WHAT IS SOUL?

Shamanic healing is Soul healing. But what is Soul? Notice that I don’t say “the soul.” That’s because I don’t experience Soul as an object. Does Soul have object-like qualities? Yes. But limiting Soul to a static entity doesn’t account for relationship, flow, and transformation. Open to possibilities, Soul defies being pinned down to a precise definition. When possibilities are limited, Soul loses connection and power. Think of your own life. When you run out of choices how do you feel?

From a global perspective, Soul is practiced and experienced differently depending on the culture and time. Many cultures believe in multiple Souls per body. For instance, in Mongolia each person has three souls consisting of life force, consciousness, and physical form. The Sakha of Russia believe in a triad of Mother, Breath, and Earth souls. Christians believe in one Soul per body, which many Westerners have inherited, even if they don’t consider themselves Christian.  Within each culture there are also variations. There is no one right way.

I seem to be contradicting myself. Soul defies definition, but I’m looking for one. Why? Because fully embodying our Souls is, at least in part, our Divine purpose. And understanding is an aspect of that experience, but not the whole experience. An African shaman says of Source, “It is the knowledge that wisdom cannot eat.” Native Americans often call this the Great Mystery. There is an ineffable, sublime, awe-filled experience of Soul that is impossible to put into words yet is meant to be experienced. Understand to experience and allow experience to help you understand.

I believe, practice, and experience one Soul per body. I use a model instead of a definition to allow fluidity and multiple perspectives. Soul is the wisdom and experience of one’s vital essence in active relationship with all-that-is.

Let’s break this down. From my perspective, “vital essence” refers to one’s Indivisible Soul Essence that comes directly from Source and individual components—gifts, purpose, body, and Helping Spirits. Indivisible Soul Essence and these components, or strands, exist as nodes within a web—distinct properties and connected. What affects one affects all. They create a whole greater than the sum of the parts. An analogy is the human body. The heart has distinct properties, but multiple organ systems create a human being. I call this, “Individual Soul Web.”

“All-that-is” refers to what is outside us and what contains us. This includes Indivisible Essence of Source and individual strands—Celestial, Time, Sacred Directions, Elements, each life form, Land, community, and non-ordinary reality. This is also web-like with distinct parts as nodes that are in relation. Let’s call this, “Web of Life.”

All emanating from Source, Individual Soul Web is a node within Web of Life, weaving strands individually and as groups in intricate, active, and relational ways. Oneness emerges from this web of connections. When one strand is affected, all are affected.

Understanding Soul as “essence in relationship” deepens embodied experience and can mend strands that may have been harmed by trauma, fear, emotional overwhelm, and/or the environment.