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Someone recently asked me where the soul goes when bodies are donated to science. What an interesting question! She shared the following story about her mother wanting to do just that. She felt her mother’s soul would get lost and not be able to find its way to the light. Being a curious person, I sat down to explore this from a shamanic perspective. Here is what I learned.
Many people donate their bodies to science for all kinds of research. When I was in nursing school, we had cadavers in our Anatomy and Physiology class. What a fascinating and amazing experience it was to see organs, nerves, muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments inside the human body.
My instructor had the foresight to speak to the class, before the cadavers were brought out. This is what he said, “These people lived lives just like you are living. We must be respectful for who they were and the gift they gave of themselves for you to learn from, after their death. I expect you to take this study seriously. No laughing, no making fun of things, be respectful.”
We became reverent, whenever the bodies were brought out. We spoke in hushed tones, learning what we could to become knowledgeable nurses. His words left an impression on me, forty years later.
Participating in Brazilian White Table healing work, we would invite spirits who wanted to cross to the light to come to the house we were working in between 2 and 4 PM on such and such a date. We made it clear they could not come at any other time, so they wouldn’t cause mischief for the homeowner. Then, we would psychopomp the souls that came, across to the light. (Talk them through transitioning to the light.) It was wonderful and satisfying to hear their stories, help them understand they were no longer alive and then help them to cross.
As for soul parts, each organ has a soul. When an organ is removed, that soul part leaves with the organ. Shamanic practitioners and Shamans can bring back the soul part to the person to regain wholeness. Each organ has a physical purpose in the body for optimal functioning. Each organ soul part brings a metaphysical perspective to the whole. Other soul loss occurs with traumatic events.
Now to address the question about what happens with organ and body donation. The individual who donates their body to science, dies first, before their body is donated. Their death, traumatic or peaceful, determines whether the soul leaves intact or is fragmented. Car accidents, murders, trauma filled transitions, lead to soul fragmentation. The OR is full of soul parts, and souls looking for the opportunity to cross to the light. Surgery can be traumatic. Souls and soul parts will stay in areas they leave the body. Some gather in areas where other souls are, waiting to cross to the light. Clearing the OR before a client enters the room, frees the souls and soul parts to reunite with the body or go to the light. The room is uncluttered and there is no danger that the patient will pick up soul parts that don’t belong to them.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a clearing of the OR before each patient who enters?! What would it be like to have someone at the bedside, with the permission of the dying person, to go and gather the lost parts and reunite them with the soul, as it leaves the body? Perhaps, that is what the dying person is doing, as they wrap up this life. Maybe they are calling themselves home.