Some of you joined after reading one of my articles that was syndicated by the DailyGood.org: “What to do when a loved one is suffering?” (you can read it here).
I’ve received many wonderful messages from people all over the world but a recent message from a therapist contained an interesting question:
Synopsis: “I especially appreciated your article “What can we do when a loved one is suffering?” up to a point. What the heck do you mean by “soul”? Can you point me to it? I think I know intuitively but for the life of me cannot tell anyone what the heck a “soul” is.
Here’s my updated reply to their question in case it’s helpful to you:
When I speak of “soul or spirit”, I mean it in a variety of ways: from the vitality or “life force” within all living beings, to humanity’s inner essence that includes our values, aspirations and gifts, to the traditional view of the soul as a consciousness that is timeless, eternal and invisible yet often quite palpable.
Even in our colloquial language, we take note when “someone’s spirit is broken”, when a job is “soul-draining” or when a performance is “soulful”.
For me, the soul is our inner being: our deepest and most authentic self.
It is the part of us that loves deeply; it sees beyond the physical and recognizes the sacred.
Is it an aliveness and enthusiasm for life that can be suppressed or expressed, neglected or cultivated.
We can be religious, atheist or agnostic yet still recognize the beautiful essence that exists within all beings.
About the practical application of this “soul seeing” capability:
By developing our capacity to recognize another’s soul, we can transcend the person’s traumas, cultural norms, survival mode reactions and learned behaviors to access their timeless self.
As a teacher and guide to these practices, I’ve been able to support many in recognizing their spirit’s deeper needs and make more fulfilling life choices – ones that feed the soul rather than drain it.
For example, I have been helping an inmate to cultivate his soulful self. As a result, he’s been able to develop greater compassion for himself and other inmates, even becoming a mentor in his community. Also, he’s taking more actions that align with his true values – overcoming knee-jerk reactions and habitual judgments.
Often, when a person is facing a major crisis, transition or crossroads, they may make decisions based on fear or conditioning. However, if they are attuned to their inner spirit, they will have the clarity to make more soulful choices.
In my framework, I teach 5 core soul expressions that create a deeply fulfilling life path. (I’ll share more about the framework in upcoming love letters.)
Many of my clients come to me because they are feeling existential angst (re: relationship, job, health or life purpose) and this framework guides them to identify what is not aligned or what is missing in their life and how they can cultivate the energies or choices that will fulfill them.
It’s a practical and poetic approach to self-actualization that is not focused on typical measurements of success (e.g. money, fame, fortune, status, power) but instead, is focused on the 5 soulful qualities that we all need in some ratio.
The framework also helps us work with the impacts of trauma, culture, society and other pressures. We look at the Sacred AND the Profane in order to better understand and nurture well-being within our complex eco-system.
After working with thousands of people, I have gained an even greater admiration for the human spirit. There is so much beauty within but it is often suppressed or neglected until it is brought into conscious awareness. Once we are aware and can share our soul expressions more openly, it makes it easier for others to appreciate our spirit.
(In my youth, I didn’t feel “seen or understood” so it was a painful existence. As an adult, I learned to express my spirit and to see other people’s incredible spirit. This has brought amazing friendships, colleagues, opportunities and a deep reverence for all living beings.)
It is a universal skill that can be learned and refined. When we learn to see each other’s spirits and cultivate our soul expressions, we become genuine vessels of love.
xox littlewoo
P.S. If you’ve never worked with me before and want to invest in your growth this year, you’re invited to book a complimentary 45-minute one-on-one Growth Mindset Session (limited spots available – for new members or members who haven’t worked with me in the last 3 years).
In this Growth Mindset Session, be prepared to:
1) Do a basic assessment (Life Map) of your upcoming priorities.
2) Identify where you most need motivation and change.
3) Explore how we can work together to facilitate the desired changes and transformations.
Book your Growth Mindset Session here: https://littlewoo.as.me/growth-mindset-session