25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The BEST book on this subject, May 6, 2002
This review is from: Soul Recovery and Extraction (Paperback)
This is one of those "underground classics" -- a book that wasn't slick or mainstream enough to make it onto any New Age bestseller lists, but that is recognized as a gem by everyone lucky enough to have stumbled across it.
With clarity and down-to-earth examples, Ai Gvhdi Waya describes how our souls can become fragmented, and how a shaman can journey to the realm of spirit to restore wholeness. Although this is not intended to be a how-to manual, it will give you a VERY clear idea of what a soul retrieval/soul recovery is like -- both from the point of view of the shaman, AND from the point of view of the person needing healing.
Of particular interest are nine case studies that are given in full, including: the life problems the person was having that caused him or her to seek help from a shaman; what the shaman "saw" and did in the spirit realm on the person's behalf; the shaman's interpretation of the symbolic dimensions and significance of what transpired in the spirit realm; what kind of "homework" the client had to do to integrate the changes into real life; whether the healing "took" or whether further work was necessary; and follow-up on changes the client experienced over time in life and behavior, reflecting the work that was done.
These case histories give you a clear picture of what the client goes through in the process of healing and for that reason I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering having someone else do shamanic work on their behalf.
Especially useful is a short section titled "Finding The Right Shaman" -- which also briefly discusses the related topic of avoiding the WRONG shaman. This was of particular interest to me because of a previous bad experience of mine.
Some years before, I'd had a soul retrieval done by a friend-of-a-friend who had credentials as a "certified shamanic counsellor" (trained in the Harner/Ingerman school) but who gave off bad vibes. Well I should have listened to the vibes, because after I let that woman do a soul retrieval for me, I felt violently agitated, invaded, and violated by her.
Then I read this book and when I got to the part where the author (briefly) describes what can happen to you if you get mixed up with a shaman who's into power trips, boy, did that ring a bell with me. Following the pointers in this book and using my own common sense, I was able to avoid repeating the mistakes I made the first time, and find a shaman who was right for ME. And I'm happy to say we were able to clear out the damage that had been done to me by the previous shaman, and get me back on the path towards healing.
Of course, on the whole it would be better to avoid situations like that in the first place! I wish I'd known about this book sooner, I think it would have saved me some grief. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is considering having a soul recovery/soul retrieval done. It will help you to understand and to actively participate in the healing process, and to steer clear of possible pitfalls.
This books is quite short, but it's to the point and packs a lot of bang for the buck. You won't find anything here about the anthropology of shamanism -- the author does not have a Ph.D. in psychology or anthropology, but draws on knowledge that was passed down in her own family for generations (she is part Eastern Cherokee) and on her own experience. She shows great insight into her subject.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Move past Western medical concepts, November 24, 2009
A friend recommended this book to me, and initially, it was no longer in print. I'm so pleased that it's now available again. It presents an interesting point of view on psychological health.
The reader/s should move past 'Western' (i.e., modern) medical concepts; some understanding of shamanism and shamanic practices would be helpful. Before the introduction of 'Western' medicine, I think shamans had equally sophisticated ways of dealing with behavioral disorders: Soul Recovery and Extraction is one method of treating a number of negative habits that are symptoms of greater issues.
This is the first book by Ai Gvhdi Waya that I've read, and no, I haven't tried to have a soul recovery performed for myself.
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