Editor's note: A psychopomp is a being that helps other beings navigate through various planes of existence, but most often from Earth to death. They have been depicted at different times and cultures as deities, horses, deer, dogs, whip-poor-wills, ravens, crows, vultures, owls, sparrows, and cuckoos.
This has been a very big year for me. My father died, unexpectedly, and my life was transformed in so many ways. How fortunate for me that Psychopomps and the Soul came into my hands.
I won't deny that this was a difficult read. I have a lot of work to do with being able to learn to die well and there were so many resonances throughout that more than once I had to stop and breathe through the feelings.
I hasten to reassure the would-be reader that Lazic doesn't just write about death, not at all. Since the pandemic each and every one of us deals with grief and loss every single day. All of us struggling with trauma or sharing our lives with anyone struggling to navigate any kind of transition will benefit from the deep wisdom Lazic offers us.
Rooted in the author's mapping of the seasons to certain themes integral to the healing process, Lazic's many decades of experience indicated how at certain times of the year, clear themes emerged. "Winter brought a sense of community and connection whether through joy or the pain of isolation, rejection, and past abandonment. Spring tended to bring thoughts of all the potential that lay ahead, whether through reawakened energy and commitment or activating lack of confidence and self-doubt." She notes that in October, "so many of my clients were struggling with grief. Not just loss of a loved one but grief over what did not transpire, grief over lost dreams, grief over a lost sense of self."
Part One looks at death, the Great Mystery. Lazic shares the collected books from many cultures and how various cultures view death. There is no dark without light, nor light without dark to define it and understanding how we move through those modalities is a sacred task for our lifetime. This section ends with a chapter on basic ritual work.
Part Two looks at the many forms of psychopomps we might reach out to or work with from all over the world and cultures. We are given their key themes, roles, and attributes.
Part Three goes into a completely unexpected area: the darkness so many of us carry within our own minds. Depression, suicidal ideation (and expression), personality disorders, and more.
"But this book is only partly about death; that had always been the intention. It is as significantly about the dark created in life itself as a result of the pain and trauma that haunts us day after day. It is also about how the psychopomps who have been the guides around death in the past can serve equally as well as the hands reaching out to help guide us from life’s darkness in modern times. As happens with archetypes, they are both timeless and adaptable"
Part Four closes the book with Part four presents a collection of instructions that can help us become something akin to a human psychopomp as we are called upon to provide comfort during another’s time of transition. The author cautions that this is not very likely, but having such a set in hand gives us the means to know what can do to ease those moments.
There is so much wisdom in this book, so much heartfelt well-wishing, and so much personal experience. This is a deep book in every meaning of that word. While I am in a place that is especially sensitive to the loss Lazic describes, every one of us will experience death and loss throughout our lives. The knowledge shared is a true gift for the reader in every way.
The rituals offered are valuable and practical, praise not often given. Lazic's decades of experience as a therapist shine through on every page. All throughout are readings, journal suggestions, and exercises that allow you to integrate the knowledge imparted.
Psychopomps and the Soul is one of the most healing books you will encounter.
~review by Lisa McSherry
Author: Tiffany Lazic
Llewellyn Publications, 2025
pp. 326, $22.99
Please see our other review, here.
