The Chakras in Shamanic Practice: Eight Stages of Healing and Transformation

by Susan J. Wright

How to work with the chakra centers to heal unresolved psychic wounds

• Reveals how psychic injuries become lodged within the energy body

• Links one major developmental stage with each major chakra

• Provides a detailed guide to healing and clearing the tensions each chakra holds

The chakra system identifies eight centers in the psycho-anatomy of humans, each one associated with a different part of the physical or energy body. Susan J. Wright, a practicing shaman and Gestalt psychotherapist, uses her own life journey to show that each chakra also is linked to a different stage of emotional and spiritual development. In The Chakras in Shamanic Practice , she identifies eight key developmental stages of life, from birth to old age/death. Each of these life stages has various developmental challenges and potential traumatic events that will likely occur and affect the health and well-being of the individual.

Wright explains that life traumas experienced in particular developmental stages become lodged within the energy body as they cling to their corresponding chakra. By identifying and working with the chakra involved, a doorway can be opened to a world of transformative images, allowing powerful shamanic techniques to heal these psychic wounds. Providing both physical exercises and guided meditations that utilize the techniques of soul retrieval, working with power animals, and transcending trauma, Wright offers practitioners a way to gather and nurture the fragmented parts of their energy body and lead themselves to physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Metaphysics

274 pages, Paperback

First published June 29, 2007

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharing her own personal experiences, the author of The Chakras in Shamanic Practice shows readers how Shamanic practices can be used to heal wounds associated with trauma at each stage of development. Throughout our infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, we are meant to learn certain things. For instance from infancy to age six, we learn trust and require security. If for some reason adequate positive experiences are not provided, through abuse or neglect, then healthy development is suspended. Therefore, unless we address these needs, they will continue to affect our developmental growth, our relations, and ultimately our happiness.

In The Chakras in Shamanic Practice, the author adapts the various layers of human development to the chakras, including an eighth for ascendance. Thus, each chakra not only includes an associated color, quality, and location but is also linked to an age grade. At each stage, certain developmental aspects are addressed such as creativity, sensuality, compassion, forgiveness, intuition, integrity, etc.

Beyond this very informative aspect, each section also contains tasks. These exercises vary in essence from meditations and reconnecting with nature through rebirthing exercises and examining the past to connecting to others of like mind or becoming open to finding your own healing tools. The reader can easily adapt these resources to his or her own needs.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Bad:

Mixes animism and shamanism with Christianity. I did not care for it. And takes away the true power that all humans possess.

Really New Agey. The author thinks diseases can be fixed with a positive attitude. That's not realistic.

At least for me this book was way too simple.


The Good:

Has yoga poses and photos so the reader can follow and perform yoga.

I'm also a Young Adult Librarian who works with tweens, teens, and young adults so this book is teaching me on how to approach every age group mentioned.

Overall, this book is great if you're a beginner. But I am not. I'm reading this book as a refresher. And I've been learning that I have healed myself because a lot of the exercises are easy or unnecessary for me. In that sense, I am very proud of myself for putting my self-growth first.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book simple yet full of newness for me a chakra enthusiast shamanic practioner. I bought a hard copy as well. Thank you Good Reads!
👍🙏

[Tamsin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with series of practical exercises focusing on each chakra.