Nothing is more mysterious than what we refer to as ‘soul', within that invisible part of us, impossible to locate through surgery or modern diagnosis. We assume it's a presence or dimension of ourselves enhancing our expression, or detracting from it. Each of us may sense there is SPIRIT – BEING – SOURCE – PRIMARY CAUSE – GOD, in back of our existence; a shrouded mystery that religion, philosophy and psychology are wont to theorize about. But perhaps soul relates to something different – the flavour of a person, their essence, hue, tone, the feel of their presence. Even inanimate things are given texture, flavour or colour, like soul music and soul food, referring to a depth of feeling associated with them. A home can be a house with soul carrying an essence of those who live there – also true of an apartment/condo or a single room. Some couples refer to themselves as soul mates, a strong resonance bonding them together – a partnership of destiny even described as a union made in heaven. I've heard the designation of ‘old soul' given to a person, young or old, suggesting ageless quality, a deep sense of knowing.

If soul relates to flavour, essence and tone, it is not something that is set in us at birth like heredity and genes. But we pick up qualities of soul through early experiences in our family surround. Hopefully these are of a positive nature, but not always. Looking back we can acknowledge some in our close family, teachers, leaders we had only heard about, and close friends inspired us and left us with a golden residue in our soul, a goodness we feel about ourselves and optimism about the world in general. It's likely we also pick up dark or negative impressions from the same folks, maybe through disappointments or traumatic experiences. Our unconscious does not choose; we automatically absorb, as though by osmosis, all that we are exposed to. Shadowy memories are stored deep in us, beyond easy recall. We carry them with us unconsciously but they do affect our present viewpoints, attitudes and impressions about people and what's happening in the world around us. These may assert themselves during darker moments of feeling inferior, not good enough, anxious, depressed, etc. However we're not stuck with them for life, at least their negative influences. Contemplation about shadowy or brighter memories is valuable to us if we access them through personal journaling, sharing with a trusted friend or counselling with a sensitive professional.

Through my life I would never allow myself to entertain feelings of depression. I would superimpose a positive determination, a right attitude, sending the depression back where it came from, because I felt a ‘down' state was not good for me or for my image to others. More recently I recognize the feeling of depression and acknowledge it. I can even say to an understanding friend, “I feel depressed.” Willing to let it be, I stay with it and always learn something useful from it about myself and my life's journey. By the time I get to that point, the depression lifts, I carry on, aware that it may come to visit again some day.

A client in the midst of a quiet healing session with me began to feel and express a strong emotional current with physical tremors. This was frightening to them because of their lack of understanding perspective. There was embarrassment and, in spite of my assurance, they squelched these emotions and their usual happy demeanour returned but I sense they went home feeling disturbed that it had happened. From my view it was an opportunity to fully receive what was surfacing, learn from it and probably dissipate its ongoing subversive, self-shaming influence. Soul work is not always fun but it's useful. We have so much to learn.

The pace of today's world and expanding technology tend to foster a soul-less state instead of soul-seeding nourishment. Hypnotized by the speed of things we never think to stop and take a break – a soul break. We get so caught up surfing, in our career, relationships, social life and making ends meet so there's seemingly no time to undertake enhancement for the soul, like deepening our self-connections?

How do I feel about my past? How am I doing now – really? Am I carrying burdens from previous failures and frustrations?
How about the history of the world we live in – how did we all get to this present state?
What are the possibilities for the future – mine, and all of humankind I'm a part of?
Where am I going in my life? Where do I want to be ten or twenty years from now? What do I feel would be the ideal setting and experience for me as I move toward my senior years?
Are there some changes to make now to project into the immediate and long-term future I imagine for myself?

To probe these questions requires a different pace – to pause and ponder! Change my outlook? Just to reflect, wonder, and exercise our imagination is a start. Rather than just seeing things on the surface we begin to chew on things. This may require shutting off external media noise for a time to feel and think about what's really going on with ‘me'. What about dreams; I wonder what they are trying to tell me? Rather than doing an intellectual analysis, feel the tone of what's coming from your unconscious, to perceive what your inner self is trying to tell you. If you need help with this, or any of the above questions, do some reading on the subject, some quiet meditation, and/or seek help from someone who has time and skill to listen and carefully guide you in nourishing your soul, hence your outer experience.

The U.S. election of Barak Obama seems to have touched the soul of a nation, if not the soul of the world. At this time of new beginning, of HOPE for a more sane world, am I content to leave it all up him and his administration or do I have a part to play in the change, the renewal of my soul and an increasing charge of my expression into the larger soul?

- Ronald Polack

For more:

• on attitudes, see Chapter 9 of the book, Vibrational Vitality
• on healing, see Vibrational Healing

Articles - Introduction and Index

QUESTIONS FOR RONALD: rspolack@telus.net 1 604 943 7540