Recapitulation

Recapitulation practice is an ancient technique for retrieving and healing energy.

Shaman’s consider the recapitulation to be a never-ending process. One form or

another of the core idea of the recapitulation is present in all shamanic traditions.

Shamanic Recapitulation
All shamanic traditions have some form of a death and rebirth process. The
Shaman’s death is something practising Shamans would endeavour to do daily.
In this case, death is a form of surrender to the ego and the world of illusion.

The belief is that in each interaction you have with other people in your life you
leave personal energy or vibration signature. The interactions remain with you in
the form of a memory. The memories you store require energy, your emotional
energy. These memories can drain you and create a pattern or loop you repeat
when similar situations come up for you.

Here we’re talking about using recapitulation to shift draining memories. If you
think about something in the past and it fills you with peace - keep it! If you think
about something and you feel tired, or heaviness—that’s the memory type you
work to recapitulate.

Though Shamans practice recapitulation daily in order to pursue the Shamanic

Path to be healers of their communities and of the Earth—you can also use the
practice for self healing alone.

In the practice you will allow a memory to come up, take back your energy by
letting it become just a memory with no power or cords in your present now
moment.
Recapitulation Exercise
There are a number of ways to physically practice recapitulation. If the process speaks to you, I
would invite you to find the way that is most energetically in sync with your personal healing
style. I believe that intention is the most powerful ally you have in this practice.

The reason we are introducing this practice this week is because it is a physical practice It is a
physical movement and energetic breaking of memory connections.

As I said, there are a number of ways to practice recapitulation. I am going to walk you through
the way I practice it.

You can begin with a list. However, in my personal pratice, I notice and pay attention to dreams or
incidents that trigger feelings I can feel are tied to a past event. For instance, the other night I had
a dream about a past lover where I felt a sense of unworthiness. Immediately upon waking up I
sat at the side of my bed and did a recapitulation. By the way, one of the first memories you are
often asked to consider are with past lovers since our personal power is often given away there.

To begin . . .
It’s best to begin with a smaller memory.

Affirm your space and energy are of love only and make your space sacred in whatever way feels
good to you. It is often suggested you be in a smaller space so you can feel your energy. You can
also wrap yourself in a blanket or shawl. Start with a straight spine. Feet on the ground sitting in a
chair, or sitting cross legged connected to the Earth.

In our case, we’ll begin by tuning into our question. When did I stop dancing? We’ll breathe into
that thought and bring forward a memory where we allowed ourselves to be blocked. We might
have agreed to keeping our movements small to make someone else feel better. We might have
taken on a limiting belief from a friend, a lover, or a teacher.

Just breathe knowing the memory that needs to be released will come forward.

Allow the memory to be pictured in your imagination as clearly as possible. See the scene in as
much detail as you can. See the person or people involved. See the colours, smell the smells, and
hear the sounds. Affirm you are safe and of LOVE only.
 Once you have the picture in front of you, you TURN your
head fully to the RIGHT (be sure it’s comfortable for you.)

Imagine a thick thread of energy, you are focusing your

INTENTION on clearing this cord/rope/thread of energy tied
to the memory you see.

BREATHING IN you PULL this energy

rope/cord/thread FULLY to the LEFT.

At LEFT you have FULLY breathed in.

Allow the energy rope/cord/thread to fray or

fan out at the end of your in breath.

Turning your head to the RIGHT as you

FULLY BREATHE OUT and SWEEP this
disintegrating thread across the picture.

Return to CENTER and rest for one breath.

REPEAT
1. Turn your head FULLY to the RIGHT. Breathing IN PULL the thread FULLY to the LEFT.

2. BREATHING OUT and fanning the frayed thread across your picture as you TURN your head to the RIGHT.

3. Return to CENTER and rest for one breath.

REPEAT
Turn your head FULLY to the RIGHT. Breathing IN PULL the thread FULLY to the LEFT.

BREATHING OUT and fanning the frayed thread across your picture as you TURN your head
to the RIGHT.

Return to CENTER and rest for one breath.

You keep repeating this breath in your own timing. Continue until your own inner know-
ing tells you it is time to stop.

Finish by journaling or drawing any insights that may have come up for you.

You should feel energized by the practice, rather than drained. (Practice self care by paying
attention to how your neck feels and not breathing into hyperventilation.)

You can continue by working with smaller memories. This helps you find your own rhythm
to approach larger or more painful memories, which may take multiple recapitulations to
clear. You will know the practice is working for you when you recall one of the memories
and find that the emotions feel neutralized.