Illness: a shamanic perspective

Joss Anderson
Nov 14, 2022
4 min read

Updated: Mar 15

Have you ever considered that illness might have a spiritual cause? Maybe you’ve been unwell and found that even though you can manage your symptoms through modern medicine, the illness or condition persists no matter what you do? Wild Soul Healing offers an alternative perspective - one that looks beyond the physical body to explore the deeper energetic and spiritual roots of illness and pain.

Wild Soul Healing is my integrated approach that weaves together shamanic work, trauma‑informed coaching and energy healing. This combination allows us to explore the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and soul-level dimensions of your experience, recognising that imbalance in any one of these layers can manifest as illness or distress in the others. While modern treatments can be invaluable, they often address only the surface. Wild Soul Healing works to uncover and transform the underlying energetic patterns that keep symptoms recurring.

Shamanism is the most ancient form of healing known to humankind, practised for tens of thousands of years across cultures and continents. Its longevity speaks to a simple truth: healing is not only physical - it is energetic, emotional, ancestral and spiritual.

How illness is viewed in Wild Soul Healing

Shamanic healing is based on the understanding that most illness arises from an imbalance in a person’s energy field. This imbalance may take the form of:

an intrusion - something energetically present that shouldn’t be
a loss of power - a depletion of life-force
a loss of soul energy - fragmentation caused by trauma
ancestral wounds - unresolved pain carried through the lineage

When the flow of life-force is disrupted, physical healing becomes difficult until the energetic imbalance is addressed. Wild Soul Healing seeks to identify the root cause of the imbalance and support the healing of the parts of the Self that have been affected. As one client shared:

“I had severe lower back pain that I couldn’t fix even after acupuncture sessions and physiotherapy sessions, however after a full shamanic healing, my pain disappeared completely… I am now pain free.”

These imbalances are incredibly common and they can all be treated effectively through shamanic techniques.

Power Loss

In shamanic terms, power refers to life-force or consciousness — known as nwyfre in Druidry and chi or ki in Eastern traditions. Power loss arises when we become disconnected from nature and from our true Selves. Modern life pulls us away from the natural world: we live indoors, travel in vehicles, eat processed food, and often have little relationship with the land around us. Yet for most of human history, our survival depended on a deep, reciprocal connection with nature. When this connection is lost, we may feel sadness, restlessness, grief, or a yearning for a simpler, slower life.

Power loss often manifests as:

fatigue or low energy
low self-esteem
feeling unlucky or victimised
chronic physical or mental illness

Wild Soul Healing uses power retrieval to help you reconnect with nature, reclaim lost life-force, and understand how the loss occurred so you can protect yourself in the future.

Soul Loss

Soul loss occurs when part of the soul leaves the body during trauma - either a sudden event such as an accident, or a prolonged situation such as bullying, abuse or a difficult relationship. The soul fragments as a protective mechanism, hiding in the unseen realms until it is safe to return.

Signs of soul loss may include:

depression or grief
dissociation
addiction
PTSD
weakened immunity

In Wild Soul Healing, I undertake a soul retrieval journey on your behalf to locate the missing soul parts, understand the original trauma, and reintegrate those parts into your present-day self.

Intrusion

Intrusion occurs when energy from someone or something else enters your energy field. This may take the form of:

attachments
cords binding you to another person or situation
possession, where a spirit becomes embedded in the energy field

Intrusion may present as:

unexplained physical pain
a sense of heaviness or being weighed down
difficulty leaving a toxic relationship or situation
behaviours that feel “not like you”

Wild Soul Healing help to identify the nature of the intrusion, remove it safely, and repair any damage it has caused. This may involve clearing past-life or ancestral trauma, psychic surgery, or soul retrieval.

Ancestral trauma

Our ancestral lineage has a profound influence on our health and wellbeing. We inherit not only DNA, but also emotional patterns, unresolved trauma, beliefs and energetic imprints. Unresolved ancestral trauma is passed down until someone in the lineage chooses to heal it. Conversely, ancestors may also hold gifts, wisdom and protection that can support us.

Wild Soul Healing can reveal both the wounds and the gifts, helping to heal the lineage and benefit future generations.

Finally…

Wild Soul Healing does not diagnose medical conditions and is not a substitute for medical treatment. It works at an energetic and spiritual level, guided by the spirit realms, to understand and rebalance the deeper layers of the Self. If you have ongoing symptoms or health concerns, it’s important to consult a qualified healthcare professional alongside any spiritual or energetic work.

Exploring wild soul healing

If you’re curious about whether Wild Soul Healing could support you, book a discovery call to find out more and explore whether this approach feels right for you.

Joss Anderson is a qualified and experienced Shamanic Practitioner, Shamanic Reiki Master Practitioner and trauma-informed Professional Certified Coach (ICF-accredited) based in North Wales and online.