Tarot for a Soul Retrieval
As a shaman & a tarot reader I see my skills blend, there is no clear line between the two.
One of the healings I regularly carry out is a “soul retrieval” A client will present with an issue- perhaps difficulty in trusting, high anxiety, low self esteem.
My job as shaman is not to treat the symptom, but to journey back to the source wound. What originally happened to my client to cause this reaction?
Often it can be something quite simple that happened in childhood & was mis-understood at the time. What was a great way of coping at the time has now become a self-limiting habit.
I want to make it clear, the vast majority of the cases I work with are not abuse of any kind, just simple childhood, or adult, issues that led to a state of shock at the time and have since lingered in the energy field, with a scar tissue of negative energy that limits & blocks
As a shaman I drum and journey deep in to the underworld to find representatives of this wound, I bring the information back for my client and support them in accepting what happened. And then releasing it.
Often I find myself reading, and would love to journey for the client thinking that actually a shamanic session would really help. But there are many reason this may not be possible, and so I have developed a spread based on my shamanic journeying.
I suggest you try this spread on yourself first to really get the hang of it. It helps the process if you could meditate- in whatever way suits you best first. This is a spread for your intuitive self to untangle!
#1 Define the problem.
This is an important stage. Try to really consider how the issue presents in your life. In my reading I chose my lack of self confidence, which overshadows most of my life. Try to condense it to one word, or bold & simple sentence. I have chosen “lack of self belief”
#2 How does this issue impact on you right now? (Cards 1, 2 & 3)
Shuffle your deck and breath deep. Let your mind fill with how this problem is reflected in your life- right now.
When you are ready deal 3 cards.
Reflect on these cards, breath deeply and try to connect with how they represent your life; the problems, and blessings, this issue has created for you.
In my spread I can see I have become very introverted through my lack of self belief (7 of cups) but on the plus side it has led me to use shamanism to heal my life (Hanged Man) and I use lists & plans to push myself through my lack of self esteem (ace of swords)
#3 How has it shaped your life? (Cards 4 & 5)
Leave the 3 cards out, and shuffle the remaining deck. Let your mind drift back- how has this issue affected your past? When you are ready deal two cards to represent this.
My lack of self esteem has led to a touch of recklessness in the past, where I jump into situations because I know if I think them through I’ll talk myself out (knight of wands). I know the Ace of Pentacles is a positive card in many ways, but it is potential- and I think I have never reached my potential because I self sabotage.
#4 What is the source? (Card 6)
Leaving the spread out, shuffle the remaining deck. Try to let your breath deepen and your mind drift back through all the times in your life that your issue has affected you.
When you are ready lay one card to represent the source of this issue.
Before reading the card in a more traditional way, look at the image. Let your mind drift and see if an intuitive connection comes. This is about asking your deep unconscious- “what does this card mean to me?”
It can be useful to deepen your breathing and spend some time really connecting with this card..
I got the 5 of cups for this card, and I am aware that my Father walking out at a young age has always left me with a feeling of not being worth his love. Although I have worked on this in many, many ways- there is still years of self limiting behaviors left. I am no longer sad he left, but I need to release the limiting patterns I built up over the years. Bad thinking habits if you like.
#5 So what should I do? (Cards 7 & 8)
Again, leave the spread out. Shuffle the remaining deck- and ask. I want to release this (check in, make sure your intent is clear) “What should I do?”
When you are ready, lay 2 cards, one either side of the source wound. These are advice cards, for you to action. Guidance to support you releasing this issue.
I got 2 swords. I love this card, and always have. It is reminding me that the self-limiting pattern is stored in my mind. So to always check in with my intuition as well- because it will highlight if a choice is fear-based, or not.
Hermit, seek a guide to help. I have recently been to my shaman for a healing session, and it really really helped. A reminder that as I continue to deepen my shaman journey regular contact with my mentor really helps.
I would love to hear how this spread works for you, I will re-post the bog in a few months time and tweak the spread based on feedback of people who have tried it. x
