Soul Loss
Soul loss is a spiritual response to trauma, where vital aspects of the soul leave the body to protect us from overwhelming pain. It can leave us feeling disconnected, incomplete, or emotionally numb. In the sections below, you’ll learn what soul loss is, how it manifests, and why recognizing the signs is the first step toward healing and spiritual reintegration.
Soul Loss: The Hidden Wound
In shamanic traditions around the world, soul loss is considered one of the primary causes of emotional suffering, chronic illness, and spiritual disconnection. Unlike medical or psychological diagnoses, soul loss is a spiritual condition—a fracture in a person’s essence that results from trauma, shock, or overwhelming life experiences.
What Is Soul Loss?
Soul loss occurs when a part of a person’s vital essence—what many cultures would call the soul, life force, or spirit—leaves the body to survive a traumatic event. This response is viewed as a natural and protective mechanism. From a shamanic perspective, the soul fragment leaves to shield the person from the full impact of physical, emotional, or spiritual pain.
In modern psychological terms, this can be likened to dissociation, where the mind detaches from the present moment to avoid psychological harm. However, in the shamanic worldview, this detachment is not only mental or emotional—it’s energetic and spiritual. The soul part that leaves may not return on its own, leading to a wide array of long-term effects that can persist for years or even decades.
Common Causes of Soul Loss
- Accidents or physical trauma
- Childhood abuse or neglect
- Loss of a loved one
- Sudden shock or betrayal
- Divorce, heartbreak, or abandonment
- Sexual assault or violence
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Surgery or medical procedures
- Emotional overwhelm or long-term stress
These events can overwhelm our ability to cope. Soul loss is the psyche’s way of saying, “This is too much to bear—I need to leave for now.”
Symptoms of Soul Loss
Soul loss may manifest in subtle or profound ways. People who are experiencing soul loss often say things like:
- “I don’t feel like myself.”
- “Something’s missing.”
- “I feel numb or disconnected.”
- “There’s a part of me that shut down after that happened.”
From a shamanic lens, these are not just metaphors—they are descriptions of an actual spiritual condition. Symptoms can include:
- Chronic fatigue or unexplained physical symptoms
- Persistent sadness, grief, or emotional numbness
- Addictive behaviors or compulsions
- Anxiety, depression, or a sense of floating through life
- Difficulty being fully present in the moment
- Low self-worth or chronic indecision
- Memory gaps around traumatic events
- A haunting sense that “a piece of me is gone”
Soul Loss vs. Dissociation
It’s important to understand that while soul loss and dissociation share similarities, they stem from different worldviews. Dissociation is a psychological concept describing a mental disconnection from emotions, thoughts, or identity. It is often linked to PTSD or complex trauma.
Soul loss, on the other hand, is a spiritual condition. The two can coexist and often do. Many who experience soul loss also show signs of dissociation—but soul retrieval addresses the energetic root of the disconnection, not just the psychological symptoms.
Where talk therapy might help someone understand their trauma, soul retrieval works to restore what was lost, inviting back the part of the self that fled in the moment of crisis.
Why Soul Loss Matters
When parts of the soul are missing, a person may continue to function—but not fully. They may achieve outward success while still feeling empty inside. They may enter relationships but find it difficult to form deep emotional bonds. They may try every form of self-help, therapy, or spiritual practice and still feel something is out of reach.
That “something” may be their own soul essence, waiting to be retrieved.
Does this resonate with you or someone you love?
If you’ve recognized yourself—or someone close to you—in these words, know that you’re not alone. Soul loss is more common than most people realize, and there is a path to wholeness. Reach out to Maia today to begin the healing journey or share this page with someone who may need it. Sometimes, just knowing there’s a name for what you’ve been feeling is the first step toward transformation.
[Schedule a Soul Retrieval Session] or [Contact Maia]?
“When I first contacted Maia, I felt apprehension at what would be my first soul retrieval. However, any tension was immediately assuaged after our hour-long conversation.
