After a soul retrieval session, most people go through a period of integration that lasts around a month: the returned soul part settles in, and your body, your feelings and your habits slowly adjust to it. Soul retrieval is a shamanic practice. The practitioner journeys to bring back parts of you that split off during difficult times. The session itself takes an hour or two. The real work happens in the weeks afterwards.
This guide walks you through the first 30 days: what people commonly notice, what helps, what to avoid, and when it is wise to reach out for more support. Everyone’s process is different, so read it as a map, not a timetable.
What happens right after a soul retrieval session?
Right after a soul retrieval, most people feel either deeply calm, a little dazed, or both. Some feel lighter straight away, others feel very little at first. Both are normal, and neither tells you how well the healing has worked.
In a typical session the practitioner journeys to the drum, finds the part of you that left, and blows it back into your heart and the crown of your head. Sandra Ingerman, who described the method for a wide audience in Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self (1991), stresses that the returning part needs time and a welcome to settle. That is why what you do in the following days matters as much as the session itself.
If you are new to the practice, start with What Is Soul Retrieval? A Complete Guide.
What can you expect in the first 30 days?
In the first 30 days, many people move through tiredness, emotional waves, vivid dreams and a growing sense of being more present in their own life. The order and intensity vary, but this rough pattern comes up again and again.
| Time after the session | What you may notice | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | Tiredness, a wish to sleep a lot, feeling tender or very quiet, sometimes a quiet joy | Rest, simple food, water, time outside, and as little screen time as you can manage |
| Days 4 to 7 | Emotions coming up in waves, old memories, tears without a clear reason, vivid dreams | Write things down, let feelings move through without analysing them, gentle walks |
| Week 2 | Moments of feeling more “here”, old reactions loosening, sometimes a dip when the first glow fades | Small daily rituals, talk to the returned part, keep your days simple |
| Weeks 3 and 4 | New choices feel possible, interest in things you had given up, shifts in relationships or habits | Act on one small change, check in with your practitioner, notice what feels different |
Not everyone feels all of this. Some people notice changes only when they look back after a month. Others feel a lot in the first week and then very little. What matters most is that you give the process space.
Is it normal to feel worse after a soul retrieval?
Yes, it can be normal to feel more emotional or unsettled for a few days after a soul retrieval. When a part of you comes back, it often brings the feelings that were cut off at the time it left.
A client who receives back a frightened young part may feel that fear briefly before it settles. Old grief can rise and pass. This is usually short and comes in waves rather than as a steady low. If it does not ease after a week or two, or if you feel overwhelmed, speak with your practitioner and with a doctor or therapist.
Important: soul retrieval is a spiritual practice that can support therapy and medical care. It does not replace them. If you are living with depression, trauma, an anxiety disorder or thoughts of harming yourself, please keep or seek professional support alongside any shamanic work.
How do you integrate a soul retrieval?
You integrate a soul retrieval by welcoming the returned part, giving your body rest, and making small, real changes in daily life that make room for who you are becoming. Integration is something you do, not something you wait for.
- Welcome the part every day. Put your hand on your heart for a minute each morning and say quietly: “Welcome back. I am glad you are here.” It sounds simple. People are often surprised how much it moves them.
- Ask what it needs. Many returned parts carry a wish, such as to play, to rest, to make music or to be outside more. Find one small way to give it that this week.
- Write things down. Keep a short note each evening of dreams, feelings, memories and changes. In a month you will see a pattern you would otherwise miss.
- Look after your body. Sleep well, eat regular meals and drink plenty of water. Walk barefoot on grass or earth when you can. The body does a lot of the integrating.
- Keep life simple for a while. If you can, avoid big decisions, crowded events and heavy drinking in the first week or two.
- Stay in touch with your practitioner. Most good practitioners offer a follow-up conversation after two to four weeks. Ask what you were shown in the journey if you have not heard it yet.
For more practical ideas, see After the Session: How to Integrate a Shamanic Healing.
What should you avoid after a soul retrieval?
In the first weeks after a soul retrieval, avoid anything that numbs you or pulls you far away from yourself. The returning part needs you to be present.
- Alcohol and recreational drugs, especially in the first week
- Booking another intense healing or ceremony straight away
- Analysing every feeling instead of letting it pass through
- Going straight back into the situation that caused the soul loss, if you have a choice
- Telling everyone about the session before you have had time to take it in yourself
From my practice: what clients tell me after a month
When I speak with clients a month after a soul retrieval, the changes they mention are rarely dramatic. They are small and very real. One woman told me she had started singing in the kitchen again without noticing. A man said he could finally sit through a family dinner without leaving the room in his head. Another client laughed and said she had bought a bicycle, the first since she was eleven.
What I hear just as often is that the first week was harder than expected. Tiredness, tears, strange dreams. I always tell people in advance that this can happen, because it helps to know it belongs to the process. The part that comes home needs to trust that it is safe to stay. Rest, patience and a little kindness each day build that trust.
If you recognise yourself in the signs that you may need a soul retrieval and want to work with me, you can read about my soul retrieval sessions here.
Frequently asked questions
Most of the noticeable integration happens in the first four weeks, but changes can continue for several months. Many practitioners suggest waiting at least a month before planning any further healing work.
Look for small, lasting changes rather than one big feeling: being more present, old reactions softening, more energy or interest in life. Many people only see the difference clearly when they look back after a few weeks.
It is best to avoid alcohol for at least the first week. Alcohol numbs feeling and makes it harder for the returned part to settle into your everyday awareness.
Tiredness in the first days is very common. Your system is adjusting to something that has been missing, sometimes for many years. Rest as much as you can and it usually passes within a few days.
Share it with one or two people you trust if that feels supportive, but keep the details to yourself at first. Talking about it a lot too early can scatter the experience before it has settled.
No. Soul retrieval is a spiritual practice that can support psychological and medical treatment, but it does not replace it. If you are in therapy, it is fine to continue and to tell your therapist about the session.
The first 30 days are a time to rest, notice and make room. If you have had a soul retrieval, what changed for you in the weeks afterwards? Tell me in the comments.
