primarily, although journeying to the other worlds may be necessary to facilitate the process, going to the upper world to retrieve a power animal for the seeker to help retrieve the lost soul. When the soul part is found, the practitioner has to speak with, negotiate, compromise, and sometimes trick the soul piece into returning. When the soul piece finally agrees to return, it is blown into the seeker by the practitioner, usually into the heart and crown of the head although the part may want to be returned in other places such as the abdomen or back (Ingerman 1991). The seeker should be told somewhat judiciously about the practitioners experience and instructed on how s/he can work to continue to integrate this newly returned soul piece.
The opposite of soul retrieval is extraction. An extraction needs to occur when a misplaced energy has entered the seeker and is actively causing illness or dis-ease. A shamanic journey is undertaken in the same fashion as stated above except that when the energy is found it is extracted usually by sucking after which the practitioner spits it out into a tissue or the like.
The shamanic breathwork (SBW) journey process, developed by Linda Starwolf of Venus Rising Institute for Shamanic Healing Arts, is the primary intervention of the SPSM because it combines concepts of ego based models with shamanism. SBW is founded on several shamanic principles including: walking between the worlds, using the archetype of the wounded healer, and illness and dis-ease being symptomatic of transformation processes. Shamanic journeying, living (even temporarily) in sacred community, uses of altered states for healing purposes, soul loss, retrieval, and extraction are also used. It differs slightly from the traditional practice and some may actually refer to it as neo-shamanic practice (Canda & Furman, 1999). Each individual is considered to possess a shaman within and therefore does ones own journey work, usually with another individual (co-journeyer/sitter) who acts as a sacred witness to the process. It also incorporates uses of myth, archetypes, and music that are designed to activate the energy centers of the body (charkas) beginning with the root chakra (drumming) to the crown (light ethereal music). The use of breath is an integral part of this process as it is the combination of music, induction, and a cyclical breathing process that creates the altered state. Sacred artwork (mandala drawing) is included as a way to integrate the process, ground the experience, and provide a vehicle to share with others during group process work. The Shamanic breathwork process also teaches that each of us is shamanic because we’ve all experienced the cycle of life-death-rebirth, we all live on the spiral path, we’ve all experienced trauma resulting in soul loss, and are in need of soul retrieval that can be performed by the facilitator or happen spontaneously under the right circumstances.
The ego-based principles, which are incorporated into the SPSM, include the importance of the family of origin and its effect on the development of problems in adulthood and uses of ego defenses like transference and projection from Freud (Sandler 1985). From Jung, the concept of the shadow has been integrated and expanded upon by the SPSM to include not just the negative parts of the self, but all parts of the self of which the individual is unaware because they have been lost or repressed due to trauma or other family of origin issues. The transpersonal (collective) unconscious and personal conscious are also concepts utilized by the SPSM, particularly related to community healing. That is to say that when an individual does ones own healing work, the entire community benefits as well as the generations that preceded them. Jung also contributed the uses of myth and archetype as paths to understanding, healing and transformation (Campbell, 1976).
Assigning meaning to experiences (Frankl) is another concept utilized by the SPSM in the form of the “wounded healer” archetype. This archetype teaches that an individual’s experiences of healing can be transformative not only to self but to others. The ability to assign meaning and purpose to experiences facilitates healing and growth (Frankl, 1968).
Carl Rogers identified self-actualization as the primary goal of human existence. Shamanic principles can be useful in the development of the five characteristics that Rogers described self-actualizing individuals as having: having accurate and complete awareness, having the ability to live fully each moment of their experiences, having the ability to trust oneself and one’s own experiences, having a sense of freedom which leads to personal empowerment, and being creative and able to adapt to the environment (Schultz, 1990).
Earlier in this paper I stated that it is possible to integrate the SPSM into mental health treatment beyond just the theoretical. Several healing art centers are already doing just that. Founded and co-directed by Linda Starwolf and Brad Collins, Venus Rising Institute for Shamanic Healing Arts (VR) is just one of those centers. Located near Sylva, North Carolina, VR offers shamanic healing in a variety of formats ranging from personal intensives to individual workshops to their SHIP (Shamanic Healing Initiatory Process) program which is a series of specific workshops designed for personal healing and as a way for individuals to discover their role in the shamanic healing community. In Tucson, Arizona, The Synchronicity Center, founded and operated by Drs. Molly and Bruce Roberts, offers a variety of services ranging from the traditional to a variety of not so traditional lectures, workshops, and support groups. Due to restrictions in my own private practice I am not able yet able to fully incorporate SBW into my practice but to that end have a separate healing arts center, Spiritkeepers Centre for Shamanic Healing Arts. In that setting I offer SBW as an ancillary treatment to traditional talk therapy. I have found that because SBW incorporates many of the principles of shamanism and ego based models (SPSM), it is a very effective vehicle to use in resolving trauma, perpetuating personal growth, and resolving a variety of psychosocial stressors through use of the altered state, soul retrieval, and extraction and integration (mandala drawing) during an SBW session. I offer both personal intensives and group work in the form of SBW and teach a variety of workshops that integrate ego based and shamanic principles.
My work has demonstrated that it is possible to combine ego-based theories with shamanic principles and practices to create a new framework, the Shamanic Psychospiritual Model, which is more inclusive (mind-body-spirit). Theoretically, this model is more efficacious because of its inclusiveness and consistent with the evolution of human consciousness. Obviously, this model is in its infancy and further development and empirical research is needed.
Stephanie White Tigerwoman Schwinn resides in Waverly Iowa with her beloveds. She holds bachelors’ degrees in social work and psychology and a Masters degree in social work. She is a level II Reiki practitioner, shamanic healing arts practitioner and teacher as well as a certified Shamanic Breathwork facilitator. She strives to live on the path of shamanic consciousness on a daily basis and is also exploring ways to integrate shamanic consciousness into mental health practice.