My first introduction to shamanism came early on in my spiritual healing journey. I was in a great deal of physical and emotional pain and regularly saw a practitioner for healing touch energy work.

One day during a session focused on the pain in my lower back, she recommended soul retrieval. At that time, I knew nothing about shamanism, but from her short description of soul retrieval, it shook me to the core of my being. Only half-jokingly, I made the sign of the cross with my fingers and promptly banished all thoughts of it from my mind.

Two and a half years later, still without shamanism in my life, I found myself at a crossroads on my spiritual path, not knowing where to turn for healing. My emotional pain had continued, and my wounded inner child was screaming for attention. I had attended many half-day classes in various modalities but had not yet found the form of spirituality I resonated with.

One evening as I was going to bed, I realized I couldn’t take the pain any more. My heart broke open, and I cried out, “Spirit, help! Bring me an answer. Tell me where I need to go from here.” After drying my tears and drinking a glass of water, I went to bed.

In the middle of the night, I sat straight up in bed, woken out of a sound sleep with two words in my mind. Soul retrieval.

Huh, I thought. That’s weird. Where did that come from? I hadn’t thought about soul retrieval in the intervening two and a half years since my healing touch practitioner had mentioned it.

I went back to sleep and woke up early the next morning with the two words still echoing in my mind. Over and over again, like a litany. Soul retrieval, soul retrieval, soul retrieval. And then it hit me. Soul retrieval was the answer to my query from the night before. I sat down on the edge of my bed and expressed gratitude to Spirit for bringing a response to my question.

As soon as it was a proper hour, I called the healer who had introduced me to shamanism and asked for the phone number of the shaman she studied with. That morning, I made an appointment for a soul retrieval.

I remain ever grateful to my healing touch practitioner for first mentioning soul retrieval and shamanism, even though the timing wasn’t quite right. And I remain grateful to my guides and my higher self, who heard the information, tucked it away, and brought it back out when the timing was right.

Because the soul retrieval resulted in healing. And even more importantly, I found shamanism, the form of spirituality I resonate with the most strongly. Shamanism has directly resulted in the majority of my own personal healing and has been a constant in my life ever since, eventually becoming a calling.

When we listen to our inner wisdom and honor our timing, we are drawn in the direction of our healing. The universe, Spirit, our guides, and our higher self all conspire to bring the experiences, the people, and the wisdom we need to heal.

Every step of our journey, everything we need is there at the moment we’re ready. We need only trust – and take that next step.