Curanderismo Soul Retrieval: Ancient Shamanic Wisdom to Restore the Sacred Energy of the Soul - Erika Buenaflor M.A. J.D. 2019

Nonordinary Realms
Locating Lost Soul Pieces: Navigating the Upperworld, Middleworld, and Underworld

At every cardinal space there is a bridge or tree that can take us into the three different nonordinary realms: Upperworld, Middleworld and Underworld. It is in these nonordinary realms where our lost soul pieces can be found. These nonordinary realms coexist and intersect with the cardinal spaces of the South, West, North, East, and Center. As the ancient Mesoamericans understood it, each of these cardinal spaces had metaphorical trees where the nonordinary realms could be accessed. The central cardinal space is the portal that can also be located within the South, West, North, and East and the means to journey into the cardinal spaces and the nonordinary realms. As we journey into the cardinal spaces for sacred essence energy, wisdom, lessons, and medicine, we may find that our soul pieces are in one nonordinary realm throughout our journeys, or they could be in more than one. Finding our soul pieces in more than one nonordinary realm is common when we have experienced ongoing and continuous traumas.

In this section we will explore the basics of navigating into the nonordinary realms; the common characteristics of the nonordinary realms, and some common reasons our soul pieces may be in them; the chakras and the nonordinary realms they are associated with; and breathwork exercises, including mudras, acupressure points, and toning that enable us to go into specific nonordinary realms.

Just as our brain can fluctuate between different states of consciousness and emit different brain waves simultaneously, our sacred essence energy may be in more than one nonordinary realm at the different cardinal spaces. When I first begin working with someone and navigate them into the South, the place of discovery and understanding, I may find their soul pieces in one nonordinary realm, and then in a different realm in another session, while we are still working with the South. How our consciousness perceives and experiences trauma is complex, and we should let go of expectations and honor the process.

There are two general ways of approaching journeying into the nonordinary realms once you have decided which cardinal space you are going to work with. With either approach, before journeying, decide which cardinal space you will be working with first. This soul retrieval process incorporates honoring and integrating the wisdom of the cardinal spaces, so allow space and time to work with each cardinal space separately, and understand that your sacred essence energy may be found in different nonordinary realms, while working with a particular cardinal space.

Method One: Journeying into Each Realm

Once you have decided which cardinal space you will be working with, you can journey into each realm on separate occasions, or during a single journey, until you find a soul piece. Let’s say you have decided to devote a month to working with the cardinal space of the West, the space of death and releasing, and you decide to work with all the realms to see if your sacred essence energy may have fragmented into the different realms concerning issues of being unable to let go of bad habits or patterns. You may work with each realm on different occasions, ideally spaced apart a few days, a week, or more.

One day you may begin by honoring the West. You may engage in breathwork exercises to journey into the Underworld of the West, or simply play a drum and set the intention of journeying there. You may or may not find a piece of yourself here. If not, you can go to the Middleworld and then into the Upperworld until you find your soul piece.

If you find a soul piece in the Underworld, connect with that piece to find out what needs to be released, how this will honor you, and anything else that you feel is relevant. If you feel that the releasing ceremonies you engaged in after journeying into the Underworld are not complete, you may want to return there a few days or a week later.

Once you feel these rites are complete, you may go on to the Middleworld to see if there are pieces of you there and to find out what needs to be released, how this will honor you, and anything else that you feel is relevant. Again, if you feel the releasing ceremonies are not complete, you may want to return to the Middleworld a few days or a week later.

Once you feel the ceremonies are complete, you may go to the Upperworld realm to see if there are pieces of you there and find out what needs to be released, how this will honor you, and anything else that you feel is relevant.

You may also feel guided to simply go into one or two realms, or to start in a completely different order, say with the Middleworld or Upperworld. Trust your intuition. By trusting our intuition, we develop it.

Method Two: Discover Which Realm You Are In

Another way of working is allowing your I Am presence or your spirit or animal guides to guide you into a particular nonordinary realm. Ask them to help you work with the wisdoms and gifts of the cardinal space you are in and to take you to your soul piece. You can get a sense of where you are by the characteristics of what you are sensing, feeling, hearing, seeing, knowing, tasting—however you receive information. I will discuss some common characteristics of each nonordinary realm in the following section.