Taking care of your soul
How do you take care of your soul?
I asked this question in one of my workshops in Athens and 95% of the participants didn’t have an answer.
When I rephrased the question, some did.
Still, they were not many. And the majority of those people who did have an answer said they rarely took the time to nourish their soul and didn’t understand the importance of it.
We are in a collective spiritual crisis.
Lately, there seems to be an emphasis on mental and physical health, which I’m very happy about! Yet, health is so much more than that. Health is our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
To quote Plato, “The part cannot be well unless the whole is well.” We must take care of all four aspects of ourselves.
So how can you nurture your spiritual wellbeing?
You can start by asking yourself the following questions: What makes me feel a connection with something bigger than myself? What activities and in what type of environments do I feel a deeper connection with myself? What makes me forget time? What gives me joy?
These can be indicators of what your soul wants.
Of course, I don’t mean alcohol, drugs, or any other substances that might make you feel happy or forget time. We know they do! However, I’m sure you realize they’re not the kind of activities and environments I’m referring to here.
I’ll give you an example of a non-religious soul-nurturing activity of mine.
Nature. I wasn’t aware nature was such an important part of my wellbeing until I started feeling disconnected from myself, burnt out from the noisy, career-driven life in Amsterdam and a little lost in my being. I was soul-starved. Luckily, I was able to call Greece my second home, and even though I always loved it there, it was only a couple of years ago when I truly and deeply understood the healing power of its nature for my soul - of its ability to make me feel connected to something bigger. I now spend my time in nature daily to nurture myself.
Other activities that I have found nurturing are meditation, art, music, cooking, dancing, and writing, as well as visiting mosques, churches, and other spiritual sites when traveling. Even as a non-religious person, you can feel a connection when entering sacred buildings or places. The experience can be quite powerful when you’re surrounded by other people who, through their faith, are searching for a deeper connection too.
I believe all humans crave to connect with their essence. with their true nature.
We’re all part of something that’s so much bigger than we can ever grasp with our logical minds. Our instinctive need for a greater connection is a daily reminder of this truth.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
When we truly understand this statement we're able to understand the utter importance of soul-nourishing practices and daily check-ins with our spirit - our essence.
Be well, my friend.
