RETREAT—Soul Retrieval: Teaching and Ritual

In many indigenous spiritual traditions the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space pervade all of life and as the essential components of our existence. Our soul (Tibetan: “la”) is composed of the living qualities of the elements at a very subtle level — and traumatic events or other kinds of shock to the body, mind or heart can cause our soul, or a fragment of it, to break, be lost, or otherwise damaged.

The shamanic ritual of soul retrieval (la gu) calls on the living essence of the elements — the elemental energies or spirits — to balance and heal what has been lost or harmed. At this retreat, Lama Kalsang will teach about the purpose of soul retrieval in the morning and he will perform the soul retrieval ritual for all in attendance in the afternoon.

Soul Retrieval is a practice taught by the enlightened being, Tsewang Rikdzin, the long life deity of the Tibetan Bön tradition. This practice reaches back centuries and is and can facilitate healing at physical, energetic and spiritual levels. Everyone is welcome to attend, and anyone approaching the sacred ceremony with an open mind can benefit.