Perhaps you think of your soul as the core of who you are, your higher self, or your essence. Maybe you treat your inner guidance like a useful tool, to be used when you’re faced with a difficult decision or a dilemma. But how well do you really know your soul?
Your soul is much more than a tool to help you make decisions – it’s who you really are. It’s the truth of your life. It’s the seed of your full potential. It’s your faithful, loving inner friend that wants for you a life of love, wholeness, and growth.
Your soul is always trying to help you move forward, heal the wounds your heart has suffered, and help you grow and evolve into your real life. Your soul knows how to get there—and it’s never too late to learn to listen to it.
There’s hardly any discussion of soul in our society these days, outside of religion. So it’s not surprising that the true nature of our soul remains hidden from sight for most of us – which means we remain cut off from the greatest source of wisdom we can have in our lives.
Not only that, but we are so used to seeking help and validation outside of ourselves: therapy, courses and the approval of others. I’m not saying these aren’t necessary—at times, for each of us; they may be. But when you’re faced with a deep yearning that you don’t understand, hardly anyone will advise you to welcome it and explore it—to treat it as though it’s a shy animal that will only come towards you and nuzzle your hand if you sit still and open your heart.
Learning the language of soul
The soul speaks in images, feelings and knowing.
Soul speaks through the curve of a river, the flow of water, the majesty of mountains. It speaks through nature, books that find their way to you, synchronicities and signs, ‘random’ connections, and thoughts that flit through the mind.
Soul tends not to express itself the black-and-white language of the ego, so soul communication lacks the quality of certainty that we feel most comfortable basing decisions on. An important part of living the life our soul wants us to live is understanding this, and developing the courage to find a way to follow our soul’s direction anyway.
Spend time building a relationship with your soul, as though it were a dear friend. Seek to learn its language, so it can reveal to you its desires and true nature; its depths and nuances, its complicated longings.
Here are five ways to get out of your head and connecting with your soul:
- Spend time in nature. Humans only really ‘make sense’ in nature. Think of the soul as not being ‘inside’ your body, but as you being inside soul – the soul of the world. In this state of being, open up to signs and messages from nature, which may come in the form of sounds, patterns, glimpses or insights.
- Automatic writing. Get grounded and peaceful. Then begin journaling, asking your soul questions. Write what comes, without editing.
- Images. Sitting in silence, allow an image from nature to come to you. If it’s a tree, allow the tree to inhabit your body. What does it feel like to be this tree? What qualities does the tree have? What does the tree have to say about your life?
- Animal dancing. Allow an animal to come to you. Trust that this animal is exactly the right one for you, right now. Play some music (without words) and allow yourself to be taken over by the spirit of the animal. If Lion has come to you, maybe your soul wants you to learn to roar. If it’s a mouse, maybe you can learn the benefits of seeing all the details of things. Don’t think about it, just dance. Afterwards, journal about it.
- Story. Let your imagination roam free, and write the story of your life as a fairy tale. Don’t judge; whatever comes will be the right thing. Begin ‘Once upon a time’, and see where your pen takes you. It doesn’t have to be the true story of your life. Allow your soul to do the writing. When you’ve finished, absorb the images your imagination has created, and glean the guidance your soul is trying to give you.
The more time and attention you put into your relationship with your soul, the more magical and truthful your life will become. Be patient, open minded, courageous and honest, and your soul will guide you to dreams you never even knew you had.