The soul is the harmony underneath the shell of the body and mind. Nourishing the soul allows for wellness through wholeness. How? When you align with the energy in your soul, then you are inspired to the action that will create your dream world. Hard work is not required, rather it is satisfying to act now, before the end result. It can be so fun, you don't even call it effort. That is one of the primary purposes of nourishing your soul. Everything can be delicious when you are inspired in a relationship with your soul.
Let's start with the burning question. What is the soul? There are as many different definitions for the soul as there are humans on this planet. What is not debated is whether the soul exists.
To me, the soul is the part of us that is never born and never dies. It is the essence of who we are at our core. The soul is filled with keys, codes, messages, lessons and dreams like a treasure chest just for you. It is our unique blueprint that has no form in time and space. It is filled with unlimited possibilities that allow us to remember we are here for a purpose - for more than just the day-to-day. The soul is what pulls us toward our authentic self. It drives us to wake up from auto-pilot, and it lovingly lures us into our bliss. The soul is the light within that is always sending you unconditional love.
I’m going to give you a few overarching themes on how to connect with this magnificent energy called “the soul.” However, just as we have unique fingerprints, each of us has a different way of establishing the relationship to our soul. We each have unique tools we like to have for our “self- care,” right? It’s the same with soul care.
The bottom line: Experiment. Try something. See how it feels. Try something else. Take a pause and check in. Keep going. Like any relationship in our life, our soul wants to be seen, heard and valued. It will eventually tell you what it needs, but first, it wants to know you are invested in the partnership.
Here are 5 rituals to grow, anchor and nourish your soul. Soul care requires intention and constant devotion. The wisdom gems inside of your soul will take your breath away. I know your relationship with your soul will change your life.
- Be present – In friendships, in road trips, in love-making, in yoga class, in knowing what you need, in pausing, in feeling, in sharing. Infuse presence in absolutely everything. Drink your coffee like there is no tomorrow. When you talk with your partner, listen and feel like this is the most critical thing in the world. Presence leads us to see life through a lens of acute awareness. This awareness pulls us to witness our authentic self because our soul will lead us to ask just the right questions if we are present. Literally, be still enough to allow your soul to shine through the cracks and hear your heart with clarity.
- Serve somebody – Extend your heart to another or lend a hand to someone in need. Allow your soul to feel connected. Embody the golden rule. Empathy, kindness and human dignity will change the world. The soul is always looking to share, to care, to give and receive love freely. Seek out opportunities to support others. The truth is when it comes to serving; we are the ones who truly benefit.
- More action. Less reaction. “Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What we need is more conscious movement...more action.” B.K.S Iyengar Conscious movement is the opposite of self-consciousness. When you are self-aware, you are entirely within yourself, not outside yourself looking in. Your soul knows exactly where you stand with everything that you want. As you move about your day, it is through conscious action that we can see our soul in motion. We can feel the connection between our mind, body and spirit. Pay attention to what you really, really desire. Ask yourself if what you are saying and doing is leading you closer to your goals or further away. Your soul will guide you incrementally and precisely to everything you want.
- Be responsible for your own well-being – When you take responsibility for your choices, for your words, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, and patterns, you encourage your soul to be in its full authentic power. You don’t have to be perfect. You should acknowledge when someone has hurt you. But when you give your power away to someone else to make you “happy or fulfilled or fill in the blank,” you send a message to your soul that you need to look outside of yourself. You turn away from the deep inner wisdom of our soul.
- Give up on balance – You're chasing something unattainable. You can't slice your life like an evenly cut apple pie (sidebar: one of my favorite things in the world. Add vanilla ice cream, and I'm your friend forever). You cannot be all things to all people all the time. Period. Instead, focus on what gives you meaning and depth. Figure out what makes you happy and do that most of the time. I'm not saying be irresponsible; I’m just saying life-work balance is a myth and the pursuit of it is causing more stress. Change your metric of success to flow, joy, ease, and peace.
There you have it. Rituals to nourish your soul like the goddess that you are. Remember, everything you need is already within you. Allow yourself to refuel at the deepest level. Do not stop trying. Your soul is rooting for you.