Maia touched on topics and aspects of my life despite our having never met. I had heart-based goosebumps throughout the first conversation- little did I know that was just the beginning! Maia was incredibly professional, prompt, and made herself very available during the process.
Her experience as a long-time shamanic practitioner was further buoyed by her incredible experiential knowing in spiritual matters and eastern mysticism. Most importantly, Maia made me feel comfortable, acknowledged and seen from the get-go, and she has helped me regain a sense of a quiet inner power.
I highly recommend working with Maia!”
“Since December I have had what seemed like insurmountable pain due to the ending of a substantial 18-month relationship and the slow, but steady decline of my mother.
I was beside myself with grief and believed I would never see past the pain of my losses. I underestimated the power of the love and guidance that Maia is able to offer. Not only did she guide me with tools of meditation, but she directed me to resources I was heretofore unaware of.
More importantly, she kept me feeling whole. She never allowed me to feel regret nor did she allow me to believe that I couldn’t overcome the pain. She reassured me and made herself available to me in my weakest moments.
In my strongest moments, she cheered me on and encouraged me to once again believe in who I am.
If you value unconditional love, spiritual guidance and a down to earth approach to life, Maia will be a wonderful choice for you. May God bless you!”
“The Universe guided me to Maia when I had felt like I had just spiritually broken into pieces, scattered and without direction. There was so much stress and pain that I had endured over the years that it felt like there was no hope and no doctor would be able to help heal me.
Maia was so kind and gentle and guided me through the entire process with professionalism and true genuine care for my well-being. It was such an emotional experience for me, and I was glad that I had found someone so sensitive and in tune with just what type of healing I needed.
I highly recommend spending some time with her if you are lost or feel spiritually hurt or missing like I was. Maia, you have a special place in my heart, always. Love & Light.”
“Maia, you are truly a beautiful spirit and a true healer.
I would someday love to partake of what you teach. If only I could, from here in San Diego.With Pure Love and COMPLETE Gratitude!”
“I think I knew enough to ask about soul retrieval and Maia agreed it would be a good idea for where I was at in my journey. Maia is an outstanding, multi-talented shamanic practitioner. She works with genuine care, love, and is a great human as well! Her retrieval was a game changer.”
“I contacted Maia because I wanted to get in touch with my power animal and to do a soul retrieval. She far exceeded my expectations and was even kind enough to help out my 3-month-old daughter who’s doing significantly better since Maia helped her regain her trust from her traumatic birth. I’d highly recommend her to anyone.”
“After the soul retrieval I stopped bouncing back and forth between feeling okay and feeling depressed and things began moving quickly – personally, professionally and spiritually.
I remember that day afterward feeling incredibly rested and peaceful, which I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so good. Even the things you had said after journeying made so much sense and some of which I had never told anyone before. And I felt tremendous relief from the guilt I had pushed back way into the corner of my mind.
Thank you so much, and thank you for the friendship.”
“Maia is an awesome being/ reader/healer and I’m so blessed to have chosen and worked with her. She is a bright light on this planet. I could go on and on about her talents but when you talk with her you can make your own decision.
I also attended Maia’s telepathy class. She taught us the basics of telepathy and how we could develop our natural skills in using it. We did some actual “readings” of each other and had 1st hand experience of telepathy. As time permits I’ll do more and advanced work with her and the other students.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s only been seven months since your healing because my life has changed completely. The energy you brought back for me gave me the strength to really march down a path to healing, and remember myself. I started studying shamanism to help me be engaged in my healing process. I am on the last leg of doing a chakra healing course. Through this work, I’ve been able to remember, grieve and release the abuse done to me by my father.”
“We have been giving thanks for you and the miracles you worked in our lives. B. says he finally feels whole. L. has a high energy level and positive vibration. I feel balanced. It was an amazing experience. We really appreciate your hard work; and your thoughtfulness in bringing us together with your friends as well. It was truly an evening we will reflect upon for the rest of our lives. With love and gratitude.”