HOLISTIC HEALTH Shamans depend on spirits

Life-changing events can follow a decision to test the spiritual waters.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Holistic healing covers a whole gamut of modalities, and people seem to be drawn to the ones that have meaning to them. For people who aren't ready to explore the metaphysical aspect of healing but still want the benefits of natural health, massage therapy and some of the other more mainstream methods may be appealing.
But many others are in the midst of doing self-reflection and finding their rightful path in life. Often these people are attracted to the more mystical aspects of healing. There has been a trend toward relearning what the native peoples in each culture have passed down through tradition.
In indigenous cultures, shamans were the healers, seers, and counselors of their community. Shamans were believed to bridge the gap between ordinary reality and the spirit world by interacting with spirits to bring about healing at all levels for people, animals, the land, buildings, or at a global level.
Dorsey Ney of Homeworth in Columbiana County began exploring shamanism around 1999, at a time when she described herself as a "spiritual eclectic."
Soul retrieval
"At the time, I was on a self healing journey, trying to find a path and grasping at many different traditions," says Ney. "I took a workshop in Indianapolis and met a shaman who suggested I do a soul retrieval. I made an appointment and became so intrigued that I went with a group of friends to study in Cleveland."
She studied with Myron Eshowsky of Madison, Wis., who travels, giving workshops in shamanic training. Eshowsky has not followed one particular shamanic tradition, but has drawn off many.
"He draws from the core tradition that has a thread that passes through all native traditions throughout the world," says Ney. "The differences are superficial, but the core tradition is similar. Separate beings from all over the world discovered similar ways to heal."
But it took Ney a while to understand how her training could benefit others. "I didn't immediately grasp the implications of shamanic work," she says. "It wasn't until I made a year-long commitment to take four workshops, part of a peace-making intensive. We did personal clearing of issues, then were taught methods to help bring about a more peaceful community. Then I finally 'got it' and was able to use what I learned to do soul retrieval work."
Animal links
According to shamanic tradition, we all have a "power animal" that helps us on our journey. Some typical power animals are bear, crow, eagle, wolf, and even spiders.
"Each has certain characteristics, and come with individual capacities, bringing skills and talents to help the shaman," Ney explains. "When a shaman moves into a journey, they are filled up with the energy of their power animals."
There is a ritual surrounding the shamanic journey. First, Ney prepares herself, and prepares the room by purifying it with sage smoke. Both she and the client lie on the floor, heads facing east, and hands touching, so that the spirits will know she is journeying for the client. She enters a tunnel, in a trance-like state, and calls on her power animals and guides for assistance. She says it is important to have intention to seek an understanding of the client's needs.
Shamans approach a client's issues differently than other healers. The basis of their work involves interacting with the spirit world, and, to them, this means helping a lost soul return to the light.
"Sometimes a client will have an attachment, which is a lost spirit who has hooked onto the client, often at the shoulder," she said. "The personality or tragedy of the spirit will influence the events of a client's life. In one case, a client had an attachment that had been with her for three lifetimes, a centuries-old Spanish soldier who had died tragically at the peak of his life, leaving behind a woman he loved. His influence on my client had created much sadness and loss in relationships."
"Sometimes the presence of a lost and confused spirit on a client will be so overpowering that it becomes a possession," says Ney. "The personality of the spirit takes control of the person. Spirits can also take possession of buildings or land. When Jeffrey Dahmer committed all those murders, investigations revealed that many, many other murders had taken place there. The building eventually was razed, but nothing would grow on the land. Finally, a priest, rabbi, and my teacher, Myron, were called to help. After they had removed all the spirits, plants began to thrive again. It is now a little community park area."
Ney also works with past life issues, and intrusions. She says an intrusion is caused by angry, jealous, or negative energy sent by someone, which manifests in a person, often in the form of a serpent.
But some of the most important work Ney does focuses on soul retrieval. "There are two types of soul retrieval," says Ney. "One type happens when a person has been through a trauma, such as violence or rape. Another one is through relationships. In relationships, we have a desire to join fully with another, so we naturally give up aspects of ourselves. In abusive relationships, the loss of soul may be devastating."
Shamanic practitioners believe they can retrieve lost parts of the soul, to enable a person to be whole again.
XLaughing Crow is a practitioner of holistic healing. She may be reached at laughingcrow@neo.rr.com.