What to Expect in a Soul Retrieval
- Elaine Bracken
- Aug 29
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 2
When You Feel Something Is Missing
If you find yourself in a place in life where you’re beginning to explore soul retrieval, I want to encourage you: there is a knowing deep inside that has led you here. Your inner compass already knows the way.
At its core, soul retrieval is an ancient practice, held in many shamanic traditions across the world. While each lineage carries its own way, the essence is the same: when pieces of the soul become separated through trauma or loss, they can be called home again. Today, this work continues as a gentle and sacred path of healing, adapted for the modern nervous system with deep respect for its origins.
As you consider this work, you may be feeling a mix of emotions — a little excited, a little uncertain. The process can feel mysterious. You may be wondering: What exactly happens? Will I be safe? Is there something I need to do?
Many of my clients have thoughts like these when they first explore the concept of soul retrieval.
Your comfort and safety are always at the center of this work. Soul retrieval is not a quick or casual experience — it is a sacred process we enter slowly and gently, with care for your nervous system and your whole being.
Preparing for the Journey
Every soul retrieval begins with a free Discovery Call. This is our chance to sit together, connect, and talk about what is stirring in you right now. You’ll have space to share what you’re hoping for, ask questions, and simply feel what it’s like to be in this work with me.
All soul retrieval sessions include light hypnosis, relaxation, and guided imagery. Because of this, our first call is especially important. It allows us to shape the journey in alignment with your highest self, while giving you a sense of ease and readiness before we begin.
Inside Your Soul Retrieval Session
In your session, I enter sacred space on your behalf, journeying into unseen realms to discover and bring forward what is ready to return. While I journey, you will be resting in a gentle,
trance-like state—something like light hypnosis or guided imagery. This relaxed state allows your nervous system to soften and your awareness to open.
From within this state, you will hear me describe what I see and the messages I gather along the way. You may communicate with me, share impressions, or even see imagery of your own. Sometimes clients are very active in this process, and sometimes they simply rest and receive. Both are perfect.
In this way, we are journeying together: I am the one navigating the pathways, and you are the one welcoming home what returns. The work is collaborative but never dependent on you “doing it right.” Your role is simply to be open, relaxed, and receptive to what unfolds.
Most people are surprised by how natural the process feels.
How Will I Feel After a Soul Retrieval?
At the end of the journey, we return gently to the present moment, bringing the gathered pieces back into your being. Clients often describe feeling lighter, more peaceful, or deeply moved. Sometimes there is a sense of relief, sometimes tenderness, sometimes quiet awe.
The session does not end when the journey ends. Integration continues well beyond the time we spend together. I encourage you to create as much space as possible in the 24 hours afterward, creating a sacred time to rest, limit external stimulation, and let your nervous system settle. This gentle pause gives your soul room to breathe and weave itself back into wholeness.
Healing unfolds differently for everyone. You may notice shifts in your dreams, emotions, or energy in the days and weeks after. Some people feel immediate clarity, while others move through waves of grief, exhaustion, or release before settling into a new sense of peace. All of these are natural ways the healing takes root.
Integration is an ongoing process that can continue for 30 days or more. During this time, kindness to yourself is essential — spaciousness, time in nature, journaling, or simply listening inward. The work doesn’t need to be rushed; your soul knows how to welcome itself home.
The Path Will Open
This is a beautiful time on earth for this kind of healing work. Many people are feeling called to gather their soul pieces and live more fully in their wholeness. If you feel curious or drawn toward this work, let that curiosity be enough for now. The path will open in the way and the timing that is right for you. Your soul knows how to find its way home.
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