Curanderismo Soul Retrieval

Ancient Shamanic Wisdom to Restore the Sacred Energy of the Soul

By: Erika Buenaflor MA JD

Narrated by: Micah Hanks

A step-by-step shamanic guide to navigating the non-ordinary realms, locating lost soul fragments, and reintegrating them

• Explains how the soul is a form of sacred energy that can escape when someone experiences trauma or stressful situations
• Explores how to work with the five Mesoamerican cardinal directions to connect with lost soul fragments, create the ideal space for them to return, and ensure a lasting soul retrieval
• Details how to enter a trance journey for navigating the spirit realm through shamanic breathwork, shamanic dancing, toning methods, as well as hand postures

Drawing on her more than 20 years’ experience working with present-day Mesoamerican curanderos/as and the ancient shamanic healing traditions of the Mexica and Maya, Erika Buenaflor, MA, JD, provides a step-by-step guide for the curanderismo practice of soul retrieval. She explains how the soul is a form of sacred energy that can escape when someone experiences trauma or is threatened by challenging and stressful situations. Its absence can be responsible for a host of negative conditions including physical ailments, depression, insomnia, and dysfunctional behavior patterns.

Exploring how to retrieve this sacred energy, or soul fragments, as well as resolve cases of soul theft, the author details how to journey through the non-ordinary realms of the Underworld, Middleworld, and Upperworld to locate lost soul fragments and reintegrate them. She explains how to enter a trance journey, providing instructions for shamanic breathwork practices, shamanic dancing, sounding and toning methods, as well as hand postures (mudras) to facilitate trance states. She explores how to perform soul diagnosis, create a loving and nurturing space for soul fragments to return, and work with the healing wisdom of the five Mesoamerican cardinal directions: South, West, North, East, and the Center, which marries the other directions and offers a portal to other worlds. She offers pressure point exercises to release the energies of traumas and contemplative exercises to continue the reintegration of soul fragments after the trance journey. She also explains how to connect with animal guardians to aid you in the soul retrieval process.

Revealing how to achieve a lasting retrieval of soul energy, Buenaflor shows how the dynamic process of curanderismo soul retrieval can heal many forms and degrees of trauma and help people move forward in life with more clarity, self-awareness, empowerment, and greater depths of authentic self-love.

©2019 by Erika Buenaflor. All Rights Reserved. (P)2019 Inner Traditions Audio. All Rights Reserved.

Critic reviews

“Beautifully written, carefully researched, gorgeously illustrated, Buenaflor’s book offers a practical guide to healing our ancestral wounds.” (Kara Zugman Dellacioppa, PhD, professor of sociology at California State University)

“Erika Buenaflor writes about a topic that is near and dear to me and my students of traditional medicine at the University of New Mexico. She has researched and clarified soul retrieval practices that we refer to as energetic/spiritual cleansings or limpias that are still used in traditional medicine practices around the world, especially Mexico. Her writings have linked limpias to the four cardinal directions connecting us to Mother Earth. Erika has offered an appreciation of Mesoamerican culture and wisdom in regard to holistic healing of body, mind, and spirit.” (Lara Medina, PhD, professor in the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University)

“Once again Erika Buenaflor has written a very useful and insightful text based on Mesoamerican healing practices - this time specifically on soul retrieval, or the reclaiming of our sacred energy force. Her sensitive and informed treatment of this much-needed practice in our current times relies on ancient indigenous knowledge that helps us return to our authentic selves in relationship to the sacred cosmic forces. The author’s reclaiming of this knowledge while being aware of adaptations for modern living is most relevant to those interested in the spiritual and healing powers of the original cultures of this continent.” (Jennifer Scheper Hughes, PhD, associate professor of history at the University of California)

Great but confusing

I just want to say that this book really inspired me to become more interested in my machika background. My grandparents immigrated to the US and left behind a lot of cultural practices, there were instances when they would teach us nahuatl or limpia rituals for our home,but alot of the terminology and gods confused me. I think I may have to download a pdf of this or listen to it again because I feel like I missed some keywords! overall I think its a great book

Great Content

I really enjoyed the book but the narrator was distracting. His voice is beautiful but for this work it would have been better to have a feminine voice since I’m used to hearing her via her Instagram, it would have had better flow that way in connecting with her work.

Sacred knowledge that should have had a native narrator

This book is full of sacred knowledge and practice for healing. I feel the narrator should have been able to pronounce words in Spanish and Nahuatl correctly.

Highly recommend

This author is so genuine, open, and giving. She has written quite a few books, each with beautiful knowledge, stories, and advice. As an indigenous healer myself, i hold this work in high regard, and appreciate the representation of our practices shared in this way.

Beautiful book!

I got this book on audiobook and have been listening to it while I work. Not only has it made my work shift more pleasurable, but I have been blessed with lots of laughter and heartfelt moments as I am listening to the words of this book. There has been so much sacred wisdom to ‘imparted to me and I am truly grateful

Narrator Too darn Obnoxiously Annoying!

Great book, great read, but narrator kept mis-pronouncing Mehiko as Meshiko. Worse, last syllable of last word of every single sentence, throughout the entire book, was said in the most annoying way, with an unnecessarily exaggerated Mexican accent (or drop in tone with forced elongation of sound)! Despicable! After the first sentence I wanted to return the audiobook, and tortured myself to listen, sentence by sentence, one torture to the next torture, to the entire thing, putting up with the obnoxious sound of the narrator's idea of professionalism or idea of a Mexican accent or who knows what he was thinking?! I was so happy the book was made and offered in audio format but just couldn't stand the narrator. Why couldn't the author narrate her own book? It would have sounded better! Ugh. I like audiobooks cuz I can listen to them on repeat even when not really paying complete attention to them, but this narration is something I just can't get myself to listen to on repeat or ever again without ruining my day & ruining the moment. Geez. G-d.

Narrator painful to listen to

At the end of every phrase and sentence the narrator sucks in his breath. So distracting! This is the second book by Erika Buenaflora I have listened to and I appreciate the knowledge she shares. There is sufficient practical information here to warrant buying a hard copy. Note to self - always listen to a sample before purchasing an audible.

Informative

practical resources to be you through regaining who you are. I did enjoy the native reading voice