I think that the soul can be affected (meaning an influence on emotions, reasoning, etc, for lack of more articulate explanation XD ), not physically effected. I suppose you can argue that affect can become effect... but I think that depends on how tangible you see the soul and what sort of systems you give the soul (like, we talk about Mind, Body, and Soul when speaking of health, but does the soul have health? Does it have its own Mind, Body, and Soul? XD ). I apologize XD I ramble, yet again!
The soul is generally believed to be here to learn, and doesn't what we learn affect us? Good experiences and bad ones build everyone differently. Some people are crippled by trauma, others heal and can move on.
My mystery is: where do the Mind and Soul detach? When does affliction of the mind become affliction of the soul? I do believe the soul can be hurt by its experiences; it would be naive to think everything is rainbows and sunshine. If the soul could not be affected, why would we have Karma? I believe the soul is the functioning of Karma, that it acts through the physical... that Karmic punishment (and reward) is punishment (and reward) of the soul. The reward can come in a favorable reincarnation, or through physical experiences that affect the soul. Again, I feel like I am dancing around the point of the thread XD Let me try again...
The only reason I could see for stealing another's soul would be for some negative reason, either to punish the shell it resides in or for some sci-fi arch nemesis self-deification blah blah. I dunno, I think it just sounds cartoony and silly because I can't see the use of having someone else's soul... I suppose I'm not devious enough XD. So, if one were to want to hurt the soul it can be done without extracting it. I want to stress, again, that I believe the harm is not physical. You can't tear, steal, or crush the soul in a physical manner. I also don't think magick is really the way to hurt the soul, unless it were some type of affect-oriented spell. Like a spell to cause severe depression or severe misfortune. And a well-built shield will effectively keep the soul safe, anyway. Even without a shield, I believe the soul is much 'farther away' (and simultaneously right there, stepped out of time), much harder to get to than with magick alone. And, if you believe in them, what about Spirits Guides? Aren't they there to protect and to guide? Would a Spirit Guide step aside and let you get hurt, as part of your soul's path of learning?
It's an interesting debate, and I don't mean to sound preachy or trying to push that my version is the truth. I apologize if I offended anyone. I just want to offer another view of the image at hand :) Please keep in mind that this is just my opinion, feel free to disagree because I love discussion! XD I'm glad to see something so controversial is still civil... let's keep it that way.
Hey Rag, did you just research a tribe or two, or did you research soul retrieval in itself? Being of native blood myself, and being very involved with my tribal religious ceremonies, apprenticed to my clan's Cerimonial Chief, I can say with upmost confidence that soul retrieval is a part of our beliefs as well as many other indigenous cultures around the world. Simply google soul retrieval.
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I have researched several tribes specifically, but I'm not talking about individual tribes. I'm talking about general Native American history, all the tribes, none in particular and none singled out. Thus why I said "I did extensive research on Native American history in general" rather then "I did extensive research on a tribe or two." If you want to turn this into a debate, try reading history. My disagreement with you is based on that, not soul retrieval. Also keep in mind that websites are made by humans and, as ironic as it is, I have found quite a few "Native American" sites not made by Native Americans. I never said that no tribe practiced soul retrieval, simply that we do not know for a fact that most tribes did because most tribes no longer exist and their history went with them.
The reason my tribe kept up with their beliefs is because I am Cherokee and we have a written language. Many of our ceremonies, rituals, and song are written down. In fact, it is a custom for our Medicine Men to keep books in which they write them down.
I always thought they kept up with their history and beliefs because it was sacred to them. Most tribes did have a written language of some type, but most tribes kept knew their culture because it was considered sacred.
I work much with energi in difrent forms.
And amongs them soul energi.
Some might call it life energi.
I'v heard about at least one that ended his life by ecstrakting his life energi.
(a reiki master)
and I do think is posibel to do it with others to.
I haven't seen any reason for mi to learn about "stealing" a soul. And have then non reason to investigate it more nether.
But you can say I'm working on somthing similar at the time tho.
And that project is alot of work. I think more than it would to ecstrakt a soul.
