
Soul: Merriman Webster defines it as: the spiritual part of human being or animal, regarded as immortal. I recently listened to Lorie Ladd, offer a Soul Full meditation in connecting soul IN the body. She shares that there is nothing more important right now than integrating Soul with the human character. www.lorieladd.com
Her vital reminder that our soul is not out there somewhere and resides within. That part that has remained within us for lifetimes and animates this body that we are inhabiting now. Perhaps first felt as separate from the ego self, our personality and character that shows up with all its roles and personas as it must to be in this world. However, with a deeping awareness the connecting with soul, our most natural state becomes an integration of soul and the human aspects as one.
Looking into the eyes of a child and animals remind me that our souls are within, not something to try to chase after to grab and snatch outside of oneself. They are our intuitive sense, our inner North Star and have informed and guided us throughout countless lifetimes.
Lorie had us envision resting in the arms of our soul and what words or feelings arose? For me, I felt an inner sense of calm, ease, being held by something so much greater than myself, and an inner compass guiding my day to day choices.
I had the exposure as a hospital chaplain and within my own family to feel and witness the exiting of a soul after the earthly body is shed. My first sensation of this was with my brother. He was hospitalized, had been extubated and the curtain was drawn around him as the nurse was attending to him. She had requested that our family step out of the room for a moment. I was sitting with the hospital chaplain, Andy, as my parents sat across from me in the waiting room. An overwhelming sensation and force landed within me resulting in my springing to my feet to rush into his room. As I pulled the curtain aside, I witnessed his nurse taking his vitals and indicating to me that he was no longer earth side.
When my son, Douglas, took his last breath, my dear friend, Linc, witnessed his soul exit and motioned to us. I was so steeped in agonizing sorrow that I could not see nor did I feel as I had with my brother, yet I fully trusted what he was describing. It was a very quick departure for Douglas, as he had been in that liminal space of one foot in this world and one foot out.
My sister, Carol, and I were with our mother not long after she took her last breath. Her soul essence was still lingering long enough for us to feel her presence as we made our way to the assisted living facility within ten minutes of receiving the call. I believe she remained a bit longer as a mother would do to assuage her maternal worry that her two daughters were going to be okay.
Why I mention these memories is that no matter one’s traditions, beliefs, I have witnessed and seen first hand the life force within a person and how it changes when the soul exits. The soul is the animating force which cannot be extinguished and lives on. I wonder if some of us have had it backwards when we think of our personalities, this body, the roles we play as being solely who we are? Our souls are the highest expressions and aspects of ourselves sourced from a power greater than ourselves housed within these temporary vessels we know as our bodies.
There are countless ways to meet and interact with our soul essence and I believe our practice becomes how to access it? Meditating, times spent in nature, observing animals, listening to children, speaking with elders full of years of life experiences are some of the passageways to soul that I am discovering. So many more await, of this I am certain and welcome.
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