In many shamanistic cultures, it is believe that when a person is traumatized, the soul leaves the body as a way of protecting itself form intolerable pain. In a ceremony called “soul retrieval,” the traumatized person is held in the love and safety of community as the soul is invited to return. We can translate this to many other healing relationships, where the care of a therapist, friend, support group, or teacher initially provides the safety to reconnect with some degree of presence and well-being.
