop so low that health becomes difficult to maintain, as we simply do not have the energy available to sustain us, much less create our heart’s desire.

In our original design, we are whole beings, sovereign, powerful, connected to the divine richness in all of creation.

It is our design to be "hooked up" to the oneness of all life, to have unlimited potential, to be grounded in the earth, and receptive to spiritual, high frequency energy, constantly recharging and renewing through working within the brilliance and balance of our true nature. 

Shamanic healing is designed to correct energetic imbalances in order to restore this connection to our true expression. A shamanic practitioner is a compassionate guide who can help the client track the source of common, damaging themes, and assist their healing into wholeness.