In shamanic cultures, soul loss is a condition that occurs when a person has a traumatic experience, leaving one feeling disconnected, fragmented, and lost. Though ultimately seeking a part of oneself that is missing, those who undergo soul loss often seek external experiences that help them feel whole once more. Others withdraw, unable to find a sense of inner strength and centeredness. While the path of resolving trauma is complex, shamanic healing addresses the situation at an energetic level, which in turn supports the process of healing mind and body. Through the process of soul retrieval, it is possible to recover lost and fragmented parts of oneself, restoring a sense of wholeness.
While soul retrieval is a potent way of initiating personal healing, the collective pain we share is much more challenging to address. In our modern world, we have immense material abundance and comfort, but in many ways, we have lost our connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural world. Caught in the trap of constant busyness, we are exhausted and struggling, ever striving toward an elusive and distant goal. From the shamanic perspective, this is indeed soul loss on a cultural level, and tremendous healing is needed to restore us to balance.
Seeing a vast collective need for healing, a number of indigenous elders around the world have begun sharing their wisdom and traditions with those who are called to bring healing to their people. One such exchange took place just a few years ago, deep in the Peruvian Amazon during a powerful ceremony with the female shamans of the Shipibo Nation. Urging women to step into their power and heal the trauma that women have carried for generations, the Rite of the Womb was brought forth. Also called the 13th Rite of the Munay-Ki, the Rite of the Womb may be shared with all those who are committed to healing themselves, their relationships with the feminine, and Pachamama, Mother Earth.
As the Rite of the Womb is passed from one woman to another, it transmits an energetic force into the womb of the receiver, with the intention of initiating the healing of fear, pain, sorrow, grief, shame, guilt, and all other burdens that women have carried from their life experiences, their ancestry, and their cultures. As these heavy energies are cleared, the Rite empowers women to reclaim their place in the world as wise leaders, teachers, and healers. In full understanding that healing the feminine requires the healing of the masculine as well, the Rite is also shared with men who are called to support healing and balance in the world.
As women receive the Rite of the Womb, they open themselves to healing their relationships with their bodies, find greater love and acceptance for themselves, release self-limiting beliefs and habits, and embrace the fullness of who they truly are. Letting go of competitiveness and judgment, women find new ways of uplifting and supporting each other in sharing their gifts and creativity with the world, creating a stronger sense of community based in care, compassion, and connection. In continuing to nurture the Rite, the process of healing is fully integrated, and as the wounded fragments of the feminine are welcomed home, the feminine soul is restored to wholeness, bringing humanity back into balance within the interdependent web of life.
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Would you like to schedule a private initiation into the Rite of the Womb in your home or venue of choice?
Please contact us at angelablueskies@gmail.com.
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First published in Natural Awakenings Magazine DC, May 2017
Angela Blueskies is a visionary musician and medicine woman who has traveled the world for over a decade in search of meaning and spiritual growth. She leads initiations into the Rite of the Womb and the Munay-Ki Rites several times each year. She is also the Creative Director of Heart of the Mother Retreats, and leads journeys and pilgrimages to powerful healing destinations around the world. For more information, please visit www.angelablueskies.com and www.heartofthemotherretreats.com.
