Soul Retrieval

The soul is always trying to find its way home. 

When we experience a significant trauma in life, it is common for part of our energy to fragment and leave us as a survival mechanism. 

Sometimes the work of a shaman is needed to guide this part back to us, whilst other times it will return to us spontaneously.

Recently I experienced a part of myself spontaneously returning home. This part brought with her creativity and sovereignty.

A few nights ago, my intuition whispered to me, “Read Under the Hawthorn Tree”. This was a much loved, much forgotten about book that I studied in school at age 11. The next morning I remembered that I still had the project notebook I used alongside this book packed away somewhere. Again my intuition whispered to me, telling me to go and find this notebook right away. Flipping to the back page, I found a draft of a letter I had written to the author. 

“I would love if you could write back to me and tell me some information about the famine. I’m thinking of writing a book.”

There is was. This girl had a clear vision and she shared it confidently, unapologetically. She had full ownership of her creative agency. 

I connected to my 11 year old self and imagined what would happen if I told her, “I’m still thinking of writing a book, but I’m too scared to start in case I fail”. 

This girl would not stand for it. 

And with that I began to reclaim the lost part of myself that has agency over her creative dreams.

I often wondered why I ended up in the location I’m in. With every intention of moving but multiple plans not coming to fruition, I instinctively knew that I was here for a reason but couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. 

With the return of this part of myself came further clarity and reclamation. 

For several years I’ve been none the wiser, but during this experience I discovered within minutes that I’m living directly on the National Famine Way. This is a 165km journey taken by 1490 people on foot in 1847, in an attempt to flee to Canada during the famine. I discovered a video of Under the Hawthorn Tree author Marita Conlon-McKenna, who wrote of this experience through the eyes of 12 year old Daniel Tighe for the National Famine Way project. This video was filmed on the estate these 1490 people were evicted from, located ten minutes from my home. 

Suddenly, I felt the excitement of my 11 year old self. Suddenly, I knew why my soul feels so enlivened every time I walk on this land. If there was any place this little aspiring author would want to be, it would be right here. Boldly researching, boldly claiming her dream of being an author. 

Many years I’ve felt this part of me was missing and I’ve searched for her endlessly. Now I realise that she has been hiding in plain sight all along. 

I am coming towards the end of a two year journey with Sli an Chroi, in which I have been training to become a Celtic shamanic practitioner and counsellor. If this sacred work of the soul resonates with you stay tuned, as I will be offering these shamanic services to the public in the coming months.