In the realm of shamanism, many practitioners claim to heal people or work with trauma. I have experienced immense trauma in my childhood, and I know it is often not as easy as it sounds. Shamanically, there are many approaches and methods to heal these deep wounds.
Introjects and Toxic Relationships
People often carry introjects from abusive relationships, frequently originating from their parents and later from other toxic relationships. Traumatized individuals often become very sensitive to their environment. If a parent exhibited narcissistic behavior, the situation is much worse.
Victim and Perpetrator Roles
It is important to recognize that traumatized individuals often exist in a dual context: they are both victims and, as a defense mechanism, attackers. Many practitioners who have not experienced abuse themselves tend to see traumatized people only as victims. However, in reality, they are usually both, and recognizing and accepting this is a crucial part of the healing process.
Why is this so? It is simple to explain. For example, when a child experiences violence, the child will form one part as the victim, helpless in that situation, and as a coping mechanism, will also form the perpetrator part that represents the action or behavior of the person being violent. There is no other way for the human psyche to survive without building that part. This is why children will still subconsciously love their parents even though they did cruel things to them. They internalize that behavior and, from time to time, express the same behavior subconsciously or consciously towards themselves or their environment.
This is also why you find so many traumatized people hurting themselves. In shamanic work, for example, we might find soul parts that do not really want to be there.
This also means that there cannot be a victim of narcissism without having a narcissistic part in them. And it is exactly this recognition that is crucial for healing. What parts are not healed? Which shadow is the client not seeing? Identifying and integrating these aspects is essential for true healing. By acknowledging the dual nature of their experience, clients can begin to see the parts of themselves that mirror the behavior they suffered, and work towards healing those shadows. This process allows for a more complete and profound recovery, addressing not only the external wounds but also the internal conflicts.
Spirit Attachments and Intrusions
Another issue is spirit attachments and intrusions that fill the wounds or gaps created by lost soul parts. In addition to the lost and hurt soul parts, there might be several intrusions in the energy body of the person that need to be extracted. You perform this with your extraction helper spirit, typically from the heavenly realm or upper world. When entities are involved, you may also need to do some depossession work, involving a Psychopomp.
This process can take months. It is extremely important to handle all of this with great care, as our clients tend to give away their power easily. I have experienced that one of my teachers, consciously or unconsciously, took on some of my soul parts or power. In the healing process, it is paramount to be empathetic, heartfelt, and patient.
Soul Retrieval
I know there are different approaches and opinions on how many parts the soul consists of or whether one retrieves it in that sense. Honestly, I believe that soul retrieval is not as important for most people as it is portrayed, especially in Western practices like core shamanism. However, I believe it holds relevance for those who have experienced severe trauma. During our work, we may find that we need to bring back a soul part for our client. Perhaps it is still stuck in a childhood situation or another toxic relationship.
Compassion and Transformation
I have come to realize that even the ugliest demon can be transformed and sent to the heavenly realm. Sometimes, they may choose to return as powerful spirit helpers for our clients.
Versatile Approaches and Self-Care
It can be helpful to incorporate not only shamanic methods but also other approaches. I often use a variety of techniques like NLP or family constellations. Be respectful and creative in this work, and allow yourself to take breaks whenever you need them.
Final Thoughts
Trauma work through shamanism is a deep and complex task that requires a lot of sensitivity, understanding, and patience. It is challenging for both sides, and it is of utmost importance to always act with compassion and respect for all beings and parts we may encounter during the process. As a practitioner, you must be aware that you are often likely to be attacked by your client at a certain point, especially if there are entities involved that do not want to leave, or perpetrator soul parts. Before you do anything, you need to gain the trust of all parts. As a shamanic practitioner, you must be honest with yourself about whether you can hold space for all of this and if you have the understanding and patience to guide people in this process, as it carries a great deal of responsibility.
